Use Connected Medical Devices

Your telemedicine kit or cart includes medical devices — exam camera, stethoscope, and otoscope — that allow the virtual provider to perform examinations remotely. This page explains how to set them up before a visit and how to use them during the video call.

Before the visit: hardware setup

Setting up the devices is a two-layer process: the hardware switch powers the device, and the CureCompanion platform detects it.

  1. Power on the cart or kit.
  2. Sign in to CureCompanion at https://curecompanion.com/app/. You will land on the new instant visit page.
  3. Turn on the switch for each device you plan to use during the visit.
    • Each device switch has its own indicator light on the cart or kit. The light turns on when the switch is on — this confirms the device is powered.
    • On the new instant visit page, the corresponding device button changes to “available” once CureCompanion detects the device. This is the software-level confirmation that the platform sees the device.

The on-screen “available” indicator only appears after you sign in. The hardware switch light alone is not enough to confirm CureCompanion has detected the device.

During the call: activating a device

When you create and join the instant visit, the call starts with your default camera (typically the kit/cart’s webcam). The medical device buttons appear below the main video area.

The provider sees the default camera until you activate a medical device.

To use a medical device:

  1. Click the device’s button (e.g., exam camera). Your video feed switches from the default camera to that device, so the provider sees through the device.
  2. To switch to a different medical device, click that device’s button. The previously active device deactivates automatically.
  3. To return to the default camera, click the active device’s button again. The button works as a toggle — clicking an active device button deactivates it and returns the feed to the default camera.

What you see on the cart screen does not change when you activate a device — the device feed is what the provider sees on their end.

Using each device

Exam camera

The handheld exam camera is used for general visual examination — skin conditions, wounds, throat, eyes, and other surface examinations.

  1. Click the exam camera button to activate it.
  2. Pick up the exam camera from the cart or kit.
  3. Position it as the provider directs.
  4. When done, click the button again to deactivate, or click another device’s button to switch directly.

Otoscope

The otoscope is used for inner ear examinations.

  1. Click the otoscope button to activate it.
  2. Pick up the otoscope.
  3. Position the tip in the patient’s ear as the provider directs.
  4. Click the button again to deactivate when done.

Stethoscope (live auscultation)

The stethoscope is used for auscultation — heart, lung, and abdominal sounds.

  1. Click the stethoscope button to activate it. The provider can now hear sounds from the stethoscope live.
  2. Place the chestpiece on the patient as the provider directs.
  3. Click the button again to deactivate when done.

If live auscultation is unclear due to network conditions, you can also record a stethoscope sound — see the next section.

Recording stethoscope sound (store-and-forward)

Live stethoscope audio can occasionally be degraded by network conditions, since the audio is compressed and streamed in real time. For these cases, CureCompanion provides a recording feature that captures stethoscope audio at full quality and saves it to the visit, so the provider can play it back without any compression loss.

To record a stethoscope sound:

  1. Click “Record stethoscope sound” in the toolbar at the top of the video screen.
  2. Place the chestpiece on the patient as the provider directs.
  3. Stop the recording when finished.
  4. The recording is saved to the diagnostics section of the visit. The provider can play it back during the call or after the visit, at full quality.

Use this feature any time the provider asks for a clearer recording, or in lower-bandwidth settings where live audio quality is unreliable.

Troubleshooting

On-screen device button shows “unavailable”:

  1. Check the device switch’s own indicator light on the cart or kit. If the light is off, the device is not powered — turn the switch fully on.
  2. If the switch light is on but the on-screen button still shows “unavailable”, check the USB connection from the device to the cart/kit computer, then reload the new instant visit page.
  3. Confirm you are signed in. The on-screen “available” indicator only appears when you are signed in.
  4. If none of the above resolves the issue, reboot the cart or kit and try again.

Wrong feed is showing during the call:

  1. Click the active device’s button to deactivate it — the feed returns to the default camera.
  2. If you intended to use a different device, click that device’s button instead.