Welcome to the South Australian Node of the Australian National Fabrication Facility
In-home health care platform developed for post-acute patients
2017_10
A global search for a ‘well-connected organisation’ to develop his innovative microneedle technology led InnaMed founder and CEO Eshwar Inapuri of Palo Alto, California to the Australian National Fabrication Facility in South Australia (ANFF-SA).
The combination of ANFF-SA’s valuable design software with access to specialist staff proved irresistible to Eshwar. He was confident he had found the right team to develop his connected blood-testing platform, Healthscale, which will remotely monitor post-acute patients after their hospital discharge.
With a background in biomedical solutions and hardware, Eshwar recognised an opportunity for painless microneedle technology to be incorporated into a medical device that could be used to deliver in-home health care. Not only could it help save the lives of chronic heart failure patients, but significantly reduce the billion dollar healthcare costs (estimated at $13,000 per person or more than $17 billion annually in America) associated with avoidable hospital re-admissions.
Utilising the world-class capabilities of the ANFF-SA’s flagship Kira CNC Micro Milling Machine, located at the University of South Australia, micro machining technologist Mark Cherrill has provided expert advice to help achieve the rapid turn-around of Eshwar’s Healthscale prototype.
Navigating international time zones with ease, Eshwar said the expansive reach of the ANFF-SA and its collaborative approach were unlike anything he had ever experienced anywhere else around the world.
“It’s hard to find such a well-connected organisation in America that is willing to get things done quickly and without bureaucracy. The ANFF-SA have really proven to be a one-stop shop for us,” said Eshwar.
“Without doubt, the ANFF-SA has been the right fit for our organisation. From the helpful faculty and researchers at the University of South Australia, right through to the flexible and problem-solving team who treat your project as their own. Our experience has been the best.”
The Healthscope device has been designed to empower high-risk patients for self-managed care. Simple and effective microneedle technology draws just four drops of blood painlessly into a test card. The test card is then placed into the device and within five minutes meaningful test results are delivered to the user and their medical specialists will be monitoring the results for preemptive intervention.
“It is exciting to see Australian and international companies increasingly rely on ANFF to realize their next-generation technologies,” said Dr Craig Priest, SA Node Director of the Australian National Fabrication Facility. “I’m particularly proud of the professionalism and skills mix in our ANFF-SA team that consistently delivers world’s best outcomes. It makes all the difference.”
The ANFF-SA have delivered such outstanding results with Healthscope that InnaMed CEO Eshwar Inapuri has chosen to re-partner for the design and development of another novel medical device.