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CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid Corp. has unveiled the winner of its first-ever Innovation Challenge for new health and wellness product ideas.
The drug chain said Monday that the Tri-Tip Walking Cane, created by Jamie Jordan, an engineer in Grapevine, Texas, has been selected for development and sale at Rite Aid stores and RiteAid.com. Innovation Challenge partner Edison Nation Medical, a health care innovation and invention firm, will develop and patent the product, which Rite Aid said it expects to be available to customers later this year.
The Tri-Tip Walking Cane has three legs that function independently for added stability plus a spring-loaded, shock-absorbing system to alleviate hand, wrist, shoulder and back pain commonly associated with the use of a traditional walking cane.
“We congratulate and thank Jamie for participating in Rite Aid’s first-ever Innovation Challenge,” David Abelman, executive vice president of marketing at Rite Aid, said in a statement. “Rite Aid is excited to introduce the Tri-Tip Walking Cane to customers as part of our existing home health care offering, and we think it will be well-received by patients and customers who use canes, as well as caregivers, as a safe solution for maintaining daily mobility.”
Rite Aid announced the Innovation Challenge just over a year ago. More than 700 submissions were received from Rite Aid associates as well as consumers. All submissions underwent an eight-stage evaluation process conducted by Edison Nation Medical. When the challenge was launched, Rite Aid said that if a product idea is chosen, the creator will receive a $2,500 advance plus ongoing royalties from product sales and be named as the inventor on any patent issued.
“We are pleased that Rite Aid has selected the Tri-Tip Walking Cane as the first product to be introduced to their customers,” stated Gregg Smith, partner and chief investment officer at Charlotte, N.C.-based Edison Nation Medical. “Creating more effective, efficient and safer health care through open innovation is Edison Nation Medical’s stated mission, and Rite Aid’s adoption of the Tri-Tip Walking Cane is a perfect example of that mission being brought to life.”
