Posts by: Caroline McGarry

New AI digital platform developed by an oncologist at University Hospital Galway is set to be a gamechanger in the delivery of clinical trial education and patient care

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Pictured Mr Michael McCarthy, a consultant medical oncologist at University Hospital Galway

8th May, 2023 Galway, Ireland – Mr Michael McCarthy, a consultant medical oncologist at University Hospital Galway, has developed a digital platform aimed at helping healthcare professionals keep pace with practice-changing studies, a key part of continuous medical education (CME) and professional development. Mr McCarthy approached Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI) to help develop the platform, which uses AI to capture and analyse randomized controlled clinical trial reports.

The University of Galway has been awarded a Commercialisation Fund Feasibility Study grant from Enterprise Ireland to determine the commercial viability of Mr. McCarthy’s OncDB platform. The online platform is specifically designed to help clinicians, nurses, students, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals to integrate up-to-date clinical trial data into their clinical practice, teaching, and training. It will reduce the burden of documenting CME activities, which is a statutory requirement for physicians to retain their Medical Council registration in Ireland and most developed countries worldwide.

The development of the OncDB platform has been made possible through the collaboration of a team of experts, including Conor McNally, ADAPT; Dr John McCrae, University of Galway; Thomas Melia, Enterprise Ireland (EI); HIHI, and the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) in University of Galway. Dr McCrae’s expertise in machine learning (ML) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) will be critical to the development of the platform, while Mr. McCarthy’s understanding and experience in the area of clinical medicine has ensured that the platform meets the needs of healthcare professionals in the field.

Unlike competing solutions, the OncDB platform is specifically designed to address the difficulty of keeping pace with an accelerating rate of practice-changing publications experienced by healthcare professionals in public and commercial sectors. The platform is expected to provide significant efficiencies and time-saving for healthcare professionals, delivering value to both individual prescribers and institutions.

It is unique in offering AI-supported critical appraisal, rapid repackaging, and re-use of key learnings. It is also portable, providing access from the bedside to the clinic, the classroom, and the conference hall. The platform will provide authors with detailed user-engagement metrics for their published works, enabling wide-scale AI-supported peer-review of published clinical trials, and provide users with AI-driven tailored content suggestions to provide a 360° up-to-the-minute view of any declared field of user-interest.

Mr Michael McCarthy, consultant medical oncologist at University Hospital Galway and the developer of the platform outlined the benefits for patients and clinicians. “We believe this problem is worth solving because keeping up with the latest clinical trial data is crucial for healthcare professionals to provide the best possible care for their patients,” said Mr McCarthy. “By providing a digital platform that captures and analyzes randomized controlled clinical trial reports in real time, we can help clinicians, nurses, students, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals stay up-to-date with the latest treatments and therapies, ultimately improving patient outcomes. We want to test our assumptions regarding the appetite for such a platform in the broader medical and allied healthcare fields, as well as the likelihood of institutional adoption of our platform by public healthcare training bodies and in commercial sectors, and the financial value attachable to the efficiencies and time-saving that would be delivered by the platform.”

Dr Steven Griffin, Clinical Innovation Manager, Health Innovation Hub Ireland welcomed this new AI solution “We are excited to be supporting Mr. McCarthy and the team at the University of Galway in the development of this innovative digital platform. The potential benefits for healthcare professionals, patients and the broader medical community are clear. By enabling clinicians, nurses, students, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals to stay up-to-date with the latest clinical trial findings, this platform has the potential to improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs and enhance professional development. We look forward to seeing the results of the feasibility study and the impact that this technology could have on healthcare in Ireland and beyond,” said a spokesperson for the Health Innovation Hub Ireland.

Dr John McCrae, Research Lecturer, University of Galway “As a researcher in natural language processing, I am excited to contribute to the development of this platform that aims to bridge the gap between clinical trial reports and healthcare practice. By leveraging AI and NLP, we can create a system that can efficiently”.

About HIHI

Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI) drives collaboration between the health service and enterprise. We offer companies the opportunity to pilot and/or participate in clinical evaluation studies to prove their products. We provide the health service access to innovative products, services and devices that they may not otherwise be exposed to. HIHI is built on the recognition that collaboration with enterprise can benefit patient care, patient pathways and outcomes. We assess all concepts for healthcare innovation from those on the frontline. We encourage healthcare professionals to get in touch with HIHI if they have an idea or solution to how something in your job might work better. HIHI was established by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and the Department of Health and is supported by Enterprise Ireland (EI) and the Health Service Executive (HSE).

