Innovation – Case Study
MedTech Breakthrough
Houston, Texas
The Assignment
AlgometRx: Mobile device that can objectively identify pain type and intensity through using real-time digital images of the patient’s pupillary response to a non-invasive stimulus and applying proprietary algorithms.
Developer: A pediatric anesthesiologist and pain medicine expert at a nationally ranked pediatric hospital.
The innovation’s purpose: To potentially deliver a standardized, objective pain index measurement system as the nation grapples with an ongoing opioid crisis in order to create a more effective solution to the current standard of care pain measurement tool that utilizes an imprecise, one-to-ten, sad-to-smiley face pain scale for patient diagnosis and treatment.
The Approach
- Offered the story first to a trusted, veteran healthcare reporter from major national outlet who was familiar with the excellent reputation of the hospital’s innovation institute and who could capably review the early data and evaluate the story’s potential.
- Offered backgrounder interview and exclusive “first look” at clinical data
- Provided the patient perspective, locating 17-year-old Sarah Taylor, who has suffered from chronic pain for many years and was willing to speak about how helpful this objective diagnostic tool could potentially be a game-changer for chronic pain sufferers.
The Results
- Coverage from The Associated Press was picked up in 60+ publications nationwide, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Seattle Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Austin American Statesman—finishing with an estimated reach of 325.3 million and a media value of $3 million
- The story spurred additional requests for interviews of the inventor/pain expert, including two radio interviews and a Scripps TV news segment aired in 15 markets—garnering an additional $175,000 in earned media value
- The news coverage prompted inquiries from two global companies for potential business and collaboration opportunities for the innovator, a key objective.
- The coverage led to a connection with another prominent national pain researcher, sparking conversationsleading toward another potentially valuable new collaboration.
