State-of-the-Art Mobility Device Driving Rapid Recovery for Faster Return to Duty

Operational readiness and manning the force are two critical components to successfully fulfilling the mission of the USAF. Assisting critically ill and injured Airmen fully recover from their ailments is VITAL TO NATIONAL SECURITY. A tremendous amount of clinical and scientific research has documented the dramatic impact that early and frequent patient ambulation makes on improving patient outcomes and accelerating the recovery process. Civilian hospitals and Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) are challenged with reaching daily ambulation goals for their recovering patients. Lack of ambulation NEGATIVELY IMPACTS FORCE READINESS by lengthening recovery, delaying discharges and the return of Airmen to active duty. The greatest obstruction to regular and repeated ambulation is the inability to manage and move the equipment connected to the patient. Clinician and nursing time is limited for each patient and finding ways to mobilize all patient equipment at one time is a great challenge for hospital staff. IVEA by Firefly Medical is a compact, easy-to-use, mobile device designed to increase frequency of patient ambulation by managing all patient equipment, monitors, and sensors connected to the patient. The IVEA mobile equipment management device is set up at the recovering Airmen's bedside ready for patient ambulation at any time. IVEA starts at the bedside and moves with the patient during their entire hospital stay. IVEA is currently in use at Air Force, Army, Navy, and VA facilities and over 200 civilian hospitals. The 96 MDG Med Surg Unit at Eglin AFB implemented 20 IVEA devices in their patient care protocol to increase ambulation. After more than a year of significant utilization, the staff have witnessed a dramatic increase in ambulation and better outcomes for their Airmen. The staff feel the IVEA device has helped GET AIRMEN BACK TO ACTIVE DUTY FASTER. IVEA addresses crucial DEFENSE NEEDS including MAINTAINING THE FIGHTING FORCE, OPERATIONAL READINESS, BOOSTING MORALE, and IMPROVING PATIENT CARE by assisting to RETURN AIRMEN TO ACTIVE DUTY FASTER through earlier and more frequent AMBULATION. IVEA is currently in use in multiple federal facilities and hundreds of civilian health care institutions. Independent clinical studies have demonstrated IVEA drives a 26% reduction in length of stay and 12.7% reduction in 7-day readmission rates (GETTING PATIENTS OUT OF THE HOSPITAL FASTER AND STAYING OUT) through promoting a 120% increase in ambulation. The studies also document a 70% reduction in fall-associated injuries from more fit patients and organization of lines and tubes ELIMINATING TRIP HAZARDS. Successful ambulation programs utilizing IVEA translate improved clinical outcomes to INCREASED FORCE READINESS and dramatic cost savings to the Federal government.Future R&D improvements to the IVEA could satisfy important Defense Needs by helping more hospitalized Airmen recover better and return to duty significantly faster.