About ADAPT – SFI Centre for Research in AI Driven Digital Content Technology

ADAPT, the world-leading SFI Research Centre for AI-Driven Digital Content Technology, brings leading academics, researchers and industry partners together to deliver excellent science, engage the public, develop novel solutions for business across all sectors and enhance Ireland’s international reputation. Coordinated by Trinity College Dublin and co-hosted by Dublin City University, ADAPT’s partner institutions include University College Dublin, Technological University Dublin, Maynooth University, Munster Technological University, Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest, and the University of Galway.

About University of Galway Technology Transfer Office (TTO)

The Technology Transfer Office (TTO) accelerates the impact of the University of Galway’s research and innovation by engaging with researchers, enterprises, government and society. The TTO enables engagement, collaboration, knowledge transfer, research commercialisation, and supports the region’s start-up and innovation ecosystem.

The TTO is the primary entrepreneurial support and intellectual property commercialisation function within University of Galway. The committed team has a strong sense of purpose and its remit is linked to strong metrics for the university. The team have a strong track record of leveraging funding, filing patents for novel technologies, collaborating with industry, and creating new companies and start-ups.

About Enterprise Ireland

Enterprise Ireland is the Irish government agency responsible for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in world markets. They provide supports for early-stage innovations by funding, mentoring, and advising companies through their various programs. They offer a wide range of financial supports such as seed capital, venture capital, and equity funding for startups, as well as funding for product development and commercialization. Enterprise Ireland also provides access to a network of industry experts, mentors, and partners to help companies develop their products and enter international markets. They also provide resources and training to help entrepreneurs develop the necessary skills and knowledge to grow their businesses. Their goal is to help Irish companies to start, scale and succeed in global markets.

 

 

Health Innovation Hub Ireland invites you to a HIHI Speaker Event featuring Jos Knaapen “the Innovation figure” of Isala hospital in the Netherlands

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Spaces are limited so book now  https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/speaker-event-jos-knaapen-tickets-631468207407

About the Speaker

Jos Knaapen is the ‘Innovation Figure’ of Isala, one of the largest hospitals in the Netherlands. His main focus is making measurable improvements to patient care while making work more enjoyable for everyone. The results are numerous: the first medical drone in the Netherlands took off into the air in a meadow near Isala’s hospital in Meppel, Isala won the Dutch TopClinical Innovation Award with a VR-education tool focussed on recognizing and discussing violence ‘behind closed doors’ and using VR glasses as a tool to distract and manage pain in children during procedures.

In 2019 Jos took on the role of ‘coordinator innovation’ for the Dutch cooperative alliance ‘mProve’, in which seven clinical hospitals are united in their efforts to make Dutch healthcare future proof. In May 2023 he started the mProve FUNxLab, in which ‘functional’ technology (with an emphasis on ‘FUN’) for scarce healthcare personnel is the main focus. The FUNxLab’s ‘modus operandi’ is exchanging knowledge and inspiration, scaling up those interventions with measurable positive effect on productivity and job satisfaction, and ensuring dialogue with industry, education and health care insurers on new technology to support the hospitals for the future.

 https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/speaker-event-jos-knaapen-tickets-631468207407

 

 

 

 

 

 

HIHI’s completes a climate smart healthcare case study with Irish company HaPPE Earth on the HaPPE apron a fully compostable PPE solution

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COVID-19 is still dominant across the world and climate change is to the forefront of the global conversation. Climate smart healthcare solutions are necessary to meet the problem of increased waste. According to WHO, during the COVID-19 pandemic, plastic production more than doubled, raising concerns about both the short-term impacts on fresh water, oceans and air quality, and the longer-term impacts of persistent nano-plastic particles.

The WHO Global analysis of health care waste in the context of COVID-19 report (Feb 2022) outlined the problems we face globally and what recommendations are necessary to combat them. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240039612

There is increasing global pressure at an economic, environmental and regulatory level to reduce single use plastics. At present, only 10% of healthcare plastic is recycled. During 2020, Ireland used 70 million and England 900 million PPE aprons.

Billions of PPE aprons are used globally each year. The global market is still 98% Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) usage with very little in the way of credible alternatives. This usage is set to continue year on year causing significant environmental and long term health harms.

As this dialogue continues internationally, 2 Irish female entrepreneurs Dr Mary O’ Riordan and Lisa O’Riordan have developed a novel innovative PPE product, the HaPPE Apron. This compostable PPE apron is suitable for use in healthcare and is CE approved and most importantly, in a world where the effects of climate change are growing, it’s environmentally friendly.

