PHOENIX – A new device can check for brain injuries like concussions and bleeds in less than an hour, according to Arizona medical leaders who are using the technology.
Brainscope One can save money because patients can go to an urgent care center instead of an emergency room, said Dr. Devin Minior, chief medical advisor for Banner Health.
“Brainscope One is basically a device that assesses any kind of patient that comes in with any type of head trauma, and it looks at the potential severity of a traumatic brain injury that they’ve had,” Minior said.
Banner Health employees demonstrate how a brainscope works to detect concussion. (Photo by Tatum Hubbell/Cronkite News)
Traumatic brain injuries contribute to about 30 percent of U.S. injury-related deaths, according to the Center for Disease Control.
The device is made of a disposable headset connected to a smartphone. The patient plays cognitive-centered games on the phone to determine whether she or he has abnormal brain activity.