Internationale Partnersuche

Innovation & Technologie Angebot

e-health assistance transfer solution to move the patient from bed to wheelchair and back without manual or mechanical lift

Country of Origin: Italy
Reference Number: TOIT20181031001
Publication Date: 31 October 2018

Summary

Italian innovative SME in the field of development and research in healthcare systems has developed a revolutionary “no-lift” transfer solution allowing a patient to move from bed to wheelchair and back without a manual or mechanical lift. This new technology reduces or eliminate patients’ dependency on caregivers. They search partners aiming to financing their innovative patented project.

Description

Innovative SME from Italy, active in the field of biotechnologies has developed a patented technology: a revolutionary “No-Lift” transfer solution allowing a patient to move from bed to wheelchair and back without a manual or mechanical lift. This new technology reduces or eliminate patients’ dependency on caregivers.

The demographic trends facing Europe is the ageing of its population and it will be so until at least the middle of the twenty-first century. In this scenario, a promising option is to found innovative projects providing technological solutions for rehabilitation, long-term care and prevention through an assistive technology aimed at improving the living conditions of patients with reduced mobility. The system enables a prevention-oriented, safe and comfortable transfer while maintaining privacy and dignity.

Its  new software has been deemed for the easy management of its multiple different functions: - patient transfer from bed to wheelchair and back, reducing patient anxiety while providing patient comfort and eliminating the wait for busy staff to help him/her; - maintenance of patient's legs in upright position for hygiene operations; - system for lower limbs passive exercise through motor-driven articulated arms: a revolutionary solution, with respect to competing devices. 

The healthcare solution, designed to meet the needs of persons with reduced mobility and for the elderly, can be used on a large scale both in the domestic and in the health sector: hospitals, assisted living facilities, rehabilitation centres, nursing facilities and private homes. The innovative system provides more added value and significant benefits for both the patient and for the assistant/operator since it allows speed transfer, requires no lift, and enables, with a simple touch, safety, comfort, privacy and dignity during transfers and re-positioning: this simple task is a major barrier to living a satisfying life. Benefits: - increasing patient mobility, reducing staffing needs associated with patient transfers and re-positions through single caregiver environment; - easy frequent transfers from wheelchair to bed and back; - preventing both patient and caregiver injury ultimately reducing compensation costs for the hospital; - improving safety and reducing patient falls long term hospitalization; - preserving integrity of the skin, with a significant reduction of the risk of pressure ulcers and skin breakdown. 

As type of cooperation, the company is looking for partners financing the development of the innovative project and offers the project to investors.

Advantages and Innovations

The overall goal of project is the development of a multitasking hospitalized bed interfaced to a patient-centred software with an efficient and cost-effective service-oriented information and communication technology based collaborative platform, designed to integrate patient feedback and care provider data. 

The bed wishes to tackle the challenge of ageing and bedridden population offering an information and communication technology e-health bed, recommended for long-term hospitalization of patients with motor deficits associated with several diseases; a valuable aid for the daily care at home and in hospitals, fully in compliance with the ergonomic requirements related to long-term care. 

Despite the existing strong demand for a system enabling patients improved mobility and relief operators / assistants from physical fatigue resulting from the long-stay care, there is not a satisfactory product in the market at an affordable price. The existing products for patient mobilization can be divided in three categories: the first category covers all traditional manual lifting and sliding systems for patient handling such as transfer lifts, belts, boards and mats; these systems are out-of-automatic mode and require both patient and caregiver physical effort; the second category covers electrical hospital beds with simple standard functions (adjustable height and movement back and footboard); the third category includes automated hospital beds used for rehabilitation of uncooperative bedded patients during acute and sub-acute phases of illness with the help of skilled personnel.

In the light of this preliminary state-of-the-art analysis, the first and second category of hospital beds can be excluded from competitors as they do not handle more functions. The preliminary cost/benefit study has underlined that the discriminating factor which makes the difference is the innovative revolutionary solution, with respect to competing devices.

Stage Of Development

Concept stage

Requested partner

As type of cooperation, the company can consider a FINANCIAL AGREEMENT. Actually, the company is looking for a project financing partner for the prototyping and engineering of the patented system. A subsequent agreement will establish the repayment terms of the amount financed and/or a royalty calculated as a percentage of the market sale price.