Care Compass wins Rep. Mark Alford’s 2023 Congressional App Challenge in Missouri’s Fourth District

When asked what inspired the creation of Care Compass, the students said, “I remember my mother’s face every time she’d struggle to understand medical jargon during a doctor’s visit, her confusion making her health journey even harder. These instances weren’t isolated to just my mother; many in my rural community had similar sentiments. It became strikingly clear to me that there was a significant gap in medical literacy and the availability of easily comprehensible resources. My exposure to biotechnology through research with MIT faculty further revealed to me the vast challenges present in the healthcare industry. Not only were there gaps in patient education, but there were also barriers in accessibility to essential healthcare services, especially for those in rural areas. This realization pushed me toward the intersection of healthcare and technology, where I believed impactful solutions could be crafted to address these deeply entrenched problems.

I envisioned an app, a digital platform that would bridge these healthcare divides. Care Compass, as I named it, was imagined to be more than just a tool for medical consultations. It would be a platform to educate individuals in a culturally sensitive manner, making medical information accessible and easy to understand. These experiences, combined with the ever-present image of my mother’s struggle, motivated me to develop Care Compass. My goal was to create an app that addresses the multifaceted issues of the healthcare industry, particularly for those in underserved rural regions. I wanted to harness the power of technology to bring about genuine change, making healthcare not only accessible but also understandable for everyone, irrespective of their background or education. In Care Compass, I see the culmination of these inspirations, ambitions, and the potential to make a tangible difference in many lives.”