- 04-May-2017
- Social Entrepreneurship
BClean
Abstract
BCleans mission is to revolutionize the way health regions audit hand hygiene. BClean does this through complete innovative solutions through the use of technologies. BClean technology can be easily applied in any circumstance where monitoring and compliance for hand hygiene is essential. We realize that there is a low compliance of hand hygiene in health systems that has been overlooked due to the misconception that health settings are the most sanitary places. BCleans motto is to remind, record, and report all hand hygiene events properly performed by health care workers to create an environment where healthcare is safe to give and receive. BClean manufactures specialist bracelets that use radio-frequency identification (RFID) for real time tracking of each user. Each bracelet is equipped with internal liquid sensing circuits that detect levels of sanitizer applied by each user when they wash their hands. Now more than ever, BClean is needed as the first line of defense in controlling healthcare associates infections (HAI);
there are 1.7 million patients infected each year. Due to these infections, 270 people die each day, hospital stays extend to an average of 8 days (13.6 million days per year).
BClean is designed to:
• protect patients from healthcare associated infections
• help lower cost by lowering infections
• remind HCWs to sanitize their hands before interacting with patients
• provide compressive hand hygiene reports for each users
• eliminate inaccurate observations
With BClean, health care workers, patients and families are consistently assured that hand hygiene is performed. Together, we can create a safe and resilient healthcare system.
B the change, BClean.
Video
Original YouTube URL: Open
Additional Questions
Who is your customer?
Our customer is Alberta health services and clinics (health industry) whereas our beneficiaries are not only the healthcare admin, but the health care workers and patients who give and receive better health care
What problem does this idea/product solve or what market need does it serve?
Health care workers (HCW) are too busy in their job and are often forgetful in washing their hands thoroughly. Health care industry is not effective in reminding/monitoring hygiene control. The improper and sometimes failure of proper hand hygiene in health care settings that result in healthcare associated infections (HAI) and decreases patient care due to bad health practice. Our BClean sensor-reactive technology device that monitors and detects hand hygiene compliance by reminding HCWs, recording, and reporting data in a user friendly manner.
What attributes will make this idea/product successful? Why do you believe that those features will create success?
The health care industry currently spends over $9Bil US in expenses for infection prevention and control related to hygiene control. Our model brings technology that will remind HCWs to wash their hands before and after patient contact. BClean will then record all information on our software and use it to report poor hygiene compliance which will create an opportunity for educational seminars and behaviour changes. BClean creates a reduction in cost for hospital administrations for infection control, reduction in cost for patient stays, opens more beds for more patients to utilise, and improves patient care in the process.
Explain how you (your team) will execute to make this idea/product successful? What gives you (your team) an advantage over others already in the market or new to this market?
Both the founders hold both a Bachelor of Science as well as a Bachelor of Commerce and have teamed up with 3 engineers who have worked with similar technology and lastly we have a solid team of 2 part-time advisers that monitor us closely. But that is not only why we'll be successful, we have dedicated full time in this project and realised that there is no direct competitors in this market that work on automated technology. Our indirect competitors are those with ipads manually logging hygiene events
such as DebMed and HandyAudit (which is tedious and inaccurate since it does not record all hygiene events and the HCWs realise quickly that they are being monitored and the data becomes biased and flawed). Our BClean bracelet is perfectly entering the market since there is a hype on fitbits and smart watches as well as active living all of which BClean incorporates.
