MOBILIZING THE TROOPS!
COVID-19 is a serious business requiring a serious response so, being Israel, we approached this like a military operation. In a short space of time, we mobilized the troops incorporating hundreds of our top personnel - engineers, designers, doctors, clinical staff, and other talented people - all committed to finding solutions to the most challenging problems faced by medical teams and hospitals during this pandemic. Strangers before this began, this awesome group came together (virtually) in the most unbelievable way to work round-the-clock in creating fast, readily-deployable solutions to help hospitals cope in these challenging times.
FROM 0 TO 100 IN...
SECONDS!
On march 19th, a giant national sprint is launched in cyber-space. Over the course of just three short weeks, dozens of "startups" were created, mobilized, and started working feverishly for this national effort. All the teams were staffed by dedicated volunteers who were prepared to set aside other commitments, to race against the clock and develop products, and assimilate them into hospitals, in record time.
AND IT ALL HAPPENED
REMOTELY!
8 problems, 15 solutions - all in just three weeks! And most amazingly of all, the entire operation took place in cyberspace, you heard right, not one physical meeting took place during the entire project. Management teams, Registration Websites, Virtual Rooms, and more all sprung out of the ether - sometimes in as little as 48 hours! This was a true testament to the power of the human spirit and the amazing things that can happen when dedicated people put their heads together to work for a greater cause!
What
We set multiple teams to work to find solutions for 8 of the most significant challenges faced by teams tackling the COVID-19 Pandemic
How
All teams worked using
the latest project coordination software
When
Round 1 sprint teams launched on 19 March and worked for one week (or more) to reach an MVP.
Round 2 sprint teams launched on 23 March
See what they came up with
The Challenges
Round 1
Develop a no-touch patient interaction and care solution for quarantined/isolated patients
Create alternative ventilation mechanisms to address the shortage that will occur
Develop a system for non-invasive testing of large groups of patients
Provide better personal protection for healthcare workers
Reduce the over-burdening of hospitals
Round 2
Develop communication systems for families of ICU patients
Develop a system to keep hospital staff continuously informed and updated
Ensure that patients in isolation can be cared for without the medical team touching them
Rapidly guides teams for treatment
As the "COVID-19" pandemic spreads across the world,
many organizations, companies, innovators are asking
how they can help
We came up with:
The COVID-19 SPRINT
200
engineers, product managers & project managers
100
doctors, nurses & clinicians
15
new technological solutions
9
challenges
3
weeks
from initial concept to completed products in use at hospitals
"The hospital presented difficult challenges out of understanding the needs needed to continue dealing with the Corona Crisis.
The responses to the venture were amazing. Talented, good and experienced people who want to help volunteers and working whole days it is warming the heart and excellent products enlisted.
I have nothing but to thank everyone for the tremendous efforts invested here for the benefit of all the medical staff and their family members in Israel and around the world. The project is open source."
- Dr. Tal Patalon, Director of Innovation Department Assuta Ashdod.
All outcomes and solutions will be contributed to the global effort to combat COVID-19
"The Covid Sprint is an incredible initiative by individuals who have chosen to use the skills and influence they have for producing tangible solutions, under nonhuman schedules.
I never got around to working with more inspiring people who were able to build learning systems, medical devices, or more or less protective fingerprints.
If I hadn't witnessed it, I wouldn't have believed it possible."
- Marina Darlow, US Technology Projects Manager, Sprint Operations Manager.