In the fast-paced world of healthcare, every second counts. When a code blue is called, nurses must act swiftly and confidently to save lives. But how can they stay prepared for these critical moments when they occur so infrequently? This week I sat down with Bryan Coy, President of MedCart AR, who is revolutionizing hospital crash cart training with an innovative augmented reality app.

Bryan's journey from corporate product management to healthcare entrepreneur is as fascinating as the technology he's helping to bring to market. With a background in marketing and product development, Bryan brings a unique perspective to the world of medical training. His focus on customer experience and relationship-building has been instrumental in growing MedCart AR from a hospital-developed technology to a scalable business that's changing the face of medical education.

In this blog post, we'll explore the world of MedCart AR, delve into Bryan's entrepreneurial journey, and uncover the challenges and triumphs of building a startup in the healthcare space. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a healthcare professional, or simply fascinated by the intersection of technology and life-saving innovation, Bryan's story offers valuable insights and inspiration.

The Birth of MedCart AR

MedCart AR began in the halls of OSF Healthcare in Illinois. Recognizing the need for more effective crash cart training, the team at OSF developed an augmented reality app that would allow nurses to familiarize themselves with the contents and layout of medical carts without the need for physical equipment.

This innovative technology caught the attention of Summit Venture Studios, a Utah-based company specializing in bringing university and hospital-developed technologies to market. Seeing the potential in MedCart AR, Summit Venture Studios licensed the technology and set out to turn it into a scalable business.

It was at this crucial juncture that Bryan Coy entered the picture. Recruited by Summit Venture Studios to be the President and Co-Founder of MedCart AR, Bryan brought his expertise in marketing and product development to the healthcare space. His mission: to grow the company, scale the technology, and ultimately bring this life-saving tool to hospitals and nursing programs across the country.

Putting Crash Carts in Nurses' Pockets

At its core, MedCart AR is an augmented reality app that digitizes medical carts, allowing nurses to familiarize themselves with the layout and contents of these crucial tools anytime, anywhere. But to truly understand the impact of this technology, we need to dive deeper into the world of code blues and crash carts.

In hospitals, a code blue is called when a patient experiences a critical condition, typically cardiac or respiratory distress. When this happens, nurses must quickly bring a crash cart to the patient's room. These carts contain essential medications and supplies needed to respond to the emergency. However, there's no national standard for crash cart layouts, meaning each hospital might organize their carts differently. This lack of standardization, can lead to lower familiarity and confidence among nurses when these critical moments arise.

MedCart AR addresses this challenge by putting virtual crash carts in nurses' pockets. Through the app, nurses can explore the layout of their hospital's specific crash carts, familiarizing themselves with the contents and their locations. This hands-on, on-demand training tool allows nurses to practice and refresh their knowledge regularly, increasing their confidence and readiness for real-life emergencies. With code blues occurring every two minutes for adults and every hour and a half for children, the potential impact of this increased preparedness is enormous.

From Corporate America to Healthcare Entrepreneur

Bryan Coy's path to becoming a healthcare entrepreneur was anything but straightforward. Before joining MedCart AR, Bryan had a successful career in corporate positions, managing a $400 million product line and working closely with customers. This experience instilled in him a deep appreciation for customer relationships and product development - skills that would prove invaluable in his future role.

The turning point in Bryan's career came when he was laid off from his corporate job. It was during this period of transition that a serendipitous connection from his past resurfaced. A former missionary companion, now an emergency medical doctor, reached out to Bryan and introduced him to a medical business venture. This led to a meeting with the team at Summit Venture Studios, which quickly turned into an impromptu job interview.

Impressed by Bryan's background and skills, Summit Venture Studios offered him the opportunity to lead MedCart AR as its President and Co-Founder. Despite having no prior experience in healthcare or startups, Bryan embraced the challenge. He saw it as a chance to apply his customer-focused approach and product development skills to a technology that could make a real difference in people's lives.

The Startup Struggles

As with any startup, the journey of MedCart AR has been filled with both challenges and triumphs. One of the biggest hurdles Bryan faced was the transition from a structured corporate environment to the more fluid and demanding world of entrepreneurship. He found himself wearing multiple hats - from sales and marketing to product development and customer relations.

A typical day for Bryan starts with making breakfast for his kids and driving them to school. Once back at his desk, he dives into a database of potential customers, making cold calls and sending emails. Despite the common aversion to cold calling, these interactions can be pivital. These conversations, which can last anywhere from two minutes to 45 minutes, often lead to future demos and potential partnerships.

Over the past eight months, Bryan's efforts have begun to bear fruit. He's formed partnerships with several institutions and is now at the point where he can start hiring additional help for development and sales. This growth has brought new challenges, such as preparing for fundraising - a process Bryan admits is both exciting and nerve-wracking as a first-time founder.

Understanding Feedback and Council as a Startup

One of the most insightful aspects of Bryan's journey has been his experience with professional coaching. Despite initially being skeptical about what he could gain from coaching, given his self-perceived high level of self-awareness, Bryan decided to give it a try out of curiosity. This decision turned out to be the right decision at the right time for him.

The coaching process helped Bryan uncover and address deep-seated emotional aspects he hadn't previously recognized. One particularly impactful moment came when his coach asked him to reflect on whether he had always had enough money in the past and present. This simple exercise led to a profound realization: if he had always had enough before, it stood to reason that he would continue to have enough in the future. This shift in perspective lifted a significant burden from Bryan's shoulders, allowing him to approach his work and personal life with more patience.

This newfound mindset has been particularly valuable in the high-pressure world of startups. As Bryan notes, there's always a fire burning when you go home as an entrepreneur - always more tasks to complete, more calls to make, more problems to solve.

The Future of MedCart AR 

As MedCart AR continues to grow and evolve, Bryan Coy's journey serves as an example of how unexpected paths can lead to meaningful entrepreneurship. From his corporate background to his current role revolutionizing medical training, Bryan's story highlights the power of embracing new challenges and focusing on customer needs.

The potential impact of MedCart AR on patient outcomes is significant. By providing nurses with on-demand access to crash cart training, the app could help save countless lives in critical code blue situations. As the company moves into its next phase of growth, including fundraising and team expansion, it's clear that MedCart AR is poised to make a lasting impact on the healthcare industry.

For aspiring entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, or anyone interested in the intersection of technology and medicine, Bryan's journey offers valuable lessons. His emphasis on relationship-building, adaptability, and maintaining work-life balance provides a roadmap for navigating the challenging but rewarding world of startups.

To learn more about Bryan Coy and MedCart AR, you can download the app from the App Store or Google Play Store under the name "Medical Cart AR". For those in the medical field interested in implementing this innovative training tool in their institutions, or for potential investors looking to support a promising healthcare technology startup, reaching out to Bryan and his team could be the first step towards being part of this revolutionary approach to medical training.

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