The Carnation Ambulatory Monitor (CAM) entered made the headlines after receiving CE certification. Here at Fantastrial we decided to take a look at this device and BardyDx, the company behind it.
The CAM Patch
As stated on its website, the Carnation Ambulatory Monitor — or CAM — is a lightweight, bandage-size cardiac patch monitor. Its design positions it perfectly where it can reliably capture the P-wave. This focus on the P-wave is a major advancement for cardiologists and cardiac rhythm specialists to aid in diagnosis of arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation.
A business model for the COVID-19 era
BardyDx aims to market the CAM as a mail-to-patient, keep them out of hospital tool. In the current climate, this is more important than ever before. The upgraded version can also be worn for 14 days, which is almost unheard of from similar medical devices. Another advantage is that doctors can review the whole recording just like with a traditional Holter monitor. This is hugely better than other proposed models, in which the analysis is performed offsite. There is little doubt that clinicians with a good idea of a patients’ history are better at making sense of the recording than remote technicians.
Fierce competition
In the past, we’ve reviewed the Coala Monitor, the Eko Duo, the Vitalpatch, the Doccla Virtual Wards system, heck – even the Masimo Monitor. As you can see, the market is getting bigger all the time. What we find concerning, is that doctors will have to become acquainted with all of these different platforms, instead of learning all the tips and tricks of a couple. This may hurt mHealth and Digital Cardiology in the long run, which is why companies should try to create common frameworks for their devices. As to which one will prevail – we just have to wait and see.