HaPPE Earth came up with a healthcare solution. The HaPPE Apron protects healthcare staff and adheres to water repellence, density and tensile strength of current LDPE single use apron. However, in contrast to the LDPE apron currently being used in healthcare, the HaPPE Apron is entirely compostable. The standard LDPE apron, used across healthcare takes about 50 years to degrade whereas the HaPPE apron composts in just 5 weeks with zero toxic residue. It is made from HaPPE Proprietary Resin composed of an innovative family of compostable materials. Initial calculations on the compostable HaPPE apron sees a reduction of 75% in CO2e (CO2  emissions) when compared to the standard LDPE single use apron.

HIHI conducted pilots in hospitals and nursing home settings in the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital (SIVUH) in Cork and Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) in Dublin and Brindley Manor Nursing Home in Donegal, part of the Orpea group. HIHI supported this project by assisting the project team to engage
with stakeholders, collecting and analysing feedback and usage data and providing project management expertise during the project.

Dr Mary O’Riordan, Co-founder, HaPPE  explained the value of the HIHI pilots. “It was such a fantastic experience for HaPPE Earth to be part of the Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI). To see our compostable apron being used by frontline staff in the Irish Health Service and to get such support from the HIHI team was invaluable to us. It is through collaboration like this that we bring practical solutions to our health system. The HIHI programme is extremely well organized and supportive. We were delighted to be part of it and would encourage other innovative companies to participate. We give it a big HaPPE highly recommended.”

 Dr Tanya Mulcahy, Director, Health Innovation Hub Ireland applauded this green solution : “Worldwide, the healthcare sector is responsible for as much as 4.6 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions. If Ireland is to make an impact, we need to look at innovative products that reduce carbon emissions while maintaining safety. The HaPPE apron is safe, equivalent to current PPE and is addressing sustainability- it’s also Irish! I am delighted that HIHI and SIVUH have demonstrated that this is a viable option for Irish and global healthcare, we are working on a second pilot in Tallaght University Hospital-wouldn’t it be great to see this product in use across our entire healthcare system”

Image Left to right pictured at SIVUH (Lisa O’Riordan, Co-founder HaPPE Earth, Johnny Brackett HCA, Niamh Allen, HIHI Clinical Liaison and HSE Clinical Nurse Manager, Dr Mary O’Riordan, Co-founder HaPPE Earth, Lily Matthews, Clinical Nurse Manager 1)

Read the full case study here https://hih.ie/downloads/case-studies/HIHI-case-study_HaPPE.pdf

 

Teleatherapy gets HSE approval after trials of its tech for Parkinson’s patients

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Blathnaid O’ Dea at the Silicon Republic recently highlighted Teleatherapy’s new tech for Parkinson’s patients.

Dr Tanya Mulcahy, Director Health Innovation Hub Ireland welcomed the news. “This is a great Irish product with the potential to impact Parkinson’s patients globally,” said Dr Tanya Mulcahy, director of the Health Innovation Hub Ireland.

HIHI recently worked with Teleatherapy to pilot their product with the HSE in Tullamore.

Teleatherapy recently raised €700,000 in pre-seed funding from Enterprise Ireland and private investors to grow its business.

Cork-based medtech start-up Teleatherapy has reached a significant milestone with its software performing well in clinical trials conducted by the HSE in Laois and Offaly.

Teleatherapy makes tech that helps provide speech therapy for people with Parkinson’s disease. In February of this year, the company raised €700,000 in pre-seed funding from private investors and Enterprise Ireland to expand its business.

The company has been working with the HSE and Health Innovation Hub Ireland to pilot its tech in a clinical setting in January. The HSE’s speech and language therapists trialled Teleatherapy’s platform on patients.

Teleatherapy’s founder Clare Meskill is herself a speech and language therapist. She founded the company to devise a tech-based product to make delivering care to Parkinson’s patients easier and more expedient.

Speech and language therapists can use Teleatherapy’s app to prescribe exercises to patients and monitor their progress.

Meskill, who founded the start-up in 2020, said that it was great the company could collaborate with the HSE “to build and improve the platform as we learn together”.

Of the speech and language therapists Teleatherapy worked with on the trials, she said that “their enthusiasm and dedication has been fantastic”.

Aoife Carolan, speech and language therapy lead on the pilot, said she had noticed improvements for patients and professionals alike.

