A urine testing system has been recognised in one of the world’s most prestigious design competitions. Urine Testing System received a coveted Red Dot Award – an internationally-respected mark of quality for design and innovation.
Developed by British company Clinical Design, Urine Testing System is said to be "a step change in point-of-care urine testing." The most common diagnostic test in the world – 2.8 billion urine tests are undertaken each year – the process is the same whether carried out in a bush clinic in the Sudan or a top London hospital. Manual urinalysis can be unhygienic and subject to variation, with risks of spillages, contamination, and errors in analysis and transcription of results.
Oliver Blackwell, founder and CEO of Clinical Design, said that the product is a result of nine years of development, in which he worked closely with senior clinicians. Hygienic, easy-to-use and accurate, it has been designed to improve the entire process from receiving the sample and recording results, to analysis in the laboratory. Digital readings reduce variation in analysis and improve ability to get the diagnosis right first time. Results can be saved into patient’s electronic health record – and with sealed, leak-proof samples, urine tests can be conducted at a desk.
Oliver Blackwell said: “I am delighted that the panel at Red Dot recognised the delivery of a complex product in such a simple form. Working closely alongside clinicians, we challenged the inefficiencies and methods people had come to accept – we scrutinised every aspect of urinalysis and asked a lot of questions. The Red Dot award proves to me that I asked the right questions and managed to appropriately translate the answers.”
The awards are judged by a jury of medical experts and leading designers. Founder and CEO of Red Dot, Professor Dr. Peter Zec said: “The fact that their products were able to satisfy the strict criteria of the jury bears testimony to their award-winning design quality. The laureates are thus setting key trends in the design industry and are showing where future directions may lead.”
In 2019, designers and manufacturers from 55 countries entered more than 5,500 products in the competition. Urine Testing System will be presented in the Red Dot yearbook, museums and online. Past winners have included products from Phillips, Ferrari and Bose.
The system will be available to healthcare providers across the UK and the Republic of Ireland from Spring 2019.
