Arrangementsbeskrivelse

Want to pitch your robotics and automation solutions to the Sterile Central at Sygehus Sønderjylland? Then now’s your chance. 

Odense Robotics invites you to join the idea competition and 2-day Robotics Innovation Sprint together with Sygehus Sønderjylland in Sønderborg on 28-29 February 2024. Here participating companies will have the opportunity to pitch ideas and solutions to specific Sygehus Sønderjylland’s challenges within automation.

There will also be a chance to learn more during an online info meeting on 10 January 2024 (see more info at the bottom of this page).

How the Sprint works:

During the two-day event, participants will have the opportunity to pitch their ideas to the specific Sygehus Sønderjylland’s challenges (described below) based on fact packs and dialogue with the hospital’s management and specialists.

At the end of Robotics Innovation Sprint, Sygehus Sønderjylland will provide each participating company with individual feedback based on their pitches, which could result in a further commercial dialogue if the individual solution(s) are strong and attractive enough.

Please note: Leading up to the event, companies have the opportunity to express interest in more than one of the cases.

Deadline for case applications: 26 January 2024 (CET).

Companies will then be selected to participate in the Robotics Innovation Sprint on 28-29 February 2024 at Sygehus Sønderjylland in Sonderborg.

Language: The Innovation Sprint will be conducted in Danish. 

Learn about previous Robotics Innovation Sprints >>

About Sygehus Sønderjylland:

To keep the operating rooms running, 50-80 case carts with reusable instruments and utensils (sterile disposable instruments) need to be packed every day at the Sterile Central in Sønderborg for the day's surgeries.

The Sterile Central consists of two areas physically divided by a corridor:

• In one area, all reusable instruments are received, washed, inspected, packed, and autoclaved.
• After autoclaving, the packed instrument packages are stored.
• In the other area, disposable instruments and utensils needed for surgery are kept. A case cart contains reprocessed instruments and utensils for one or more specific surgeries.
• The flow begins in the room where reusable instruments are stored, and when the respective trays with reusable instruments are retrieved, the case cart is moved to the other area (across a corridor) where the case cart is supplemented with utensils.
• The case carts are then transported via a dedicated elevator to the operating floor and to the specific operating rooms.
• After the surgery, the dirty case carts with the used instruments are transported to the Sterile Central. The instruments are removed from the case carts and reprocessed in the Sterile Central, and the used case carts are run through a case cart washer to be ready for use again.

Challenges:

Currently, pushing the case carts from one room to another is a workplace burden. The case carts are heavy, and there are many starts/stops (mainly due to the locks). It is also a time-consuming process to empty the autoclaves, store the packages, and gather them for the case carts. Emptying the case carts and then running them through the cabinet washer is also a time-consuming and burdensome process.

There are also several starts/stops (again, primarily due to the locks), and corners need to be navigated. The case carts also cross a busy corridor. Currently, a porter pulls the case carts up to the operating rooms and returns them. This is a costly and time-consuming process.

Currently, Sygehus Sønderjylland has to manually fill and empty the washing machines - one wash can be prepared, and the machine takes it in by itself. Similarly, the washing machine can push one wash out at the other end. This means that the washing machines can only handle a wash that is queued when the staff is not present – and each wash takes about 1.5 hours.

What Sygehus Sønderjylland wants the Sprint to address:

The team at Sygehus Sønderjylland want to learn more about robot and automation solutions that can help in various ways:

• Can the packages be moved a different way?
• Is it possible to eliminate the need for personnel in one room (after the autoclaves)? If not, is there technology that can support the movement of case carts, making it less strenuous?
• Can technology inspect the autoclaved packages, as well as empty and fill the autoclaves without employee involvement? In this context, the solution needs to visually inspect that there is no moisture on the packages, and this needs to be documented. It also needs to inspect the trays to ensure they have a specific temperature before the movement begins.
• Can we find an autonomous, reliable, and efficient way to transport the case carts to the operating floors and later return them to the Sterile Central once they have been used? If so, the porter could stay in-house and prepare carts, case carts, etc., for transportation.
• Can we automise the process of filling and emptying the washing machines, allowing the staff to prepare multiple washes, while the system autonomously fills and empties the washing machines without employee involvement?
• How can we automise the process of used case carts being transported from operating rooms, and then remove the trays with instruments leaivng the case cart empty and ready to be sent to the cabinet washer?

The Robotics Innovation Sprint is centered around the above-mentioned case areas at Sygehus Sønderjylland and is open for interested parties of Odense Robotics’ national cluster as well as other interested parties.

Learn more at the info meeting:

On 10 January 2024, Sygehus Sønderjylland will conduct an online information meeting through Microsoft Teams, where interested parties can ask questions regarding the various technical aspects of the case challenges.

Please note: It will also be possible to apply for the Innovation Sprint after the info meeting.

Learn more >>

Sign up >>

Questions?

Please reach out to Dennis Svane Christensen, Business Development Manager at Odense Robotics, if you have questions.

Phone: +45 92 15 03 06

Mail: dsc@odenserobotics.dk

Photos and participant list:

Please note that photos will be taken throughout the event. Odense Robotics will use these for marketing and publicity of our initiatives on our website, in social media and in any third party publication. Upon request, participant email list can be shared with participants and event partners.

Please contact us if you have any concerns or if you wish to be exempted from these activities.

Odense Robotics is co-funded by the Danish Board of Business Development, the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science and the European Union, as well as a broad range of projects and partnerships.