Rinicare confirms first European evaluation of its AI falls prevention technology

Manchester-based MedTech start-up Rinicare is working with Odense University Hospital in Denmark on a product evaluation of its unique falls reduction technology solution, SAFE.

The Odense University Hospital team will evaluate the extent to which the SAFE platform (System to Avoid Fall Events) can help protect patients against the potential harm from unassisted bed exits and give them a better night’s sleep, with fewer false alarms than current solutions.

The SAFE platform uses a thermal sensor and an AI algorithm to automatically recognize a patient’s position in the bed. The system can recognise a number of different positions, including, a patient safely lying in bed, a patient very close to the edge of the bed and in danger of falling out, a patient sitting on the edge of the bed, and a patient who has fallen to the floor. It can also work in all light conditions, including complete darkness, allowing staff to discretely monitor patients without disturbing their sleep.

Rinicare Managing Director, Anthony Holmes, commented, “It’s great to be working with the Odense University Hospital team on this project. They really understand the potential that this technology has to make patients safer, and to significantly bolster their current falls prevention strategies. Falls prevention is an area where technology can have a significant and immediate impact on patient safety, so it’s great to see hospitals willing to embrace new innovations.”

Falls prevention is a growing patient safety issue for hospitals across the world, causing typically arm, hip and leg fractures. These falls not only lead to longer hospitals stays, but also lower patients’ quality of life, mobility, and independence. OUH hopes to prevent the falls and to create even better conditions for the patient, the relatives and the clinical staff.

OUH Project manager, Cecilie Pilgrim, comments, “The team at Svendborg hospital are keen to find a falls prevention solution to help them prevent falls among their patients. We look forward to evaluating this new technology to assess whether it will improve the safety and well-being of these vulnerable patients.”

The SAFE product evaluation is a collaboration between the Geriatric Department G at Svendborg Hospital and CIMT / OUH Innovation & MTV (Medicinsk Teknologivurdering).