Carolan has worked with Teleatherapy since 2022 to trial its tech in her department.

“I have noticed that clients are more motivated to practice consistently as they know their HSE clinician is monitoring the quantity, quality and frequency of their practice at home – with obvious results evident in terms of their speech function and less need for face-to-face routine reviews.”

She noted that the tech also helped with therapists’ caseload management. “There is good potential for waiting list reduction with an initiative of this nature. It also means there is more time during face-to-face sessions to focus on more complex or bespoke issues, outside of the daily therapy which we now know is being completed well and consistently with the aid of this app and the feedback it gives us.”

Following the successful pilot, Teleatherapy is now looking to work with other HSE clinics.

Read the full article here Teleatherapy gets HSE approval after trials of its tech for Parkinson’s patients (siliconrepublic.com)

 

HIHI has completed another product pilot case study the HospitalBuddy app, now used in 11 Irish hospitals by 2,000 doctors

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HIHI has completed another successful case study to add to the widening portfolio of work. Dr. Tanya Mulcahy, Director of Health Innovation Hub Ireland welcomed it’s completion. “HIHI were delighted to work on another product pilot case study, the HospitalBuddy app. Our Doctors and healthcare teams are always busy.  Hospital Buddy was created by doctors for doctors, providing them with reference tools, clinical guides, meeting and CPD tracking with new functionality being developed continuously. This free tool is helping clinicians to work more efficiently allowing them to focus on patients. With over 2,000 doctors already using the tool,  it is already having a major impact across the workforce”.

There are a number of challenges facing Hospital doctors and administrators in Ireland.  Hospital administrators need to track doctors’ attendances at meetings and seminars as part of doctors’ training, continuous professional development and registration requirements. Doctors often need to consult reliable information and calculate specific health metrics to assist them in the treatment of their patients. Additionally, some doctors move from hospital to hospital on a regular basis  as part of their training. They need to find out specific information related to their new hospital such as; new tax numbers, contact details and induction information. These challenges can be frustrating and time consuming for both administrators and doctors.

The solution to these challenges is HospitalBuddy. It is provided free of charge to healthcare professionals, hospital administrators and their staff. The HospitalBuddy app provides hospital administrators and healthcare professionals with administrative support and education resources. It supports meeting tracking, clinical and non-clinical resources, information sharing and staff communication. Hospital administrators can choose which of the features they wish to use in their particular hospital.

There is also huge value to the doctor. The HospitalBuddy app gives doctors valuable information and resources, both clinical and non-clinical all in one place. By the end of the HIHI pilots, over 2,000 doctors and 11 hospitals were using HospitalBuddy. The adoption of the app by doctors continues to grow steadily and has become particularly important at the time of the rotation of NCHDs. Doctors have reported using the app for finding accommodation, registering attendance meeting needed for their CPD points, as well as, finding and sharing clinical information with colleagues and students. One such hospital doctor, Dr Patrick O’Connor, Registrar in Cardiology, Limerick University Hospital outlined the benefits of the app. “HospitalBuddy is an all round doctor app. One minute I’ll be using the app to find accommodation, the next minute I’m calculating a score, and then I’ll be opening it up to show a SHO a diagram on how to manage (Afib) atrial fibrillation. It saves so much time. It is hard to know how when managed without it.” 

The benefits can be seen across the hospitals. Hospital administrators and medical manpower managers have enjoyed the benefits of the meeting tracker and information sharing features and have suggested additional functionality which the company has already implemented.  Niamh Allen, CNM II, SIVUH and HIHI team member praised the benefits of the app. “The South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital Cork was delighted to pilot ‘Hospital Buddy’. The pilot enabled hospital doctors to attend tutorials by logging into a device outside of the tutorial time which allowed for less disruption in patient care. Hospital buddy also made collating attendees more efficient. Policies and changes to practice were also uploaded to the system storing all the information in the one place improved efficiency and allowed more time for direct patient care”, 

From the company’s perspective the pilot was invaluable as it received valuable feedback and suggestions from both hospital doctors and administrators, which has assisted them in the design and development of the app. The feedback also highlighted other use cases for this technology, which the company is currently developing.

Joe Newell, CEO HospitalBuddy highlighted HIHI’s role in the product pilot. “When we launched HospitalBuddy, we knew we had built features that would be of great benefit to both hospitals and healthcare professionals nationwide. However, we needed help to get HospitalBuddy in front of key stakeholders in hospitals. HIHI was instrumental in this process and also helped us to roll out pilots in a number of hospitals. HIHI has also been a great sounding board when it comes to new initiatives that we have considered. Our first year has exceeded all our expectations, with over 2,000 healthcare professionals downloading the app, and we are very thankful to Jane O’ Flynn and her colleagues for their help and support to date.”

