GE Healthcare is investing up to $50m in Israeli start-up Pulsenmore’s handheld tele-ultrasound device that docks with a smartphone so women can perform ultrasound self-scans at home.

The device lets them receive fast clinical feedback from healthcare professionals.

This investment is aimed at accelerating global adoption of Pulsenmore’s homecare ultrasound technology and will support its goal to pursue US FDA clearance and commercial expansion.

In addition to its equity investment, GE Healthcare will also partner with Pulsenmore to distribute its products in Europe and other markets as the product becomes available for commercial distribution and collaborate closely on developing ultrasound-based healthcare offerings that cater to the homecare market, which is expected to reach $662bn by 2027 and poised to grow at a compound annual growth (CAGR) rate of 14.2%.

The telehealth market is projected to expand at a CAGR of over 30% from 2022 to 2029, creating a need for technologies that can improve remote monitoring and clinical decision-making.

Pulsenmore is well positioned for this market with its self-operated prenatal home ultrasound, which, combined with a smartphone, enables pregnant women to self-scan for remote clinical assessment by their healthcare provider.

The complete product includes a handheld ultrasound device that docks with the user’s smartphone; a mobile app for the patient to conduct offline and online consultation with a clinician; a web application for clinician-side interaction with the platform; and a software API enabling integration of Pulsenmore’s online services with organisation health records.

The periodic foetal ultrasound scanning and consultation enabled by the device can be offered as an online clinician-guided telecommunication service or as an offline application-guided service.

“Our agreement with GE Healthcare is a resounding vote of confidence in our ultrasound technology and our company,” said Pulsenmore CEO and founder Elazar Sonnenschein. “With GE Healthcare’s market leadership position and reach, we are one step closer to achieving our vision of making home ultrasound universally accessible for remote and reliable care, ultimately improving maternal health across the globe. Through this exciting partnership, we will accelerate the empowerment of women to proactively manage their pregnancy, in collaboration with their health care providers, and will lead the next wave of ultrasound innovation that will benefit patients and providers alike.”

GE Healthcare ultrasound president and CEO Roland Rott added: “Healthcare providers are predicting a significant shift of care services from traditional facilities to the home, which will require an increase in the level of quality or access. Homecare opens the door to tremendous value for payers, healthcare facilities, physician groups and care-at-home providers, with the opportunity to improve patients’ quality of care and experience. We also recognise the desire of patients – in this case, pregnant women – to be more empowered and involved in their healthcare. This is precisely why we are investing in Pulsenmore’s innovative homecare ultrasound technology. We are excited about adding this highly complementary offering to our market leading women’s health and primary care standard of care ultrasound diagnostics, marking a strong step forward in enabling precision health.”

Additional applications and devices are under development by Pulsenmore, including remote follicular monitoring for women undergoing in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) as well as remote monitoring for chronic heart failure and end-stage renal disease.

The Pulsenmore prenatal ultrasound platform has already been implemented across Israel in partnership with the country’s largest HMO, Clalit Health Services. Most recently, physicians at Israel’s Sheba Medical Center have been using the device to conduct prenatal ultrasounds on refugees at the Ukraine border as part of a new virtual hospital that has Israeli medical staff caring for people injured or displaced in the war.

Pulsenmore was founded in 2014 by Sonnenschein, and aims to make home ultrasound universally accessible for remote and reliable care. The flagship product for foetal ultrasound is approved for marketing in Europe (CE) and Israel. Clinical studies in the USA are underway.