To understand our mission, here’s some literature justifies it;

Today, UO is still frequently measured and documented manually, despite its importance in monitoring inpatients’ fluid-balance and identifying deterioration such as AKI. This approach also creates inefficiencies (avoidable workloads) for nursing teams and means an important physiological data stream is missed; not forgetting the Billions of pounds AKI costs healthcare systems (NHS etc.). Interestingly, early-detections of hospital inpatients suffering AKI is found in oliguria (Goldstein, 2020). This biomarker is quicker than serum creatinine analysis the current “Clinical Gold Standard” in detecting an AKI (Gameiro et al, 2020).

AKI implications:

The direct annual economic burden of AKI to the NHS is estimated at £1.2 billion, which consumes over 1% of the total annual NHS budget, just covering immediate inpatient care (Kerr et al., 2014; Daisley, 2025). This is more than what is spent on breast, lung, and skin cancer combined (NICE, 2024). To add to that, there’s also a direct overarching effect of AKI on the healthcare system as the total economic burden of kidney disease is £7Billion annually. And, this escalates the annual economic burden of AKI to roughly £3.13Billion, approximately 45% of the £7Billion, stemming directly from AKI complications due to the broader societal and long-term effect (Kidney Research UK, 2023). Also, a significant portion of the remaining multi-billion pound long-term dialysis burden is a direct structural byproduct of poorly managed or unprevented AKI (Kidney Research UK, 2023), as, an episode of AKI frequently causes permanent damage that progresses into severe critical kidney disease (CKD) (Kidney Research UK, 2023).

UO measurements are completed through fluid-balance charts (FBCs) and are the most problematic task within said charts; validating research since 1985 [Commencement of documentation of FBCs] that reveals FBCs are inaccurately maintained (Boylan & Brown, 1985). Consequently, 70% of FBCs within NHS Trust wards are inaccurate, according to research from an NHS AKI specialist. This results in healthcare-personnel often using catheters for UO monitoring, increasing inpatients’ risks of urinary tract infections (UTI)s (Macedo, 2015).

Evidence of the desperate need for innovation is apparent as, in 2021, the problematic recurrences led to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) ordering hospitals to improve FBC maintenance due to frequent inaccuracies (Ely, 2021). In fact, addressing hydration related challenges such as improving UO monitoring can decrease unnecessary pressures on the healthcare system and prevent up to 40,000 avoidable deaths annually (Health Europa, 2021). This is why, early-detection which oliguria provides, triggering timely medical intervention is key in reducing complications and preventing deaths (NICE, 2019). The current flawed UO monitoring approach significantly contributes to the NHS’s AKI treatment expense of roughly £3.13Billion annually (NICE, 2023).

Inpatients should be as comfortable as possible while under care in a hospital ward and nurses are overextended on shifts. We can’t expect them to work any harder, however, with technology, we can help them work smarter. This is why Flush-Tech is developing a digital enhancement tool (The TBS) that automates the measuring of UO. Our prototype currently has a working algorithm proof-of-concept demonstrating the underlying measurement capability. This would provide swift UO data to healthcare personnel. With the envisaged digital upgrade, Flush-Tech looks to positively impact millions of inpatients, while in tandem saving the NHS hundreds of millions of pounds.

Conservatively speaking, if the TBS helps avoid just 10% of hospital acquired AKI, it will save the NHS £313 Million+ annually.