TriMedika have returned from their first trade mission to Texas, as part of ABHI’s US Accelerator Program 2022. It was a busy week for the contingent, who started in Austin and then travelled to Fort Worth, Dallas and finally Houston.
A very busy but very successful week was had by Roisin Molloy, CEO and Co-Founder at TriMedika and Jenny Cromie, US Key Account Manager.
The week began in The Capitol Factory in Austin, hearing from Austin Healthcare Council and some of the biggest and most influential health systems in the US; Ascension and Baylor Scott and White. It was great to hear, during a panel session with some NHS representatives, the US vs UK perspective on healthcare and the similarities, differences and challenges both healthcare systems face both pre and post COVID. Following this the team headed to Dell Medical School where the conversation was led by Ruben Rathnasingham, the Assistant Dean for Health Product Innovation. It was great to hear how receptive Dell Medical are to new innovation and what they advise the best approach is to get new technology into the hands of clinicians.
Fort Worth was a short, fleeting visit but nonetheless it was hugely beneficial. We got to hear from Baylor Scott and White All Saints Medical Center, Cook Children’s Health Care System and Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital, among others. These conversations centered around the importance of telehealth going forward and how important it is that the technology being used for at-home health is accurate and easy to use for patients. This resonated for us at TriMedika as two of TRITEMP™’s key features include the accuracy of the device (+/- 0.4oF) and the ease of use; TRITEMP™ was made with nurses in mind.
Wednesday took us to Dallas where we enjoyed an interesting discussion with Scott Flannery of United Healthcare and his colleagues. The succinct nature of the responses from the team here made one thing clear, cutting costs for payers and providers is a necessity. There were some intriguing conversations on how they as a payer can help companies with innovative technology map a pathway into hospitals and health systems. This visit was followed by a lunch with healthcare professionals at Baylor Scott and White where we were able to engage in an informal networking session after presentations. Some crucial contacts were made here which will help accelerate TriMedika’s entry into US healthcare systems.
On Thursday we were Houston bound where we heard from Houston Chamber of Commerce on why it is the number one city to invest in and what the city can offer innovative start-ups. Following this we headed to Baylor College of Medicine to hear what they’re doing to promote innovation within their system and curriculum. We got our first taste here of the ‘Medical City’ in Houston and the magnitude and scale of the health systems in the US.
We started our final day off at TMCx and the Johnson and Johnson Center for Device Innovation. We can speak for the rest of the group when we say that we were all frankly astonished by Dr Billy Cohn, in terms of what he and his team have achieved at the J&J center and beyond. We went across to Houston Methodist after this where we had talks from Dr. Alan Lumsden and Dr. Stuart Corr. This is the hub of innovation – there was some inspiring work being done here too. We were able to have a tour around their premises and see some of their innovative projects in action. This was yet another health system which appeared highly receptive to our innovative technology.
We finished the trip with a trip to Texas Children’s Hospital which was one of the highlights of the week. We were able to hear about their struggle with finding an accurate and robust non-contact thermometer. This is something that is critical in pediatrics, as there are often high-risk patients here and therefore, infection control, accuracy and patient comfort are imperative here. We have now sent devices out here for them to trial against their current devices in use.
After such a busy and worthwhile first trade mission, we are excited about the next one which will take place in Tennessee – Nashville and Memphis from 25th-29th July. If you want to get in touch ahead of our visit, please contact us at info@trimedika.com
