Converge

CONVERGE TITLE X MISSISSIPPI FAMILY PLANNING NETWORK PROPOSAL

SBIR GRANT APPLICATION TO DEVELOP AND COMMERCIALIZE A URINE BASED MEDICAL DIAGNOSTIC FOR THE DETECTION OF BLADDER CANCER RECURRENCE.

DIRECT BB TREASURY RATE GRANT - (FY09-10) STIMULUS

RT ASSISTANT - HANDHELD PATIENT SAFETY TOOL FOR MECHANICAL VENTILATION - PROJECT SUMMARY RESPIRATORY THERAPISTS (RTS) ARE INCREASINGLY TASKED TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF CARE PROVIDED FOR THEIR PATIENTS ON MECHANICAL VENTILATION WHILE CONTROLLING COST AMIDST A HIGH WORKLOAD. CHALLENGES FOR THE RTS INCLUDE MAINTAINING CONTINUOUS AWARENESS OF PATIENT-VENTILATOR INTERACTIONS, ASSURING COMPLIANCE WITH BEST PRACTICE PROTOCOLS, AND PROVIDING EFFICIENT COMMUNICATION DURING SHIFT CHANGES. WHILE NEW TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN RECENTLY INTRODUCED TO IMPROVE MEDICAL RECORD DOCUMENTATION, THERE IS A SCARCITY OF INNOVATIVE ELECTRONIC TOOLS THAT CAN IMPROVE COMPLIANCE WITH BEST PRACTICES AND COMMUNICATIONS IN RESPIRATORY CARE. IN PHASE I OF THE GRANT WE SUCCESSFULLY BUILT AND EVALUATED A FULLY-FUNCTIONAL PROTOTYPE SYSTEM CALLED RT ASSISTANT THAT PROVIDES CONTINUOUS REMOTE MONITORING OF VENTILATED PATIENTS. THE DEVICE PROVIDES REAL TIME MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES, GUIDANCE ON PATIENT SAFETY AND BEST CLINICAL PRACTICES, AND A STANDARDIZED HAND-OFF COMMUNICATION TOOL. THE PHASE I PROTOTYPE WAS DESIGNED TO EVALUATE THE FEASIBILITY OF THE TOOL AND ITS INTEGRATION INTO AN RT'S WORKFLOW. PHASE II EFFORT WILL ADD FUNCTIONALITY, IMPROVE DATA SECURITY, INCREASE USABILITY, AND ALLOW FOR CUSTOMIZED USER INTERFACES FOR EACH HOSPITAL OR UNIT. THE PHASE II SYSTEM WILL FACILITATE COMMERCIALIZATION AND WILL BE TESTED IN 3 CLINICAL TRIALS AT 3 DIFFERENT HOSPITALS. RT ASSISTANT WILL SERVE AS A PLATFORM FOR FUTURE MODULAR UPGRADES THAT WILL PROVIDE CLINICAL DECISION SUPPORT (CDS) TAILORED FOR RESPIRATORY CARE. IN PHASE II, WE PROPOSE TWO SPECIFIC AIMS. AIM 1 – PRODUCTIZE THE RT ASSISTANT SYSTEM TO ADDRESS USABILITY AND COMMERCIALIZATION CONCERNS, THIS AIM WILL ADDRESS THREE CATEGORIES OF IMPROVEMENTS TO RT ASSISTANT. FIRST, IMPLEMENT AND VALIDATE APPROPRIATE DATA SECURITY AND IT REQUIREMENTS IN ORDER TO BE ALLOWED TO OPERATE SAFELY IN A HEALTHCARE ENVIRONMENT. SECOND, INCREASE FUNCTIONALITY BY ADDING AN ADDITIONAL OXYGENATION CPG, SUPPORT LOW ACUITY VENTILATION, AND MANAGEMENT FEATURES THAT SUPPORT DEPARTMENTAL QUALITY ASSESSMENT. THIRD, INCREASE EASE OF USE BY ALLOWING CUSTOMIZATION OF THE SYSTEM FOR DIFFERENT HOSPITALS AND ICUS AND ENABLE USE ON DIFFERENT PLATFORMS. AIM 2 – EVALUATE EFFECTIVENESS OF RT ASSISTANT IN MULTI-CENTER CLINICAL TRIAL TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SYSTEM IN DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS, WE WILL EVALUATE THE SYSTEM IN TWO ICUS FROM TWO DIFFERENT HOSPITALS. BASELINE DATA WILL BE COLLECTED FOR 1 MONTH AND THEN DATA WILL BE COLLECTED WHILE RTS USE THE RT ASSISTANT FOR 1 MONTH. STATISTICAL ANALYSES OF PRE- AND POST-INTERVENTION DATA INCLUDES CHANGE IN TIME PATIENTS ARE OUTSIDE THE CPGS, QUALITY OF SHIFT REPORTS, AND RT SATISFACTION SCORES WHILE USING THE SYSTEM. AFTER COMPLETION OF THIS PHASE II GRANT, WE WILL HAVE CREATED A SECURE, INEXPENSIVE, INTUITIVE, HIGHLY FUNCTIONAL SYSTEM PROVEN TO: INCREASE COMPLIANCE WITH CPGS, IMPROVE SHIFT REPORT COMMUNICATION, AND ENHANCE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, RESULTING IN IMPROVED PATIENT CARE AND REDUCED MEDICAL ERRORS. THE CLINICAL RESULTS WILL PROVIDE DATA THAT WILL ENABLE EARLY ADOPTER SALES FOR THE RT ASSISTANT SYSTEM.

A BIODEVICE FOR IMPLANTING INSULIN-PRODUCING CELLS IN A DIABETIC PATIENT WITHOUT

ELECTROHYSTEROGRAM-BASED SENSOR FOR NON-INVASIVE CONTRACTION MONITORING WITH IMPR

CONVERGE TITLE X TELEHEALTH EXPANSION PROPOSAL - CONVERGE, A MISSISSIPPI-BASED NONPROFIT, IS RESPONDING TO THE FY 2022 NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY: FAMILY PLANNING TELEHEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENHANCEMENT EXPANSION GRANTS, FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER PA-FHP-22-002, TO EXPAND THE AVAILABILITY OF FAMILY PLANNING CARE VIA TELEHEALTH THROUGH TITLE X CLINICS. CONVERGE IS REQUESTING $641,914 IN FEDERAL FUNDS TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO TITLE X CLINICS TO ENHANCE TELEHEALTH IN THEIR SERVICE AREAS TO INCLUDE FAMILY PLANNING CARE AS WELL AS TO PROMOTE THE USE OF FAMILY PLANNING TELEHEALTH FOR PATIENTS WHO MAY HAVE QUESTIONS OR ARE NOT AWARE THAT TELEHEALTH IS AN AVAILABLE OPTION FOR SOME FAMILY PLANNING CARE. CONVERGE WILL RELY ON COMMUNITY PARTNERS, THE CONVERGE PATIENT EXPERIENCE COUNCIL, AS WELL AS PERSONALLY, CONVERGE’S PUBLIC-FACING WEBSITE, TO ENSURE ACCURATE AND TIMELY INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ACROSS THE STATE ON WHAT TELEHEALTH IS AND HOW TO ACCESS IT. CONVERGE WILL ALSO PROVIDE TRAINING TO ALL TELEHEALTH TITLE X PROVIDERS ON THE PATIENT-CENTERED FAMILY PLANNING TELEHEALTH PROTOCOLS DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DRS. KARLIN AND DEHLENDORF AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO. AS A MISSISSIPPI-BASED NONPROFIT INVESTED IN A BETTER MISSISSIPPI FOR OUR FELLOW MISSISSIPPIANS PRESENT AND FUTURE, CONVERGE STANDS READY TO ENSURE THAT TITLE X FUNDS IN OUR STATE ARE USED TO ADVANCE EQUITY, ENSURE QUALITY AND EXPAND ACCESS FOR ALL MISSISSIPPIANS. THIS MUST INCLUDE THE EXPANSION AND IMPROVEMENT OF TELEHEALTH FAMILY PLANNING CARE. WE RECOGNIZE TELEHEALTH AS A CRITICAL TOOL FOR ADVANCING EQUITY, BROADENING ACCESS TO CARE, AND FOSTERING A CULTURE OF HEALTH AMONG MISSISSIPPIANS.

SBIR PHASE II: ELECTRONIC PILLS FOR MEDICATION COMPLIANCE

THE PURPOSE OF THIS ACTIVITY IS TO SUPPORT THE EXPANSION OF MIDDLE MILE DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN MALAWI AND REDUCE THE COST OF LANDED BACKHAUL AND INTERNET TRANSIT FOR INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS (ISPS) WITHIN THE COUNTRY.

DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR PERSONALIZED CARE OF VENTILATED PATIENTS USING ESOPHAGEAL PRESSURE - PROJECT SUMMARY MECHANICAL VENTILATION IS AN ESSENTIAL INTERVENTION FOR MANY PATIENTS BUT IS ASSOCIATED WITH A RISK OF PREVENTABLE COMPLICATIONS AND IS A MODIFIABLE DETERMINANT OF OUTCOMES. CURRENT STANDARD OF CARE APPROACHES UTILIZE NON- INDIVIDUALIZED “ONE-SIZE FITS ALL” STRATEGIES WHICH MAY EXPOSE PATIENTS TO VENTILATOR INDUCED LUNG INJURY (VILI) AND OTHER COMPLICATIONS OFTEN LEADING TO PROLONGATION OF VENTILATION AND MORTALITY. WE PROPOSE THAT BETTER UNDERSTANDING INDIVIDUALIZED RESPIRATORY PHYSIOLOGY AND PATIENT-VENTILATOR INTERACTION USING ESOPHAGEAL MANOMETRY AND DECISION SUPPORT CAN CREATE MORE PERSONALIZED MECHANICAL VENTILATION AND IMPROVE CLINICAL INFORMATION, VENTILATOR SETTINGS AND OUTCOMES. USING ESOPHAGEAL PRESSURE (PES) PROVIDES ACCURATE ESTIMATIONS OF TRANSPULMONARY PRESSURE, RESPIRATORY EFFORT, INTRINSIC PEEP, AND PATIENT-VENTILATOR INTERACTION THAT CAN BE USED TO PREVENT LUNG COLLAPSE, PREVENT LUNG INJURY, AND OPTIMIZE LUNG MECHANICS AND OXYGENATION. MOST MAJOR MECHANICAL VENTILATOR SETTINGS CAN BE BETTER OPTIMIZED WITH THE USE OF ESOPHAGEAL PRESSURE. UNFORTUNATELY, ESOPHAGEAL PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS ARE TYPICALLY LABOR INTENSIVE, REQUIRE REPETITIVE TRAINING FOR PROPER PLACEMENT, AND PARAMETERS DERIVED FROM THEM ARE NOT EASILY CALCULATED OR INTERPRETED. ESOPHAGEAL BALLOONS NEED TO BE PROPERLY PLACED AND INFLATED AND CAREFULLY WATCHED OVER TIME TO ENSURE AND MAINTAIN ACCURACY. FOR THESE REASONS, PES IS NOT COMMONLY USED DURING MECHANICAL VENTILATION, WITH MOST PATIENTS RECEIVING STANDARD VENTILATOR MODES/SETTINGS. IN THIS GRANT, WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP A PATENTED SYSTEM INCLUDING DECISION SUPPORT FOR THE PERSONALIZATION AND OPTIMIZATION OF MECHANICAL VENTILATION BY SIMPLIFYING AND EXPANDING THE USE OF PES IN THE ICU. THE SYSTEM WILL SUPPORT THE PLACEMENT AND INFLATION OF THE BALLOON, AUTOMATICALLY MONITOR ITS ACCURACY OVER TIME, AND CALCULATE AND INTERPRET KEY PARAMETERS. OUR TEAM HAS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE WITH PES AND OPTIMIZATION OF MECHANICAL VENTILATION. WE PROPOSE TWO AIMS IN THIS PHASE I SBIR GRANT TO REDUCE THE RISK OF THE TECHNOLOGY. AIM 1 – BUILD A PROTOTYPE HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE SYSTEM. ALTHOUGH SOME VENTILATORS INCLUDE PES MONITORING, MOST DO NOT, AND THOSE THAT DO ARE STILL DIFFICULT TO USE. WE WILL DESIGN A HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR ALL VENTILATORS. THE SYSTEM WILL AUTOMATICALLY INFLATE AND MONITOR THE BALLOON AND OBTAIN THE REQUIRED AIRWAY DATA. THE PHASE I SOFTWARE SYSTEM WILL PROVIDE PLACEMENT SUPPORT, ACCURACY MONITORING, AND DECISION SUPPORT FOR SEVERAL KEY PARAMETERS. AIM 2 – VALIDATE THE VALUE AND EASE OF USE OF THE SYSTEM. OUR GOAL IS TO PROVE THAT THE SYSTEM SIMPLIFIES USE OF PES AND ADDS CLINICAL VALUE TO VENTILATOR CARE. WE WILL USE A PES PART TASK TRAINER AND SIMULATED PATIENTS TO EVALUATE THE PERFORMANCE OF 10 RTS BOTH WITH AND WITHOUT THE SYSTEM AND ASSESS THE USABILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY OF THE SYSTEM. THIS PHASE I GRANT WILL CREATE AND EVALUATE A PROTOTYPE PES DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM THAT CAN SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE USABILITY AND SHOWS THAT THE INTELLIPES SYSTEM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BRING ESOPHAGEAL MANOMETRY INTO EVERYDAY USE, PROVIDING IMPROVED DATA AND OUTCOMES TO MANY DIFFICULT TO VENTILATE PATIENTS.

