When the Health System Fails—Sarah Porter's Five-Year Battle and the Birth of MedDefend

Apr 16

APRIL 16, 2025 | 00:26 | Episode 66

Sarah Porter, Founder & CEO MedDefend

Sarah Porter, MBA, is the Founder and CEO of MedDefend, a healthtech startup dedicated to reducing diagnostic timelines for chronic and autoimmune conditions through AI-powered care navigation and clinical insights. With nearly a decade of experience building early stage startups in a sales and go to market capacity, she pivoted to launching her own company after experiencing a five year misdiagnosis. Backed by Techstars and JP Morgan Chase, MedDefend is transforming patient care by leveraging AI to provide faster, more accurate diagnoses. Sarah is passionate about bridging gaps in healthcare and technology, improving patient outcomes, and expanding access to care.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Summary

The salient point of this podcast episode revolves around Sarah Porter, an extraordinary entrepreneur who has harnessed her personal health challenges to create Med Defend, a groundbreaking startup that seeks to revolutionize the diagnosis and management of chronic conditions through artificial intelligence. After enduring a prolonged misdiagnosis and consulting over thirty-five specialists, Sarah recognized a critical gap in the healthcare system, which she now aims to address by empowering patients in their diagnostic journeys. Her personal narrative, which originates from the south side of Chicago, illustrates the profound intersection of personal adversity and entrepreneurial spirit. As we engage in this enlightening conversation, we will delve into the nuances of her experience and the innovative solutions Med Defend offers, thus shedding light on the pressing need for reform in chronic illness management. Join us as we explore how Sarah is dedicated to ensuring that no individual must navigate the convoluted medical maze she once encountered.

Story

The conversation with Sarah Porter unfolds as a compelling narrative of resilience and innovation in the face of adversity. Sarah, a remarkable entrepreneur hailing from the south side of Chicago, shares her personal journey of battling a chronic condition known as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), which ultimately inspired her to create Med Defend, a startup dedicated to transforming the diagnostic process for chronic conditions. Having navigated through a harrowing five-year ordeal of misdiagnoses and consultations with over thirty-five specialists, Sarah's story serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges faced by countless individuals suffering from chronic illnesses. Her experience highlights the systemic issues within the healthcare industry that often leave patients feeling unheard and helpless.

Within this episode, Sarah articulates her vision for Med Defend, emphasizing the importance of empowering patients by providing them with tools to effectively communicate their symptoms and manage their healthcare journey. The discussion delves into the functionality of the Med Defend app, which utilizes artificial intelligence to assist patients in obtaining a more accurate diagnosis through a tailored approach that considers various differential diagnoses. By engaging with healthcare providers and addressing their pain points, Sarah illustrates the collaborative effort required to bridge the gap between patient experiences and medical practices, ultimately aiming to expedite the diagnostic process for new patients. Through her commitment to improving the healthcare landscape, Sarah exemplifies how personal challenges can catalyze significant innovation and drive meaningful change.

A salient aspect of the dialogue revolves around the profound implications of Sarah's personal health struggles, which have catalyzed her entrepreneurial pursuits. She recounts her experiences with POTS, a condition that disrupts the autonomic nervous system, rendering everyday activities arduous and often debilitating. This personal narrative not only underscores the emotional toll of chronic illness but also emphasizes the systemic failures within healthcare systems that commonly dismiss patients' symptoms as inconsequential. Sarah’s determination to transform her adversity into a solution for others manifests in her founding of Med Defend, a startup that leverages artificial intelligence to streamline the diagnostic process for chronic and autoimmune diseases.

The episode further explores the dynamics of the startup ecosystem, particularly within the Midwest, where Sarah has witnessed a burgeoning community of innovators and investors eager to disrupt traditional healthcare paradigms. She articulates her strategic approach to building Med Defend, which includes validating the problem through a podcast, engaging directly with physicians to understand their challenges, and establishing partnerships with healthcare organizations. This multifaceted strategy not only facilitates the development of a product that addresses real-world needs but also positions Sarah as a leader in the movement towards patient-centric healthcare. Through her experiences and insights, the episode serves as both an enlightening narrative and a call to action for aspiring entrepreneurs to consider how their personal experiences can inform and shape innovative solutions in the healthcare space.

Takeaways

Sarah Porter transformed her personal health struggles with POTS into a mission to revolutionize healthcare, creating Med Defend to aid patients in navigating chronic conditions.
The average time to diagnosis for chronic conditions in the United States is seven years, highlighting a significant gap in the healthcare system that needs to be addressed for effective patient care.
Med Defend uses AI technology to provide patients with tailored support in their healthcare journey, emphasizing the importance of patient empowerment in medical decision-making.
Sarah's experience of being misdiagnosed for five years illustrates the broader issue of chronic illness misdiagnosis affecting a substantial percentage of the American population.
The startup community in the Midwest, particularly in Chicago, is evolving to become more innovative, with a growing network of angel investors supporting startups like Med Defend.
By fostering collaboration between patients and healthcare providers, Med Defend aims to improve diagnostic accuracy and expedite treatment for those suffering from chronic illnesses.