Rachel Sauceman, Full Media
About Full Media: Located in The Edney Innovation Center, Full Media is a healthcare Internet marketing agency that is a part of the creative community at Society of Work. Eighty percent of healthcare consumers start their journey to care with a search engine, so as a healthcare Internet marketing partner, Full Media is at the front lines of patient experience and patient choice.
Tackling Challenges in our Healthcare System
Those who work in healthcare know that the challenges are many, and there are new hurdles daily. More than 10,000 Baby Boomers turn 65 every day, and US healthcare costs are growing faster than the economy. In the midst of that growing need, we are facing a widespread crisis with physician burnout and nursing shortages.
At this point, disruption is the only option for improvement. Luckily, our local healthcare organizations, including providers and insurance companies, are investing in disruptive technologies with the potential to change healthcare for the better.
Chattanooga: A Growing Healthtech Scene
This year, the Company Lab debuted its inaugural Healthtech Accelerator, providing resources and connections to startups with technology that could solve difficult challenges in healthcare.
Full Media had the honor to serve as a mentor and partner to the 10 healthtech startups that participated in the accelerator. Throughout the 10-week program, we advised each startup on its web presence and helped them improve their marketing strategy.
We were inspired by the creative solutions they had developed. One startup’s technology could have a significant impact on maternal and infant mortality rates. Another could help seniors better manage their medications, helping them stay independent longer and out of the hospital.
Ultimately, each startup wanted to be a successful, profitable business, but they were also passionate about changing our healthcare system for the better. Even better, leaders at Erlanger and Unum sponsored the accelerator and began conversations with these startups to benefit from their technology.
There is a lot of energy in Chattanooga right now for these issues, with major local players confronting challenges head-on.
Becoming a Center of Healthcare Innovation
We’re excited about Chattanooga’s future in the healthcare space and the potential to bring together our city’s collective strengths in both innovation and medicine to make a difference nationally.
We have several assets that make us an ideal place for innovation in healthcare:
- Erlanger, the 10th largest public healthcare system in the United States
- A nearly 50-year-old medical education and research program through the UT College of Medicine Chattanooga
- The Headquarters of both Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee and Unum
- A burgeoning tech and innovation community
Our major health institutions are already partnering with innovators and startups to create new solutions. Through continued collaboration and dedication, we believe that Chattanooga has the right stuff to change how healthcare does business.
Rachael Sauceman is the Head of Strategic Initiatives for Full Media’s Internet Marketing team. A native Chattanoogan, she is passionate about community involvement, eating local and enjoying the great outdoors.
