Worrell has teamed up with Kuwait based Gulf Medical Technologies (Gulf Med-Tech) to design and develop a new and innovative self-cleaning laparoscope. Gulf’s innovative “KLENS” is a surgical optics enhancement technology that automates the cleaning process of the laparoscopic camera. This technology has the potential to significantly reduce procedure times, and limit the risk of infection. The new technology has profound implications for robotic surgery, where there may be no staff available to clean the camera lens.
Cofounded by Dr. Ahmad Nabeel, and Dr. Salman Al Sabah, Gulf Med-Tech is focused on developing innovative medical device solutions for GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries and parts of the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region.
Dr. Ahmad Nabeel, postgraduate student and honorary researcher in Imperial’s Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI), has recently been named as an MIT Tech Review Innovator Under 35 (Middle East and North Africa). Dr. Salman Al Sabah is the Chairman of Surgery in Al Jaber Al Sabah Hospital in Kuwait. He also holds the position of Director of Surgical Research, and is a consultant surgeon, at Al-Amiri Hospital and Royale Hayat Hospital Kuwait. Dr. Al-Sabah is the founder and president of the Kuwait Surgeons Association (KSA), and a board member and founder of the Gulf Obesity and Metabolic Surgery Society and the Kuwait Obesity Surgery Association.
In need of a partner with deep experience in the design and development of groundbreaking medical technologies, Gulf Med-Tech looked to Worrell to apply our human-centered design skills to bring their device to life.
Worrell collaborated closely with Gulf Med-Tech to design and prototype their first proof-of-concept device for testing, and will continue to bring our design, engineering, and human factors expertise to the table for their organization as their technology moves through it’s development cycle.
Healthcare Expansion in the Gulf Region
In 2018 the GCC Healthcare Industry report predicted private sector investment growth and an overall healthcare spend of US$104.6 billion in 2022, up from US$76.1 billion in 2017.
As the Gulf region faces decreasing oil revenues, the private sector is taking a larger role in local healthcare markets. Incentivized by local governments, private organizations are taking on innovation initiatives, and reimagining care models and technologies to tackle the same challenges faced by western healthcare markets, such as aging populations and the need to increase both in-patient and out-patient capacity.
Traditionally, GCC locals have traveled overseas for more advanced treatment of ailments such as neurological and cardiovascular diseases, but medical tourism is an integral part of economic diversification plans of the GCC countries and has been receiving stimulus from the region’s governments.
Worrell is excited to be part of the growing healthcare innovation initiatives taking place in the Gulf region, and is poised to serve the needs of leading GCC organization through our specialized healthcare design capabilities.
