RIVERSIDE, Calif., September 21, 2023 /Business Wire/ — Riverside University Health System is proud to announce the implementation of FloPatch by Flosonics Medical. As a pioneer in adopting new, ground-breaking medical technology, Riverside is making a significant leap forward in healthcare innovation, particularly in the life-saving area of sepsis management.
FloPatch is a revolutionary tool that facilitates real-time precision in IV fluid management in sepsis. This FDA-cleared, wireless, wearable, point-of-care, Doppler ultrasound system empowers clinicians to accurately assess a patient and determine the most appropriate therapeutic intervention.
“FloPatch rapidly provides non-invasive hemodynamic data that help guide the clinician’s management of complex patients. I’m excited to have this tool to incorporate into our sepsis program as well as use it to manage other critically ill patients,” said Dr. Korbin Haycock, Co-Sepsis Chair, Ultrasound Director, and Emergency Medicine Physician at Riverside University Health System.
Specifically engineered for quick, reliable assessments, FloPatch adheres to a patient’s neck over the carotid artery. It immediately starts capturing real-time blood flow data for each heartbeat. This data is then wirelessly sent to a secure iOS app for healthcare providers, which not only displays real-time Doppler data but also uses advanced analytics to break down each heartbeat into key metrics. Such data enables informed, time-sensitive decisions at the bedside, a level of precision that is indispensable in complex and urgent medical scenarios like sepsis management.
“Timing of assessment and appropriate fluid resuscitation is critical in sepsis. Our code team has seen firsthand how efficient FloPatch is in assessing both responsiveness and tolerance in sepsis and septic shock,” said Jaclyn Bond, Director of Nursing at Riverside University Health System. “We are excited and proud to be one of the early adopters of this cutting-edge technology, and the timing couldn’t be better as we raise awareness during Sepsis Awareness Month.”
Dr. Destry Washburn, Co-Sepsis Chair and Intensivist at Riverside University Health System, concurred: “FloPatch will help us better manage sepsis patients as they triage from the ED to ICU because FloPatch travels with the patient. This will facilitate better communication between our nurses and clinicians as we continue their fluid resuscitation in the hospital, which will lead to more comprehensive care for our patients.”
About Riverside University Health System
Riverside University Health System has been a cornerstone in healthcare for Riverside County for over 50 years. With a steadfast commitment to pushing the boundaries of medical science and technology, Riverside continues to set the standard for healthcare excellence in the region.
About Flosonics Medical
Flosonics Medical is a Canadian medical device company engaged in the research and development of innovative ultrasound technology. Founded in 2015, the company’s mission is to improve patient care and the practice of medicine through technology-enabled solutions and ground-breaking clinical research.
For more information, visit www.ruhealth.org and http://www.flosonicsmedical.com.
Media Contact
Rachelle Gibson, Senior Marketing Manager, Flosonics Medical
rgibson@flosonicsmedical.com
530-651-3855
SOURCE Flosonics Medical
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., March 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — El Camino Health is the first health system in the world to adopt FloPatch, an innovative new technology that monitors blood flow in real time. Developed by Flosonics Medical, FloPatch is the world’s first wireless, wearable Doppler ultra-sound system that helps clinicians better manage intravenous (IV) fluid therapy earlier in the sepsis care pathway.
“Timing is crucial when caring for patients with sepsis. Our nurses have seen firsthand how effective FloPatch is in monitoring the effectiveness of treatment in deteriorating patients, especially those with sepsis and low blood pressure,” said Cheryl Reinking, chief nursing officer at El Camino Health. “We are proud to be the first hospital in the world to adopt this advanced technology, and have been working with Fogarty Innovation and Flosonics Medical for the past year piloting FloPatch. Our nurses immediately loved it, and helped decide where in the hospital the technology would be the best fit.”
The FDA-approved device provides a simple, fast, and consistent method for measuring changes in heart function. Once placed on a patient’s neck, the FloPatch continuously assesses blood flow in the carotid arteries, which are the major blood vessels that supply blood to the brain, neck, and face. FloPatch then wirelessly transmits that data to a secure iOS mobile application, providing clinicians with actionable, real time data at the bedside. It is an easy-to-use, hands-free device that can be deployed in under one minute.
