InteliSpark client, M&S Biotics, wins a phase I research grant from the National Institutes of Health’s Small Business Technology Transfer program. In partnership with The Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Stuart J. Corr will lead this effort to test and improve a novel system to passively collect and quantify intraoperative data points related to surgical instrument usage.
Many factors may affect patient outcomes from any given surgical procedure including the length of time between the start and end of surgery, known as operative time. Studies indicate that prolonged operative time is correlated with an increased risk of complications and patient deaths. Additionally, poor equipment management in operating rooms may contribute to prolonged operative times. If surgeons were more familiar with surgical equipment and its location in the operating room, they could use their time more efficiently during a procedure.
Currently, no data collection system exists to measure pre-operative planning optimization and equipment usage. M&S Biotics is a healthcare, Internet of Things startup, using analytics to improve efficiency, efficacy and safety of surgical procedures. In phase I of this project, researchers will develop a novel system to passively collect data points related to instrument usage, as well as surgical set optimization, patient outcomes, instrument longevity, technique variation, operating room throughput, and patient safety.
This innovative surgical instrument tracking and information gathering system may have the potential to significantly improve work-flow in operating rooms, allowing surgical teams to work more efficiently during procedures and ultimately improve patient outcomes.