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3/12/18 news article

first pediatric hospital in the country to offer the world’s most inclusive digital health & wellness platform

The IncludePlatform™ allows all ages and abilities access to fitness equipment

At Dayton Children’s, the philosophy is to turn work into play and anxiety into excitement.  However, when a child doing rehabilitative exercises or strength training can’t access the equipment properly because of a wheelchair or a brace, that joy can quickly turn to disappointment.

That’s why Dayton Children’s is the first pediatric hospital in the country to offer The IncludePlatform™ by IncludeHealth, the world’s most inclusive digital health & wellness platform. It pairs accessible fitness equipment with cloud software to lower barriers for all ages and abilities while driving better outcomes through technology.

Dayton Children’s just installed the first piece of equipment, The Access Strength™, at the Huber Heights location.  It is built strictly to the standards of universal design for those with functional limitations and can be independently used standing, seated or in a wheelchair. 

The Access Strength reimagines the entire experience to improve ergonomics, versatility and ease of use.  Two independent arms rotate 180 degrees while patented carts travel in and out along the arms to cater to individual body sizes, reaches and comfort.  Forget using those metal pins to re-adjust for every exercise – they are replaced with bright green handles that require almost no effort to adjust and a simple electronic dial that selects the resistance weight.  An integrated seat slides out when needed, and disappears when it’s not.  A versatile pad provides additional support and can be used to secure a user standing, seated or in a wheelchair.

“We work with children who have a very different degrees of mobility,” says Ann Smith DPT, MS, PCS, OSC, manager of the orthopaedics physical therapy department. “From the athlete who is upping his or her game to the child in a wheelchair trying to build strength just to keep sitting upright, we needed a next generation innovation to provide the exact care that each of our children needed to grow stronger and healthier.”

The unique and inclusive features aren’t limited to just The Access Strength.  The digital software that accompanies the machine, The IncludeCloud™, leverages cloud technology to digitize care and drive numerous efficiencies. Available through any computer or tablet, digital libraries of hundreds of exercises can be easily downloaded, saved, scheduled and accessed on The Access Strength. The software removes the burden of remembering exercises, machine setup or even how much weight to use by guiding both the patient and practitioner through the entire session. In addition, detailed objective and outcomes-based data is collected and kept in the cloud. It can be reviewed to analyze progress. 

“This feature allows us to see exactly where a child may have strengths or deficiencies and target the precise movements that will best serve them,” says Smith. 

“With the implementation of The IncludePlatform, Dayton Children’s is developing leading pediatric protocols through meaningful research to establish normative data sets and improve outcomes,” says Ryan Eder, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of IncludeHealth.  “Other pediatric hospitals on the platform will benefit from this thought leadership and dedication to pushing the boundaries to offer the very best care.”

This technology was pioneered as a senior thesis at the University of Cincinnati in 2006 after witnessing a man in a wheelchair struggle while exercising. Since then it has been recognized as Best in Show at the 2007 and 2016 International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) as well as with 18 additional international innovation and health awards.

“We never stop looking for ways to give our children the best,” says Deborah A. Feldman, president and CEO of Dayton Children’s.  “Investing in the Include Platform is just another way we are using innovative technologies to take our care above and beyond.”

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