EASEapplications.com: Do you stake your life on being the snapchat for health care?

Think of the last time you sat in a hospital waiting room. The anxiety, the fear, and lack of information all combine to make a waiting room feel part jail cell part jungle. The typical hospital wait while your loved one is in surgery is one of the most stressful situations you can encounter. Most hospitals have uncomfortable, cramped, public waiting areas with little or no communication while your significant other is “under the knife”. If we can track when an Amazon package is being delivered or when Uber Eats is delivering our dinner, why can’t we know what is happening to our loved one in a hospital? Imagine if there was a technology that provided nearly constant contact through text messages and pictures sent directly from the surgical staff to you while you wait. Providing you with updates and educating you on what is happening to your loved one in real time. This case is about the entrepreneurial spirit that is making Electronic Access to Surgical Events (EASE) a reality. The case discusses the challenges facing a startup including fear, funding, and family hardships. This teaching case is intended for courses that include aspects of HIPPA, business startup, strategic management, diffusion of innovation, and disruptive technology. Instructors can also use the case in entrepreneurship, strategic management, and ethics courses.