Who are BBI?
BBI Europe Ltd (also known as Bruin Biometrics) is a pioneer in biometric-sensor based medical devices, developing point of care diagnostic solutions for early identification and monitoring of chronic, preventable conditions. In the European market since 2014, BBI’s first product to market is the SEM Scanner, which is a hand-held, wireless device which objectively alerts clinicians to specific anatomical areas of a patient’s body at increased risk for developing pressure ulcers.1
BBI was founded in 2009 through a technology license from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a relentless commitment to using technology to improve the way that health care is delivered. By developing innovative medical device systems, BBI aims to help inform clinical decisions, simplify patient care, and improve patient outcomes.
How has BBI improved outcomes for the NHS and patients?
Concurrent with the SEM Scanner’s 2014 UK commercial launch, BBI Europe Ltd introduced the Pressure Ulcer Reduction Programme (PURP) to allow potential customers to conduct evaluations of the product in their care settings.
The PURP allows clinicians to collect data from the inclusion of the SEM Scanner in their site’s local care pathway over an extended period to assess one or more endpoints, including:
1. Clinical Impact – as measured by the change in reportable hospital-acquired pressure ulcers.
2. Nurse Experience – as measured by a change in clinical decision making as informed by SEM Scanner data.
3. Financial Impact – as measured by identified and or realized cost-savings and productivity release.
To date in 5 countries, 15 facilities have participated in the PURP2. The SEM Scanner has been used on 1014 patients in Acute Care and 146 patients in Hospice Care.
Patients are scanned daily on the heels and sacrum as an adjunct to standard of care; more than 46,000 data points have been collected to date. Prevention in at-risk patients was implemented according to local practice without additional preventative equipment or staffing.
Results: Due to the differences in care objectives the AC data was analysed separately from the HC data.
In the AC cohort a 92% (weighted average) reduction in the incidence of hospital acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) was achieved.
79% of AC centres reported 0% HAPU during the PURP
Clinical decision-making was impacted in 52% of cases
63% of patients received additional interventions including increased mobilisation
In HC, a 47% reduction in HAPUs was achieved.
What has been your greatest achievement to date? And were there any measurable outcomes that accompanied this achievement?
Supporting healthcare practitioners to achieve noticeable reductions in HAPU without additional investment in staff or resources (see above detail) – the modernisation of the care pathway with technology.
How many organisations/clients currently utilise the service/solution across the UK?
We currently have 23 sites using the SEM scanner across the UK in all care settings.
Is there anything you would like to make delegates aware of ahead of the NHS Long Term Plan 2020 conference on 29th April?
BBI recognises the magnificent job being done by all healthcare practitioners to help minimise PU incidence. The introduction of innovative technology which is able to identify increased PU risk earlier than standard of care1, is the next vital step in identifying the risk of a patient developing a PU, giving healthcare practitioners a significant head start in implementing effective, anatomically specific prevention strategies. This will in turn have a significant impact on clinical outcomes by to helping reduce PU incidence in all care settings, improving economic outcomes by negating costs to treat, bring operational benefits by avoiding bed blocking and minimising the risk of litigation claims. Success aligns with the objectives set out in the NHS Long Term Plan for prevention and improved health and social care outcomes.
What do you feel are the key points delegates need to digest when considering a partnership with BBI?
BBI has commissioned independent analysis to look at the financial impact of introducing new technology and can demonstrate a significant in year return on investment and the potential to deliver sustained financial benefit. The analysis has been accepted by NICE and published in NICE MIB 182 issued in 2019. We take very seriously the need to present our research findings openly, allowing for transparent conversations with our customers and giving us the opportunity to build long and successful partnerships geared to making the lives of patients and their families better.
1. Okonkwo H. et al. (2018). Evaluation of a novel device using capacitance of the detection of early pressure ulcers (PU), a multi-site longitudinal study. Accepted and presented at NPUAP
2. Hancock K. et al. (2019). Reducing Pressure Ulcer (PU) Incidence Through the Introduction of Technology. Abstract submitted and presented at EPUAP, Lyon, France
If you would like to learn more about BBI please visit https://sem-scanner.com/
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