At the core of every I-Corps journey lies a clear problem and an idea to solve it. For Sheila Fields, owner of BFields Solutions, Inc., and a past participant in the Great Plains I-Corps Program, the problem is antibiotic overuse and the consequences it has for patients and healthcare systems alike.
Partnering with Dr. Scott Campbell and his research team, Sheila is helping to bring forward an innovative digital tool designed to help healthcare providers make more informed antibiotic decisions.
Sheila’s path into healthcare innovation wasn’t one she anticipated. With a background in IT, she was first introduced to Dr. Campbell’s work through UNeTech Institute’s Opportunity Corps, a program that supports women in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) entrepreneurship. From there, she continued on her customer discovery journey by completing a Regional I-Corps program.
“The first thing that comes to mind about the impact of the I-Corps program is that it built my confidence,” she said. “You go in thinking your idea is phenomenal, but when you start interviewing customers, you find out where the gaps are. The methodology teaches you to be an active listener, not a salesperson. That shift changed everything.”
Through over twenty customer discovery interviews, Sheila and her team uncovered insights that reshaped their understanding of the market. Not everyone in the healthcare ecosystem valued the tool in the same way, prompting them to refine their messaging and explore new directions. One unexpected discovery was the tool’s potential use in veterinary medicine for large animals, which opened a path to expand beyond human healthcare.
The potential impact of this innovation is significant. By equipping providers with better data before prescribing, the tool aims to reduce costs, shorten treatment durations, and lower the risk of complications. “If we can give providers better data upfront, it reduces trial and error; saving time, money, and improving patient outcomes,” Sheila explained.
Sheila’s team later became the first team from Omaha, Nebraska, to be accepted into the National I-Corps Program by the Great Plains I-Corps Hub’s recommendation. This was a milestone that marked a new chapter in their entrepreneurial journey. In the National I-Corps Program, teams complete 100+ customer interviews.
Driven by curiosity, resilience, and continuous learning, Sheila Fields and her team are committed to their work that could ultimately help reshape how healthcare providers around the world make prescribing decisions.
