Category: News

TickerFit Trial close to the Finish Line!

  |   By  |  0 Comments

TickerFit is a unique cloud based solution that empowers health professionals to prescribe and deliver personalised physical activity programmes for patients, for the prevention and treatment of chronic disease. Incorporating the latest evidence on physical activity and behaviour change/ adoption, TickerFit unlocks the potential of physical activity as a prevention and treatment of chronic disease. Using the system, health professionals can safely deliver an evidence based, personalised physical activity programme to each patient in a few simple steps. Using the smartphone technology, the patient can passively track their activity, monitor their progress and access features designed to promote physical activity and healthy behaviours.

HIH Project Objective

To engage GPs and patients and conduct a pilot trial of Ticketfit on eighty community dwelling sedentary adults over a defined period. To assess feedback conduct a statistical analysis of benefit and provide a reference site for the product.

Project Summary

A protocol was developed and submitted for ethics approval. The product was presented to the clinical team in Mitchelstown Primary Care Centre, Cork. A briefing document was circulated to all the practice GPs and patients were invited to attend a clinic on designated days. Patients were enrolled and trained on how to use the technology. Their activity was tracked and monitored and data was collected. The number of patients enrolled at the Mitchelstown location was lower than required for the trial, therefore, the HIH engaged two additional locations- one in Wexford and one through the Department of General Practice, UCC to continue the trial. This is currently underway, patients have been enrolled and monitoring is being performed.

Once all the data is collected, a statistical assessment will be conducted and a final report generated. This may be used by the company for sales and marketing, the company will now have two reference sites.

 Clinical Location and Team

Mitchelstown Primary Care Centre, Dr John Cox, Fethard-on-Sea, Wexford and Dr Henry Smithson, Department of general Practice, UCC and GP Practice, Knocknaheeny, Cork.

Project Status

The enrollment and collection of data from patients at Mitchelstown Primary care centre is now complete. Recruitment of patients at two additional locations is progressing and initial assessment is underway. A final report will be produced once all analyses are complete.

 

Electronic Prescription Trial in Mallow- data collection now complete

   |   By  |  0 Comments

HIHI with McLernon’s Software and Complete GP are and trialling an Electronic Prescription System that uses barcodes printed on the prescription to populate the pharmacy software when scanned on site using a barcode reader.
The current practice of creating a prescription within a GP Practice Management System and printing either to a laser or dot matrix printer has always lead to the potential for error when being transcribed into a pharmacy system due to legibility or human error. This puts the patient at greater risk; however it’s possible to reduce potential errors through the introduction of Electronic Prescription Services (EPS). This enables the prescription to be transferred electronically from GP surgeries to a Pharmacy Computerised System. As there is a legal requirement for a paper-based prescription, the paper prescription will be maintained as the primary document during the course of this study. All other relevant legislation will also be adhered to.

HIH Project Objective
To introduce and roll-out a pilot operation and assessment of a barcode enabled Electronic Prescription Process to Pharmacies in the Mallow catchment area. The project will include Pharmacies using McLernon’s Software and also those who do not use McLernon’s software.

Project Summary
Introduction of Electronic Prescription Service to pharmacies within a 5 mile radius of the Mallow region. All pharmacies in this region were invited to participate. All GPs in this geographic region were informed of the project.

The project was conducted in stages.
Stage 1 – Proof of concept that the bar code on the paper prescription could be used to pull the relevant data into the pharmacy computer system.
Stage 2 – Advance notification to GPs and Pharmacies of the pilot.
Stage3 – GP and Pharmacy feedback
Stage 4- evaluation of data and completion final report

Clinical Location and Team
All Pharmacies within a 5-mile radius of Mallow Town were invited to participate, the following agreed:
Mulcahy’s Pharmacy Main St
Mallow Community Pharmacy
O’Sullivan’s Pharmacy
Doneraile Pharmacy
Boots Pharmacy
Mallow Late Night Pharmacy
Townview Pharmacy
Weedle Pharmacy
Joyce’s Pharmacy

Project Status
The pilot operation is complete. Surveys have been collected and data is currently under review.
Meetings and surveys with participating pharmacies provided valuable feedback.
A report is being completed- this will provide an independent review of the operation of a barcode enabled EPS.

Radisens wins Red Herring Europe Award

  |   By  |  0 Comments

Cork – April 15, 2016 – Radisens announced today it has won the Red Herring Top 100 Europe award, a prestigious award honoring the year’s most promising private technology ventures from the European business region.

 

The Red Herring editorial team selected the most innovative companies from a pool of hundreds from across Europe. The nominees were evaluated on 20 main quantitative and qualitative criterion: they include disruptive impact, market footprint, proof of concept, financial performance, technology innovation, social value, quality of management, execution of strategy, and integration into their respective industries.

 

This unique assessment of potential is complemented by a review of the actual track record and standing of a company, which allows Red Herring to see past the “buzz” and make the list a valuable instrument for discovering and advocating the greatest business opportunities in the industry. The nominees pitched their businesses at the Red Herring Europe Forum in Amsterdam on April 13 with the winners announced at the Gala Dinner that evening.

