Doctors are tossing out their stethoscopes for a free iPhone app

The classic image of a Doctor in scrubs with a stethoscope draped over his or her neck could soon be history, as Physicians by the hundreds have started checking their patients using a free iPhone app called iStethoscope.

Developed by Peter Bentley at University College London, the program uses the combined output of the iPhone's microphone, motion sensors, and camera to get a much more accurate reading than a simple acoustic stethoscope, then it shows your heart's waveform on the iPhone's display.

Bentley says that the app is being downloaded 500 times per day, but just how many of those are by Doctors is hard to say. In addition to the free app, there's a "Pro" version for 99¢ that gets rid of the embedded advertising and adds a few features. Frankly, I'd be a bit worried if my Doctor didn't consider themselves to be a "pro".

iStethoscope is available now in the iPhone App Store.

I would not have imagined that even doctors would approve of an iPhone app!