Groundbreaking Healthcare Safety Innovations to Compete at Inaugural Patient Safety Technology Challenge Grand Awards at CES® 2025

PITTSBURGH, PA – The Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative and Jewish Healthcare Foundation are thrilled to announce the inaugural Patient Safety Technology Challenge Grand Awards, a celebration of the most promising innovations in healthcare safety, will be held January 9 at CES® 2025 in Las Vegas.

More than 700 teams who competed across the U.S., Canada and the U.K. in competitions sponsored by the Patient Safety Technology Challenge between September 2022 and May 2024 were invited to participate in the Grand Awards.

After three competitive rounds judged by 25 independent experts, six finalist teams emerged, representing cutting-edge technology across three stages of development. The participating teams are:

• Galen Health (Carnegie Mellon University): An early detection technology for pancreatic cancer, this innovation seeks to improve survival rates by enabling earlier diagnoses, a critical step in reducing high mortality.
• SoundPass (University of Utah): An ultrasound-guided stylet for external ventricular drains, SoundPass offers real-time 3D imaging to enhance precision in neurosurgery, reducing procedural risks and improving patient outcomes.
• Bloom Surgical (Brigham Young University): Creator of LaparoVision, a single-use laparoscope lens cleaner that allows surgeons to maintain clear visibility without interrupting procedures, reducing delays and enhancing patient safety during surgery.
• Reel Free (Michigan State University): An innovative motorized device designed to manage oxygen tubing remotely, helping prevent falls and promoting safety for patients receiving in-home healthcare.
• Elythea (Brown University): An AI-powered platform identifying high-risk pregnancies early, aiding healthcare providers in timely interventions for underserved populations, particularly in rural U.S. communities and Sub-Saharan Africa.
• ERinfo (Columbia University): A technology leveraging facial recognition and AI to enable instant identification of patients in emergencies, providing first responders with immediate access to vital health information, especially beneficial in mass casualty situations.

These six finalists will pitch their patient safety innovations at 11am local time at the CES® 2025 Startup Stage in Eureka Park in front of a live audience of innovators, investors, and entrepreneurs, competing for a culminating final prize pool of $25,000.

The competition is funded by the Jewish Healthcare Foundation and administered by Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative.