Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., said she knew about some of the innovative technology happening at Intermed Labs, part of Mon Health. But she said she had no idea just how expansive the work was.
“I cannot believe how many different products and the creativity here,” Capito said. “What I think we have here is a center of excellence, so that your physicians or your medical professionals in Florida or California, they’re not going to Silicon Valley; they’re coming here. And that is really exciting.”
West Virginia’s Republican senator was at Mon Health on Wednesday to see Intermed Labs receive an award in medical achievement from ECRI, which is “an independent, nonprofit organization improving the safety, quality and cost-effectiveness of care across all health-care settings worldwide,” per its website.
ECRI presents its annual award to a member facility that has carried out the most exceptional initiative to improve patient safety, reduce costs or otherwise facilitate better strategic management of health technology.
“Mon Health’s submission showed how health system leadership can foster an environment that encourages the use of innovative technology solutions to advance patient care,” Marcus Schabacker, ECRI president and chief executive officer, said in a release. “We congratulate Mon Health for striving to meet the needs of their local community and investigating new approaches to improving patient outcomes.”
The recognition was for development of prosthetic fingertips.
“Everything we do is about our patients, and it’s a testament that something that we created is improving someone’s life. And to be recognized as one of the first Appalachian organizations, what we’re doing here in Morgantown is huge,” said David Goldberg, Mon Health president and CEO. “This award we received is about innovation, so the prosthetic that you’ve heard about today — someone without a digit or the top of the finger, to be able to give them functionality — no one’s doing it the way we did it. You can send a picture of your hand, get a 3D image, get it printed on a 3D printer, and make it for minuscule dollars.”
Capito said she’s proud that medical innovation is happening in West Virginia.
Manufacturing the prosthetic in-state is a bonus, Capito added.
“It’s not only the creative and visionary discovery of building something, but then to have it actually manufactured here is a major plus as well,” she said. “We’ve learned a lot during the pandemic in terms of accessibility to health care. And to be able to use AI, create a digit, have it printed here — it’s just fantastic.”
The state offers medical professionals and those looking to make a career everything they need, Capito said.
“Plus, we have a lot of other things that some of the larger cities don’t — we have great accessibility to wonderful outdoor recreation in Morgantown, we’ve got a great synergy between the university and sports and all the great things to come.”
Creating an environment of collaboration between Mon Health and the private sector is what Capito is looking to help broker.
“To be able to grow and flourish, we need funders — you can’t do this without having some sort of financial backing because you’re not going to win every time,” she said. “All of that is extremely important, and I think that’s where the federal government comes in, and I’ve been working with Sen. [Cory] Booker, from New Jersey. We’re the co-chairs at the Startup Caucus in the Senate to provide for that environment of creativity and innovation and technology that we need.”
The fast pace of technology creation at Mon Health is something Capito sees as a positive for the future.
“Health care is an ever-expansive career field,” she said. “I think the merging of that with new technologies and innovations is very exciting.”