Photos by Gizmag.com and Popsci.com

The other day I wrote about Doctors on Demand, an at-home medical video service. Now, I’m about to take you one step further in the world of virtual medicine. There is a new procedure that will allow you to have your grandchild’s ears examined at home with a smart phone attachment.

For many grandparents who have grandchildren with constant earaches, this is a gadget and service they shouldn’t be without. It helps avoid unpleasant sleepovers.

It seems amazing to me that there is a device that can shoot video of your grandchild’s inner ear and then have a bonafide doctor to determine if he or she has an infection.

Called Oto Home by CellScope, it retails for $79.00 and the medical consultation is $49.00. The service is only available in certain cities right now, but it will be available nationwide eventually.

Again, I have doctor friends who warn about the legality of the procedures. They question whether participating doctors are covered by malpractice and patient medical insurance. Virtual medicine is still in its infancy. There are many issues that have to worked out. Everyone agrees that this is the future of medicine but are we ready yet?