“We’re thrilled to partner with El Camino Health to launch this pioneering ultrasound technology,” said Dr. Jon-Emile Kenny, chief medical officer at Flosonics Medical. “FloPatch is more than an innovative ultrasound system, it is a new paradigm linking physiology and resuscitation medicine.”
When a patient arrives at a hospital with sepsis, the first line of treatment is IV fluids. However, many patients do not benefit from and may be harmed by excess IV fluids, even early in care. Excess IV fluids can cause complications that result in an extended length of stay and more complex care. While there are tools currently available that can measure fluid response, they are cumbersome and time-consuming to use.
FloPatch’s advanced analytics engine quantifies and displays changing metrics over the course of an assessment and helps clinicians deliver more precise fluid treatment and ultimately, better care to patients.
One recent study[1] demonstrated that four to five patients will avoid potentially dangerous fluid overload in the emergency department for every 10 FloPatch assessments performed, resulting in improved patient outcomes and significant cost savings.
Flosonics was first introduced to El Camino Health via Fogarty Innovation (FI), a non-profit, educational, medical technology accelerator located on hospital’s Mountain View campus. Flosonics participated in FI’s Company Accelerator Program, a six-month cross-functional mentoring program that helps early-stage companies hone their business model and make progress toward key milestones.
With guidance from their lead FI mentors, Mike Regan, chief innovation officer, and Dr. Zach Edmonds, strategic advisor, the Flosonics team worked directly with clinicians at El Camino Health to gain a better understanding of the patient journey and determine the best clinical use for their groundbreaking technology. Through this process, the Flosonics team focused on the unmet clinical need of more efficiently managing fluids in critically ill patients, bringing forward a product that streamlines a clinician’s workflow and will ultimately help patients around the world.
About El Camino Health
El Camino Health has served the communities of Santa Clara County for more than 60 years, with nationally recognized physicians and nurses at two not-for-profit acute care hospitals in Los Gatos and Mountain View, and primary care, multi-specialty care, and urgent care locations across the region. El Camino Health is dedicated to giving patients high-quality care utilizing the most advanced technology and research, delivering results first and respect always.
Aside from achieving outstanding patient outcomes, the hospitals have earned numerous awards for clinical excellence, including being named one of the World’s Best Hospitals 2022 by Newsweek and becoming the San Francisco Bay Area’s first Magnet hospital, earning four consecutive designations from the American Nurses Credentialing Center for nursing excellence.
Key service lines include cancer care, cardiovascular care, maternity care, mental health and addiction services, orthopedics, pulmonology, and women’s health. Visit elcaminohealth.org to learn more.
About Flosonics Medical
Flosonics Medical is a Canadian medical device company engaged in the research and development of innovative ultrasound technology. Founded in 2015, the company’s mission is to improve patient care and the practice of medicine through technology-enabled solutions and ground-breaking clinical research.
FloPatch is the world’s first wireless, wearable Doppler ultrasound system. The FDA-approved medical device monitors hemodynamic change in response to an intervention for truly informed clinical management. For more information, visit www.flosonicsmedical.com.
About Fogarty Innovation
Fogarty Innovation is a nonprofit educational medtech incubator dedicated to advancing human health worldwide. The company’s seasoned leadership team provides “full contact coaching” to help young companies navigate the path to commercialization, delivers practical educational programming to stakeholders across the ecosystem, and forges alliances across the innovation ecosystem that accelerate the invention, development, and deployment of new medical technologies into clinical care. Founded by Thomas J. Fogarty, MD, a world-renowned cardiovascular surgeon, inventor, and entrepreneur, Fogarty Innovation is headquartered on the El Camino Health campus in Mountain View, California.
Media Contact
Priscilla Luong, senior external communications specialist, El Camino Health
Priscilla_Luong@elcaminohealth.org
650-988-7452
[1] Kenny, et al. A Wireless Wearable Doppler Ultrasound Detects Changing Stroke Volume: Proof-of-Principle Comparison with Trans-Esophageal Echocardiography during Coronary Bypass Surgery.
