Eko Health’s AI platform for digital stethoscopes granted new CPT code
Eko Health has received a new Category III CPT code from the American Medical Association (AMA) for its Sensora platform, ensuring its use can be properly documented by coding specialists whenever necessary. Category III CPT codes are temporary and reserved for emerging technologies, services and procedures.
The Sensora platform includes a collection of FDA-cleared artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms designed to help cardiologists and other healthcare providers identify signs of significant cardiac conditions such as structural heart murmurs, arrhythmias and low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). It works with Eko Health’s Core 500 digital stethoscope, the company’s advanced screening tool with built-in electrocardiography technology.
“The AMA’s creation of Category III CPT code for Eko’s AI disease detection algorithms is a major step in increasing access to early heart disease detection,” Connor Landgraf, CEO of Eko Health, said in a prepared statement. “This milestone will help enable clinicians to use powerful, validated tools to identify heart disease early, ultimately improving patient outcomes, especially in communities with limited access to specialist care.”
More positive news for Eko Health
2024 has been a busy year for Eko Health’s digital stethoscope technology. Back in April, the company’s LVEF algorithm gained full FDA approval and was officially added to the Sensora platform. Eko Health worked closely with Mayo Clinic on that offering, collaborating with its physicians to ensure the technology would work on a variety of different patient populations.
“The ability to identify a hidden, potentially life-threatening heart condition using a tool that primary care and subspecialist clinicians are familiar with—the stethoscope—can help us prevent hospitalizations and adverse events,” Paul Friedman, MD, chair of the department of cardiovascular medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, said at the time. “Importantly, since a stethoscope is small and portable, this technology can be used in urban and remote locations, and hopefully help address care in underserved areas.”
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.