Neal Sikka, MD, professor of emergency medicine at the George Washington University (GW), was elected to the 2024 class of Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). Sikka was nominated for selection as NAI fellow by Brian Coblitz, executive director of GW Technology Commercialization Office. This prestigious recognition is awarded to individuals who made outstanding contributions to innovation, particularly through groundbreaking inventions with significant societal and economic impact.
A Leader in Telemedicine and Innovation
Sikka is the head of the Innovative Practice and Telehealth Section at GW Medical Faculty Associates. He began his emergency medicine residency training at GW in 2000 and joined the faculty in 2003. At GW, he played a key role in advancing telemedicine research and practices. His work has led to the development of new tools, methods, and devices that improve patient care and clinical outcomes.
With 7 issued US utility patents and 3 issued US design patents, all his inventions are commercialized by 2 companies. He co-invented the SonoStik, a device designed to help medical professionals insert IV lines in patients when it is difficult to find a vein, and also co-founded a company to produce the new tool. The SonoStik is cleared for sales by the Food and Drug Administration. Additionally, Sikka is a co-inventor of a device to enable hands-free treatment of nosebleeds by patients or emergency personnel. This device is on sale by NasaClip and is covered by 2 issued U.S. patents while being marketed in Hospitals, Urgent Care center, and with sports trainers.
On entrepreneurial fronts, Sikka founded multiple digital health startups aimed at improving healthcare delivery including Connect the Doc, 22otters and Grapevine Health. 22otters is a healthcare app that converts patient handouts into an easy, intuitive health coach for easier patient prep and aftercare. Grapevine Health is a data-driven patient engagement company that creates and delivers culturally appropriate health education content digitally to help close care gaps for underserved communities.
Innovation and Impact
As part of the 2024 class of NAI Fellows, Sikka joins an esteemed group of 2,068 individuals, which includes 53 Nobel laureates as well as other GW faculty who were previously named fellows or senior members. This honor highlights his contributions to science, technology, and innovation. As a researcher and an innovator, Sikka's work bridges the gap between cutting-edge research and real-world applications, improving patient care and healthcare delivery for GW and the broader medical community.