Deaf and hard of hearing people working and training in health professions
Cardionics E-Scope
2 thoughts on “Cardionics E-Scope”
Hi,
I’m a final year medical student at Warwick University, UK. I have had the Cardionics E-scope throughout my training. I was provided after my disability assessment via Gordon Morris Hearing Solutions (http://www.gordonmorrisshop.co.uk/).
Whilst it has been a very useful tool for me I should point out one or two of its “flaws.” Firstly if you use it, as I do, via the BTE input lead it can be somewhat fragile. The lead inserts into what is basically a chip attached to the main circuit board on the side of the scope which overtime can loosen and come away, even taking care to be as gentle as possible. Whilst you can still use the scope via the headphones, it is an expensive thing to have repaired (£250) as there is no EU base. It has to be sent back to the US for repair.
Secondly the BTE lead itself is also a tad fragile, like any long wire similar to normal iPod headphones it can fray over time. This can cost $150-200 to replace too.
yes, I agree, the mini-USB socket does look as though it needs gentle handling.
I know this doesn’t solve the problem with the socket, but have you thought of using headphones? Unless there’s a particular reason you can’t do this (eg your audiologist says you can’t have vents in your ear moulds due to the pattern of hearing loss), headphones are a better option than DAI. Using DAI, you may be missing sounds of very low frequency such as 3rd & 4th heart sounds especially. See Limitations of hearing aids…
If you need to use DAI, one option may be to keep the cable plugged in, so the socket is moved as little as possible. Use a cable tidy to help keep the cable from flopping around and store the stethoscope with the cable in place in the zip case it comes with. During the working day, if you’re in one consulting room, you can find somewhere to place or hang the stethoscope securely. If you’re going from ward to ward, I wonder if there’s a way of draping it on your neck that keep the cable/socket junction stable. Maybe even some sort of clip to hold the joint stable? Not sure. Otherwise it may mean carrying it round in the zip case. Which is not convenient.
I do wonder about the cost of replacements such as cables. I don’t know whether the ones Cardionics supply are a particular specification or whether DAI cables we can buy generally are just as good. I don’t have the technical expertise to know things like this so I’d be glad to hear from anyone who does. Thanks.
Hi,
I’m a final year medical student at Warwick University, UK. I have had the Cardionics E-scope throughout my training. I was provided after my disability assessment via Gordon Morris Hearing Solutions (http://www.gordonmorrisshop.co.uk/).
Whilst it has been a very useful tool for me I should point out one or two of its “flaws.” Firstly if you use it, as I do, via the BTE input lead it can be somewhat fragile. The lead inserts into what is basically a chip attached to the main circuit board on the side of the scope which overtime can loosen and come away, even taking care to be as gentle as possible. Whilst you can still use the scope via the headphones, it is an expensive thing to have repaired (£250) as there is no EU base. It has to be sent back to the US for repair.
Secondly the BTE lead itself is also a tad fragile, like any long wire similar to normal iPod headphones it can fray over time. This can cost $150-200 to replace too.
Hi Christopher,
yes, I agree, the mini-USB socket does look as though it needs gentle handling.
I know this doesn’t solve the problem with the socket, but have you thought of using headphones? Unless there’s a particular reason you can’t do this (eg your audiologist says you can’t have vents in your ear moulds due to the pattern of hearing loss), headphones are a better option than DAI. Using DAI, you may be missing sounds of very low frequency such as 3rd & 4th heart sounds especially. See Limitations of hearing aids…
If you need to use DAI, one option may be to keep the cable plugged in, so the socket is moved as little as possible. Use a cable tidy to help keep the cable from flopping around and store the stethoscope with the cable in place in the zip case it comes with. During the working day, if you’re in one consulting room, you can find somewhere to place or hang the stethoscope securely. If you’re going from ward to ward, I wonder if there’s a way of draping it on your neck that keep the cable/socket junction stable. Maybe even some sort of clip to hold the joint stable? Not sure. Otherwise it may mean carrying it round in the zip case. Which is not convenient.
I do wonder about the cost of replacements such as cables. I don’t know whether the ones Cardionics supply are a particular specification or whether DAI cables we can buy generally are just as good. I don’t have the technical expertise to know things like this so I’d be glad to hear from anyone who does. Thanks.