The Access Gown Announced as Winner of AANA’s Rm8 iNov8 Pitch Competition

Innovators competed for monetary prizes to accelerate collaboration and scale  

Rosemont, Ill. — The Access Gown was announced as the winner of the Rm8 iNov8 Pitch Competition, held August 12 at the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA)’s 2025 Annual Congress in Nashville, Tenn. The competition, now in its second year, showcased innovative solutions that improve patient safety, outcomes, or provider experience for anesthesia providers. 

The Access Gown— the core product of Access Healthwear, a division of Access Threads— is a new kind of hospital gown that elevates patient care and supports clinician needs. The gowns feature various clinically informed access points and offer side-tie closures that preserve patient modesty and comfort. They’re also fully reversible, MRI-safe, and moisture-wicking. 

Designed to support faster, more efficient care, they are also the first gowns that can be colored on—bringing personalization, comfort, sharpening of fine and gross motor skills, and even joy to patients of all ages. 

Access Healthwear founder and president Lydel Wright, DBA, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, won a $15,000 prize and a chance to scale his business with Rm8, AANA’s innovation lab.   

“Winning the Rm8 iNoV8 Pitch Competition is both an incredible honor and a powerful affirmation that innovation in even the most overlooked areas of healthcare can transform patient care,” said Dr. Wright. “The Access Gown was born at the bedside to restore dignity, improve clinical access, and bring comfort and expressionism into healing spaces.”

Rm8 (pronounced “Room 8”)’s unique programs and initiatives aim to revolutionize the way healthcare startups are nurtured, supported, and connected with the broader healthcare community. Rm8 provides a supportive environment to incubate product and service ideas or facilitate growth in emerging startups. With a focus on collaboration, the initiative creates an opportunity to bridge healthcare startups with the nurse anesthesiology community. 

“This recognition from AANA and Rm8 not only validates our mission and their commitment to healthcare transformation but also amplifies our vision to set a new standard for patient and provider experience. It reminds us that when we reimagine the basics, we can truly redefine the experience of care,” Dr. Wright said. 

The additional finalists in the Rm8 iNov8 Pitch Competition were: 

• 2nd place ($10,000 prize): UNI-Blade, a universal, space-saving laryngoscope blade for versatile clinical use.
• 3rd place ($5,000 prize): Manage You, a mobile app that helps healthcare providers track and manage their professional documents, certifications, and licenses.
• 4th place ($2,500 prize): Arete Medical Devices, which offers an adaptable oral airway that enhances O₂ delivery and EtCO₂ monitoring.
• 5th place ($2,500 prize) Fibr-Eye, a portable video intubation system with wireless capabilities. 

Learn more about The Access Gown at theaccessgown.com, or about Rm8 at https://www.aana.com/about-us/rm8-aana-innovation-lab/.