Innovation in rural health: a look back at a pioneering internship at the Charlevoix Living Lab

In this testimonial, Marine Gay and Andjela Dimitrijevic, engineering students at Polytechnique Montréal and TransMedTech scholarship holders, share their experience of their innovation and leadership internship at the Charlevoix Living Lab in the summer of 2024. By applying design thinking methodology, working with an interdisciplinary team and collaborating with professionals in the field, they contributed to the emergence of innovations aimed at improving emergency care in remote areas. Discover their journey, their discoveries and the innovations that could transform rural healthcare.

In the summer of 2024, we, Marine Gay, a master’s student in mechanical engineering, and Andjela Dimitrijevic, a doctoral student in biomedical engineering, both affiliated with Polytechnique Montréal, took part in an innovation and leadership internship at the Charlevoix Living Lab. Alongside two students in engineering physics and two students in preclinical medicine, we carried out research into innovations adapted to emergencies in rural areas. This pioneering internship, set up by Dr Richard Fleet and clinical coordinator Nathalie Gravel, is now in its 12th year and aims to develop skills in creativity, innovation, leadership and team management in the field of rural health.

What we enjoyed most was working with the medical students, an enriching interdisciplinary experience that enabled us to meet people from different backgrounds and bring complementary perspectives to our internship.

Marina and Andjela

The design thinking methodology…

Using the design thinking methodology, we began our thinking by starting with the needs identified in the field. Thanks to meetings with external stakeholders and members of the Charlevoix Living Lab, we were able to refine our understanding of the issues specific to emergency care in rural areas. We also familiarised ourselves with the Urgence 360 report, which highlights the challenges and needs of emergency care in rural areas, while proposing recommendations for optimising existing healthcare systems and introducing relevant innovations.

During this stage of our internship, we also contributed to the collection of innovations for rural emergencies, by analysing various technological solutions adapted to remote contexts. Each team member put forward ten ideas for innovations, which we then grouped together to organise a selection process based on a collective vote. This approach enabled us to prioritise the technologies according to their relevance and feasibility, particularly in terms of telemedicine and logistics. We then identified several Quebec and Canadian companies specialising in the development of these solutions for medical emergencies, in order to facilitate the search for potential partners. Finally, we drew up a list of contacts within these companies to initiate discussions and exchange ideas on technologies adapted to rural environments.

… to develop innovative solutions

The work culminated in a 20-minute video presentation of the 15 innovations selected, each accompanied by detailed technical data sheets. Among these innovations was the low-field MRI, a portable, energy-efficient and easily transportable device designed to perform on-site diagnostics, even in resource-limited environments such as rural areas. Unlike conventional MRIs, this model offers greater accessibility by reducing geographical barriers and costs, with a price tag ranging from $22,000 to $50,000, compared with around $1 million for a conventional MRI. Thanks to its simplified installation, which does not require a protective chamber against radio frequencies, liquid helium or cryogen systems, this device can be set up quickly. What’s more, it can be operated via an iPad, enabling a nurse to perform the scans without the need for a doctor on site. Its mobility makes it possible to carry out essential diagnoses, such as for strokes or cases of hydrocephalus in paediatric patients, while avoiding long waiting times.

The presentation was made to medtech and healthcare professionals, who ranked the 15 innovations according to criteria such as relevance, feasibility, impact, priority and desirability, based on the principles of design thinking. We also provided advice on how to optimise the presentation of the technical aspects of the innovations, such as the mobile clinical ambulance, virtual emergency care, drones and the portable vital signs monitor.

This internship enabled us to develop a better understanding of rural emergencies, the relevant technologies to meet current needs, and the challenges faced in these environments. What we enjoyed most was the collaboration with the medical students, an enriching interdisciplinary experience that allowed us to meet people from different backgrounds and bring complementary perspectives to our internship.

Marine Gay and Andjela Dimitrijevic

For more information

UR360 — Chaire de recherche et d’innovation en médecine d’urgence (medecineurgence.ca

Source :
Communication Department, Institut TransMedTech
geraldine.dumesnil@polymtl.ca