Shanel Fiends, founder and CEO at MD Ally at a U.S. Mayor’s conference.
MD Ally, a healthcare navigation platform founded by Shanel Fields, is modernizing the 911 emergency call system by connecting patients with telehealth services, reducing unnecessary emergency room visits. MD Ally partners with local governments and healthcare payors to offer a patient-centric solution that integrates seamlessly with existing 911 infrastructure.
By addressing the overutilization of 911 for non-emergency situations, MD Ally aims to improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and enhance the efficiency of emergency care.
A New Approach To 911 Healthcare Calls Improves Outcomes
MD Ally is revolutionizing healthcare access by creating a new care delivery model that integrates directly with 911. Shanel Fields started working on the startup in 2020 after she graduated from Wharton. MD Ally’s innovative platform leverages technology to connect patients with appropriate resources to allocate emergency resources more efficiently.
Fields was inspired to start MD Ally by her father’s work as an EMT volunteer and after learning about the over utilization of the 911 system in low-income communities that also had higher death rates. Wharton Professor Guy David conducted the research. She ended up going to Wharton for her MBA and being mentored by him. This realization sparked her passion for developing a solution for this critical issue by creating more efficient care pathways for those in need.
Fields’ unique combination of experience in healthcare technology at Athenahealth—an Electronic Health Record company, coupled with her deep understanding of the challenges faced by patients and public safety officials—has enabled her to develop a solution that effectively addresses the complexities of healthcare access.
“More than half of the folks on our team either have a public safety background or some sort of connection to public safety and bring that experience to bear, as well as working in the healthcare and tech space,” she explained. The team’s expertise is critical to the success of the company.
Over the course of four years, the company has expanded its partnerships with local governments and provider payors such as insurance companies, ensuring its services are accessible to a broader population. By working closely with these stakeholders, MD Ally has integrated its platform seamlessly into existing 911 workflows, providing a streamlined experience for patients and public safety officials alike.
MD Ally’s patient-centric approach is central to its mission. The company recognizes that patients often rely on 911 due to its simplicity and responsiveness, and it has designed its platform to replicate that ease of use. The platform reduces visits to the emergency department for prescription refills, a child eating donuts after the expiration date, or a person with a painful pimple.
The company measures its success by focusing on key performance indicators that reflect its commitment to patient outcomes and efficient healthcare navigation. Some of the key metrics the company tracks include:
- Effective navigation of patients to appropriate care
- Reduction in unnecessary emergency department visits
- Patient satisfaction and feedback
- Successful connection to routine care providers
The company has raised $24.5 million. “We are excited to partner with Shanel Fields and the MD Ally team to identify and expand public safety collaborations and improve emergency services,” said Senator Bill Frist, M.D., co-founder and managing partner of Frist Cressey Ventures and MD Ally investor. “The MD Ally model is nationally unique and highly effective in ensuring more patients receive personalized care, along with comprehensive care navigation and coordinated follow-up care.”
Others are improving 911 emergency access for the deaf and non English speakers.
Overcoming The Status Quo In Transforming 911 Emergencies
MD Ally teammates in front of Lee County emergence medical services vehicle.
The 911 system has remained largely unchanged since the 1960s, resulting in a lack of innovation in this critical public safety infrastructure. Despite advancements in other areas of healthcare, the deeply ingrained status quo challenged MD Ally’s mission of providing efficient and appropriate care pathways for non-emergency callers.
Fields recognized the company would need to educate public safety leaders and provider payors about a new model for healthcare navigation. MD Ally partners with local governments—such as with Lee County, Florida—and then contacts provider payors in the area which pay for the services that MD Ally provides. The company then partnered with payors, including insurance companies, to provide their members with MD Ally resources to close care gaps and provide reimbursement for services provided.
“We want to provide our community with the right care in the right setting, and in some cases that doesn’t have to involve a trip to the emergency room,” said Lee County Public Safety Director Benjamin Abes. “The ability for our team to connect residents to a physician that will address their concerns in real-time will improve access to care and healthcare outcomes, while ensuring our crews are more available to respond to emergencies in the community.”
MD Ally strategically sought out and collaborated with forward-thinking leaders in the public safety sector. Fields understood that adopting new solutions like MD Ally depended on finding early adopters who shared her vision for a modernized 911 system. These partnerships allowed MD Ally to introduce its innovative approach, leveraging technology to connect patients with appropriate resources and reduce unnecessary emergency room visits.
Fields also addressed the challenge of meeting patients’ high expectations for convenience and reliability. By prioritizing patient-centric design and avoiding overly complex technological solutions, Fields ensures that MD Ally’s services are accessible and effective for those who need them most.
Fields explained the importance of public safety agencies adopting a new mindset that challenges the status quo. “Our core mission is working with very forward-thinking leaders, finding those in public safety who have their own vision for what the new 911 system looks like,” she said.
MD Ally’s innovative approach to healthcare navigation has garnered significant attention from major media outlets, including The New York Times, and Forbes. The company’s presence at EMS industry conferences and its strong reputation among public safety agencies have further amplified its reach. Word of mouth has been instrumental in the company’s growth.
An important sign of the company’s success is that “we have no turnover or churn, and that’s very important in the public safety space,” Fields explained. “Referencable clients, having 100% referenceable clients, is a big way other systems hear about us.”
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