Boston doctor receives prestigious award for phone app

A Boston doctor whose health care app allows emergency responders to share patient information with hospital staff in real time was among a group of female entrepreneurs honored for her innovative work at the 2018 Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards in Singapore.

Dr. YiDing Yu was recognized as the North American Laureate of the 2018 Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards for her startup business, Twiage, a phone app that has accelerated lifesaving patient care. The app reduces door-to-room times on average by 14 minutes per person, according to company data. She received $100,000 in prize money and one year of tailored business training.

“Winning the Cartier Women’s Initiative Award will give us a platform to not only expand in the United States but globally,” Yu said, speaking in a video after the announcement. “This is a challenge that is faced by patients, doctors and nurses around the world.”

By using Twiage, first responders can share information with hospital staff so they can better prep beds, operating rooms and cath labs, cutting down time by an average 30 percent. The use of Twiage has already spread to emergency rooms, hospitals and ambulances across Massachusetts.

The Cartier Women’s Initiative Award is one of the most prestigious endowments for female entrepreneurs and is designed to promote business startups by women working to solve global problems.

“I couldn’t be more inspired to be recognized for the work that we are doing at Twiage to save lives in America and we hope around the world,” Yu said. “I could not be more excited

and energized.”

Yu said the Cartier award can help other female inventors come up with new ideas to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges.

“We are often seen as the underdogs,” Yu said. “We’re underestimated, underfunded. I have been asked questions and challenged extensively for whether I actually have the means or the guts and experience to do this, but the more women that we have in business and the more women entrepreneurs that we support, the more role models that we have for the next generation of little girls.”

‘(Women) are often seen as the underdogs.’ — Dr. YIDING YU