IR-MED Inc. is a medical device company specializing in non-invasive A.I. combined with optical spectroscopy-based technology to detect molecules in the patient tissue. Its first product is the “PressureSafe”, a device to reduce the incidence of pressure injuries. 

Each year, 60,000 Americans die from Pressure Injuries (PI) related complications. Patients with pressure injuries have a higher (4.5 times) risk of death than those without, despite similar comorbidities. Those who develop blood infection (bacteremia and Sepsis) due to pressure injuries have a 55% greater mortality risk. Most of these deaths could be prevented if the PIs were detected early and the wound progression was stopped. IR-MED Inc. is tapping into the potential of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) combined with optical spectroscopy-based technology, to develop a Decision Support System (DSS) for Real-Time (RT) early intervention in pressure injuries treatment. 

Pressure injuries are skin sores that occur due to mechanically (pressure) induced ischemia. PIs mainly occur in bony prominences such as the heels and sacrum. Advanced pressure injuries will not only diminish one’s quality of life (severe morbidity) but will also increase one’s chances of death. Pressure injuries impose a substantial financial burden on healthcare systems and the existing amount per year of PI at the hospitalization unit is one of the parameters to define the care giver’s quality of care to the patients. 

Incidence of Pressure Injuries

In the U.S. alone about 2.5M patients develop pressure injuries each year. 42% of these patients are usually in ICUs, while 28% are usually in long care & hospice care settings. Out of this, about 60,000 cases end in death.

High Cost of Treating Pressure Injuries

The U.S. spends about $11 Bn each year in preventing and treating pressure injuries. The cost of treating pressure injuries is 6times higher than the cost of prevention. Early diagnosis can help to bring this cost down. There is an urgent need for accurate and innovative diagnostic tests for pressure injuries.

Here is a table that compares the cost of prevention versus treatment of pressure injuries in the U.S.

Increasing Cases of Pressure injuries

The rising prevalence of pressure injuries is a global public health concern. On average, 1 in 10 hospitalized patients is at risk of developing pressure injuries. The figure is higher for patients in community nurse care settings. About 72% of patients who develop pressure injuries are elderly. Pressure injuries are painful, costly to treat, and diminish one’s quality of life. Hospitals and nursing homes also spend a lot of money on managing pressure injuries, related lawsuits of negligence & elder abuse.

Medical-Device Related Pressure injuries

Cases of medical device-related pressure injuries are also on the rise. Medical devices such as ventilation masks, cervical collars, endotracheal, nasogastric tubes, and urinary catheters can cause tissue and skin injuries. 61% to 81% of device-related pressure injuries occur in hospital settings (especially during covid- 19 hospitalization. This increases the risk for life-threatening infections and pushes the cost of treatment higher, according to the Tropical Journal of Medical Research.

Using Infrared to support decision making while treating Pressure Injuries

While a local pressure on skin tissue occurs, the skin blood supply diminishes and causes a cascade of tissue damaging processes leading to cell and tissue destruction and death. During these destructive processes, the skin tissue changes its optical properties (light absorption and reflectance) and allows accurate analysis of skin status.

IR-Med Inc. Introduces PressureSafe

IR Med combines Infra-Red (I.R.) and Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) technologies to provide early detection of pressure injuries. IR-med has developed a proprietary system – PressureSafe, which has unique Capabilities of analyzing different molecules underneath the skin surface, noninvasively and identify its concertation. This information, processed with IR-med unique algorithms (AI), and allows decision makers and care givers, to have better decisions ” by providing them new unavailable data   related to PI formation, much before any visible sign can be detected on the skin. This unique capability is even more important while dealing with dark complexion patients, as the ability of the care giver to identify visually the PI is decreased dramatically due to the skin tone.

IRMED takes the personalized medicine approach from the pharma to the medical device world, by introducing PressureSafe device which calibrate to each patient skin for better diagnosis.

IR-Med is managed by a highly skilled and experienced team of professionals with diverse backgrounds, including biochemical engineering, electro-optical engineering, optical spectroscopy, highly skilled computer scientists and medical professionals. These experienced staff are handpicked by key opinion leaders (KOL) from diverse Israeli industries.

IR-Med has a portfolio of 2 granted patents while three others are in the pipeline.IR-med is a publicly listed company (OTCQB: IRME) that has managed to raise more than $6 million in investments and grants so far. 

Pressure Safe is a proprietary, user-friendly, and non-invasive device for preemptive classification of Pressure Injuries (PI) and Deep Tissue Injuries (DTI). It uses algorithms to calculate the probability of developing PIs. This is important for enhanced patient care.  PressureSafe is being developed to become an instrumental decision support tool that is safe, effective, and provides accurate results in real-time.

IR Med Inc. is Running Usability Trials

IR -Med is conducting a series of usability trials in medical centers in Israel and the same will be rolled out in the U.S in the near future. These trials have been approved by the local IRB committee and the Israeli ministry of health (MOH). That will provide scientific evidence to direct the application of A.I. and I.R. in the medical fields and specifically in reducing pressure injuries high prevalence.

Early Detection of Pressure Injuries is Necessary 

Hospitals and nursing homes need to invest more in the early detection of pressure sores to avoid incurring higher costs of treatment. In countries as the U.S., hospitals and nursing homes are graded and can be penalized accordingly. If they fail to prevent pressure injuries while patients are in their care., this may include being denied reimbursement and financial support for the cost of their entire treatment if negligence is established on their side. 

Reducing the incidence of pressure injuries will reduce the duration of hospital stays, reduce morbidity and mortality rates, and improve patient outcomes in the long run. Pressure Injuries are painful and not dignifying. Stopping them will enhance the quality of life of patients and restore their dignity. Above all, it will reduce the incidence of pressure wound casualties which currently stands at 60,000 each year in the U.S alone.

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