Butterfly Network, the very well-funded maker of a smartphone-connected, point-of-care ultrasound device, announced that it is releasing a suite of mobile-friendly tools for provider workflows.

WHAT’S THE IMPACT

Called Butterfly Enterprise, the platform connects with third-party ultrasound devices as well as the Butterfly iQ handheld device and the provider’s EHR or PACS systems. The system is designed to help clinicians quickly build and complete worksheets from a mobile device. Additionally, the system includes team communication tools, one-click billing and other tools to streamline QA and credentialing management across a clinical team.

And although the system is device agnostic, it isn’t hard to see where it falls in with Butterfly Network’s larger business plan. By focusing on ultrasound at the point of care, Butterfly Enterprise is an open door either to more sales of the Butterfly iQ device, or an additional service-based source of revenue from physicians or practices that are already familiar with the device.

THE LARGER TREND

Butterfly Network’s smartphone-connected device was cleared by the FDA roughly two years ago, selling itself on convenience, connectivity and a much lower cost than other connected ultrasound devices. The time since saw a $250 million funding round for the company that was led by Fidelity and brought Butterfly Network to a total backing of $350 million. And just a few months ago, the company made headlines again when the University of California at Irvine Medical School’s class of 2023 each received their own free Butterfly iQ device as part of their White Coat Ceremony.

“Historically, we had been using a lot of laptop and cart-based ultrasounds, which are technically portable but they’re not handheld and they are still a little bit limiting for our students,” Dr. Warren Weichmann, UCI’s associate dean, told MobiHealthNews at the time. “So when we heard about Butterflies, that really opened up the possibility that we could move toward this idea of having every student with an ultrasound machine in their pocket.”

ON THE RECORD

"Making it possible to store, document, and review studies from a mobile phone, by the bedside, is a huge step forward,” Dr. Rachel Liu, an assistant professor at Yale’s emergency medicine department, said in a statement provided by Butterfly Network. “Butterfly Enterprise is going to help notably facilitate quality improvement processes, drive credentialing and ultimately improve the treatment of patients.”