NBC's "Rock Center" Features Scripps Health Digital Medicine Pioneer

Scripps Health Chief Academic Officer Eric Topol, M.D., described how smartphones and other wireless technologies are revolutionizing medicine during a recent in-depth feature on NBC’s primetime news magazine “Rock Center with Brian Williams.”

“These days, I’m prescribing a lot more apps than I am medications,” Dr. Topol told NBC News Chief Medical Editor Dr. Nancy Snyderman.

Dr. Topol demonstrated several cutting-edge devices including a smartphone blood sugar monitor made by Dexcom, the Vscan pocket-sized ultrasound device made by GE, an iPhone ECG heart monitor made by AliveCor and a wireless non-invasive vital signs monitor made by Sotera Wireless.

Such innovation is opening the door to health care that is specially tailored for each individual patient, Dr. Topol said.

“The new medicine is plugged into you,” he said. “It’s understanding you, which we’ve never really done before.”