SOURCE El Camino Health
SUDBURY, Ontario–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Flosonics Medical, a company dedicated to improving patient care with wireless, wearable ultrasound sensors, announced today the publication of an observational study in the Journal of Intensive Care. The results provide strong evidence for the use of FloPatch® to help prevent the over-prescription of IV fluids in adult patients with sepsis, septic shock and other hypotensive related events where IV fluids might be indicated for use.
“We are very pleased to see these strong study findings added to our existing body of evidence supporting the early utilization of FloPatch®”
Of 51 patients enrolled in a community emergency department, a total of 81.7 liters of IV fluid were delivered. 37% of total IV fluid given was ineffective and 35 mins per patient were wasted giving ineffective IV fluid. As the 2021 operating expense of an ED with 100,000 annual visits ranges from $600-3000 per bed-hour (USD), this represents $34,000 to $169,980 of hidden time cost.
“The findings of this analysis reveal the favorable role FloPatch® can play in the management of IV fluid resuscitation and delivering more personalized patient care across the ED, ICU and all critical care settings utilizing volume expansion as a therapeutic intervention”, said Ben Kemp, MD of OSF Healthcare. Vivian Lau, DO mentioned that “the data provides clinical evidence that FloPatch® – utilized early in the care pathway – offers significant benefits to the treating physician with real-time, reliable information about the patient’s hemodynamics that will lead to better patient care.”
“We are very pleased to see these strong study findings added to our existing body of evidence supporting the early utilization of FloPatch®”, said Joe Eibl, President & CEO. “We are proud that this data provides further evidence for emergency departments and intensive care units seeking to provide improved care for their septic and critically ill patients where the therapeutic benefits of IV fluid are unclear.”
About Flosonics Medical
Flosonics Medical is a venture-backed medical device company headquartered in Sudbury, ON. Flosonics Medical is focused on the intersection of wearable sensors, ultrasound, and improving patient care. Founded in 2015, the company is engaged in the research, development, and commercialization of wearable ultrasound technologies. The company’s flagship technology, FloPatch®, has received regulatory clearance by the FDA and Health Canada.
For additional information on the company or FloPatch®, please visit www.flosonicsmedical.com.
The collection aims to bring high-quality research in the field of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Devices into the spotlight and further promote it as part of a prestigious collection that includes other key opinion leaders
Flosonics Medical is pleased to announce that its recent publication with Frontiers in Medical Technology is being featured in the journal’s Highlights in Diagnostic and Therapeutic Devices 2021/22 collection.
The publication was selected by Frontiers in Medical Technology’s Editorial Office and Chief Editor Professor Gregg Suaning to be showcased alongside other high impact articles authored by leaders in the field.
Inferring the Frank–Starling Curve from Simultaneous Venous and Arterial Doppler: Measurements from a Wireless, Wearable Ultrasound Patch, authored by Flosonics Medical’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jon-Emile Kenny and colleagues, was published in May 2021.
As part of the study, Dr. Kenny and colleagues used simultaneous venous and arterial Doppler measurements captured by a wearable Doppler ultrasound device in real-time to accurately infer the cardiac function curve.
“We are thrilled to have been selected for inclusion within Frontiers in Medical Technology’s Highlights in Diagnostic and Therapeutic Devices collection. The editor has chosen other exciting technologies and we are honoured that our work with wearable Doppler ultrasound is featured amongst them,” said Dr. Kenny.
The aim of the Highlights in Diagnostic and Therapeutic Devices collection is to bring the field’s high-quality research into the spotlight and further promote it as part of a prestigious collection that includes other key opinion leaders.
The work presented by Frontiers in Medical Technology highlights the broad diversity of research performed across the Diagnostic and Therapeutic Devices section and aims to highlight the main areas of interest.
The collection further aims to support Frontiers’ strong community by shining a spotlight on its authors’ highly impactful research.
For more information on the Highlights in Diagnostic and Therapeutic Devices 2021/22 collection, visit Frontier’s in Medical Technology’s website.
