Nurse-Driven Innovation Shines at HLTH 2025: Meet the Trailblazing Cohort Leading Change

For years, nurses have been called the backbone of healthcare—but increasingly, they’re also becoming the driving force behind innovation. This October at HLTH, one of the world’s premier healthcare conferences, nurses will step into the spotlight at the Nurse Innovators Pavilion, showcasing groundbreaking solutions designed by nurses, for healthcare.

The Pavilion brings together nurse-led companies and projects tackling some of the industry’s toughest challenges—staffing shortages, patient safety, workflow inefficiencies, digital health access, and more. From early-stage startups to established ventures, these innovators are proving that nurses don’t just identify problems at the bedside; they build scalable solutions to fix them.

vCare Companion: Rachel West MHA, MSN, RN

Rachel West is a distinguished healthcare leader, educator, and innovator with over 20 years of experience spanning clinical practice, nursing education, and workforce development. As the Vice President of Clinical, Rachel leverages her expertise in curriculum design, technology-driven models, and clinical training to enhance nursing practice and patient care.

Her extensive academic background includes leadership roles at prominent institutions such as the University of Massachusetts Boston and the University of New Mexico, where she directed nursing programs, spearheaded curriculum redesigns, and ensured accreditation compliance. Rachel's commitment to advancing nursing education has led to the development of groundbreaking programs, such as the Accelerated BSN curriculum, which integrates competency-based learning with cutting-edge technology.

In her clinical career, Rachel has practiced critical care, hospice, and medical-surgical nursing, which has given her a comprehensive understanding of diverse healthcare environments. She has taken students to many post-acute care and long-term care settings. Her dedication to improving the nursing workforce is evident in her leadership at a large tech company, where she directed the development of ANCC-accredited continuing education programs and industry-leading retraining initiatives.

Rachel is an accomplished speaker and author known for her presentations on workforce development, leadership, and nursing education innovation. Her work has been recognized at national forums, including Sigma Theta Tau International and the National Forum for Workforce Centers.

A lifelong learner, Rachel holds multiple advanced degrees and certifications, including an MSN/MHA in Nursing Education and Health Administration. She is also a member of numerous professional organizations, such as the Society of Nurse Scientists Innovators Entrepreneurs and Leaders (SONSIEL) and Sigma Theta Tau International.

Rachel's mission is to empower nurses and healthcare organizations through education, innovation, and collaboration, ensuring they are equipped to meet the evolving challenges of modern healthcare.

Humla Health: Jessica Sylvester

Humla's streamlined, tech driven platform provides your health system care facility with the ability to fill open shifts per diem to long term assignment quickly with credentialed W-2 nurses, helping to manage patient safety and staff burnout without the agency cost. We were built by nurses, for nurses. We've experienced burnout, staffing shortages, and resource limitations first hand. We've felt the stress of trying to fill in the gaps and making tough financial decisions. With Humla Health, you can: -Increase Patient Safety -Budget with more confidence -Manage Risk and Surge Plans -Fill shifts on demand. 

Avail Health: Joe Harrison

Joe is a trailblazer dedicated to making a difference in health care. With a decade of experience leading behavioral health initiatives for a value-based care health plan, Joe shifted his focus to building a digital health company that partners with health plans and ACOs to improve outcomes for adults and seniors with chronic medical and behavioral health needs.

Passionate about connecting the dots to drive positive change, Joe is committed to serving vulnerable and underserved populations. Joe immigrated to the US from England as a young student and, as a first-generation college student, he went on to earn his bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley and later a Master’s of Science in Nursing from Seattle University. His diverse professional background spans international economic development, entrepreneurship in hospitality, and teaching in inner-city schools. Joe is an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner, specializing in primary care, geriatrics, and behavioral health. When he's not working, Joe enjoys life getting to know Ithaca, NY where he recently moved with his wife and two young children. 

Primary care, the bedrock of our health care system, is facing a crisis of equity, accessibility, and quality, especially for underserved and chronically ill adults and seniors. There is an absence of integrated and person-centered solutions that address system deficits, like inadequate behavioral health resources. Meanwhile, hospital nurses are overburdened, underappreciated, and often constrained by a system that doesn’t fully recognize their potential. These challenges demand a bold, innovative response—one that not only addresses immediate needs but also reimagines the future of health care.

Swiftsure: Deanne McCarthy

Swiftsure's mission is to improve oral health for patients at risk for aspiration by enabling safe and easy oral rinsing. Oral care is known to reduce hospital stays, febrile days, and antibiotic consumption and is also associated with pneumonia prevention. Tube fed patients lose the ability for their mouths to self clean, due to a decline in saliva production.  Currently to clean the mouth of dependent tube fed patients and patients on life support, nurses are limited to brushing the teeth, suctioning the oral cavity, and wiping the mouth with a sponge on a stick. This sponge does little more than disperse organic debris in the oral cavity.  For patients on life support, oral crowding with the endotracheal tube makes it challenging to adequately clean all areas of the mouth. Within 48 hours on life support a sticky paste is visible in the mouth, as a source of dangerous bacteria. Without the ability to rinse, oral hygiene visibly declines in a short amount of time. This visible debris puts patients at risk for hospital acquired infections. The SwishKit enables safe and easy oral rinsing, effectively removing organic debris that is left behind by conventional oral cleansing tools. 

