IP Requirements:

• Emory IP

Experience Requirements:

• Mechanical Design

Introduction

Hospital acquired delirium and deconditioning are significant issues, estimated to affect between 33% to 66% of all admitted patients in the United States^1. The care team works with numerous patients on a daily basis. However, high patient loads lead to less individualized attention healthcare providers can spend on each patient. spent from the healthcare providers. Further, hospital policies, staffing shortages, and the risk of patient falls often result in patients remaining bed-bound during their hospital stay. 

Despite the high incidence of hospital acquired delirium and physical deconditioning secondary to a hospital stay, there are currently no products or policies in place to mitigate these burdens for patients. Research suggests that implementing early physical activity for hospitalized patients can alleviate these issues, ultimately saving patients both time and money^2,3,4,5. 

The objective of this project is to develop a safe, patient- and staff-friendly device designed to facilitate both active and passive range of motion and muscle-strengthening exercises. This machine is intended for use while inpatient to help maintain muscle strength and provide patients with an engaging activity, thereby reducing the risk of hospital-acquired delirium and muscle atrophy.

Currently, patients oftentimes are confined to their beds due to hospital policies requiring staff assistance for movement out of bed. This practice contributes to delirium and deconditioning, with patients typically getting out of bed much less frequently. The proposed device should be operable while the patient remains in bed, eliminating the need for direct supervision or staff assistance in transferring patients to a chair.

The applications for this project extend beyond the inpatient setting to include nursing facilities, rehabilitation centers, and other healthcare venues. By reducing the complications associated with immobility in the hospital, this initiative can ultimately save time, money, and hardship for hospitals, insurance companies, and, most importantly, patients. 

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10299512/
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6037578/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9303382/
4. https://journals.lww.com/md-journal/fulltext/2023/01130/medical_and_economic_burden_of_delirium_on.24.aspx#:~:text=Our%20study%20showed%20that%20delirium,in%20hospitalization%20costs%2C%20Figure%202.
5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0196655316002856