RT ASSISTANT - HANDHELD PATIENT SAFETY TOOL FOR MECHANICAL VENTILATION

IN RECENT YEARS, THE PRODUCTION OF LEAFY GREENS IN CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE (CEA) HAS GROWN, BUT IT STILL FACES CHALLENGES SUCH AS LABOR SHORTAGES AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY. TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES, THE TEAM PROPOSES USING A DIGITAL TWIN MODEL, WHICH IS A VIRTUAL REPRESENTATION OF GREENHOUSE FARMING. THIS MODEL WILL HELP IDENTIFY WAYS TO BOOST PRODUCTIVITY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY.THE CURRENT DIGITAL TWIN PRODUCT FOCUSES ON MAXIMIZING CROP YIELDS AND IDENTIFYING PLANT STRESS, AND IT WILL BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE ENERGY AND WATER USE, CREATING A MODEL OF THE ENTIRE FARMING OPERATION. HISTORICAL DATA FROM ESTABLISHED FARMS WILL HELP BUILD THESE MODELS, WHICH WILL COMBINE VARIOUS APPROACHES LIKE MACHINE LEARNING, PLANT SCIENCE, AND OPERATIONS RESEARCH TO ENSURE EFFICIENCY AND ACCURATE PREDICTIONS.THE MODEL WILL USE EXPLAINABLE AI, WHICH BLENDS BIOLOGICAL MODELING WITH MACHINE LEARNING, ALLOWING IT TO PREDICT OUTCOMES FOR SPECIFIC FARMS BASED ON A SMALL AMOUNT OF DATA. BY INCORPORATING ENERGY METRICS, THE MODEL WILL HELP IMPROVE ENERGY EFFICIENCY, AND BY SIMPLIFYING DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES, IT WILL REDUCE LABOR REQUIREMENTS FOR MANAGING TEAMS AND MONITORING FARM OPERATIONS. RESULTS WILL BE DELIVERED TO GREENHOUSE AND VERTICAL FARMS VIA A PARTNER AND SAAS MODEL.

EARLY WARNING SYSTEM FOR DETECTING PRE-ECLAMPSIA

RURAL HEALTH NETWORK DEVELOPMENT PLANNING GRANT PROGRAM

ELECTROHYSTEROGRAM-BASED SENSOR FOR NON-INVASIVE CONTRACTION MONITORING WITH IMPR

RURAL HEALTH NETWORK DEVELOPMENT PLANNING GRANT PROGRAM

COMMUNITY FACILITY GRANTS

THIS GRANT SUPPORTS THE COSTS INCURRED TO IMPLEMENT MEASURES TO RESPOND TO THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS 2019 (COVID-19), WHICH MAY INCLUDE WORKPLACE SAFETY, MARKET PIVOTS, RETROFITTING FACILITIES, TRANSPORTATION, WORKER HOUSING, AND MEDICAL EXPENSES. IT PROVIDES NEEDED RELIEF TO THE FOOD PROCESSORS, DISTRIBUTORS, FARMERS MARKETS, AND PRODUCERS FOR THEIR COSTS INCURRED BETWEEN JANUARY 27, 2020, THE DATE UPON WHICH THE PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE (HHS) UNDER SECTION 319 OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE ACT, AND DECEMBER 31, 2021. BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE THE EMPLOYEES OF THE FOOD PROCESSORS, DISTRIBUTORS, FARMERS MARKETS, AND PRODUCERS.

SCHOOL FOOD PROGRAMS

CONVERGENCE AGRICULTURE LLC - PANDEMIC RESPONSE AND SAFETY GRANTS PROGRAM APPLICATION

SCHOOL FOOD PROGRAMS

SCHOOL FOOD PROGRAMS

LOW-COST PREECLAMPSIA EARLY WARNING AND DETECTION SYSTEM

RURAL HEALTH NETWORK DEVELOPMENT PLANNING GRANT PROGRAM