"There'll always be serendipity involved in discovery"
When former rock musician turned entrepreneur Kristen Addix heard a man's joyous laugh roll out from a nearby office into the courtyard at her Hollywood office space, it brought about an auspicious encounter that produced a whirlwind partnership. The serendipitous encounter also sparked the creation of a simply excellent tech solution that will have a profound impact on patient-doctor relationships.
Now the CEO of MyDrLynx (MDL Solutions), a high tech start up, Kristen continues to be inspired by her late partner to not only provide one brilliant healthcare solution but also to contribute to women's inroads into the technology sector. As someone once noted, serendipity often plays a big part in technological and scientific advances
With the 2016 Forbes Women's Summit (May 11-12 in New York) fast approaching, Kristen's MDL serves up a modest but invaluable contribution to the cause. As Maya Angelou once noted, the definition of success is liking who you are, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.
Kristen Addix - CEO of MDL Solutions - Healthcare in a Heartbeat
And that defines Kristen's MDL solution. A medical issue she had post surgery combined with the ongoing challenge of contacting one's doctor led to her "eureka" moment. It also inspired the creation of a new paradigm, a highly effective new way of patients and doctors instantaneously communicating through the trademarked MDL App with its slogan of "Healthcare in a Heartbeat." You're thinking, wouldn't that be great?!
Kristen suggests that the number one complaint of doctors and staff is not enough time, to call and take care of patients; conversely, the number one complaint of patients is not being able to get a hold of their doctor. As Kristen relates:
I had surgery in July 2013 but the next day the wound in medical terms looked 'angry' --oh, oh! In the old paradigm, if I'd possibly reached him on the phone, I probably would have had to wait till after the weekend to see him again, leaving me to freak out in the meantime. But he'd inadvertently left me his cell number. So I had my partner take and text him a photo of my wound. Fifteen minutes later an answer comes back, 'Looks fine, see you next week.' I woke up next morning and said to my partner, the person I trust most, 'If THIS doesn't exist, it has to.
That was the beginning of her company and after many months of research, designs changes, doing R&D, speaking to surgeons, clinicians, insurance specialists, administrators, heads of departments, they all can't wait for this application, enthuses Kristen.
She suggests that "doctors are doing the best" they can with limited time adding:
Doctors go to medical school because they want to make a difference, they're health givers. But they're working 12-hour days, and at the end they're then spending two hours making phone calls. Our MDL app is going to help them as there are just so many hours in the day. And patients are particularly excited because good luck after surgery trying to get a hold of your doctor. In today's paradigm, most of us have tried calling all day long with a question that should be answered right away. Patients can't wait till after that 12-hour day for a phone call when it's urgent. So, there's pain on both sides. But now it doesn't have to. I really see how our product is going to revolutionize the doctor-patient relationship, and make more efficient and comfortable the gap between those two complaints/challenges.
Neko Sparks - MDL's COO and former field medic in Gulf War
Along with celebrated Dr. Kent Shoji, who is MDL's senior advisory board member, another of Kristen's big allies is Neko Sparks, MDL's COO, who is a hero in his own right having earned a Bronze Star for his efforts as a field medic in the first Gulf War. Neko, because of his public service connections has access to Federal Contractors and the like, further describes the MDL App:
Our MDL Solutions App comes pre-loaded with after-care instructions, usually given at your pre-op appointment. It's uniquely yours, it's got your fingerprint and patient number and connects you automatically with your doctor. The first message you get in your in-box is from your doctor saying, 'Hello, if you need to contact me here's where I am.' Once it's loaded onto your phone, you have everything you need. When you go to check out, instead of them handing you a stack of NCR horrible reams of paper, and you wonder, hello, does it say, 'Bay at the moon on Tuesday? I have no idea!' It's important that you can read these instructions. So now you have all those instructions in the App, and it tells you exactly what to do.
Nishit Rathod - MDL's senior tech advisor
With Nishit Rathod, a savvy and veteran technology expert, now onboard as a senior tech advisor to help oversee the final stages of this wonderful MDL App and its rollout later this year, Kristen enthuses: "With MDL's new App, we'll soon all have access to healthcare in a heartbeat...and a win-win for everyone, from doctors to patients."
Check out MDL Solutions and its awe-inspiring story.