About Frontiers in Medical Technology
Frontiers in Medical Technology showcases innovative approaches to medical devices and technologies which ultimately will have an impact on patients across multiple clinical applications. Welcoming research from the scientific, regulatory and clinical communities, the journal aims to explore cutting-edge technologies that can build on successful science to make it even more powerful by paving the way to healthcare innovations of the future.
For more information, visit www.frontiersin.org/journals/medical-technology.
The investment will allow Flosonics Medical to scale up the manufacturing and distribution of cutting-edge medical solutions while strengthening the province’s pandemic supply chain
Flosonics Medical received over $1.5 million through the province’s Ontario Together Fund to scale up the manufacturing and distribution of FloPatch, the world’s first wearable wireless Doppler ultrasound system.
The investment will support a $3 million project to purchase advanced equipment for a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility that will allow Flosonics Medical to increase production capacity and introduce cutting-edge medical solutions around the world. It will also create 10 new jobs in northern and southern Ontario while strengthening the province’s pandemic supply chain.
“Flosonics Medical is pleased to partner with the Government of Ontario on this important project. The investment will enable scale-up capacity and secure local manufacturing for the production of wearable and wireless medical solutions in Ontario,” said Joe Eibl, co-founder and CEO of Flosonics Medical.
Founded in 2015, Flosonics Medical is a Sudbury-based medical device startup engaged in the research and development of non-invasive sensors aimed at improving patient care.
FloPatch is the world’s first wireless, wearable Doppler ultrasound system that enables rapid, repeatable, and trusted hemodynamic assessments throughout the continuum of care. The medical device adheres to a patient’s neck and wirelessly delivers actionable clinical data to a clinician’s tablet via Bluetooth.
“The pandemic highlighted the importance of being able to respond quickly to emerging medical needs. The wireless functionality of FloPatch enables rapid deployment across most health care settings, and it is especially well suited to resource limited environments,” said Eibl.
Supporting innovative projects like Flosonics Medical’s FloPatch is why the Government of Ontario has invested an additional $50 million in the Ontario Together Fund in 2021-22.
The fund supports local innovators and businesses to further enhance Ontario’s domestic supply chain capacity, promote the province’s MedTech ecosystem, and build the manufacturing sector to ensure Ontario is well-prepared for future challenges.
It also provides other goods critical to the health, safety, and security of Ontarians through the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
“Through the Ontario Together Fund, our government is supporting innovative medical technologies so we can unleash Ontario’s economic potential. We are proud to partner with Flosonics Medical to increase their production capacity which will help secure additional Ontario-made medical device manufacturing,” said Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Vic Fedeli.
The program assisted Flosonics Medical in developing a strong market entry plan as it moves toward the commercial launch of its wearable, wireless Doppler ultrasound system
Flosonics Medical recently announced its graduation from Fogarty Innovation’s prestigious Company Accelerator Program (CAP).
The targeted, concentrated, and intense six-month mentoring program is designed to support early-stage companies in developing a comprehensive, cross-functional approach to addressing opportunities and identifying barriers to success.
Flosonics was chosen out of hundreds of companies around the world to join the CAP program in March 2021 just after it had received regulatory clearance for its core technology – a wireless, wearable Doppler ultrasound sensor aimed at improving the management of critically ill patients.
The Canadian medical device company has greatly benefitted from Fogarty Innovation’s mentorship and expertise as it moves from the research and development stage to the commercial launch of FloPatch.
“Our goal was to develop a strong market entry plan and gain insight on how to execute on that plan while staying flexible and nimble as situations shift, such as we experienced during COVID. To do that, you need to understand challenges you might encounter along the way, including potential shortcomings in your product or execution,” said Joe Eibl, co-founder and CEO of Flosonics Medical.
Fogarty Innovation helped Flosonics Medical gain a clearer understanding of its target market. The team conducted a number of pilot studies involving key stakeholders during the CAP program, including clinical administrators and clinicians.
Over a few short months, the company doubled from 15 to 30 employees with the Fogarty team advising on the strategic positions needed to help Flosonics Medical advance. These developments helped pave the way for the clinical use of FloPatch in Canada and the United States.
“As first-time founders, going through the commercial readiness steps with the Fogarty team was extremely helpful in helping us avoid potentially costly mistakes and getting us to market much faster. Mike (Regan) and Zach (Edmonds, MD) were critical in making sure we were prepared and could quickly respond to the ever-changing environment,” said Eibl.
