Clinical insights combined with innovative non-pharmacological delirium management solutions may help prevent or lessen delirium and help critical care patients recover faster

Amsterdam, the Netherlands – Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG; AEX: PHIA) today announced a five-year research collaboration with the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany, to explore non-pharmacological solutions with a special focus on preventing or reducing the impact of delirium, aiming to transform the patient environment and improve patient outcomes in critical care. Philips and Charité will investigate how new lighting and acoustics concepts, as well as human interaction within intensive care units (ICUs) can have a positive impact on cognitive and mental recovery of patients in critical care.

Critical care units such as ICUs are high-tech units to care for patients with severe and potentially life threatening conditions that require constant and close monitoring. However, these units are also associated with a busy, noisy, tech-oriented environment. Research has shown that high noise levels and inadequate lighting are common in ICUs and may increase the risk for transitioning to delirium. Delirium is the most common brain dysfunction in the ICU and occurs in 30 to 80 percent of patients [1]. ICU delirium is associated with long-term cognitive impairment [2] and is estimated to cost USD 145 billion annually in the United States alone [3].

Non-pharmacological factors such as enhanced lighting, noise reduction that support the circadian rhythm and patient sleep are thought to have a beneficial impact on delirium. The research collaboration between Philips and Charité will investigate a comprehensive set of delirium management concepts, including circadian-effective lighting to restore circadian rhythm. Specifically, the partnership seeks to:
• Acquire deep knowledge and insights to prevent delirium by non-pharmacological means;
• Develop solutions for transforming the patient environment in critical care and preventing or lessening delirium and its harmful effects;
• Create enhanced ICU workflows as well as patient-relative and staff interaction protocols to better support cognitive and mental recovery of critical care patients;
• Increase delirium awareness throughout the global health care community and move the critical care transformation forward.

“Charité is one of the largest university hospitals in Europe and a globally respected, visionary organization working on the frontline of the critical care innovation,” said Carla Kriwet, CEO Philips Patient Care and Monitoring Solutions (PCMS). “With the launch of this deep, multi-year collaboration, we’re able to collaborate with this great organization while continuing to build on our clinical and technology expertise and develop innovative, non-pharmacological solutions for critical care environments with the potential to make a difference for millions of lives.”

In addition, Philips endows a professorship at Charité, which will be set up by the non-profit, Stifterverband [4].

“The new professorship will advance ground-breaking research into how the ICU environment impacts patients and how improvements to that environment and to patient-relative and staff interactions can prevent or ameliorate delirium,” said Professor Claudia Spies, Head of the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine at Charité Berlin. “Having a research-oriented industry partner like Philips gives us the opportunity to translate discoveries into solutions more quickly for the benefit of patients and for the effort to better allocate health care resources.”

Delirium can increase length of stay in hospitals by five to 10 days [5], cause secondary illness or injury and put additional mental/physical stress on patients [6]. Although there is increasing awareness of delirium, it is commonly undetected and options for treatment are limited [7]. Delirium dramatically impacts both patient outcomes and hospital costs. It doubles ICU mortality and triples six-month mortality [8], and may contribute to inefficient ICU resource allocations [9].

Philips is a leader in critical care and offers a comprehensive portfolio of therapeutic care solutions, as well as patient monitoring solutions ranging from bedside monitors to wearable patient monitors, combined with clinical decision support tools and mobile applications to provide immediate access to actionable information.

[1] Wenham T. et al., Contin Educ Anaesth Crit Care Pain, 2009, 9(6):178-183
[2] Pandharipande P.P. et al., N Engl J Med, 2013, 369(14):1306-16
[3] Leslie D.L. et al., Arch Intern Med, 2008, 168(1):27-32
[4] http://www.stifterverband.info/ueber_den_stifterverband/english/index.html
[5] Luetz A. et al., Crit Care Med, 2010, 38(2):409-18
[6] Ihrig A. et al., Anaesthesist, 2011; 60(8):735-9
[7] Van Eijk M.M. et al., Crit Care Med, 2009, 37(6):1881-5
[8] Ouimet S. et al., Intensive Care Med, 2007, 33(1):66-73
[9] Pearse R.M. et al., Lancet, 2012, 380(9847):1059-65

