Clalit, the Israeli largest healthcare system contracted IDENTI Medical for the installation of world-class advanced digital systems for capturing safety and utilization of medical implants, by using image processing technology and machine learning. The agreement signed with the management of Clalit Healthcare System will allow the installation of over 250 systems in the network’s 14 hospitals.
The signing of the agreement to expand the system was done after a pilot was conducted at Meir Hospital. IDENTI will install the innovative solution in all operating and procedure rooms of the Clalit network. The system will enable hospitals to improve patient safety alongside a significant improvement in the operation of operating and procedure rooms. The network has 14 hospitals throughout the country—from Haifa in the North to Eilat in the South—which provides services to 7 million patients each year.
Digital Image Recognition Systems to Capture UDI Data
In recent years, following several cases of medical malpractice and risk to human life, strict regulations in the field of digital management and documentation of medical implants inpatient files were put in place, requiring all hospitals in Israel and around the world to adopt. FDA’s UDI regulations are intended to help hospitals and healthcare providers to protect their patients from expired or recalled items, manage their inventory efficiently, improve the accuracy of patient billing and cost of care, reduce waste of medical implants.
Although barcodes are considered a reliable technology, they can not stand the test of medical reality. In fact, they are unable to cope with the lack of standardization, their limited design and data structure. Barcode scanners are built to work universally across many different clinical workflows- but implant tracking and tissue tracking ain’t one of them. Misreading or mistyping a UDI record in the EHR can have devastating consequences. Just one incorrect letter or number in any of the device identifier (DI) and production identifier (PI) data fields is a serious risk to the patient!
The installation of IDENTI systems in Clalit’s hospitals is a breakthrough at a world-class level. The implementation of these systems will make the Clalit hospital network the most advanced in the field of documenting and monitoring medical implants in patients’ files.
By simply snapping the item before the procedure (a 3 seconds task) hospitals and healthcare providers can have access to the IDENTI glocal UDI database containing hundreds of up-to-date UDI& UPN raw data, can verify the model number, expiration date, and recall status of an implantable device. And, if there is a later recall, as in the case of Allergan Textured Breast Implants Recalled, patients can be easily and instantly tracked and alerted, by performing a simple search query in a batch number database. So that corrective actions can be taken to help mitigate health issues. Faulty medical equipment and implants can also be immediately identified and pulled from the supply chain care storage room in the departments to prevent further use.
“We open 2022 with the knowledge of a very important agreement for IDENTI, which is a recognition of the technological efficiency and significant value we bring to hospitals.” Says Shlomo Matityahu, CEO of IDENTI Medical. “IDENTI invests in developing computer vision capabilities and image processing that provide a true picture of what is happening in operating rooms. The hospital, moreover, improves patient safety by preventing cases that could endanger patient health. Many thanks to the Clalit Health Services hospital network for expressing real confidence in us.”
What Makes Image Recognition Data Capture So Unique
The company was founded in 2017 by Shlomo Matityahu and Alon Negbi, with over 15 years of experience in improving operational and business processes in hospitals. The company’s flagship product is an advanced image processing and machine learning sensor operating in a cloud SaaS configuration, capable of documenting and managing 98% of the clinical and operational information of medical implant data used during surgery and thus relieving the medical staff from this administrative and logistical burden. The sensor protects patient safety by monitoring product integrity and alerting expired or recalled items, thus helping to meet stringent regulatory requirements for digitally managing and documenting information.
The company’s solutions help maximize the business potential of operating and procedure rooms which until the advent of IDENTI’s technology were considered “gray areas” when it comes to tracking available and consumed inventory. The sensor makes it possible to streamline inventory management at the point of use and thus get a complete picture of the costs and charges for surgeries and medical procedures, which are the main source of income for hospitals. Among the company’s clients are the largest medical companies in the world, such as Johnson & Johnson, Medtronic, research medical facilities and world-renowned hospitals.
