Challenge: How to prevent pressure ulcers in wheelchair patients?
Suomen Digitaalinen Tehdas Oy – Pressure ulcer prevention for wheelchair patients
An estimated 55,000-80,000 patients per year have a pressure ulcer in Finland. Almost nearly 2-3% of total healthcare spending is used on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of pressure ulcers although pressure ulcers are avoidable.
Suomen Digitaalinen Tehdas Oy and Touchlab Limited aim to reduce the pressure ulcer formation with their innovation. In Helsinki, they pilot a pressure ulcer mat, which can be integrated into wheelchair seat pillows using a sensor solution.
The solution helps the healthcare professionals, organisations and units with their daily routines. With an app, clinicians can set custom pressure thresholds, unique to each patient. When a pressure threshold is met and held for a period of time an alert will be sent to the clinician, allowing for redistribution to occur, and preventing a pressure ulcer.