Six finalists were given an opportunity to pitch their innovative health and safety ideas relating to continuing care to a trio of expert judges in a Dragons Den-style contest at the BC Care Providers Association’s annual conference at the Victoria Conference Centre.
In the Safety Den, the three safety dragons, Michele Thomson, Marc Kinna and Aly Devji, evaluated the team's presentations before awarding a $2,000 top prize to a finalist in the health-care category. Finalists in the commercial category competed for the Safety Innovation of the Year Award.
"We've received a record 26 submissions. And that made it a fun, but still challenging job for our review committee to narrow it down to the six finalists that we have here today," said Ken Donohue, an executive director of SafeCareBC and host of the contest. "It just shows the thinking that's happening in the sector to make things better, not only for residents and clients, but also for our workers in the workplace."
In the commercial category, ien2RN presented their mentorship program for integration of internationally educated nurses, HME Home Health presented the Paraglide wheelchair repositioning system, and TeksMed presented a virtual injury assessment software. After a colourful presentation and demonstration, the Paraglide took the Safety Innovation of the Year Award.
Brian Quach, a representative for HME Home Health, explained to the judges that between 2015 and 2024, there were over 13,000 cases totalling $356 million in WorkSafeBC claims as a result of musculoskeletal injuries.
"These injuries to the neck, back, shoulders, and wrists often occur when caregivers in care homes are needing to repeatedly, manually reposition someone who has slid in their wheelchairs," Quach told the crowd.
The Paraglide is a motorized add-on that attaches to the back of any wheelchair, and with a touch of a button, a person can manually reposition themselves into a more comfortable position.
"It's easy to use, and anyone can [do it]," he said. "For someone who is able, you're also able to give them the controls so that you're empowering them to reposition themselves whenever they want, whenever they can. Allowing them the choice and the freedom to control their own comfort."
Vying for the $2,000 prize in the health-care category were representatives from Nanaimo's Eden Gardens, who built a new filing and data-collecting app, the Broadway Lodge presented a Jeopardy-themed education and training system, and Trellis Seniors presented the Education on Tap system – the eventual winners of the grand prize.
Education on Tap allows for health-care workers to tap their phone – using NFC tags – to receive information on how certain equipment is used.
An NFC sticker can be placed on something like a tub, and an employee who is unfamiliar with how it works can tap the sticker and a video will show how to use the tub safely. The system makes accessing vital information easy for staff in multiple departments, and each NFC tag is cheap – about 50 cents each– and easy to program.
"This is a quick tap. I don't have to look for a form. I don't have to look at a computer," said Roy, a Trellis Seniors representative.
SafeCare BC is a non-profit association dedicated to representing workers within the continuing care sector in British Columbia.
