Dear netters-I live in Spokane and need to deal with this-please feel free
to respond.
Karen Querna, RN, BSN, IBCLC
Spokane, WA
Baby Beats has new home
Fetal monitors to be manufactured in Spokane

Colin Mulvany - The Spokesman-Review
Dr. Don Baker shows off his portable baby fetal monitor, developed with the
help of NASA aerospace technology.
Carla K. Johnson - Staff writer
In Dr. Don Baker's vision, a low-income woman sits at a computer screen in a
medical clinic. She listens to automated advice about managing her high-risk
pregnancy while a monitor on her abdomen records her baby's heartbeat.

If she also listens to promotions for infant formula or blood pressure
drugs, she can get a discount on her visit to the doctor that day, offset by
the advertising revenue.

"You've got to get married to business," Baker said. "Money talks.
Everything else doesn't. I want that money to help patients."

Baker is a Spokane family doctor with a new business called Baby Beats. It
was highlighted Thursday during dedication events at the Health Sciences
Building at the Riverpoint Higher Education Park.

Merging medical innovation with entrepreneurship is tricky because of cost
management by private and public health insurers, Baker said. Manufacturing
a medical product for the right price, then making sure someone will pay for
it are two of many complex challenges.

At a press conference, Baker showed a prototype of his fetal heart monitor,
which he plans to manufacture in Spokane. The National Aeronautics and Space
Administration sent a representative to re-enact the license signing that
allows Baker to use patented aerospace agency technology in his product.

The technology, developed to measure airflow over airplane wings, involves
paper-thin piezopolymer sensors that "hear" the fetal heartbeat. Other noise
is filtered out by a digital interface, also developed by NASA.

NASA will get a 5 percent royalty on Baker's revenues. Baker said he could
be employing 50 to 100 assembly workers in two years.

U.S. Rep. George Nethercutt, who advocated for Baker's license agreement
with NASA, made a short speech. So did representatives of WSU's Small
Business Development Center. The center helped Baker write a business plan.

Today, the public is invited to tour the new $39 million building, which
houses programs for both Eastern Washington University and Washington State
University-Spokane.

Tours will depart from the lobby at noon, 12:30 and 1 p.m. and take
approximately 30 minutes.

.Carla K. Johnson can be reached at (509) 459-5148 or by e-mail at
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