FEATURE
Disruptive Innovation
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in Emergency Medicine By Mitchell Barneck, MD
Orlando Regional Medical Center
Every year at ACEP, the exhibit hall features IncubatED: a medical device innovation challenge. This is an interactive, educational space that provides a sneak-peek of new innovations in emergency medicine. This last year, four medical device startup companies participated virtually in a “Shark Tank” style pitch competition. This article highlights their disruptive technologies.
The author is not affiliated with any vendors in this article and has no conflicts of interest to report.
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HYPERFINE RESEARCH:
Portable MR Imaging Technology It is not uncommon for patients to present to the emergency department (ED) with complaints of headache, dizziness, numbness, weakness or vertigo. However, despite 40+ years since its inception, there are still a number of barriers to using magnetic resonance imaging in the ED. Many departments lack an in-house MRI scanner secondary to cost and space requirements. For institutions that can afford one, it is often located far from ED patient care areas and is backlogged for hours on waiting scans. This results in long holding times, significant throughput issues, and decreased utilization. Clinicians are often forced to rely on lower accuracy, radiation-producing CT scanners as an alternative. Hyperfine Research, Inc. is developing a new, portable, easy-to-use, and affordable MRI scanner that is small enough to be wheeled into individual patient rooms. While the fundamental principles of MRI technology and its components
EMpulse Spring 2021
still exist, they have leveraged the million-fold improvement in computing power since the first system was designed almost 40 years ago. This results in the machine generating high-quality images while using only 2-6% of the typical MRI magnetic field. The device is also 10 times lighter and uses 35 times less energy to run. Hyperfine secured initial FDA clearance in 2020, and early this year secured Series D funding to scale up commercial rollout of the device. This new portable, functional MRI machine could be a game changer for improving patient care, throughput, and access to MR technology in the emergency department. For more information, visit: hyperfine.io
