Ambulance communication system wins Cleveland Clinic challenge

A prehospital communication system for incoming ambulances is the winner of the third annual New Ventures Healthcare Challenge hosted by Cleveland Clinic Innovations.

The challenge called for innovative ideas to disrupt the healthcare market and streamline better care to patients.

Twiage was named this year's winner. The communication system delivers real-time situational awareness of incoming ambulances to emergency departments. Paramedics and EMTs can use Twiage's HIPAA-compliant smartphone app to capture stroke symptoms in video, EKGs for heart attacks, trauma scenes through photos, and record digital voice memos. By providing live patient data and GPS-tracked ETA for all incoming ambulances, Twiage helps hospitals accelerate treatment for critical emergencies, while improving performance measures, patient outcomes and reducing costs.

"By advancing the prehospital timeline, Twiage allows hospitals to shave crucial minutes off hospital metrics, such as door-to-CT scanner and door-to-tPA times for stroke," said YiDing Yu, MD, founder and CMO of Twiage. “Nineteen million Americans will take an ambulance to Emergency Departments this year. For many, it will be a life-threatening event. By advancing the prehospital timeline, Twiage allows hospitals to shave crucial minutes off hospital metrics, such as door-to-CT scanner and door-to-tPA times for stroke.”

As the winner of the challenge, Twiage will receive consultations from commercialization experts at Cleveland Clinic Innovations and its Innovation Advisory Board, as well as an opportunity to show the product to Cleveland Clinic caregivers.

Beth Walsh,

Editor

Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.

Around the web

The tirzepatide shortage that first began in 2022 has been resolved. Drug companies distributing compounded versions of the popular drug now have two to three more months to distribute their remaining supply.

The 24 members of the House Task Force on AI—12 reps from each party—have posted a 253-page report detailing their bipartisan vision for encouraging innovation while minimizing risks. 

Merck sent Hansoh Pharma, a Chinese biopharmaceutical company, an upfront payment of $112 million to license a new investigational GLP-1 receptor agonist. There could be many more payments to come if certain milestones are met.