All people are susceptible to physical injury, yet not everybody possesses the medical knowledge needed to identify and adequately respond to health-related issues.
The immense and rising popularity of smart phones, however, has allowed many users to access an extensive medical database at any moment; the free app iTriage, co-developed by DU alum Wayne Guerra, educates consumers about potential conditions and what steps should be taken to counteract them.
“The idea came from practice as an emergency physician,” said Guerra. “Taking care of over 50,000 patients over 20 years of practice, I really watched them struggle with how to handle acute care, not having the tools or information needed to make good decisions.”
Guerra was working for a physician management service company when he decided to return to school, enrolling at DU with the goal of earning his MBA in 2007.
“I wanted to learn some tools around making quantitative decisions rather than intuitive decisions in business,” said Guerra. “I learned a great deal about growing and managing companies, how to take an idea from the back of a napkin and launch and develop it as a product.”
When Dr. Peter Hudson approached Guerra with the idea to make necessary medical information more readily available to the public, Guerra was able to apply the knowledge gained during his time at Daniel’s College of Business to the marketing of iTriage.
“The idea of giving patients the information around symptoms, diseases and the best place to go was originally Dr. Peter Hudson’s. When we got together to collaborate about spreading iTriage, I was able to apply many of those tools I learned at DU, and we’ve been able to expand to both a mobile app and a website,” said Guerra.
The capabilities of iTriage are numerous and continually expanding.
The app connects the user with providers who can help educate the user on what is wrong and what can be done in cases of acute, or short-term, harm.
In the past year and a half, Guerra has been focused on further developing the platform to encompass instances of more chronic care, recently including a list of mental health clinics across the country.
Amidst the volatility of current healthcare reform, iTriage has also been modiC/B,Bed to accommodate people with limited resources.
“Eighteen months ago we were asked by the Federal Government’s Health and Human Services to help patients who are under- or uninsured C/B,Bnd health care, locating clinics in Denver that treat people with these types of insurance,” said Guerra.
ITriage seems especially useful in the college community, as many students abandon the convenience of visiting their own doctor when attending schools away from home. The app gives students a resource to diagnose acute health care concerns without attempting to locate a new physician.
“Families will use the app to help their students C/B,Bgure out what to do,” said Guerra, “and students are using it all across the country.”
The addition of international databases now allows access to iTriage in the instance of sustaining an injury while traveling.
All hospitals in Mexico and the United Kingdom were added the week of Oct. 17, and institutions in South Africa, Canada and the top 20 most-visited countries are said to be included in the next six months.
Patients can even make appointments with doctors by means of the app and the website, www.itriagehealth.com. Guerra’s intentions for the future include the creation of a Spanish version of iTriage with the aim of reaching an even wider audience.
“We are constantly trying to expand and improve our app,” said Guerra. “It is really important to see what users are asking for and to build more tools and assets to make iTriage even better.”
For more information visit www.itriagehealth.com.
