Easy Health wins Rep. John Sarbanes’s 2023 Congressional App Challenge in Maryland’s Third District

When asked what inspired the creation of Easy Health, the student said, “My journey into the medical field has been a unique blend of learning, volunteering, and leading. I’ve had the privilege of learning from dedicated healthcare professionals, participating in impactful research projects, volunteering in hospitals and assisted living facilities, and spearheading medical clubs at my school. While these experiences enriched my understanding of healthcare, they also highlighted the stark health disparities that exist, particularly in underserved communities.

According to the CDC, health disparities are prevalent all across the United States due to factors such as socioeconomic status, race, and geographic location. In 2018, the prevalence of obesity among adults was highest among Hispanics (47.0%) and non-Hispanic blacks (46.8%) compared to non-Hispanic whites (37.9%). In 2017, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) reported that people living in low-income households were significantly less likely to receive recommended cancer screenings compared to those in high-income households. Unfortunately, Maryland is no exception to these disparities. For example, in certain areas of the state, Black infants die at more than double the rate of White infants; Latina and Black mothers are twice as likely as White mothers to receive late or no prenatal care; and African Americans have almost 10 times the HIV/AIDS death rate and 2.5 times the Diabetes death rate of Whites.

During my time volunteering in hospitals, I witnessed these statistics come to life. In the Emergency Department (ED), some people would deny a life-saving procedure simply because of its costs. Others would come in with cuts across their legs or with a broken arm after driving themselves to the hospital because they could not afford an ambulance. In the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), when directing visiting families to a patient’s room, I would often hear complaints of how hard it was to arrange a time to visit due to the hospital’s location. Multiple times, I have seen homeless people being lifted into the hospital by staff after passing out nearby and I have seen people who overdosed from a lack of information about the substances they were using.

These experiences ignited a passion within me to make a difference. While Easy Health obviously cannot perfectly tackle all these issues, it serves as one small step towards bridging the healthcare gap by equipping users with information, addressing social determinants of health, and ultimately helping to improve a user’s health.”