Episode 7: Mate Brings a Circadian Twist to Hospitals

Episode Description

In the latest episode of CarePoints, Kenny Schiff interviews Jenn Upton, co-founder of Mate, a circadian rhythm lighting company; and healthcare innovations specialist Cliff Switzer, of Lone Star Communications. The three discuss the background and inspiration behind Mate, the concept of circadian rhythm and its impact on sleep (and on the bottom line), the current lighting experience in hospitals, and the benefits of circadian rhythm lighting in healthcare and beyond. 

Episode Summary

Kenny Schiff, Jenn Upton, and Cliff Switzer discuss the background and inspiration behind Mate, the concept of circadian rhythm and its impact on sleep, the current lighting experience in hospitals, and the benefits of circadian rhythm lighting in healthcare.  

They also explore the reception and adoption of circadian rhythm lighting, the energy savings and cost reduction it offers, and the typical project process and success factors. A case study of the Methodist Innovation Lab is presented, and the expansion of circadian rhythm lighting to other healthcare settings and industries is discussed.  

The episode concludes with a glimpse into Mate's future plans and how to learn more about the company’s solutions. 

This Episode’s Guests 

Jenn Upton, Mate 

Co-founded Mate in 2016, using her control and automation background to bring a low-voltage, circadian rhythm lighting solution to hospitals and medical centers to promote wellness and restful sleep for patients.  

Connect: LinkedIn 

Cliff Switzer, Lone Star Communications 

A healthcare innovation specialist for Lone Star Communications with over 27 years in the industry, his main focus is on building relationships with individuals by understanding their needs and connecting them to the right products or solutions. 

Connect: LinkedIn 

Key Takeaways 

• The current lighting experience in hospitals often ignores circadian rhythm, resulting in poor sleep for patients and more stressful conditions for staff. 

• Mate’s circadian rhythm lighting can optimize sleep and wake cycles by mimicking the natural light patterns of the sun, leading to improved wellness and restful sleep. 

• Along with its health benefits, circadian rhythm lighting offers significant energy savings and cost reduction for healthcare facilities, making it an attractive solution for both hospitals and the companies that build and retrofit them. 

• The adoption of circadian rhythm lighting in healthcare is gaining traction, with innovation centers and clinicians recognizing its potential to improve patient outcomes and staff well-being. 

• Mate’s technology has applications beyond healthcare, including education facilities, senior living centers, and commercial buildings, where it can enhance productivity and well-being. 

Chapters

[00:00] Introduction 

[01:25] Background and Inspiration for Mate: Moving beyond traditional uses for LED technology and taking a deep dive into how LEDs can be optimized to mimic the sun and benefit both patients and hospitals. 

[03:10] Understanding Circadian Rhythm and its Impact on Sleep: Regulated by the amount and quality of light, circadian rhythm tells our brains when to wake and when to sleep, and is especially important for hospital patients. 

[05:10] Current Lighting Experience in Hospitals: The industry as a whole seems content with installing standard light fixtures with dimming capability but no temperature control—missing out on an important opportunity. 

[07:00] More Than Just Health Benefits: Along with the wellness benefits it brings to healthcare, Mate’s technology saves more than 60% in energy costs while reducing construction budgets. 

[09:30] Monitoring Energy Usage: Mate’s unique monitoring system allows hospitals to not only see energy use per light fixture but also when a light is nearing the end of its life cycle—giving staff time to ready a replacement. 

[10:40] Cutting the Customer’s Construction Budget: Because Mate’s light fixtures are wired with low-voltage cabling, there are no conduit and electrical costs during construction. The same applies to retrofitting existing facilities—resulting in enormous savings. 

[12:30] Benefits to Nursing Staff: With night shift workers facing a higher risk of health issues, hospital innovation centers are recognizing the clinical benefits of proper lighting and the resulting reduced stress levels—benefits that extend to all parts of a facility. 

[14:00] Knowing What Installers Are Looking For: Mate’s system was created in the field based on real user feedback, making it easy to install and, with its hardware auto-detect and reverse polarity protection, virtually foolproof. 

[16:00] Case Study: Methodist Innovation Lab: Overhauling an entire facility with new light fixtures provided a world of difference, and was done safely and easily even without an electrician. 

[19:40] Expanding Beyond Hospitals: Circadian rhythm lighting is also a good fit for education facilities, senior living centers, large-scale warehouses, factories, and commercial buildings.

[21:40] Future Plans for Growth and Innovation: Mate’s partnership with Lone Star will continue to grow stronger, bringing wellness and energy savings to new facilities throughout 2024.

[22:30] Optimizing In-house Technology: Along with keeping its manufacturing and assembly operations in the US, Mate is proud of its continuing innovations in sustainability and inventory control. 

[23:45] How to Learn More about Mate 

Connect with Lone Star Communications

☑️ Follow us on YouTube and LinkedIn. 

☑️ Let us know what topics you would like to hear about on CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by emailing us at star@lonestarcom.com. 

CarePoints with Kenny Schiff by Lone Star Communications is a series of conversations with his collaborators at Lone Star, customers, partners, and notable folks in the healthcare industry. For over 32 years, Lone Star Communications has been focused on transforming healthcare through innovation and empowering improved caregiver and patient experience.