FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 4, 2021
STATIONMD HONORED IN TWO CATEGORIES OF FAST COMPANY’S 2021 WORLD CHANGING IDEAS AWARDS
Recognizing ER Doctors Who are Expanding Medical Care to People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Across the United States through Novel Telemedicine Service
New York, May 4, 2021 — The winners of Fast Company’s 2021 World Changing Ideas Awards were announced today, and StationMD has been selected for two honors.
StationMD is one of the only physician practices in the United States that uses telemedicine to deliver medical care exclusively to people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD)—this includes individuals with autism, cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome and other physical and/or mental impairments. Recognizing the unique value of their innovative telehealth solution, Fast Company chose StationMD as a finalist in the Established Excellence category and honorable mention in the Health category.
People with I/DD often have medically complex conditions and they frequently lack access to doctors that understand their specific needs. Their emergency department (ED) use and hospitalization rate is greater than that of the general population. StationMD has shown to consistently resolve ~90% of patients’ medical issues without them ever leaving their home setting. StationMD services vastly reduce ED, hospitalization, and specialty transportation utilization, resulting in a tremendous savings in healthcare dollars.
Dr. Maulik Trivedi, MD, co-founder & chief strategy officer at StationMD said, “We’re honored to be recognized by Fast Company. It has always been our goal to elevate the quality of medical care for people with disabilities and we hope this recognition will further highlight the disparities in healthcare delivery and access this population faces. By using telemedicine, we remove geographic impediments allowing us to treat individuals in their home setting. We’ve been able to reduce exposure to COVID-19 and prevent lengthy, traumatic, and expensive trips to the ER or urgent care. Our specially trained physicians assist in care coordination, and I truly feel that the care we provide isn’t just a substitute, it’s superior care. Our model has been such a success for this population that we’ve increased coverage to more than 28,000 people in over 10 states. If there is any silver lining to the pandemic, it’s been the expansion and wide adoption of telemedicine. For people with disabilities that have challenges receiving the specialized medical care they need, I would argue that the value of telemedicine is even greater.”
Now in its fifth year, the World Changing Ideas Awards showcase 33 winners, more than 400 finalists, and more than 800 honorable mentions—with Health and Wellness, AI & Data among the most popular categories. A panel of eminent Fast Company editors and reporters selected winners and finalists from a pool of more than 4,000 entries across transportation, education, food, politics, technology, and more. The 2021 awards feature entries from across the globe, from Brazil to Denmark to Vietnam.
Showcasing some of the world’s most inventive entrepreneurs and companies tackling exigent global challenges, Fast Company’s Summer 2021 issue (on newsstands May 10) highlights, among others, a lifesaving bassinet; the world’s largest carbon sink, thanks to carbon-eating concrete; 3D-printed schools; an at-home COVID-19 testing kit; a mobile voting app; and the world’s cleanest milk.
“There is no question our society and planet are facing deeply troubling times. So, it’s important to recognize organizations that are using their ingenuity, impact, design, scalability, and passion to solve these problems,” says Stephanie Mehta, editor-in-chief of Fast Company. “Our journalists, under the leadership of senior editor Morgan Clendaniel, have discovered some of the most groundbreaking projects that have launched since the start of 2020.”
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