The donation comes from Dr. Andrew Napier, an alumnus of Eastern Kentucky University, who is an emergency room doctor and the CEO of medical equipment manufacturer IntuBlade.
Eastern Kentucky University’s Emergency Medical Care program has received an equipment donation from university alumnus Dr. Andrew Napier. Dr. Napier is both an emergency room doctor and the CEO of medical equipment manufacturer IntuBlade. The donation to the Emergency Medical Care program includes a fleet of video laryngoscopes, inspired by Dr. Napier’s time in the Army National Guard.
According to an article on Eastern Kentucky University’s website, Dr. Napier is quoted as saying of his experience at the university and his decision to donate the equipment, “EKU is where I found my footing again and after everything I’d seen, where people believed in what I could still become. I’m proud to come back and make sure the next generation of providers here doesn’t face their worst moments unprepared. I founded IntuBlade after losing a soldier to a preventable airway failure and that moment never leaves you. Students across the country are entering the field without ever training on the tools they’ll actually use, and that gap falls hardest on rural and underserved communities where resources are already stretched thin. Every provider, regardless of zip code or budget, deserves the same standard of care. That’s what airway equity means to us.”
After graduating from high school, Dr. Napier enlisted in the Army National Guard where he served as a combat medic for six years. Throughout his deployment, Dr. Napier received both a Purple Heart and Combat Medical Badge. He enrolled at Eastern Kentucky University and received a degree in biomedical sciences in 2012. He began developing airway management solutions shortly after.
Dr. Napier now works in an emergency room in California. After founding IntuBlade, he developed a patented video laryngoscope that was specially designed to be put to use in high-pressure situations. The device is now used in 400 locations around the United States. The donated video laryngoscopes will assist students in the Emergency Medical Care program at Eastern Kentucky University train on the device so they are prepared in any airway management emergency.
David McFaddin, the university’s president, said, “EKU alumni are making a meaningful difference in their fields and in communities across Kentucky and beyond. We’re grateful for this innovative equipment from Dr. Napier, ensuring our students are prepared with the skills and experience to succeed in critical, real-world environments.”
For more information about Eastern Kentucky University, visit the school’s website.