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The terrifying hospital experience of a coronavirus patient inspired an NHS doctor to create a flash memory card system to improve communication with medical personnel wearing face masks.
Anesthetist Rachael Grimaldi founded Cardmedic while on maternity leave after reading about a Covid-19 patient who was unable to understand health workers through her personal protective equipment (PPE).
Its system enables medical personnel to ask critical questions of deaf or critical coronavirus patients and share vital information on digital cards displayed on a phone, tablet or computer.
The idea went from concept to launch on April 1 in just 72 hours and is now being used by NHS trusts and hospitals in 50 countries around the world.
Grimaldi, 36, of Brighton, said: “Unable to be patient during the Covid-19 pandemic, he was desperate to do something to help while on maternity leave.
“What started when I was wondering if healthcare staff could use a pen and paper to communicate with patients, within 72 hours, turned into an online A-Z index of digital cards.”
Cardmedic is currently available in 10 different languages, including Polish and French, and features a “read aloud” option to help people who are blind or cannot read.
The communication cards are freely downloadable from the Cardmedic website, and have already been accessed by more than 8,000 users.
“The response has been fantastic, I was very impressed,” said Dr. Grimaldi. “People have said it’s such a simple idea, why hasn’t it been thought of before?”
Grimaldi, who works at the University of Brighton and Sussex hospitals, trusts the NHS, said it would be wonderful if the patient who inspired her idea knew that something good came out of her experience with the disease.
She said the intensive care patient was terrified because she couldn’t understand what was being said through the masks and visors of health workers, according to the article she read.
Cardmedic, which is now also available in a mobile phone app, is already being used in hospitals across the UK, Africa, Asia and the United States.
Grimaldi was supported by the Department of International Trade, which provided her with a dedicated business advisor and helped her connect with local businesses in Brighton.
International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said: “Cardmedic is one of many companies working hard to support our NHS at a crucial time, and I am proud to see that they are already having a global impact and helping to save lives.
“This is a truly innovative product that could change the future of the healthcare industry and be widely applied worldwide long after the pandemic.”
Grimaldi said work was underway to provide the Cardmedic service in 30 different languages.
The company is also developing an application that will include illustrations and videos for British Sign Language, as well as create downloadable PDF versions for healthcare professionals to print, laminate, write, erase and reuse.