Fogarty’s accelerator program helped Flosonics Medical glean important insights that helped the company better understand the different stakeholders who interact with technology implementation and how to make sure to address their individual roles and concerns.
“We are a patient-first company, and it’s rewarding to see this commitment reflected in the physicians we work with as we strive to help them make their processes more efficient, while reducing costs,” said Eibl.
Flosonics Medical had previously partnered with the Sunnybrook Research Institute, a global leader in ultrasound and medical imaging, and out of that ecosystem received its first round of venture funding.
However, the company knew that while Canada offers a vibrant technology ecosystem, it’s often a challenge to move companies to the next stage of commercialization.
“Any time we’ve been able to take advantage of great mentorship, we know that we as leaders, the company and ultimately the patients have benefited from it,” said Eibl.
“Fogarty Innovation is a first-in-class network of medtech innovators, entrepreneurs and clinicians who have brought companies from an idea to a new standard of care, and we look forward to how it will help us improve.”
As Flosonics Medical launches FloPatch, it is focused on continual validation studies and early commercial activities.
“It’s been extremely rewarding to see the excitement of the clinicians as they make decisions based on our technology, and also to see how it can be deployed in various clinical settings, such as the ICU, emergency room and operating room,” said Eibl.
“We’ve had such a positive experience with Fogarty Innovation that we are hopeful we can give back to other companies that are coming behind us.”
For more information, visit Fogarty Innovation’s website.
About Fogarty Innovation
Fogarty Innovation is a dedicated team of proven medtech innovators passionate about using their know-how and expertise to make medical advancement happen. Led by a committed staff of seasoned executives who bring 250+ years of cumulative leadership experience from over 60 companies. In total, these companies have returned over $5 billion to investors through both public markets and private transactions. Fogarty’s team of mentors help early-stage technology companies cross the chasm from novel idea to notable solution. For more information, visit www.fogartyinnovation.org.
An analysis of 48,570 cardiac cycles revealed that monitoring stroke volume change via carotid Doppler might support the diagnosis and management of evolving hypovolemia
Flosonics Medical recently announced a study published in the British Journal of Anaesthesia in which Dr. Jon-Emile S. Kenny and colleagues evaluated the correlation between carotid Doppler ultrasonography and stroke volume during simulated hypovolemia and volume resuscitation.
Using the company’s lightweight, wireless, continuous wave Doppler ultrasound patch, the researchers studied changing metrics from the carotid Doppler pulse during a well-validated model of human haemorrhage: lower body negative pressure.
The researchers found that changing carotid Doppler pulse and stroke volume demonstrated a strong, positive linear association following an analysis of 48,570 cardiac cycles.
This is the largest data set correlating stroke volume change with the common carotid Doppler pulse to the investigators’ knowledge.
For this study, the researchers recruited 11 healthy adult volunteers with no cardiovascular history in a physiology lab at the Mayo Clinic.
They found that changing stroke volume correlated with various carotid Doppler measures, including an 18% change in maximum velocity time integral (VTI) and a 4.3% change in carotid corrected flow time.
The investigators concluded: “The strength of this correspondence is the large number of cardiac cycles captured and analysed by the wearable Doppler device as compared with the limited beats sampled by handheld Doppler devices in clinical studies.”
These findings suggest that monitoring stroke volume change via carotid Doppler might support the diagnosis and management of evolving hypovolemia.
The funds will be used to pursue the commercialization of Flosonics Medical’s wireless Doppler ultrasound patch in addition to new product development
Flosonics Medical recently announced the close of a $14 million USD funding round led by Arboretum Ventures in partnership with existing investors iGan Partners and Genesys Capital.
The Canadian medical device company headquartered in Northern Ontario also welcomed Arboretum Ventures Partner Dan Kidle to its Board of Directors.
Financing proceeds will support the commercial launch of Flosonics Medical’s FloPatch technology in North America in addition to new product development.
“This financing is an important milestone which coincides with our technology’s transition to the clinical setting. Our team has developed the world’s first wireless Doppler ultrasound patch,” said Joe Eibl, co-founder and CEO of Flosonics Medical.
