COVID-19 Innovation Team Creates Life-Guard Face Shield
Novel Device Improved In-Flight Care and Safety -- and May Benefit Air Ambulance Crews Nationwide
The COVID-19 Innovation Team formed at the outset of the pandemic with employees from Carilion Innovation, Human Factors, Business Development and clinical specialties. With the help of our Virginia Tech partners, the team went to work reviewing concepts presented by our employees to address PPE, medical devices and supplies, analytics and reporting, physical infrastructure, and data or data science to improve compassionate care for our patients and communities.
Susan Rivers, Director of Carilion Clinic Life-Guard, learned air ambulance flight operations were being impeded by helmets with problematic goggles. She contacted Carilion’s COVID-19 Innovation Team, which brought in Virginia Tech's College of Engineering to help develop a protype face shield.