A UK National Health Service (NHS) doctor has created a digital flashcard system, free to download for phone, tablet or computer use, to improve communication with medical staff wearing face masks.
According to a report in The Guardian, anaesthetist Rachael Grimaldi founded Cardmedic while on maternity leave after reading about a COVID-19 patient who was unable to understand healthcare workers through their personal protective equipment (PPE).
The report says her system enables medical staff to ask critically ill or deaf coronavirus patients important questions and share vital information on digital flashcards displayed on a phone, tablet or computer. The idea went from concept to launch on 1 April in just 72 hours and is now being used by NHS trusts and hospitals in 50 countries across the world. It is currently available in 10 different languages, including Polish and French, and features a “read aloud” option to help those who are blind or too unwell to read.
The communication cards are free to download on Cardmedic’s website, and have already been accessed by more than 8,000 users.
“The feedback has been fantastic, I have been really blown away,” said Grimaldi. “People have said it’s such a simple idea, why hasn’t it been thought of before?”
The report says Cardmedic, which is also now available on a mobile phone app, is already being used in hospitals across the UK, Africa, Asia and the US. Grimaldi was supported by the Department for International Trade, which provided her with a dedicated trade adviser and helped connect her to local businesses in Brighton.
[link url="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/25/uk-doctor-invents-digital-flashcards-to-help-covid-19-patients-understand-staff"]Full report in The Guardian[/link]