Philips Breathless Choir enables people living with chronic respiratory conditions to fulfill a lifelong dream of singing

Breathless Choir perform on World COPD Day

Amsterdam, the Netherlands – Marking World COPD Day, Royal Philips (NYSE:PHG, AEX: PHIA) today unveiled the Philips Breathless Choir. The event brought together a group of 18 people in New York, U.S., for whom breathing is a constant challenge, and documented their journey through a series of films, as they conquered their fears and defied everyone’s expectations by undertaking the impossible: learning to sing.

Celebrity choirmaster, Gareth Malone, led the group, each of whom is living with a chronic respiratory condition, and many have COPD. Gareth is renowned for turning unlikely people into singers, and following five days of intensive training with him the Breathless Choir was formed. The choir’s transformation culminated in a private performance at the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York, which Philips had rented to surprise the choir.

The choir sang the classic song ‘Every Breath You Take’ in front of their emotional family and friends.

Choir member, Evelin Alvarez-Flores, living with COPD said: “In school I loved to sing and I was actually president of my high school choir! Growing up music was always such a big part of my life, but when I was diagnosed with COPD I lost all belief in myself and in my musical abilities. I really thought I’d never sing again.”

Ms Alvarez-Flores continued: “Being part of the Breathless Choir has been phenomenal and it has completely changed my perspective. It has given me back my confidence and not just with singing - it has taught me that I can expect more from myself, and I now know that I am capable of much more. It has been an incredible experience and one I will always treasure.”

Gareth Malone, celebrity choirmaster, said: “All through history, people have sung and made music. Because it makes you feel better about yourself. It makes you feel better about your fellow man. It comforts, it consoles, it amuses, and it’s so simple; it’s just you and your voice, and your breath. I am no doctor but I see the impact music has made on these people’s lives. And I see how much good singing has done in their souls and I think a little bit in their bodies as well.”

Philips believes there is always a way to make life better, and it was this kind of thinking that led Philips to develop the SimplyGo Mini, a portable oxygen concentrator (POC), which empowers patients who struggle with respiratory conditions to continue living full, active lives. SimplyGo Mini with its lightweight design provides nearly 20 percent more oxygen output than any POC weighing five pounds or less. It offers an attractive and sleek design, as well as a strong, comfortable carrying case, appealing to today’s engaged and active patients.

Each member of the choir was provided with the Philips Respironics SimplyGo Mini.

Richard Wergan, Global EVP and Head of Brand at Philips said: “It is with great pride that we today reveal the Breathless Choir to the world. We have all been inspired by the choir, and what they collectively managed to accomplish in such a short space of time is truly remarkable.”

Mr. Wergan continued: “The formation of the choir is a great example of how meaningful innovation can actually improve people’s lives. The Breathless Choir has had a profound effect on everyone involved, and it has radically improved their lives. We hope that it will also help to raise awareness and understanding of COPD and other chronic respiratory conditions, so that patients around the world can lead a healthier and more active life.”

Globally respiratory conditions are on the rise and the cost is staggering.* Lung diseases now account for 7 percent of deaths worldwide. The global cost of COPD alone will rise from USD 2.1 trillion in 2010 to USD 4.8 trillion by 2030, when it will become the third-leading cause of death worldwide, behind heart disease and strokes.

The Breathless Choir films illustrate how none of the participants can be defined by their illnesses because what shines through is their determination to share their story of strength and hope in song. By launching today on World COPD day, the series of films aim to help support the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) to improve awareness and care of COPD around the world.

Learn more about the Breathless Choir at philips.to/breathless-choir. To tweet/post or get updates on the Breathless Choir please use/check #BreathlessChoir. To get more information about Philips respiratory innovations please go to www.philips.com/copd

* World Economic Forum/Harvard Report ‘The Global Economic Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases’ http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Harvard_HE_GlobalEconomicBurdenNonCommunicableDiseases_2011.pdf