HIHI announces another new team member, Dr. Michael Twomey PhD

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Health Innovation Hub Ireland is delighted to announce that Dr Michael Twomey PhD has joined HIHI as a Senior Clinical Research Manager. He will be based at HIHI’s HQ at UCC’s Western Gateway Building. Michael is also a  founder of I Know me ltd., – a digital health company, adjunct lecturer in Business Information Systems in UCC and in the HSE MSc Digital Health Transformation in UL.

His research interests include health innovation, design, design thinking, and empowerment of stakeholders through information.

Graduating with a BSc (Hons) from UCC, Michael began his career as a biochemist, later qualifying in Computer Science (Hons) in UCC and working as a senior IT consultant with a multinational IT consultancy company. Following on from this, Michael founded an IT company in 2003, which provided professional IT services to several domestic and international companies. During his time as CEO, Michael graduated in Cloud Strategy and Innovation (Hons) and was subsequently awarded a master’s in data business (Hons) with the Irish Management Institute.

In 2017, Michael departed from the firm to engage in fulltime research, an Irish Research Council awardee, he completed his PhD in 2020. He is also an associate of the Irish Management Institute, with over twenty years of experience working on innovation and IT projects in a range of industries, including healthcare. To date his research has been published in leading academic outlets and has received several awards.

 

 

 

Spotlighting a HIHI pilot with My OT & Me with the potential to reduce paediatric OT waiting lists

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Health Innovation Hub Ireland were delighted to work with My OT & Me an Irish start-up founded by Jessica Kennedy, Senior Paediatric Occupational Therapist and Seán Ó Tuama. My OT & Me is an online paediatric occupational therapy (OT) resource to support children and families who are in need of OT support. It aims
to support and empower as many families as possible in an innovative, accessible and interactive way. The focus is on positive child development, encouraging independence and creating confident children. Paediatric Occupational Therapy helps children and young people with different needs and abilities to become as independent as possible by developing the skills they need to perform the purposeful activities that make up everyday life.

HSE Primary Care Occupational Therapy Services are experiencing increased numbers of referrals. This can be challenging particularly in times of limited resources, long waiting lists and redeployment of existing staff to COVID-19 testing duties. There is also a significant demand for private paediatric OT services in Ireland amongst parents, caregivers, educators, professionals and students.

Jane O’ Flynn acting Operations Manager HIHI welcomed the pilot “It is really important that children receive early intervention for their occupational therapy needs. The HIHI pilot of the My OT & Me programme with HSE community paediatric OTs in Cork and their clients demonstrated how children and their families benefited from completing this combined eHealth and activity programme at home. There is great potential for this innovative programme to help over 18,000 children waiting from HSE paediatric OT assessments in Ireland.”

My OT & Me’s platform is a unique telehealth-based product providing online paediatric occupational therapy resources to support children and families who are in need of OT support. It provides information through structured high quality educational videos for parents covering a range of OT topics. Children are provided with My OT & Me’s product, Octobox to support them with skill acquisition in a fun and interactive way.

Health Innovation Hub Ireland supported the My OT & Me Innovation Journey via a pilot with North Lee Primary Care Occupational Therapy Department, HSE with twenty-six children and their families in Cork who were awaiting intervention services. The children and their parents or guardians undertook a dedicated 12 week My OT & Me programme which concluded in February 2022.

A significant outcome of the pilot was that

  • half of all children did not need further HSE OT support at the end of the programme. As this programme is carried out by parents and children at home.
  • it can free up OTs to see other children and thus help reduce waiting times.
  • The families who piloted the My OT & Me programme at home responded positively. The programme gave 100% of families more confidence and provided them with practical strategies to support their child and they found the format of the programme manageable.
  • 85% reported that the programme gave them additional knowledge and understanding.
  • 71% said their child enjoyed the programme, they saw an improvement in their child’s skills and the programme helped the child meet the goals set for them.

The feedback from the OTs was also positive. 100% of OTs would recommend it to other Paediatric OTs, 80% would like to continue to have access to the programme for their clients and 60% considered that the piloted programme would help reduce waiting times.

