I think it has a lot of potential - CarePods. In accordance with our mantra…test, test, test, anything that makes testing easier and cheaper is a good thing.
" And, making scans affordable for the masses, Forward’s competitive price point could encourage adoption beyond biohackers."
As long as they keep improving it with new tech and new tests.
“Aoun has ambitious plans for CarePods, and the company’s proven ability to iterate and develop new solutions shows it’s likely agile enough to work through early adopter issues. CarePods has a surprising number of features, and Forward Health will keep creating more.”
Here’s how it works: Users walk up to the door and unlock it with their mobile device. They step in alone and find a large touchscreen facing a chair. A glowing ring on the floor indicates the location of the full-body scanner. A hidden drawer on one of the sides delivers different medical tests as needed. A friendly female voice guides the patient through the process.
The CarePod’s screen serves up different apps available to the user: full body scan, heart health, thyroid testing, blood pressure, weight management, diabetes screening, COVID-19 test, HIV screening, kidney, and liver health — there seems to be an app for many ailments. Let’s say you pick heart health. The drawer opens and presents the patient with a sensor. The touchscreen instructs the user to place the sensor against their heart, and after a few tests, the diagnosis is displayed on the screen. And if more treatment is required, one of Forward’s doctors will review the findings in real time and issue a prescription or additional instructions.
Blood tests are performed with a single-use, needleless collection device. Blood pressure is measured using a wireless arm cuff. Skin testing uses a scanner. Various swabs are available to test for COVID-19, strep and other ailments. The company says it also tests for STDs but does not detail which type or how it completes the diagnosis.
Each CarePod is staffed with an attendant who can answer basic questions and services the device between uses.
After they get the kinks worked out, the attendant could probably be replaced on-screen with an AI chatbot and avatar. Should technically be able to do some simplified form of a DexaScan or VO2 Max test.
A CT scanner is too big and expensive to allow CAC tests but I wonder if they could invent some kind of automated, robotic machine to do CIMT tests. That would be great.
They could even have specialized cameras to do FaceAge or retina scanners to do RetinaAge and certainly could do eye tests and hearing tests. Or some functional tests like grip strength, balance or any number of others. Could be an easy stop in the mall to get your BioAge engraved on a little plaque that you could hang in your kitchen (certainly better than that damn plaque in your arteries!).