National Nurse Practitioner Entrepreneur Network: Lynn Rapsilber DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, FAANP & Lorraine Bock DNP, ENP-C, FNP-C, PHRN, CEN, FAANP

NNPEN is elevating the nursing model to transform healthcare delivery systems by creating a financially viable community of NP entrepreneurs. We are dedicated to helping new Nurse Practitioner (NP) business owners get started, supporting practice owners in their growth, and forming partnerships with organizations that understand the value of NPs. Healthcare costs are excessively high, often yielding poor outcomes for the money spent. The nursing model aligns seamlessly with value-based care approaches. 

Nurse Practitioners prioritize building partnerships with patients, meeting them where they are in their healthcare journey. We work collaboratively with patients to prevent disease, facilitate early detection, and maintain their optimal levels of wellness. Our goal is to keep patients out of the emergency room, urgent care, and hospitals. We focus on addressing the needs within the communities where we live and serve.

PocketRN: Mirini Kim

Mirini Kim, DNP, RN, CPNP-PC, pioneers the delivery of PocketRN’s innovative model of virtual, nurse-led care that places expert, empathetic nurses at the center of healthcare–particularly in the home. In a system that often leaves patients and families without support between provider visits, PocketRN bridges the gap by empowering nurses to deliver high-touch, personalized, and proactive care. By using video-enabled, AI, and RPM technologies to augment nurse care, PocketRN also creates sustainable and fulfilling remote opportunities that meet the diverse needs of the nursing workforce.

Under Mirini's leadership as Head of Nursing, PocketRN is uniquely dedicated to fostering a community where nurses feel valued and empowered to deliver proactive care. She works closely with a nursing team that spans across the country, gathering continuous feedback to refine clinical workflows, protocols, and training. Beyond this, Mirini builds a sense of belonging among PocketRN’s remote nurses by organizing engaging activities, social events, and professional development opportunities. Her efforts are pivotal in creating fulfilling and flexible roles for nurses, whether they are new graduates or experienced professionals seeking more adaptable hours.

Empowered with technology, clinical resources, and a supportive community, nurses are poised to close the gaps in today’s healthcare system. If nurse-led care were widely adopted, it would pave the way for a more sustainable and compassionate future. Patient outcomes would improve, reducing the strain on clinicians and hospitals, while nurses—long undervalued and overwhelmed—would find renewed sustainability and longevity in their careers.

OneCred: Jodie Uhl

I’ve been on both sides of credentialing—provider and payer—and saw the same pain: slow, costly processes that hurt revenue and create data gaps. OneCred exists to lift that burden for providers and give payers and facilities accurate data, faster than ever. OneCred slashes provider onboarding from 120 to <30 days with its patent-pending Wallet & AI agent—boosting revenue, reducing errors, and driving success in value-based care.

Transformative Ads: Lauren Leigh

The world of social media marketing is chaotic, confusing, and full of bad advice. Healthcare entrepreneurs often struggle in this foreign realm and find themselves hiring expensive agencies that over-promise and underdeliver, or just trying to DIY it. This quickly leads to lost dollars and burnout. Transformative Ads is here to cut through the BS and jumpstart a marketing revival. Founded by a nurse who speaks your language, we champion those who carve out their own paths and buck the American healthcare system. With Transformative Ads, you’ll get high-touch support, transparency, and a refreshing dose of realness. We go all out to transform your healing mission into sustainable momentum.

Transformative Ads is the trailblazing digital marketing partner that delivers clarity and measurable growth for purpose-led clinician entrepreneurs and business owners in the health and wellness space. We offer tailored social media content strategies, ads management, and consulting services for our community of experts who are ready to scale without wasting resources.

ANP Health Services: Nelson Hurtado

Nelson Hurtado, a Venezuelan immigrant turned nurse and entrepreneur, has become a powerful voice for the nursing profession across Latin America and beyond. His story is one of resilience, faith, and determination—showing that success isn’t just about personal achievement, but about the impact we leave on others. At 18, Nelson arrived in the United States with only $500, no English, and a dream of building a better life. The path was anything but easy. He faced scams, culture shock, and countless setbacks, but nursing became his breakthrough. It gave him stability, recognition, and most importantly, the family life he longed for. When he finally earned his permanent residency—the “Green Card” he calls the real American Dream—it opened the door to endless opportunities.

Today, Nelson is more than a clinician. He’s a leader, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who has built an entire ecosystem around ethical healthcare recruitment and education. He founded one of just 16 global agencies recognized for ethical international nurse recruitment and has since expanded into online universities, technology platforms, and global investments. A self-made multimillionaire, he leads with purpose, generosity, and a belief that true success is measured by how much good you create for others. His mission goes beyond nursing: in the face of an aging population, he champions nurses as the backbone of care for future generations. Nelson’s journey is a reminder that with faith, resilience, and service, even the boldest dreams can become a reality—and in doing so, transform lives far beyond your own.

