Patient Transport Project
A passion project at the heart of innovation.
In a busy hospital lobby, a single mom was walking toward the front door. She had an IV pole in one hand and pulling her child in a wagon with the other. It was clear that she was struggling. This is a daily occurrence in many children’s hospitals.
There are as many as 33,000 inpatient pediatric beds in the U.S. There are also as many as 10,000 wagons being used to transport these sick kids. Many of these wagons are donated in honor of a meaningful stay in the hospital.
Rollie Pollie is a device that will make it easier to give sick kids and their parents an extra hand when they need it most. It attaches to the wagons and IV poles that already exist in the hospitals
Building A Brand
Marketing your innovation doesn't have to be super fancy. Sometimes the idea speaks for itself. Focus on showing how the idea improves peoples lives. However, its ok to have a little fun along the way.
FDA Exemption
New devices used in healthcare environments may be subject to increased scrutionay as regulated by the Federal Food and Drug Agency (FDA). Fourtunaltey, critera for exemption of the regulation of such devices are established in existing federal guidelines. Detirminating the status of FDA regulation is an essential step in the product development process.
Getting A Utility Patent
Going from idea to invention is an exhilarating experince. If you are doing it for the first time navigating the process can feel almost overwhelming. Here are some insights from submitting our US Patent for Rollie PollieTM.
Getting A Trademark
The original name for this invention was called Pole Pal, but our attorneys said that that term was already too close to other names in the market. At the time it felt like bad news; however, it led us to an even better name Rollie PollieTM which we love even more! Here are some insights from navigating the trademark submission process.
Rollie Pollie Photoshoot
Every cool project deserves to be documented and shared. Getting high-quality photos of your project doesn't have to be an expensive and difficult process. With the right people on your team, a photoshoot can be a great way to celebrate your hard work and have a great time. Check out how we did it.
Easy Removal For Clean-Up
Everything in the hospital must be cleaned often to prevent the spread of germs and viruses. Sometimes that means items are cleaned several times a week or even several times a day. Wagons and IV poles are cleaned with pressure washers in a special room made for cleaning large items. For ease of cleaning, Rollie Pollie was designed to be quickly installed and removed without tools.
Versitle Adaptation
Sometimes wagons are used to carry stuff in or out of the hospital. Often this means that luggage and other items are placed into a waggon for transport. Rollie Pollie was designed to help with a range of tasks and lend a free hand.
Click.
Some pediatric wagons have a fixed IV pole mounted on the wagon. Unfortunately these wagons are often difficult to store and use. Fixed IVpole wagons create extra work for the clinical staff to transfer pumps and bags to the wagon and back again to the IV pole at the bedside. Rollie Pollie was designed to instantly and securely connect the bedside IV pole to the wagon. “Click” and go.
One Button!
Once the wagons are in use a simple button press extends the arm. The arms automatically lock securely into place. Press the button again to lower the arm for storage.
Kick-Stand Mode
Storage space in any hospital is often scarce, this is especially true for a children’s hospital. Wagons are stored vertically to make the most of floor space. This way three vertical wagons can share the same floor space of one horizontal wagon. Rollie Pollie was specifically designed to give wagons a stable “Kick-stand” to save space.
Getting Serious
There is a point in every project where the euphoria of a new idea begins to fade and obstacles become increasingly more difficult to overcome. At this point it is essential to remember that persistance pays off in the end. Difficulties are part of the innovation process. Click here for encouragement.
Getting Started
"Start Ugly" is great advice for learning a new skill or beginning any project. Sometimes the desire for perfection steals the value of a new intitiave. Innovation is a process that features failure and learning as well as inspiration. See how this project's humble start gained momentium.
Understanding the Oppertunity
When working on a new idea it is essential to understand how your idea improves or solves a problem. Sometimes an invention can "solve" one problem, but create others in the process. See how these additional considerations influanced the design process for Rollie PollieTM.
Simple Moments can be Profound
Inspiration for new ideas can come from almost anywhere. The inspriaton for Rollie PollieTM came from sitting in the lobby of a children's hospital, and observing how people used the space. Learn how the Rollie Pollie passion project got started.