Eko CORE 500™ Digital Stethoscope Reviews

4.7 Rating 338 Reviews

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Eko is connecting with clinicians around the world to enhance care with the next generation Stethoscope & ECG. We are a growing company that appreciates clinical feedback for our products, so we can keep innovating them and working towards improving cardiac care.

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“I bought this stethoscope because I thought the features were neat. I like the idea of it and it's done pretty well. I've been using it for about 2 weeks in an inpatient setting. I do have a few critiques, however. Pros: 1. I really like the design of the stethoscope. It's not too big or cumbersome and its not much bigger than a regular stethoscope. The tubing is also nice and flexible. 2. The volume goes up pretty loud. If you're somebody with difficulty hearing, then this should have you covered. The sound quality is all around pretty good with a few complaints listed in the "cons" section. Heart sounds are crisp and it does an okay job at filtering things out. 3. It turns on and off really quickly. There's not much of a "boot up" period. 4. The display is nice and bright. Rhythm strip and BPM seems pretty accurate. It's overall easy to use and navigate between settings. And the app is also pretty straightforward and easy to use. Cons 1. To use features like 3 lead ECG or AI analysis you have to use your phone in conjunction with the stethoscope. If you want the AI analysis you have to start an exam on the app and place the stethoscope in the 4 positions. It also takes a while to record long enough to do the analysis. This wouldn't be a huge problem if not for the second issue. I wish there was a way to begin this process on the stethoscope and then view the report on your phone. 2. The head of the stethoscope is pretty large to accommodate the 3 lead ECG component. The problem with this is that not all patients chests are completely flat, and the stethoscope head is obviously not flexible. This means unless you want to really push down on the head of the stethoscope to get contact on all the leads, you're not going to get a good read in some locations. 3. The sound can be a bit distorted. This is independent of the volume the stethoscope is set at. It's almost like the "gain" is set too high on the microphone. For example if you have a thin patient with crisp and loud breath sounds, they can potentially sound distorted. 4. And this is a bit "nitpicky" but I'm not a fan of the plastic buttons on the head of the stethoscope. They feel cheap and un-sturdy, and they're extremely easy to press. There have been several times where I've been positioning the stethoscope and accidentally switched the listening mode or messed with the volume. This could easily be fixed with more firm metal buttons. Overall I think the stethoscope is a cool concept and has a lot of potential with some updates here and there. Your milage may vary and some things may come to personal preference.”

3 Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“I have owned every iteration of Eko since the first generation. The Core 500 has only improved on a great foundation. Eko has improved my stethoscope experience as I have some occupational hearing loss incurred in my military service. I have used my Eko products solely through Bluetooth connection to earpods with great success since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in multiple Emergency Departments. I have not needed to insert a stethoscope into my ears since that time and I do not feel that I will go back to that, either. The software has improved significantly as well as that of the earpods. The experience with the Core 500 has improved over the Core and Duo significantly. The amplification and filter are improvements and the ECG lead is a bonus. I look forward to the continued improvements over the years of these products and would like to see a Bluetooth connection directly to earbuds or smartwatches that does not require taking a large iPhone into patients' rooms for the examination.”

4 Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“Was lucky enough to get one of the first stethoscopes, and wow; the sound is amazing. Reduces background noise better than any stethoscope I have tried and the quick rhythm strip on the display is handy.”

2 Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“There were a couple of times when I caught things with the CORE 500 that could have been missed. Even though these patients were not on telemetry, I could see something was going on. For example, I identified murmurs and abnormal rhythms when using the CORE 500, prompting a call to get a 12-lead ECG. I noticed when a patient went into AFib without a history of AFib. On another occasion, I looked at the on-screen ECG tracing and detected an ST elevation indicating myocardial infarction. We were able to bring the doctor right in and get the patient a higher level of care. I could have missed those if I didn’t have that tracing right there at my fingertips. Some people are leery about new technology. But don’t be leery about this. The CORE 500 is an awesome tool that is going to enhance your ability to take care of your patients.”

2 Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“It can be challenging to hear sounds with a typical stethoscope, especially if there are lots of alarms going off and ancillary staff all trying to talk and get things done. By far, the CORE 500 surpasses the auditory capabilities of any other stethoscope I’ve ever listened to. You actually hear the stuff that matters. The sounds are unmatched.”

2 Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“With the CORE 500™’s newest audio innovation, TrueSound™, the sounds are sharper and more refined when compared to the previous generation of CORE, with less distortion and less artifact. It was like using a telemetry monitor and listening to a patient at the same time - the amplification and noise cancellation were particularly helpful! The battery would last me several shifts - I would charge it once a week, leaving it plugged in for the weekend, then it would be ready to go Monday and last the whole week. My colleagues would notice the full-color display and ask about it. They were pretty amazed that it was able to give a full rhythm strip right on the stethoscope and take recordings when connected to the Eko App. But then I used it on patients when I wasn’t sure whether they were in atrial fibrillation (AFib) or just having premature beats. I could throw that device on their chest and clearly identify a premature ventricular beat based on the rhythm strip. It’s also beneficial because you can identify when murmurs occur during the cardiac cycle, systole vs diastole. There’s a big difference between the two, and making that distinction is difficult even among a lot of seasoned physicians because the diastolic murmurs aren’t as common, and they’re more difficult to hear.”

2 Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“With the CORE 500™, I was able to catch rhythms I couldn’t see before… [For example], I might not hear aflutter, but if the ECG looked funny, it would prompt me to listen longer.”

2 Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago

“I love that my assessment can be amplified. It gives me the confidence I need to make better decisions for my patients.”

2 Helpful Report

Posted 1 year ago