Anytime my kiddo gets sick, I immediately tense up while envisioning the trek through the germ-laden doctor’s office. I imagine it a bit like a pixelated, 90s-era dramatic video game. I see myself ducking, rolling and jumping to avoid all the obstacles. There’s a kiddo with strep throat, a teen with the flu and a toddler with pink eye! I sprint to the final level, meeting the clinician! On more than one occasion, I have found myself on a bonus challenge level of that game, saying to my child, “please don’t lick that!” It often feels like we leave with more germs than we arrived with, so I’m happy to have been able to try out TytoHome, created by Tyto Care.
TytoHome is a handheld exam kit and app that allowed me to perform an on-demand guided exam at home. It also helped us avoid the germs of the doctor’s office, urgent care or emergency room.
When the TytoHome device was sent to me, I couldn’t help but tear into the package like a kid on Christmas morning. The future of medical visits was on my kitchen table; I couldn’t wait to get started! I was pleasantly surprised by how compact the TytoHome device was, with a neat pouch for easy storage.
While I giddily unpacked the box and carefully went through the pieces it came with, I simultaneously downloaded the TytoApp. It was easy as pie, finding the app in iTunes. (It can also be found in Google Play if you have an Android phone or device.) I set up an account and found that TytoHome offered built-in training videos that really simplified how to best conduct the exam. The videos were short but detailed. If those kinds of tools aren’t your jam, you can close them and skip to the exam too.
So how does it work? After getting the device and app, you conduct a guided exam with a clinician using the TytoHome device. The clinician will provide a diagnosis, treatment plan, and prescription if needed. All of this can happen conveniently at home and the only germs your kid is exposed to are the ones they’ve already sneezed all over your living room couch!
TytoHome can exam a lot of symptoms. The device comes with three attachments, so clinicians can exam any of the following:
- Abdomen: the clinician can listen to stomach and bowel sounds
- Ears (Heck yes, there’s an otoscope for all those pesky pediatric ear infections!)
- Heart
- Lungs
- Skin
- Temperature
- Throat
I despise the wondering game of “Should I… shouldn’t I? Will they… won’t they?” when it comes to the decision of bringing a child into the doctor. TytoHome offers peace of mind and certainty in a diagnosis all from the comforts of home. Sans anyone else’s germs, thank you very much. They can diagnose and treat conditions such as ear infections, sore throats, fever, cold and flu, allergies, pink eye, nausea, constipation, asthma, bronchitis, upper respiratory infections and skin conditions such as bug bites, contact dermatitis, rash and diaper rash.
But how oh how can TytoHome replicate that nifty HIPAA form you always have to sign at the office? TytoHome uses a HIPAA-secure platform so there are no concerns about security issues. Only you and the clinician can connect to the data.
Sanford Health is the medical provider conducting on-demand TytoHome visits in the Twin Cities area. Sanford Health clinicians are certified and experienced in treating urgent care conditions. They receive specific training for conducting online visits. I had a trial visit and my clinician was kind, patient and very informative. It was everything I’d want from an in-office visit, except I was comfortable at home.
TytoCare is truly transforming primary care by putting health in the hands of the consumer. As a mama, I appreciate this.
TytoHome is available for purchase online at BestBuy.com and in select stores in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul region.
To learn more, visit here.
