A new boot designed to improve bloodflow and circulation among diabetic patients, a home oxygen supplier, and an oesophageal doppler monitor are among five innovative medical devices singled out for praise in a national competition.
Five companies were presented with trophies at the South East Health Technologies Alliance (SEHTA) Healthcare Business Awards 2014.
We recognise that our success comes from the transformation achieved by our clients
The Award for Best Start-Up went to The Diabetic Boot Company based in Aylesbury. It was set up in February 2010 and has now begun to distribute its Pulseboot product.
Pulseboot is a new form of removable offloading boot. It improves diabetic foot ulcer treatment by boosting the blood flow in the foot and offloading the pressure on the affected area.
This may assist with wound healing and potentially reduce the number of diabetic-related lower extremity amputations, resulting in a better quality of life for the patient and significant reductions in healthcare costs.
The Award for Best Innovation was presented to The Learning Clinic, a health improvement company that makes a range of innovative software systems to improve patient outcomes and hospital productivity, including VitalPAC, an app that records people’s details on an iPod and will alert nurses if a person’s health is deteriorating.
Commenting on the award, Dr Peter Greengross, medical director at The Learning Clinic, said: “We recognise that our success comes from the transformation achieved by our clients.
“As the most widely used electronic observations solution in the UK, VitalPAC is making a significant impact helping clinicians deliver better outcomes for patients while reducing the costs of hospital care.
“It’s development is a process of continuous innovation to which clinicians across the trusts we work with contribute, so we share this accolade with them.”
The third award, for Best Partnership with the NHS, was won by Dolby-Vivisol, which has been working in partnership with NHS England to provide home oxygen to the patients living in the South East Coast and South Central regions since 2012.
Novarix was presented with the Award for Outstanding Achievement for its work delivering innovative products in the field of IV therapy, including the IV-eye, a portable, easy-to-use vein illumination device designed to aid cannulation and venepuncture.
Commenting on the success, John Scott, company chief executive, said: “We have gone through eight years of research and development, clinical evaluations, a myriad of design issues, organising manufacturing in the UK, and finally making our way through the CE mark regulatory regime to come out with our device. Along the way we have had support from a range of design and manufacturing partners, as well as the NHS and a number of academic institutions.
This is Deltex Medical’s first award for export success and reflects our growing focus on building internationally on the market leading position we have established in the UK
“The IV-eye was launched at Medica in November where it received a great deal of interest and we are now busy putting in place a network of distribution partners across the globe.”
The final award – for Export Achievement - was presented to Deltex Medical, British manufacturer of the CardioQ-ODM+ Oesophageal Doppler Monitor (ODM), which is used to manage patients’ circulating blood volume during surgery and in intensive care.
Chief executive, Ewan Phillips, said: “This is Deltex Medical’s first award for export success and reflects our growing focus on building internationally on the market leading position we have established in the UK.
“We have really exciting opportunities over the next couple of years to improve the outcomes of large numbers of patients undergoing surgery in lots of countries.”
Deltex Medical, manufacturer of the CardioQ-ODM+ Oesophageal Doppler Monitor, won the Export Achievement Award