We’re proud to be featured in The Continuum, the member publication of Future Care Risk Retention Group, which highlights innovative solutions and strategies shaping the future of senior care.
In this Q&A, our founder Alli Truttmann shares how the Wicked Smart Pad™ is transforming incontinence management — helping caregivers respond faster, protect skin health, and preserve resident dignity through real-time data insights.
Q1: What inspired Wicked Technologies to develop the Wicked Smart Pad? What industry challenges or gaps in traditional incontinence care led your team to pursue this innovation?
Our founder, Alli Truttmann, launched her first smart bedding company 16 years ago to address her own night-sweat problem. That early expertise in moisture management and bedding design later inspired her to pivot toward aging care solutions. When her grandmother experienced dementia, incontinence, and bedsores, Truttmann was determined to find a better way. This deeply personal mission led to an NIH-funded innovation grant and, ultimately, the creation of the Wicked Smart Pad.
Q2: Can you walk us through how the Wicked Smart Pad works? What kind of data does it collect, and how does that data translate into actionable insights for care teams?
The Smart Pad rests on the mattress as a sensorized, reusable pad that blends in with standard bed linens. It detects moisture and sends alerts to caregivers to ensure timely intervention. The system’s mobile and desktop applications deliver data-driven insights, enabling care teams to identify patterns, optimize staffing, and reduce unnecessary wakings and linen changes.
Below is a sample from a single resident:
Leveraging these insights, we’ve seen communities make care changes to reduce the number of overall wet events and order UTI screenings that returned positive results.
Q3: Incontinence management is closely tied to skin integrity. How does your technology help prevent breakdowns, wounds, and other complications related to prolonged moisture exposure?
Use of the Smart Pad enables care teams to respond more quickly to incidents, preventing urine from remaining in contact with the skin for extended periods. Traditional products like diapers and other absorbent materials can actually worsen skin problems by allowing prolonged exposure to moisture. The Smart Pad helps reduce that risk, promoting better skin health and overall comfort. Below is the impact of a faster response time for 1000 residents over the course of 1 year:
|
Outputs: Annual |
Legacy |
WSP |
Delta |
|
Time Skin Wet (Hours) |
803,000 |
63,875 |
739,125 |
Assumptions:
Time Period: 1 year
Residents: 1,000 residents
Wet events / Night / Resident: 1
Wet Events per 1000 residents, Per Year: 365,000
Legacy time wet: 2 hours
WSP time wet: 15 minutes
Q4: Infection control and early detection are critical in long-term care. How does the Wicked Smart Pad assist in identifying early signs of infection, particularly urinary tract infections or other inflammation indicators?
Because the Smart Pad is data-driven, it helps identify early signs of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and track their frequency. Early detection is critical, as untreated infections can lead to life-threatening complications involving the kidneys or bloodstream. Managing incontinence and maintaining skin integrity in the presence of moisture are constant challenges, and the Smart Pad provides valuable insights to support proactive care.
Q5: With ongoing staffing challenges, efficiency has become essential. How does your platform support caregivers in managing their time while maintaining high-quality, individualized care?
Caregivers receive alerts to incidents, eliminating the need for traditional incontinence checks. This allows them to manage their time more efficiently, responding only when necessary rather than following a rigid schedule. The reduction in unnecessary linen changes, often a two-person task, also saves time and resources, as replacing the Smart Pad typically requires only one caregiver. Overall, the system supports a more efficient workflow while preserving the personalized, high-quality care residents deserve.
Q6: Integration with documentation systems is key for compliance and continuity. How does Wicked Technologies’ system connect with existing electronic health records (EHRs) or quality assurance programs?
The Wicked Smart ecosystem includes a robust API for integrations.
Q7: From a resident and family perspective, how does this technology promote dignity, privacy, and trust in the caregiving process?
Incontinence among older adults is common, yet it’s often a difficult and sensitive topic for families to discuss. The Smart Pad helps preserve dignity and privacy by allowing caregivers to respond promptly to an incident rather than performing routine bed checks that may disturb or embarrass the resident. This approach not only promotes better sleep by reducing nighttime interruptions but also enhances safety, as residents are less likely to get up in the dark and risk a fall. Ultimately, it fosters greater trust and comfort between residents, their families, and the caregiving team.
Q8: Many operators are focused on reducing risk and claims exposure. How can adopting the Wicked Smart Pad help communities strengthen their risk management programs, documentation, and defensibility?
IRR (Incontinence response rate), or “how quickly it takes from a wet event occurring to the resident being changed”, is a metric available in our reporting. We’ve heard customers use this data to show families of residents the level of care they are providing!
Wicked Technologies represents more than innovation — it reflects the industry’s commitment to proactive, evidence-based care. By combining technology with empathy, tools like the Wicked Smart Pad allow long-term care communities to move from reactive management to predictive, preventive, and person-centered care delivery.
