Lateroll

Inspiration

There are 2.7million surgeries that occur in Australia annually and therefore at least 5.4million manual patient transfer (bed → operating table → bed). This does not include patient transfers outside of the operating theatre. At the completion of each of these surgeries the anaesthetised patient must be manually transferred from the surgical table to a hospital bed for recovery. Observationally our team noted that this transfer process currently requires up to 8 staff and rolling the patient a minimum of 3 times as well as significant time delays waiting for moving equipment. The number of staff required indicates the inefficiency of the current method. Additionally, the act of rolling and lifting the patient exposes hospital staff to increased risk of injury particularly lower back injuries.

What it does

Our solution involves two elements; a mattress; and rollers, that form a complete transfer system. The innovative design of the mattress creates an entity that fits the larger dimensions of current hospital beds but when compressed, adjusts to fit the dimensions of the smaller operating table. The transforming feature of the mattress allow it to remain under the patient, eliminating the need for hospital staff to risk injury rolling the patient. The rollers are positioned under the mattress and reduce friction thereby minimising the force required by staff to transfer the mattress and patient from the surgical table to bed.

How we built it

We will initially build a 3D printed, small-scale model of our device before working with industrial designers to produce a full-scale prototype. Given the nature of our device there are multiple channels we will pursue to gain traction. One channel involves approaching our partner the Royal Hobart Hospital for a 6-month trial. This trial will allow us to provide statistics for future sales of our product, facilitate media releases to increase the visibility of our product in the healthcare market, and give us local champions who can advocate and be spokespeople for Lateroll. Another channel for gaining traction is approaching current distributors of hospital beds. These distributors have pre-existing connections with hospitals that we will utilise to encourage widespread distribution of our product. A third channel to pursue is to demonstrate our device at national healthcare exhibitions/conferences.

Challenges we ran into

Execution risk - Participation in a business mentorship program through Enterprize Tasmania and engagement with experts in medical technologies will optimise execution potential. Technical risk - Engagement with industrial designers at InnovaTAS and continuing relationships with designers at Hobart Makerspace and the University of Tasmania’s College of Sciences and Engineering. Market risk - Integration with pre-established companies within industry will enhance market traction, overcome legislations associated with market entry. Financial risk - Diversification of revenue streams to fortify financial stability. Revenue streams will include direct sales, collaborations with existing manufacturers and installation and maintenance services. Team risk - Inexperience in the business aspect has been counteracted by engaging with the Enterprize Entrepreneurship Startup Program to acquire essential skills and knowledge.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We are proud of the vision we have created. Our team recognised a problem and created a solution that may be effectively implemented. We ae proud of our engagement with the Enterprize start-up program which has allowed us to start trasnforming our idea into a business.

What we learned

The Lateroll journey has taught us so much about ourselves and each other. Each team member has grown both professionally and personally. Beyond this we have also developed valuable skills regarding market research and pitching.

What's next for Lateroll

Phase 1 Inception - establishing objectives (Mar 2018 - Sep 2018); Establish viability of product and conduct rudimentary market analysis. Develop business model canvas.
Phase 2 Elaboration - prototype development (Sep 2018 - Feb 2019); Conduct market validation and obtain IP protection. Prototype development. Cost: $500 market validation (secured), $10,000 product development Phase 3 Construction - Initial operational capability (Feb 2019 - Feb 2020); The product’s durability and reliability will be trialled. 50-100 units will be trialled at selected hospitals. Phase 4 Transition - Product release (Feb 2020 - Feb 2021)