2014-2015 Health for America Fellowship
Overview
Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) occurs when the heart does not pump blood effectively to the body, either because the heart is too stiff or too weak to fill and pump efficiently. It affects about 5 million people in the United States, primarily in adults over the age of 65.
Solution
The Health for America fellows developed Meerkat Health, a thin scale that fits seamlessly under a bath mat at home, intended to help people with heart failure better detect and manage fluid buildup.
Team
2014-2015 HFA fellows: Nick Azpiroz, Megan Caldwell, Sandra Hwang and Ellen Kourakos
Key Deliverables
Clinical Partner
Prior to the integration of Health for America into the MedStar Institute for Innovation, the 2014-15 HFA fellows worked with Christiana Care Health System to address challenges related to congestive heart failure.