Speaking on conclusion of the successful HIHI pilot Jess Kennedy Co-founder, My OT & Me said “ Having access to clinical teams through a dedicated programme like this has fast-tracked our commercial implementation.”

Read the case study and a selection of our other work here Case Studies – Health Innovation Hub Ireland (hih.ie)

HIHI announces the appointment of new team member Dr. Jonathan Moran

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Health Innovation Hub Ireland are delighted to announce that Dr. Jonathan Moran PhD, BSc, PGDip Primary Care (Orthopaedics and Musculoskeletal), PG Cert Statistics joins us as a HSE Clinical Liaison, with the Dublin team at our office based at St. James’s Hospital Dublin. Dr. Moran has spent the last number of years working at the hospital’s physiotherapy department and he brings a wealth of experience and a broad network to the HIHI national team.

Jonathan completed a BSc. in Physiotherapy and graduated from Trinity College Dublin in June 2013. While, undertaking his undergraduate degree, Jonathan developed a keen interest in cancer and exercise, particularly its role in the preoperative setting.

Immediately post his undergraduate degree, Jonathan began a PhD in Physiotherapy entitled ‘Evaluating and optimising preoperative physical fitness to enhance postoperative recovery in major surgery’. Jonathan examined the role of preoperative physical fitness in improving postoperative morbidity and mortality rates. In addition, Jonathan investigated interventions to enhance preoperative physical fitness and examined if this translated to an improvement in postoperative outcome. Jonathan completed his PhD in August 2017.

Following the completion of his PhD, Jonathan began working as a postdoctoral researcher with Dr. Julie Broderick. During this position, Jonathan helped develop physical activity guidelines to support mental health service users published by the Health Service Executive https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/healthwellbeing/our-priority-programmes/heal/heal-docs/lets-get-active-guidelines.pdf).

For his research Jonathan has obtained over €30,000 in funding from the Royal City of Dublin Hospital Trust and €2,500 from the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists for The PHIIT Trial (Clinictrials.gov: NCT02674815). In addition, Jonathan has a number of peer-reviewed publications in high-ranking publications such as the British Journal of Anaesthesia and Surgery.

In 2018, Jonathan began working as a Physiotherapist in St. James’s Hospital, Ireland’s largest hospital, quickly becoming a senior in inpatient orthopaedics. While in this role Jonathan also served as the Co-Editor in Chief of the peer-reviewed journal, Physiotherapy Practice & Research, and also serves on the Tallaght/St. James’s Research Ethics Committee.

St. James’s Hospital Dublin ICU Team develops new innovative medical device to tackle Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP)

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ICU Team develop new healthcare solution that will change the lives of mechanically ventilated patients

Pictured left to right Consultant intensivist and Professor of Medicine in TCD Prof Ignacio Martin-Loeches and Emily Naylor Clinical Nurse Facilitator, St. James’s Hospital

5th April, 2023. Enterprise Ireland through Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI) and in collaboration with Trinity College Dublin (TCD), is supporting a team from St. James’s Hospital Dublin, to assess the commercial feasibility of a novel medical device for tackling Ventilator-associated Pneumonia (VAP). The team, consisting of two intensive care unit nurses (Emily Naylor and Beatriz Tejada Rios) and a consultant intensivist and Professor of Medicine in TCD (Prof Ignacio Martin-Loeches) who deal with the problem of VAP on a daily basis, have developed a novel and innovative solution to tackle this serious medical condition. The feasibility study will assess and map out the route to market for their product, with the ultimate aim of getting the product into the hands of clinical teams treating ventilated patients.

VAP is a serious healthcare problem that affects many ventilated patients with a high mortality rate and is associated with significant health and economic costs. The incidence rate of VAP is a common complication among mechanically ventilated patients in intensive care units, with some studies reporting an incidence rate ranging from 5% to 30%. The total costs of VAP can include direct costs such as hospitalization, laboratory tests, and antibiotics and indirect costs such as lost productivity, decreased quality of life, and mortality. The cost of VAP has been reported to be substantial, with some estimates indicating that it can range from €40,000 to €50,000 per episode.

Emily and Beatriz identified VAP as a healthcare problem that could be minimised through innovative technology, along with Prof. Martin-Loeches, the team, worked with HIHI, a medical device designer to develop the concept. This was reviewed by TCD’s Technology Transfer Office for patentability, allowing for a patent to be filed on the design. The team will work with Associate Prof. Eduardo Ruiz-Hernandez, TCD, to develop a prototype.

With the patent on the way and a solid solution direction identified, Enterprise Ireland has supported these clinical innovators via their Commercial Case Feasibility grant, recognizing the potential of their solution to address this life-threatening condition in a meaningful way.

This project is a great example of the Irish clinical, academic, and government systems working together to support frontline healthcare innovators and improve patient outcomes.

Dr Steven Griffin, Clinical Innovation Manager, Health Innovation Hub Ireland welcomed this new solution to VAP.

“At Health Innovation Hub Ireland, we are committed to fostering innovation in healthcare and supporting the development of early-stage ideas into viable products. Emily Naylor previously worked with HIHI before returning to clinical practice in ICU Department of St James’- I like to think our innovation process rubbed off on her, but the reality is that frontline staff understand the problems better than anyone and between them the team at St James’ were driven to develop a solution to VAP. The collaboration with St. James’s Hospital Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, and Enterprise Ireland on the development of a novel solution to tackle Ventilator-associated Pneumonia (VAP) is a prime example of how Health Innovation Hub Ireland can support innovative thinking and bring positive change to the healthcare system. We are excited to see the potential impact this project can have on patient outcomes and the healthcare industry as a whole.”

Emily Naylor, Clinical Nurse Facilitator, St. James’s Hospital commented that: “The support from Enterprise Ireland is crucial in our efforts to tackle Ventilator-associated Pneumonia, a serious medical condition affecting many patients. Our team, in collaboration with the Health Innovation Hub Ireland and Trinity College Dublin, have developed a novel solution to address this issue and bring positive change to patient outcomes. With Enterprise Ireland’s funding and resources, we are confident in our ability to bring our innovative product to market and make a meaningful impact for patients, carers and the healthcare system”.

 

About HIHI

Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI) drives collaboration between the health service and enterprise. We offer companies the opportunity to pilot and/or participate in clinical evaluation studies to prove their products. We provide the health service access to innovative products, services and devices that they may not otherwise be exposed to. HIHI is built on the recognition that collaboration with enterprise can benefit patient care, patient pathways and outcomes. We assess all concepts for healthcare innovation from those on the frontline. We encourage healthcare professionals to get in touch with HIHI if they have an idea or solution to how something in your job might work better. HIHI was established by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation and the Department of Health and is supported by Enterprise Ireland (EI) and the Health Service Executive (HSE).

About TCD – Technology Transfer Team at Trinity Innovation

The Technology Transfer Team at Trinity Innovation supports and enables the research community to translate innovative research excellence into outputs for maximum societal and economic impact. Commercialisation, intellectual property protection and knowledge transfer is an integral component of the technology transfer journey and is supported by Trinity Innovation. The team at Trinity are actively nurturing alliances with Hospital-based innovation initiatives – this project is a great example of a group of clinical professionals with an idea for a health innovation, connecting with Trinity Innovation resources to move the project forward in partnership

 About EI

Enterprise Ireland is the Irish government agency responsible for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in world markets. They provide supports for early-stage innovations by funding, mentoring, and advising companies through their various programs. They offer a wide range of financial supports such as seed capital, venture capital, and equity funding for startups, as well as funding for product development and commercialization. Enterprise Ireland also provides access to a network of industry experts, mentors, and partners to help companies develop their products and enter international markets. They also provide resources and training to help entrepreneurs develop the necessary skills and knowledge to grow their businesses. Their goal is to help Irish companies to start, scale and succeed in global markets.

 

 

Health Innovation Hub Ireland, headquartered in UCC, is supporting local companies to develop their HealthTech products.

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Health Innovation Hub Ireland, a national initiative supported by the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment, the Department of Health, Enterprise Ireland and the HSE is led-by and headquartered in UCC with a partner hub in MTU . The goal of HIHI is to support Ireland’s health technology industry by connecting innovators with healthcare and driving the development of products through HIHI’s unique innovation pathway. HIHI supports innovations at idea stage, pre-commercial prototype stage and market ready products. HIHI supports companies based anywhere in Ireland but we are particularly proud of the work we’ve done to support local Cork-based industry. Here is snapshot of some recent successes:

 

Health Innovation Hub Ireland supports Cork-based Gasgon Medical with clinical feedback of AirVault – a novel device to limit the impact of air bubbles in infusion therapy lines.

Cork- based Gasgon Medical has developed a novel closed-system air trap, the AirVault. As a single-use device, AirVault is designed to provide a safe, easy and effective technology to prevent the impact of Air-in-Line, a common disruptor of infusion therapy, which will result in improved safety for patients and healthcare staff. Gasgon Medical approached Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI) to get feedback on its AirVault medical device from clinical experts to ensure it will meet the needs of healthcare professionals and their patients.

