How far would you go to bring lifesaving technology to the people who need it most in our society? For Bre Loughlin, the answer is all the way!
Bre is a registered nurse who has always had a passion for technology. She went to work for a technology company after leaving nursing, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, she identified a need in her community that changed the course of her life completely.
Bre was volunteering at the Salvation Army near her Verona, Wisconsin home during the COVID-19 pandemic when she identified a crucial flaw in the healthcare system. Quite simply, there was no safe way to screen the poor and unhoused for the virus, putting shelters and community centers at high risk for a deadly outbreak.
That’s when Bre knew something had to be done to help vulnerable people get the healthcare access they need and deserve!
“When I heard what they were going through, I thought, ‘I know how to help. I know what to do,'” Bre told TODAY.
Less than 48 hours later, Bre had already set her plan into motion. She felt so passionately about the project that she cashed out her personal retirement accounts and quit her job to focus on making it happen. As a first step, she rented a van and equipped it with the first-ever “Nurse Disrupted” kiosk, a tablet that provides users instant access to a live RN with just one click.
“It’s a telehealth company built for accessibility,” Bre explained. “So we’re all about going after people who’ve been left behind by healthcare technologies.”
Nurse Disrupted kiosks allow anyone to gain access to a nurse to ask any healthcare questions they have, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These virtual providers were nursing students when the company first started, but now, two years later, they’re all registered nurses who volunteer their time and expertise to help others.
This innovative technology makes it possible for people in community centers and homeless shelters to see a nurse whenever they need one. It made a huge difference in shelters around Wisconsin during the pandemic!
The Nurse Disrupted app focuses on removing the hurdles that keep people from having full access to healthcare. The three major roadblocks are cost, connectivity, and complexity, and the kiosks eliminate these obstacles in one fell swoop.
In fact, Nurse Disruptive made a huge impact right off the bat. Within the first 22 months of operation, they assisted over 42,000 patients and stopped 1,200 unnecessary trips to the emergency rooms, saving about $2.3 million in healthcare costs!
Bre isn’t done yet — not even close! She hopes to bring Nurse Disrupted kiosks everywhere, including places like grocery stores and pharmacies, so even more people can get the care they need. Bre is truly a groundbreaker who isn’t afraid to take on huge challenges, and we’re grateful for the work she does!
Share this story to recognize this leader for placing the needs of others above her own.
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