Doctors' Stethoscope Soon to Be Obsolete? - East Idaho News
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Doctors’ Stethoscope Soon to Be Obsolete?

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GETTY 012414 Stethoscope?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1390615573985iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — Could it be a sign of the times? The stethoscope — an iconic symbol of your family doctor — could soon be on the way out, thanks to new technology.  A new editorial in this month’s Global Heart, the journal for the World Heart Federation, says the almost 200-year-old medical device could soon be obsolete.

New pocket sized ultrasound machines are more accurately able to diagnose heart and lung problems because they can take a snapshot of all your organs at once.

It’s not surprising, though, if your doctor doesn’t have one. The gadgets are expensive. Even the cheapest ultrasound can cost up to several thousand dollars, compared to the inexpensive stethoscope that can cost as little as $20. It’s also new technology, so your doctor might not be used to it. That could change, however, with each new class graduating from med school.

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