Palarum: Patrick Baker

Palarum was founded in 2016 by Patrick Baker, a former chief nursing officer at a large acute care hospital and inventor of the PUP® SmartSocks™ for patients. Based on extensive experience in the nursing environment — specifically the high incidence and staggering cost of patient falls — the Palarum team developed the advanced PUP® SmartSocks™.

The SmartSocks™ incorporates patented technologies woven into conductive fabric. In clinical trials and hospital implementation, the wearable technology has proven to deliver real-time monitoring to prevent patient falls and enhance physical therapy and rehabilitation.

PUP® is the most technologically advanced, nurse-centric, patient mobility system in healthcare. It improves patient safety by greatly reducing injuries from falls and significantly reduces costs related to falls. It also decreases alarm fatigue through a smart notification system and generates critical new data to enhance facility operations. PUP® is designed for acute care hospitals, as well as facilities for rehabilitation, long-term care, and physical therapy.

Nursing Liaisons: Ellie Ericson and Lisa Hyde-Barrett

Nursing Liaisons are pioneers of nurse-driven care, bringing nearly 20 years of hands-on business experience — in addition to decades of bedside expertise — to the national stage. Founded by Ellie Ericson and Lisa Hyde-Barrett, the company built its reputation by developing specialized nursing programs, including transitional care and private duty nursing fleets in Boston, long before they became industry buzzwords. Today, Nursing Liaisons partners with health systems, payers, and innovators nationwide to design and implement customized, nurse-led models, from Hospital at Home to Home Health to Private Duty Nursing, that patients trust and systems can scale. Beyond direct care, they serve as the nurse voice in emerging digital health models, providing the advisory authority, clinical oversight, and implementation expertise that keep programs safe and sustainable. When nurses lead, patients heal safer, faster, and with trust.

Get to know Ellie and Lisa and learn more about their successful and compassionate home health business model at Nursingliaisons.com/team/. Stay connected at: @nursingliaisons.

Family Room: Breanna Hetland, PhD, RN, CCRN-K

Family Room is a digital health platform designed to ease one of the most overwhelming experiences families face: navigating the intensive care unit. Co-founded by Breanna Hetland, PhD, RN, CCRN—an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nurse Scientist at Nebraska Medicine—Family Room was born from both her professional experience as a critical care nurse and her personal journey supporting her father after a brain stem stroke. The app acts as “a nurse in your pocket,” giving families the tools to better understand medical terminology, equipment, and roles within the care team. It goes beyond education by offering interactive features—like clicking on a device to learn what it does or meeting digital “characters” that represent different providers—making the hospital experience less intimidating and more human.

More than just an information source, Family Room encourages meaningful involvement from family members, even allowing them to record the care they provide directly into the electronic health record for clinicians to see in real time. With over $900,000 in research grants from organizations such as the NIH, American Association of Critical Care Nurses, and the Betty Irene Moore Foundation, the project is now moving into clinical trials. Guided by its mission to humanize hospitalization, Family Room empowers patients and families to make informed decisions, improves safety and satisfaction, and ultimately helps lower healthcare costs. In moments when families feel most lost, the platform provides clarity, support, and a stronger voice at the bedside.

In House Health: Jeannine Raymond RN, MS

In-House Health is an AI-powered platform transforming how healthcare facilities manage and schedule nursing teams. Designed to reduce manual workload, lower costs, and improve patient outcomes, our solution helps nurse leaders make better, faster decisions based on real data.

About NurseApproved

Nurse Approved is passionate about enabling healthcare companies to leverage the wisdom and insights of healthcare’s frontline professionals; Nurses.

According to their website, “Healthcare is broken. Costs are out of control. Delivery systems are straining. Patients are fed up and caregivers are burnt out. We can do better, and your product may be part of the solution. 

There is no other profession more aware of the challenges in healthcare than nurses. As the largest segment of the healthcare workforce, nurses are on the frontline of patient care and carry the knowledge only gained by this day-to-day responsibility.

With Nurse Approved, this knowledge unlocks insights to help bring the best innovations to the patient's bedside. We offer the first and only comprehensive platform for third-party, nurse expert evaluation and validation, certifying solutions that nurses consider necessary and trustworthy. 

In 2023, Nurse Approved, following four years of dedicated service with the United States Patent and Trade Office, received the inaugural Certification Mark for "Nurse Approved: Tested & Trusted."

The Nurse Approved process and its associated certification mark capitalize on the trust that nurses have garnered from the public. This initiative expedites the adoption of impactful healthcare solutions by consumers and patients, leveraging the credibility established through the esteemed reputation of nurses.

From our Chief Innovation Officer, Aimee Bailey, “Nurses are natural problem solvers and innovators. Just as they assess a patient’s needs and develop care plans, they are identifying gaps in our healthcare system and creating solutions that shape its future. The success of nurse-led companies shows that when nurses lead, meaningful change follows,” said their Chief Innovation Officer, Aimee Bailey, 

With its focus on nurses, HLTH 2024 promises to be a transformative event, one that will undoubtedly leave an indelible mark on the healthcare industry and the lives of nurses. 

🤔 Nurses, share your thoughts in the discussion forum below.