“This breakthrough technology will, for the first time, enable non-invasive on-demand Doppler measurement of blood flow, which we believe will be an essential tool for the medical community.”
Founded in 2015, Flosonics Medical is engaged in the research and development of non-invasive sensors aimed at improving patient care.FloPatch is the world’s first wireless, wearable Doppler ultrasound system that enables rapid, repeatable, and trusted hemodynamic assessments throughout the continuum of care.
The medical device, which has received regulatory clearance from FDA and authorization for sale from Health Canada, adheres to a patient’s neck and wirelessly delivers actionable clinical date to a clinician’s tablet via Bluetooth.
“FloPatch is a new paradigm in patient monitoring. Blood flow has been a missing vital sign, and we’re proud to have reimagined Doppler ultrasound as a simple, wireless, low-cost, single-use wearable,” said Dr. Jon-Emile Kenny, Flosonics Medical’s Chief Medical Officer.
Arboretum Ventures is a healthcare-focused venture capital firm with a history of investing in impactful medical innovation.
“Our fund is focused on supporting emerging technologies that have the potential to transform clinical care. FloPatch is a truly differentiated monitor, and we’re excited to partner with Flosonics’ team of world-class ultrasound engineers, physiologists, and clinicians,” said Arboretum Ventures Partner Dan Kidle.
About Arboretum Ventures
Arboretum Ventures is a venture capital firm specializing in the healthcare sector. Founded in 2022, the firm has raised $700 million in capital to support a portfolio diverse in stage and geography. The investment team targets capital-efficient companies that improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare system costs across medical devices, life science tools & diagnostics, and tech-enabled care delivery. Arboretum is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan. More information is available at www.arboretumvc.com.
The Government of Canada investment will help Flosonics Medical develop the IT infrastructure required for commercialization and create five new jobs in Greater Sudbury
Flosonics Medical is pleased to announce that it has received a $500,000 investment from the Government of Canada to accelerate the integration of FloPatch in hospitals across North America.
The repayable investment will help Flosonics Medical develop the IT infrastructure required to commercially roll out its FDA-cleared medical device. It will also create five new jobs and support 17 existing positions in the Greater Sudbury area.
The funding will be provided through FedNor’s Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program, which supports projects that promote sustainable community economic development, create jobs, enhance business development and growth, and facilitate innovation.
“This FedNor investment will ensure the FloPatch can be seamlessly integrated into the various electronic medical records systems used in hospitals and care centres across Canada and the United States,” said Andrew Eibl, co-founder and COO of Flosonics Medical.
“We are excited about the FloPatch and the positive benefits this cutting-edge technology will deliver for patients and healthcare providers around the world. We appreciate the tremendous support we received from the Government of Canada during all phases of development.”
Founded in 2015, Flosonics Medical developed the world’s first wireless, wearable Doppler ultrasound system that enables rapid, repeatable, and trusted hemodynamic assessments throughout the continuum of care.
The innovative medical device is capable of providing carotid Doppler metrics that can help clinicians determine when a patient is no longer fluid responsive.
With this funding, Flosonics Medical will hire a team of software developers and industry experts to ensure FloPatch can be fully integrated with the various electronic medical records systems in hospitals and clinics across Canada and the United States.
Health Canada granted Flosonics Medical an authorization for FloPatch under the COVID Interim Order in the summer of 2020.
“Supporting Sudbury’s innovators and job creators is a key priority of our government. I’m excited that this new investment in Flosonics Medical will help launch a promising new medical device that has the potential to significantly improve patient care in Sudbury and around the world,” said Paul Lefebvre, Member of Parliament for Sudbury.
The Government of Canada previously invested $200,000 in Flosonics Medical to support the research and development of FloPatch, clinical trials, and preliminary market development.
“Today’s announcement will help Flosonics Medical improve the delivery of medical services, strengthen the economy and create high-quality middle-class jobs here at home in Nickel Belt and Greater Sudbury. I’m proud that our government is ramping up efforts to help Canadian businesses start up, scale up and commercialize new products,” said Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt.