SCOPE
A sponsored team project by Healthcare design company, Nexxspan, to examine the IV transfer process in hospitals and streamline the transfer process.
TEAM MEMBERS
Inika Shah, Jyotsna Bhageria, Glenda Setlock, Kinsey Norton
PROBLEM STATEMENT
In the context of intra-hospital patient transfers, there are risks and time constraints involved that can endanger the patient.
An IV transport system is needed to facilitate the safe and efficient movement of patients, along with the medical equipment commonly attached to IV poles, from stationary beds to various locations within the hospital, including imaging or MRI facilities.
An IV transport system is needed to facilitate the safe and efficient movement of patients, along with the medical equipment commonly attached to IV poles, from stationary beds to various locations within the hospital, including imaging or MRI facilities.
RESEARCH
We went through the following research stages in order to narrow the scope of the problem and identify design objectives before proceeding to ideation stages.
STAGE 1: WHO IS NEXXSPAN?
Nexxspans role in the market of IV transfer systems is to provide supporting devices to hospitals that use ceiling booms. Typically, entire hospital rooms are outfitted by a singular supplier.
Nexxspann’s market is primarily acuity or teaching hospitals that place an emphasis on high quality medical equipment.
Their existing products include: Vertical Headwall, Medical Gas and Electric Headwalls, Neonatal Headwall, and Equipment Rails and Accessories.
STAGE 2: EXISTING PROTOTYPE
Nexxspan's current IV transfer system is used to transfer IV drips and other medical equipment from wall boom to portable IV stand, features two locks as a manual safety mechanism and is integrated with existing equipment management system.
We began by identifying pain points with the current prototype which included the following:
1. Locking Mechanism
2. Cable Management
3. No Clear Indication of State of Lock
4. Pole Alignment
KEY STAKEHOLDERS
We identified the parties involved in the entire life cycle of intra-hospital transport systems, beginning from design, manufacturing, and sales up to hospital use.
FINAL WORKING MODEL
