Beyond the Prize: Timing is Everything for Patient Safety Technology Challenge Winner Code Clock

Code Clock, created in 2023 by a physician and cardiac ICU nurse, was born out of a shared mission to improve resuscitation outcomes. After building its first prototype in early 2024, which won the $10,000 Patient Safety Technology Challenge prize at University of Utah Health’s Bench to Bedside competition in 2024, the team continued to focus on and refine its idea.

Through user feedback and research, it transformed Code Clock into a promising innovation for critical care. Now, as they test their idea in healthcare technology competitions and seek funding, the goal is clear: to equip clinicians with practical, life-saving support in the most urgent moments. In this Q&A, we speak with one of its inventors, Dr. McHale Anderson, about the journey so far and what comes next.

1. What specific patient safety issue or personal experience inspired your innovation, and how did you identify the gap in the current healthcare system that your solution addresses?

As a practicing cardiologist, on a daily basis I see patients suffer from in hospital cardiac arrest. In first, emergent moments, the survival of the patient comes down to effective teamwork, communication, and timely use of the ACLS algorithm. In real world practice this is incredibly challenging in this emergent environment. Our device is meant to be the first of many to turn this chaos into a fine-tuned, well-functioning system that takes patient variability and health care worker mistakes out of the picture.

2. What were/are the major challenges you face(d) during development, and how did you overcome them?

The hardest challenge to overcome was deciding on a design and sticking to it. We spent a lot of time showing the Code Clock to clinicians, and each had their own idea on what additional features we could add, subtract, or how it should be used. After compiling all the feedback, we had to decide on the highest yield items for the first version of the product and build it.

3. Have you conducted any pilot studies or trials? If so, what were the outcomes?

We have put the first prototype of the device in front of clinicians and ran simulations to get feedback, capture usability data, and perform formal needs assessments for our device. We also performed focus group sessions for additional detail. We are currently in the process of setting up a pilot launch and study at the University of Utah Hospital.

4. What steps have you taken/are you working toward to ensure compatibility with current healthcare systems and practices?

We are currently developing an additional prototype iteration and plan to expand our user interviews and simulations to other healthcare systems in Denver, Omaha, and Minneapolis to verify its use with different workflows.

5. How are you addressing potential barriers to access, especially in underserved communities? How are you addressing integration into current health systems?

Our main goal is to bring this initial device to market without the bells and whistles, reducing a majority of the build cost and therefore the end cost of the device. We perceive our device to be most helpful in areas where cardiac arrest is not prevalent, and the providers do not treat it often, because we are guiding them through the AHA guidelines. We are integrating with existing EMR’s by allowing the documentation to be downloaded from our database as a PDF and attached to a patient’s chart.

6. How has the Patient Safety Technology Challenge impacted the trajectory of your innovation? What’s next for Code Clock?

The Patient Safety Technology Challenge has been instrumental in the creation of Code Clock. The funding we were awarded went into developing a second prototype iteration and bringing the device in front of clinicians to get simulation data and feedback, further validating our idea.

We are currently exploring the hospital purchasing landscape to determine the best way to get Code Clock reimbursed. Additionally, we are seeking funding for the device to be built and tested to full FDA standards.

7. If you could give one piece of advice to an early innovator, what would it be?

Do not go it alone. Lean on those around you for advice and assemble a team that thinks differently and works together well. Your idea is little without the right people to make it happen.