San Francisco-based startup Augmedix has raised $3.2 million to build a Google Glass app for doctors.
The app will be designed to help doctors access electronic health records faster and easier, which will give doctors time to take care of their patients, according to PC Magazine.
"Doctors spend more than 1/3 of their day on the computer, inputting or retrieving data from electronic health records," said Ian Shakil, CEO of Augmedix. "The amount of data and documentation is overwhelming. Powered by Google Glass, Augmedix rehumanizes the doctor-patient interaction by delivering patient satisfaction, doctor efficiency, doctor satisfaction and health record quality."
The money was funded by DCM and Emergence Capital Partners, and will help Augmedix hire new talent and increase its user base, TechCrunch reported. Founded by Shakil and fellow Stanford Biodesign program alum Pelu Tran, Augmedix is one of the first companies to be given a large amount of early funding on a product specifically for Google Glass.
Google Glass has been in development since 2012, PC Magazine reported. The device could let doctors videotape a patient's visit, while also having information from the conversation added automatically to the patient's medical records.
Being hands-free is another benefit of the technology, according to VentureBeat. The feature lets doctors use the device to access information about new drugs or the patient's medical history while they are meeting with a patient in-person.
Google Glass has been used in medicine before. MedRef, a similar app, was revealed last May and uses facial recognition to help hospital employees access patient records quicker and easier. This past June, a doctor in Maine performed the first known surgery with Google Glass, PC Magazine reported.
While Google Glass has raised questions about privacy, Augmedix said the device has received high acceptance from many patients in the U.S., TechCrunch reported. Promoting the use of the technology by doctors, who are trusted with patients' health, may play a role in the approval of the device.
