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ClearCount Medical Solutions
Medical Devices & Tech
101 Bellevue Road, Ste. 300
Pittsburgh, PA 15229
phone:412-931-7233
fax:
Symbol Private
Founded 2004
Employees 12
          www.clearcount.com
Research Sector Medical Devices & Tech
Summary Description
RFID Tracking of Foreign Bodies during Surgery
Management
David Palmer, CEO; Steven Fleck, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer; Curtis Groppe, Vice President of Sales and Marketing
Keywords
surgery, RFID

Comment | Printable Version | Modify profile Jun. 16, 2009

Description
ClearCount Medical Solutions is the only provider of a sponge management system that combines the benefits of counting and detection. Counts can be quickly reconciled and, in the event of non-reconciliation, a missing sponge can be located using the SmartWand (TM). ClearCount's innovations bring to market a comprehensive sponge reconciliation and detection solution that improves patient safety and operational efficiency.
Products / Services
The SmartSponge System is ClearCount's signature product. It is the only system to date that uses Radiofrequency Identification (RFID) to detect and count surgical sponges during surgical procedures. This technology is capable of distinguishing among sponge sizes and types, as well as alerting staff members when a sponge goes missing. Staff members do not need to manually separate the sponges or orient the RFID tags since the system does not require "line of sight" technology (similar to that used for barcodes), thereby minimizing the handling of soiled materials and preserving safety for patients and staff.
Technology / Differentiation
RFID tags are tiny microchips (approximately the size of a dime) that act as transponders listening for a radio signal sent by transceivers (RFID scanners). When a transponder RFID chip (which is permanently sewn onto the sponge) receives a certain radio query, the sponge responds with a unique ID code back to the scanner. The broadcast signals from the scanner are designed to be read between a few inches and several feet away, depending on the size and power driving the RFID tags. The SmartSponge System confirms the sponge count, while the SmartBucket screen highlights any count discrepancies. A quick SmartWand scan then identifies any sponges remaining in the patient and avoids the need for additional X-rays. The SmartSponge System utilizes a SmartMat to notify the user that the scan is going smoothly and without error. The SmartSponge System utilizes Texas Instruments Inc.'s "Tag-it HF-I" portfolio of high-frequency products to automate the process of managing surgical sponges during surgery.
Market / Customers
According to ClearCount, retained foreign bodies currently amount to an estimated $1.5 billion in annual costs; accounting for sponges and instruments alone costs American healthcare institutions $1 billion (as well as fifteen to thirty minutes set aside for manual counting after each of the nearly ten million surgical procedures performed annually). If the manual counts do not match among medical personnel, another $375 million are devoted to post-procedure x-rays and (in a less-than-ideal scenario) $125 million are allocated to medical malpractice suits.
Status
ClearCount received FDA 510 (k) clearance for the SmartSponge System in June 2007 and announced its commercial launch on March 31 2008. On April 1, 2008, the company announced its exclusive distribution agreement with Cardinal Health. ClearCount's technology has received favorable press from numerous domestic and international outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, BBC News, the New York Times, Forbes, CNN and ABC News.