Patent issued for fall-injury-prevention device invented by Main Line Health COO
The USPTO issued U.S. Patent No. 12,346,075 on July 1 for the device, which is being developed by Lankenau Institute for Medical Research (LIMR), part of Main Line Health and its partner, Lankenau Ventures. LIMR's portfolio includes another device targeting injuries from hospital falls as well as several other patented and patent-pending medical device inventions developed by Main Line Health front-line workers.
"This is an exciting step," said Wadsworth, who has nearly four decades of healthcare and nursing experience, joining Main Line Health team in 2012 as Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer before assuming her current role in 2020. "When I was first approached by LIMR in 2019 about whether our nurses might have ideas for inventions devoted to patient safety, I never dreamed that the idea I had been pondering could become reality. I look forward to the day that my device is widely used by medical facilities to keep patients safe."
Falls in hospitals are a persistent problem. Nearly 1 million patients experience them annually, leading to over 250,000 injuries and approximately 11,000 deaths each year, according to a study published last year in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. Age-related factors, such as mobility impairments and cognitive issues, play a significant role.
Wadsworth is lead inventor for the portable airbag/cushion-deployment device with a sensor that would detect if a patient is falling. It would deploy a protective device suitable for adequate protection in bathrooms, where falls are most likely to occur, as well as in nursing homes and private residences. The patent has been licensed to Lankenau Ventures, a joint venture between LIMR, Early Charm Ventures and L2C Partners.
"Main Line Health is a leader in fall prevention," said LIMR President and CEO George Prendergast. "I'm thrilled that someone of Barbara's caliber is at the lead of our drive to reduce fall injuries even further. And I believe more great things are to come for our front-line-worker inventions."
LIMR has another device targeting hospital fall injuries in its portfolio called the Essex Privacy Screen, being developed to address loss of privacy, which is a major reason why inpatients sometimes refuse assistance in the bathroom despite awareness of their need.
LIMR's patent portfolio comprises therapeutics issued and pending patents in oncology, cardiology, autoimmune, diabetes, laboratory technology, regenerative medicine, retinopathy and vaccines.
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About Lankenau Institute for Medical Research
Lankenau Institute for Medical Research (LIMR) is a nonprofit biomedical research institute located on the campus of Lankenau Medical Center and is part of Main Line Health. Founded in 1927, LIMR's mission is to improve human health and well-being. Using its ACAPRENEURIALTM model that integrates academic and entrepreneurial approaches, faculty and staff are devoted to advancing innovative new strategies to address formidable medical challenges including cancer, cardiovascular disease, tissue regeneration, gastrointestinal disorders and autoimmune diseases such as diabetes and arthritis. LIMR's principal investigators conduct basic, preclinical and clinical research, using their findings to explore ways to improve disease detection, diagnosis, treatment and prevention. They are committed to extending the boundaries of human health through technology transfer and training of the next generation of scientists and physicians.