 

“This year was rewarding, beyond all expectations” said Alex Vieux, publisher and CEO of Red Herring. “There are many great companies producing really innovative and amazing products in Europe. We had a very difficult time narrowing the pool, shortlisting the finalists and selecting the winners. Radisens shows great promise and therefore deserves to win this award. We know that the 2016 crop will grow into some amazing companies that are sure to make an impact.”

 

Finalists for the 2016 edition of the Red Herring 100 Europe award were selected based upon their technological innovation, management strength, market size, investor record, customer acquisition, and financial health. During the months leading up to the announcement, Red Herring reviewed over 1200 companies in the telecommunications, security, cloud, software, hardware, biotech, healthcare, mobile and other industries completed their submissions to qualify for the award.

 

About Radisens Diagnostics

 

Radisens, a private venture-backed diagnostics company, is breaking new ground in the decentralisation of routine blood testing from central reference laboratories into physician offices, outpatient clinics, pharmacies and other near-patient test settings. With a finger-prick of blood, this multi-mode diagnostic device will return laboratory-grade results instantly within a patient’s physician visit.

Radisens’ initial menu concentrates on panels for those suffering with high-burden chronic disease resulting in improved patient outcomes and more efficient healthcare management. By integrating immunoassay, clinical chemistry, cell counting and other test modes, this near-patient device will finally open blood testing access to all with instant diagnosis and monitoring. The fear or needles, the many anxious days or weeks of waiting for results, the multiple physician visits, will all be things of the past.

BioInnovate Ireland 2016 Fellowship Now Recruiting

  |   By  |  0 Comments

To give you a brief understanding of the programme – BioInnovate Ireland was developed by NUI Galway to focus on enabling innovators and innovation specifically for the medical technology sector.

 

The BioInnovate activity centres around experienced engineers, clinicians, business and other professionals working together to identify clinical needs through immersing themselves in a clinical environment, inventing solutions to meet those needs and implementing a strategy to commercialise the technology.

This is achieved through a number of activities that provide a continuum from training (to enable the next generation of leaders in medtech innovation) to an incubation environment, which enables medical technologies to be developed and prove concept before commercialisation. These activities are structured around the following programmes:

 

  • BioInnovate Fellowship Programme.
  • BioInnovate Industry Training Workshops
  • NUI Galway Medical Device Incubation

 

BioInnovate is a unique style of programme that has broken down barriers, combining multiple disciplines (Engineering, Business and Medicine) and institutions (NUIG, UL, UCC). It has facilitated enhanced interactions between academics, clinicians and industry, to foster an environment of innovation and creativity in order to strengthen the medtech sector in Ireland.

 

Currently we are recruiting for our full-time Fellowship programme. This is a stipend supported programme, and we are trying to attract doctors that may be interested in taking a year of research (Fellowship award includes a research masters), and might have an interest in innovation. I have attached a flier with recruitment details to this email.  We are recruiting for teams with both a medtech and ICT focus on the solutions they develop.

If you are interested please register your interest at www.bioinnovate.ie or contact Dr Paul Anglim (paul.anglim@nuigalway.ie

We are trying to circulate the recruitment information and programme information to doctors nationally if possible. If you might have any advice on how to do so, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

BioInnovate is now recruiting for the 2016/017 Fellowship – visit www.bioinnovate.ie for further details.

 

UCC Acknowledges Establishment of Health Innovation Hub Ireland

  |   By  |  0 Comments

Press Statement – 26 January 2016

 

UCC Acknowledges Establishment of Health Innovation Hub Ireland

 

University College Cork (UCC) has welcomed today’s announcement by Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton and Minister for Health Leo Varadkar regarding the establishment of Health Innovation Hub Ireland.

 

Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI) supports the development of pioneering research and innovation healthcare projects by creating access to cutting-edge research and innovation for the Irish health service.  By developing the next generation of leaders in healthcare and industry, HIHI has the potential to advance and transform health outcomes for patients by developing revolutionary solutions to medical problems; in addition to impacting on the health of the Irish economy by nurturing and supporting industry developments.

 

 

Health Innovation Hub Ireland will be headquartered in UCC with its partnering institutes being; Cork Institute of Technology (CIT), NUI Galway (NUIG) and Trinity College Dublin (TCD).  It is embedded within 23 hospitals nationally via the South/Southwest Hospital Group, Saolta University Heath Care Group and Dublin Midlands Hospital Group, in addition to three clinical research facilities, based at Mercy University Hospital Cork, University Hospital Galway and St. James’s Hospital Dublin.

 

The Principal Investigator for the research consortium is Professor John R. Higgins, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology & Head of College of Medicine and Health UCC. Professor Higgins states that “today’s announcement is a very proud moment, as it not only captures the collaborative spirit between our partnering third level institutions, industry partners and health services, but demonstrates how working together unlocks and delivers transformational projects. In my own specialty of obstetrics and gynecology, I have seen the positive impact that technology has had on patient safety, patient care and patient outcomes. Therefore, I am confident that today’s announcement reflects the ability of Health Innovation Hub Ireland to greatly enhance Ireland’s national healthcare service and delivery in the years ahead.”

