With $44 billion raised for health innovation in 2021, next-gen solutions such as virtual healthcare, telemedicine, and remote patient monitoring are becoming more and more of a priority. What’s more, there’s a notable shift toward a more holistic approach to health and a greater focus on both mental and physical well-being. Who are the people leading this change? We spoke with two winners of the 2022 FedEx^® Small Business Grant program to learn more about how their small steps are making a big difference in the healthcare industry. 

It wasn’t long before Trish started designing actual products, which in turn became the foundation of Every Tiny Thing—a business that’s dedicated to empowering NICU families to find hope and positivity during an otherwise lonely and nightmarish time.

Most of the tools and resources available to NICU parents at the start of her venture weren’t very refined because they were mostly donated by volunteers who didn’t have dedicated resources. Trish remembers watching other families receive gifts from department store chains and baby wish lists, and how all she wanted was to make NICU parents feel just as normal and cared for.

“They deserve to have something as nice as every other family, but that wasn’t available, so I decided to make it,” Trish explains.

Another product that aims to help NICU parents gain a new perspective is Every Tiny Thing’s NICU baby calendar. Each new page is dedicated to an entire month, which gives parents the opportunity to create a personalized visual record of their child’s progress. Every Tiny Thing also offers milestone photo cards that inspire families to look forward to future moments with their baby and the special memories that will be made. For instance, if a baby is still on their ventilator and is too small to be held, parents have a milestone photo card ready for the moment their baby comes off the ventilator, as well as the many other milestones to come. Trish adds, “It’s positive reinforcement that there’s hope for the future, and that each milestone will be celebrated when the time comes.”

One thing Trish loves about being her own boss is that, “If I see something that could be done better, I can just do it right.” But she’s well aware of the challenges that come with being smaller. “Small businesses really do need help. It’s tough to navigate, so to be supported by big organizations, like FedEx, that recognize the impact of small organizations is just wonderful.”

According to the National Council on Aging, 80% of older adults live with a chronic disease like diabetes or hypertension. Without dedicated attention and proper management, these conditions can worsen over time, reduce quality of life, and become a heavy burden for both patients and their caregivers.

That’s why this year’s FedEx Distinction Award winner for healthcare, Tamika Goins, founded CareHalo—an easy-to-use Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) company that helps patients receive comprehensive chronic care management. CareHalo’s RPM service gives families’ loved ones condition-specific care that’s covered through Medicare. It allows doctors to monitor vitals like pulse rate, blood pressure, and glucose readings, which can lead to early intervention and reduced healthcare costs.

With the goal of leveraging technology—which came naturally to someone with a health information background—and fusing it with real-time clinical care, Tamika found the winning combination. “It's one thing to have all the data in the world, but if there's not enough human resources to turn it into actionable use, then what's the point of collecting it?” Tamika asks.

Because CareHalo has its own network of nurse practitioners, diabetic educators, and doctors, it’s able to truly supplement a patient’s caregiver team. The CareHalo app provides 24/7 patient monitoring and allows for early medical intervention if needed. The patient’s provider can check their vital signs and history, identify any trends, and customize these levels on a case-by-case basis, all from their own portal.

For Tamika, CareHalo represents her growth and evolution as an entrepreneur. “I don’t believe in failures. I think there’s a lesson in everything ... with every business of mine, I’ve learned something ... but CareHalo is the first one I’ve stood in front of,” Tamika says.

CareHalo is already available nationally. Tamika hopes to some day partner with every state health department in the country to help ease the burden of people suffering. “That’s what success looks like for me—being able to make change,” Tamika says.