TurnCare

TurnCare is a medical device company focused on preventing complications in high-acuity, mobility-impaired patients. The company's genesis stems from the clinical experience of its co-founder, Dr. Rafael Squitieri, Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at St. Vincent's Medical Center. Dr. Squitieri, a graduate of Columbia University and the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, was moved to act after a young patient suffered from a sacral pressure injury following a successful open-heart surgery. This experience highlighted the limitations of existing prevention methods, which often fail despite clinicians' best efforts.

In 2011, Dr. Squitieri partnered with serial entrepreneur and technology expert Kim Orumchian to establish TurnCare in Palo Alto, California. Their shared objective was to develop a solution that addresses the root cause of hospital-acquired pressure injuries: impaired blood flow. This collaboration between medical and technological expertise led to the creation of the Guardian System. The company operates in the monitoring equipment sector, targeting clients such as hospitals and critical care units. Its business model centers on usage-based billing, allowing hospitals to pay only when the system is used for a specific patient, a model facilitated by a partnership with Monetize360. Since its founding, TurnCare has raised a total of $15.8 million over five funding rounds, including a Series B round of $6.9 million in August 2020, with investors including White Owl Capital and VT Capital.

The company's flagship product, the Guardian System, is a therapeutic patient support system designed to prevent vascular compression in the sacral region. It utilizes a patented "Vasotactic™" technology, which involves a portable, inflatable support surface with anatomically-specific air chambers and a high-precision computerized controller. This system employs a sophisticated, non-repeating algorithm to continually modify pressure, ensuring that blood flow is maintained to vulnerable areas. Unlike traditional surfaces that redistribute pressure broadly, the Guardian System is designed with an awareness of human anatomy to provide targeted therapy. The system is versatile and can be used on beds, chairs, and procedure tables, supporting patients up to 650 lbs. It also features WiFi connectivity for remote monitoring and alerts. A pivotal 399-patient randomized controlled trial demonstrated that the Guardian System led to an 81% reduction in sacral hospital-acquired pressure injuries compared to standard alternating pressure air beds. The product also received recognition as the Critical Care Product of the Year in 2020.

Keywords: pressure injury prevention, high-acuity patients, medical device, patient mobility, critical care, Guardian System, Vasotactic technology, blood flow impairment, vascular compression, wound care, patient support system, hospital-acquired pressure injuries, remote patient monitoring, usage-based billing, MedTech, perfusion enhancement, sacral injuries, Dr. Rafael Squitieri, Kim Orumchian, acute care