Despite infection prevention programs that have been in place since the 1950s, healthcare-associated infections continue to be a dangerous and costly issue across the globe. To reduce the rate of infection, tremendous attention is paid to cleaning and disinfecting surfaces in patient rooms and the decontamination of medical equipment. Soft surfaces such as hospital mattresses and treatment tables are among the highest touch points in the patient environment, and they are particularly concerning because of their proximity to patients.
About Surface Medical
The Company
Since its formation in 2010 in Calgary, Canada, Surface Medical has been dedicated to the development of innovative, cost-effective solutions to help healthcare facilitates keep their treatment surfaces safe for patient use. The three guiding principles governing product development are:
- To improve patient and worker safety by creating a cleanable, intact surface
- To provide material amounts of cost savings for healthcare facilities
- To reduce waste and be a leader in sustainable healthcare
Meet Our Team
Iwain is the inventor of CleanPatch and brings to Surface Medical experience in business planning, medical product development and operations management.
Iwain received his Masters in Biomedical Technology from the University of Calgary and Bachelor of Science with Specialization in Molecular Genetics from the University of Alberta. Iwain is also an Ernst C. Manning Innovation Award recipient, author of a journal publication, and inventor on several patents. Iwain currently resides in Calgary with his wife and daughter, and is an avid traveller and a whisky enthusiast.
With over 15 years of leadership experience, Fab has worked for non-profits, medical technology, and energy infrastructure companies across North America.
He is currently the Senior Manager of New Ventures at Pembina Pipeline Corporation, a leading energy infrastructure company in North America. Fab received his MBA from Queen’s and his Masters and Bachelors in the sciences from the University of Calgary. He is an active member in the S.T.E.M. community and was awarded the Ernest C. Manning Innovation Award for his patents and scientific contributions. Fab has a passion for travel, and currently resides in Calgary, Alberta with his wife and three kids.
Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary regelialia. It is a paradisematic country, in which roasted parts of sentences fly into your mouth.
Brent is a professional engineer, inventor, and co-owner of a medical device company, TENET Medical Engineering, a Smith & Nephew company.
In 2009, he won a Manning Innovation Award for inventing the SPIDER Limb Positioner, which is a pneumatic-hydraulic device that accurately and securely positions a surgical patient’s limb. In both his professional and personal life, Brent is energized by a challenge and has always been driven to find solutions to problems. A serial philanthropist, Brent is continually looking for new ways to contribute to the community. Brent resides in Calgary with his wife and son, and enjoys spending time with his family, snowboarding, dirt biking and listening to live music.
Dr. Datta is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Departments of Surgery and Oncology at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary.
He is former Sir Brian Abel Smith Prize Recipient in Social Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He is a Co-Director for Evidence Based Reviews in Surgery and was previously the Director of the General Surgery Residency Program. He is actively involved in the health innovation space as a Director for multiple biotech start ups. He currently resides in Calgary, Alberta.
Sustainability
How Surface Medical is Supporting Green Healthcare
When a patient surface is compromised by a tear or puncture, the standard protocol is to completely replace the equipment because the damaged surface poses a risk of healthcare associated infections to patients and hospital employees. This means medical equipment such as mattresses from hospital beds, exam tables, and stretchers are sent to the landfill even though their service life could be extended by repairing the surface with CleanPatch. As a result, CleanPatch reduces landfill waste and carbon emissions associated with the supply chain, and it provides a unique opportunity for healthcare organizations to implement sustainable practices.
