Innovation Lab announced today that they will host a virtual Startup Demo Day on May 20 to highlight opportunities in the underserved pediatric sector.
The Pediatrics Innovation Startup Demo Day is co-hosted by Valley Children’s Healthcare https://www.valleychildrens.org and is sponsored by Medlinehttps://www.medline.com, the nation’s largest privately-held manufacturer and supplier of medical supplies.
Register now
Pediatrics Startup Demo Dayis free and open to the public. The May 20 virtual event will run from 10-11:30 a.m. PT . Register now https://www.eventbrite.com/e/startup-demo-day-pediatrics-registration-151680840477 and find a start-up company with the resources and products to change the lives of our youngest patients.
The event will open with remarks from Valley Children’s Healthcare President Todd Suntrapak [https://www.valleychildrens.org/about-us/leadership/todd-suntrapak]. He said,“Our team strives to provide the best care for kids every day and that is only possible because of their tremendous skills, deep compassion for kids, a healthy dose of innate curiosity, and a ‘never settle for good enough attitude.’ This is the essence of what this event will highlight.” He added, “The spirit of innovation has been a core value of our organization for nearly 70 years. Our commitment to innovation is the promise we make every day to the future of our children.”
Medline will also address the importance of innovation in pediatrics. “Health care isn’t one size fits all,” says Doug Golwas, EVP, Acute Care Sales at Medline. “In order to help health care run better, it requires working and thinking in new ways to understand and solve new challenges. Medline looks forward to how this timely dialogue will uncover new opportunities to improve care.”
Suzy Engwall, Innovation Lab National Director, Western Region, said,“We will spotlight the imaginative and impactful work under way by startups focused on our youngest patients, while helping to close the gap in our underserved pediatric population.” She added, “If you’re a parent with a child who needs medical attention, all you want is a solution for your child. The pace of innovation and change for pediatric patients, however, hasn’t kept in step with the broader marketplace, leaving opportunities for breakthrough ideas.”
Individuals under age 18 total about a quarter of our country’s population, and pediatricians care for a significant volume of this population, particularly when considering the American Academy of Pediatrics stretches its recommendation to age 21 as the transition point to adult services. During the first two decades of early development, pediatric patients have different needs than adults. As an example, they absorb medications differently, their bones heal while they’re engaged in a supercharged rate of growth, and their minds process information differently than their adult counterparts.
“Some observers still believe that it’s simply a matter of making equipment and devices smaller, but there are nuances that can be detrimental to care if not addressed,” explained Engwall. “That’s why it’s important for us to develop tailored treatments and therapies aligned specifically to how children’s bodies function and respond.”
Startups to Showcase Opportunities
The program will feature a spotlight demonstration from a Valley Children’s Healthcare veteran nurse innovator, Jennifferre Mancillas[https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifferre-mancillas-a05aa718a/], of Lumify Care[https://www.lumifycare.com], billed as “the easiest way to illuminate healthcare.” Balancing the need of nurses to see their workspace and minimizing sleep disturbances for patients, this first-ever wearable LED light is designed specifically for frontline clinicians.
A dozen startup representatives will also speak on ideas in development and offer demonstrations of products already on the market. With a common theme of technology, those innovations include a state-of-the-art robot companion programmed by child development experts; a vital signs monitor that can shorten hospital stays; and a wearable health and wellness tracker. You can click here[https://www.eventbrite.com/e/startup-demo-day-pediatrics-registration-151680840477] to learn more about participating companies and their innovations.
Among those are several ideas that funneled through the Lab, including a pint-sized and friendly hospital transport device known as the Imagination Wagon[https://ii4change.com/product/imagination-wagon/] and a mobile application in development to encourage children with autism spectrum disorder to perform everyday life skills on their own.
Additional partners supporting the event include RedCrow[https://www.redcrow.com], which specializes in funding healthcare startups; ScaleHealth [https://www.scalehealth.com], a healthcare innovation ecosystem; KidsX[https://www.kidsx.health , aimed at accelerating pediatric innovation]; and Children’s Healthcare of Orange County[https://www.choc.org], which, like Valley Children’s and the Lab, is another Innovation Institute[https://ii4change.com] family member.
About Medline
Medline is a healthcare company: a manufacturer, distributor and solutions provider focused on improving the overall operating performance of healthcare. Medline works with both the country’s largest healthcare systems and independent facilities across the continuum of care to provide the clinical and supply chain resources required for long-term financial viability in delivering high quality care. With the size of one of the country’s largest companies and the agility of a family-owned business, Medline is able to invest in its customers for the long-term and rapidly respond with customized solutions. Headquartered in Northfield, Ill., Medline has 27,000+ employees worldwide, a fleet of more than 1,200 trucks and does business in more than 90 countries. Learn more about Medline at www.medline.com.
About Innovation Lab
Innovation Lab is a subsidiary of The Innovation Institute, an independent, for-profit limited liability corporation structured to cultivate innovative solutions to transform health care delivery. Its three distinct elements include Innovation Lab, which taps into physicians, employees, and industry business partners to incubate and commercialize new medical products and ideas; an investment fund; and a shared services group (Enterprise Development Group). The Institute is owned by non-profit health systems who together strive to “do more, with less, for more people.” For more information, visit website.
About Valley Children’s Healthcare
Valley Children’s Healthcare – one of the largest pediatric healthcare networks in the nation – provides Central California’s only high-quality, comprehensive care exclusively for children, from before birth to young adulthood. Our network offers highly specialized medical and surgical services to care for children with conditions ranging from common to the highly complex at its 330-bed stand-alone children’s hospital or in one of their three neonatal units (28 beds) located across the Valley. In addition, the Valley Children’s Healthcare network includes specialty care centers, pediatric primary care practices, urgent care center and women’s health services. Our family-centered, pediatric services extend from a leading pediatric cancer and blood diseases center on the West Coast, and a pediatric heart center known for its expertise and pioneering treatments, to a Regional Level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the highest level referral center between Los Angeles and the Bay Area. Valley Children’s was the first children’s hospital west of the Rockies to receive Magnet Nursing designation, the highest nursing benchmark in the world. With more than 640 physicians and 3,500 staff, Valley Children’s delivers high-quality, comprehensive care to more than 1.3 million from Kern County to the Capital and from the Central Coast to the Sierra. For more information, please visit www.valleychildrens.org.