 

Innovation capacity and enhanced operational excellence are crucial requirements for the health sector in Ireland. Today’s announcement shows that the need for genuine collaboration between industry and the healthcare system to deliver economic growth, improved patient outcomes and lower healthcare costs has been recognised.

 

For further press queries please contact Kate McSweeney – mobile 087 6150199.  kate.mcsweeney@ucc.ie T: @UCCMedHealth

 

Notes to editor:

 

  • Information from the Health Innovation Demonstrator Hub can be found from  http://www.hih.ie/

 

  • A National Project Team (NPT) was appointed in 2012 to drive this initiative and was chaired by Dave Shanahan. The other members were from the Dept. Jobs Enterprise and Innovation; Dept. Health; Enterprise Ireland; IDA; SFI; Industry and Clinical/Non-Clinical Leadership from the HSE.

 

  • The Western Gateway Building, UCC was the location selected for the Demonstrator Health Innovation Hub and the team was led by Dr. Colman Casey, Director of the Demonstrator Hub.  Over the past 3 years the Demonstrator Health Innovation Hub issued three separate calls for innovative products and services and the hub has handled a wide array of companies from individuals right up to small and medium enterprises.

 

  • The hub has instigated and managed projects with 27 companies in:
  • 7 hospitals
  • 2 primary care centres
  • 4 stand alone GPs
  • 19 pharmacies
  • 19 clinicians and their teams

 

  • The demonstrator hub was set up to accelerate the development of company products and their associated healthcare products.  As a result of Hub formation, the Government then carried out an independent assessment of the Hub operations in 2014 and based on this evaluation they recommended the formation of a National Health Innovation Hub.

 

  • The Government then issued a call in 2015 for a National Health Innovation Hub and UCC formed a consortium to bid for the National Hub and were one of a number of consortia to participate in the bid process. A team of national and international experts, in both business and health, reviewed all consortium bids and the UCC led bid was chosen.

Cork CF Unit is cleanest in the world

  |   By  |  0 Comments

Cork University Hospital (CUH) now has the “cleanest hospital rooms that exist in healthcare worldwide” within its new cystic fibrosis (CF) ward, effectively removing the threat of cross infection to patients.

That’s according to consultant respiratory physician Prof Barry Plant, who was speaking at the official opening of ward 5B, CUH’s new 20-bed adult CF and respiratory ward, paid for by CF charity Build4Life at a cost of €2.3m, the largest single philanthropic donation ever made to the hospital.

Prof Plant said it was a “great day for CUH” and the “realisation of a dream” for patients and families affected by CF in the Munster area.

Brain-gears

“It’s been a long road to get here today and you all know why these facilities needed to be developed — to allow our friends and family with CF enter the hospital environment without fear of cross infection,” said Prof Plant.

See full article on: www.irishexaminer.com

Health 2.0 Cork November Meetup

  |   By  |  0 Comments

Health 2.0 Cork aims to have a meet up of healthcare professionals, IT professionals, academics, patient groups and general public. Meet-up session includes talk by guest speakers from healthcare and IT sectors on relevant healthcare related topics and how technology can be an adjunct in rendering healthcare delivery. Panel discussions on the topic is also held. Start-up companies are given an opportunity to demo their product as well. Meet-ups concludes with coffee and networking sessions.

www.meetup.com/HEALTH-2-0-CORK/

Call for Start-Up Innovations – Medtech Europe 2016

  |   By  |  0 Comments

We are pleased to announce that the call for entries to the 2016 Medtec Europe Start-up Academy is open!

The Start-up Academy is where a select number of Europe’s most innovative start-ups will be invited to demonstrate their products and exhibit for FREE at our flagship event in Germany.

Taking place on 12–14 April 2016 in Messe Stuttgart, Germany, Medtec Europe is your gateway to inspiration and all the latest developments around Medical Device Technology.

In 2015 we had over 50 entries with the winner’s trophy going to an Italian company LiquidWeb and its innovative product calledBraincontrol – an augmentative and alternative communication system based on Brain-computer interface (BCI) technology.

We are now calling for submissions from all over Europe from medical device start-ups. Whether yours is a pre- or post-revenue business, we encourage all start-ups from the above regions to make submissions and go forward to demonstrate their innovations at the show.

We will then choose the best start-ups, who will be offered a free stand at Medtec Europe, in addition to a free demonstration slot at the Start-up Academy and a chance to win €2,000!

If you have an innovative product you wish to showcase, we want to hear from you! Contact Svetlana Fathers atsvetlana.fathers@ubm.com or call +44 (0)20 7955 3973.

The deadline for submitting your interest isMonday 11 January 2016.

To learn about the submission criteria, please visit the Start-up Academy page on our website.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Kind Regards,

The Medtec Europe Team