Startup gets funding to hire software developers

SUDBURY, Ont. – A northern Ontario startup is getting $500,000 from the federal government to help commercialize an innovative medical device and create local jobs. Flosonics Medical will use the funds to hire a team of software developers and industry experts to develop the IT infrastructure needed to roll out its FDA-cleared FloPatch medical device.

The IT infrastructure will ensure that the device can be fully integrated with various medical records systems in hospitals and clinics in Canada and the United States.

“This device is the world’s first wireless wearable ultrasound system,” said Flosonics Medical COO and co-founder Andrew Eibl (pictured). “What we’ve done is turned a complex technology into a wearable that is push-button simple (and) allows nurses and clinicians to get the data they need to care for their patients when they are critically ill and when important decisions need to be made.”

The technology allows for real-time hemodynamic monitoring for patients that need cardiopulmonary and fluid resuscitation.

When a patient is critically ill and experiencing major trauma, they are often pumped full of fluids to increase blood flow. This process must be monitored closely, especially in patients with weaker hearts.

It’s usually done via traditional ultrasound, which can be a slow, inefficient two-person job.

The FloPatch is a peel-and-stick Doppler blood flow monitor that can assess patient response to fluid intake. Any paramedic, nurse or physician can use it, and it can also be used to monitor patients remotely.

“The project that we’re announcing today is ultimately to enable the deployment and interoperability of this technology in a hospital throughout different departments,” said Eibl. “The system that we’re developing, through hiring at least five new software developers, is going to enable us to roll out communications across North America, as well as leverage that information to further drive the business-use case around the quality metrics that are important to healthcare systems as well as patient outcomes.”

The funding will help the company develop IT systems in its early pilot sites and, eventually, roll them out in Canada and the U.S. as the company grows.

“It will help doctors make better informed decisions that impact quality of care, and hopefully get patients out of the hospital sooner, avoid complications, and reduce the cost of the overall healthcare delivery system,” said Eibl.

FedNor’s Regional Economic Growth through Innovation program is providing the funding.

“Supporting Sudbury’s innovators and job creators is a key priority of our government,” said Sudbury MP Paul Lefebvre during the funding announcement on Friday. “I’m excited that this investment in Flosonics Medical will help launch a promising new medical device that has the potential to significantly improve patient care in Sudbury and around the world.”