Through its clinical network, HIHI identified suitable clinicians to attend five focus groups in three different hospitals in Cork and Dublin. HIHI facilitated the focus groups, advised on the key questions which were addressed by over 35 experts in nurse practice development, nursing management, infection control, oncology, pharmacy, quality risk management and biomedical engineering.

The company received valuable feedback and suggestions, which assisted them in the final design of the AirVault. The clinical feedback also highlighted other use-cases for this technology which HIHI is currently helping the company to explore. Now with a design freeze, Gasgon is beginning a multi-centre study designed to capture clinical evidence and contribute towards CE mark and FDA accreditation

Read the full case study here: https://hih.ie/downloads/case-studies/HIHI-case-study_Gasgon_Medical.pdf

 

HIHI supports Cork sisters to pilot innovative sustainable PPE in healthcare

Cork sisters,  Dr Mary O’ Riordan and Lisa O’Riordan, have developed the HaPPE Apron- a more sustainable alternative to traditional personal protective equipment (PPE) in a bid to help cut carbon emissions from healthcare.

The “green” PPE apron is made from a proprietary resin that is composed of compostable bioplastics. It matches the safety parameters of current, medical Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) single-use aprons, is CE approved and suitable for use in healthcare. Overall, the apron has a carbon footprint 75 per cent lower than a standard PPE apron, with no waste in the manufacturing process and using sustainable energy sources for production.

Health Innovation Hub Ireland working with the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital (SIVUH) in Cork piloted the HaPPE Apron with 7,000 aprons tested for wearability, acceptability, sustainability and durability, across the elective orthopaedic ward, the orthopaedic rehab ward and across the hospital catering and kitchen services.

“To see our compostable apron being used by frontline staff in the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital and to get such support from the HIHI team was invaluable to us. It is through collaboration like this that we bring practical solutions to our health system,” the co-founders said.

“Worldwide, the healthcare sector is responsible for as much as 4.6 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions. If Ireland is to make an impact, we need to look at innovative products that reduce carbon emissions while maintaining safety, UCC has a strong sustainability agenda and we are delighted to support sustainable healthcare products” said Dr Tanya Mulcahy, Director of Health Innovation Hub Ireland.

UCC based Start-up Teleatherapy begins Health Innovation Hub Ireland pilot with the HSE

Founded in 2020 by Clare Meskill, Teleatherapy has developed a platform to better connect speech and language therapists with patients that have Parkinson’s disease.

The platform enables speech therapists to prescribe exercises for clients, which can then be completed at home through an app on their phone or tablet. This product is designed to save time for speech therapists and reduce waitlists for patients.

Through Health Innovation Hub Ireland, Teletherapy are piloting their platform within the HSE. The company will gather feedback from patients, carers and speech therapists as part of the pilot.

“Clare Meskill is a UCC graduate (College of Medicine and Health) and a UCC Ignite alumna, Teleatherapy has offices in UCC Gateway and it’s great that Health Innovation Hub Ireland is in a position to support the company development. Teleatherapy is improving the quality of life for Parkinson’s patients and we are delighted to be able to help”  Dr Tanya Mulcahy, Director Health Innovation Hub Ireland.

 

Cork’s Orthopaedic Medical Device Company OrthoXel supported by HIHI to address MDR compliance

Cork-based OrthoXel approached HIHI to assist it in carrying out the human factor usability testing of the completion of its Implant Card in compliance with the MDR. HIHI first identified that orthopaedic theatre nurses are the healthcare professionals responsible for completing the Implant Card in this case. Through its clinical network and the HSE clinical staff assigned to HIHI, HIHI identified orthopaedic theatre nurses and facilitated two rounds of ergonomic usability testing. HIHI provided clinical liaison and project management expertise throughout the project to ensure that this testing was carried out in line with OrthoXel’s tight timeline.

OrthoXel is a specialist orthopaedic trauma company, which uses innovative engineering design to evolve the next generation fracture fixation devices. Its innovative orthopaedic trauma devices are inspired by surgeons and are focussed on delivering superior patient outcomes. OrthoXel’s products include the Apex Tibial Nailing System and the Apex Femoral Nailing System, both of which are CE marked and FDA cleared.

https://hih.ie/downloads/case-studies/HIHI-case-study_OrthoXel.pdf