By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    healthcare cybersecurity
    4 Helpful Tips on How to Protect Your Medical Practice Against Cyber Attacks
    October 24, 2021
    Health Check Diagnosis Medical Condition Analysis Concept
    6 Health Woes With Online Remedies
    January 19, 2022
    Eight Things Men Should Know About the Male Menopause
    Eight Things Men Should Know About the Male Menopause
    April 24, 2022
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    healthy nursing school habits
    Healthy Habits for Nursing Student Nursing School Students
    May 24, 2024
    High Deductables
    High-Deductible Insurance and Rising Bad Debt
    July 24, 2015
    How People Are Taking Advantage of Health Deals in the Recent Recession
    February 5, 2021
    Latest News
    Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
    June 25, 2025
    When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
    June 20, 2025
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 2025
    Strengthening Healthcare Systems Through Clinical and Administrative Career Development
    June 13, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Health Start-Ups! – FDA-Cleared iPhone App Measures Balance As a Part of Concussion Screening
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Technology > Medical Innovations > Health Start-Ups! – FDA-Cleared iPhone App Measures Balance As a Part of Concussion Screening
BusinessMedical InnovationsMobile Health

Health Start-Ups! – FDA-Cleared iPhone App Measures Balance As a Part of Concussion Screening

Deanna Pogorelc
Last updated: June 30, 2013 7:29 am
Deanna Pogorelc
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE

 

ImPACT Sway Medical concussion ap

(First published in MedCityNews)

 

More Read

Using Telemedicine to Increase Hospital Revenue
Hospital Boards Grapple with Uncertain Future: What to Do Now?
Would You Call 911 for a Hangnail?
Is Demand For Medical Device Outsourcing Increasing In The U.S.?
Alternative Quality Contract

ImPACT Sway Medical concussion ap

(First published in MedCityNews)

A concussion can manifest itself a variety of ways, from a headache to impaired memory to slurred speech. That’s why athletic trainers, nurses and physicians have a growing toolkit of assessment techniques for evaluating athletes who undergo a blow or jolt to the head.

One piece that’s missing from that toolkit, according to Oklahoma entrepreneur Chase Curtiss, is a way to evaluate balance that is less subjective than assessments like the Balance Error Scoring System and more affordable than force platforms.

Inspired by research he did as a graduate student in a neuropsychology lab at Wichita State University, Curtiss founded Sway Medical in 2011. In a matter of two years, the company has developed and received FDA clearance for an iPhone app that doctors, nurses, athletic trainers and physical therapists would use to evaluate an athlete’s balance after a potentially dangerous hit.

Now the company has just secured two more key components in its path to commercialization: a strategic partner and a $750,000 Series A from angel investors and the OKAngel Sidecar Fund. Both of those things will help it launch the Sway Balance iOS mobile app for medical professionals this summer.

Here’s how the app works. A player holds the iPhone against his chest and performs a short series of balance movements. Using data collected from the iPhone’s motion detection technology, the app then delivers a balance score from one to 100. The idea is that athletes are screened at the beginning of the season using the app to establish a baseline score, like they would with other concussion assessment tools.Then they can then be tested again after an incident, to show if they have probably suffered a concussion and should receive medical attention.

The app underwent extensive clinical validation at Wichita State and a pilot study with a local school district, Curtiss said, and received its FDA clearance in September. Although other mobile concussion screening tests haven’t applied for clearance because they aren’t necessarily considered a medical tool, Curtiss said he saw broader medical applications for the app that warranted the investment in pursuing a nod from the FDA.

But for now, rather than establishing a large sales force of its own and trying to market the app independently, Curtiss said Sway’s strategy is to distribute through partners. Its first partner is ImPACT Applications Inc., which under an agreement will integrate the Sway’s app into its product offerings. ImPACT markets a computer-based concussion system that’s used by teams in MLB, NHL, NFL and WWE, plus thousands of high school, colleges and clinical centers. Curtiss said Sway is also working with a partner in the physical therapy space but has not publicly announced it yet.

And the company likely has numerous other potential partners as well. Detecting concussions has taken center stage for numerous mobile app, software and medical device developers over the past few years as new research has suggested that multiple traumatic brain injuries could increase risk of series long-term complications like depression, thoughts of suicide and chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

The app is meant to be just one piece of a thorough concussion assessment to guide medical treatment and monitoring of traumatic brain injuries.  Curtiss said it’s available for download in the app store now and will be opened up for subscriptions in about two weeks.

[Image credit: ImPACT Applications]

TAGGED:health start-ups!
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

women dental care
What Is a Smile Makeover and How Much Does It Cost?
Dental health
June 30, 2025
HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps
Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
June 25, 2025
recovering from injury
Rebuilding After Injury: Path to Physical and Emotional Recovery
News
June 22, 2025
scientist using microscope
When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
Global Healthcare
June 18, 2025

You Might also Like

healthcare best practices
BusinessHospital Administration

Making “Best” Even Better

June 15, 2013
patient consumers
BusinessHospital AdministrationSocial Media

Why All Hospitals Are Also Digital Companies

June 23, 2014

EHR Interoperability: Let’s Stop Beating a Dead Drum

April 29, 2015
Healthcare 2014
BusinessHealth ReformPolicy & LawPublic Health

Healthcare 2014: A Retrospective

December 18, 2014
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?