Growth, innovation in health care vital to community, societal well-being

According to 1960s standards, my mother shouldn’t even be here. When she was 18 years old, doctors diagnosed her as having Type 1 diabetes, which was essentially a death sentence back then. They told her she wouldn’t live much past 30.

But I’m happy to report that, this year, we celebrated her 77th birthday.

Growing up, I remember watching as she filled syringes with insulin and gave herself shots several times a day. Even then, those jabs hurt to watch. And I know she didn’t love them either.

But in the 1980s, life changed when automated insulin pumps were introduced to the public. The new devices gave her “a little more normalcy” in her day-to-day life, she says. They administered microscopic doses of insulin throughout the day with much greater ease and accuracy than could be done manually.

And believe me, for those living with any sort of debilitating illness, “a little bit of normalcy” can make a world of difference.

In this issue, you’ll read about a life-saving medical technology that was researched and launched here in Chattanooga. Called VIZ.ai, the software has cut patient “in door, out door” time — the time from stroke detection to medical intervention — by nearly 40 minutes. That’s a big deal in stroke care, where it’s estimated that victims lose about 1.9 million brain cells per minute.

Also this month, writer Elizabeth Fite explores how the growing trend of outpatient surgery centers is reshaping the health care landscape. Offering both convenience and cost savings, these centers are changing the way patients access health care.

Our monthly profile is on Dr. Courtney Ridner, who one might say is “extremely focused” on his career. He’s the Chattanooga ophthalmologist who also happens to be a military fighter pilot, not a combination one comes across too often.

Meanwhile, writer Bob Gary talks with Dr. Matthew Hitchcock about the expansion of his practice to a second location, and his subscription-based primary care. Sometimes referred to as “concierge health care,” this trend of offering round-the-clock medical services has been gaining momentum in recent years.

As for my mom, life with diabetes has been far from simple. But this March, she and my stepfather are having big adventures exploring Australia and New Zealand for the first time.

To me, that’s a far happier outcome than her original prognosis.

I share her story because I think it underscores the power of health care in all our lives. Our health, and the nation’s health care system, are full of ever-evolving challenges. But innovations that tackle those challenges are what give us hope and propel us to persevere.