Amy Baxter

Amy Baxter (born April 24, 1967) is an American physician, inventor, and pain researcher who is best known for her innovations in pain management. As the founder of Pain Care Labs in 2005, a research group focused on reducing opioid use for pain, she was instrumental for the inventions of Buzzy, an over-the-counter needle pain device, and VibraCool, a product used to relieve pains and aches from injuries. Baxter also serves as a board member at HomeoLux and Director of Emergency Research at the Pediatric Emergency Medicine Associates (Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Scottish Rite).

Early life and education
Baxter was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky and displayed an interest in medicine and science from an early age. At 21, Baxter transferred from Dartmouth University to Yale University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. She then attended Emory Medical School where she attained her medical degree. She completed a pediatrics residency and a child maltreatment fellowship at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and a pediatric emergency medicine fellowship at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. She also obtained a K30-NIH Clinical Research Certificate at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

Career
Baxter began practicing emergency pediatric medicine and is affiliated with Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. Baxter was Director of Emergency Research for Pediatric Emergency Medicine Associates and served as Clinical Associate Professor at the Medical College of Georgia.

Baxter's transition into entrepreneurship was driven by a personal experience with her son's extreme needle phobia. Afraid that her son would grow up to be a “healthcare avoidant,” she made it a priority to find a solution. She discovered a significant correlation between the number of injections at an early age and fear of needles once older. By decreasing the pain associated with these injections, Baxter aims to decrease this overall fear of needles. Baxter invented Buzzy, which combines two kinds of pain therapy: cold temperature and vibrational frequencies. It operates on a theory called gate control; researchers in the 1960s speculated that some kinds of sensory stimulation could interrupt pain signals traveling up the spinal cord before they reach the brain. Buzzy, a high-frequency vibrating ice pack, interrupts neuronal pain signals to the brain by introducing alternative sensory signals.

Baxter acquired a research grant from the NIH to properly test her device and document the results. Baxter and her team then began to design it to appeal to children, with a bumblebee design.

Baxter also invented VibraCool, which is intended for musculoskeletal and arthritis pain relief. VibraCool uses the same concepts as Buzzy, but comes in a different shape and size. Studies have shown that patients who use VibraCool demonstrate reduced opioid usage.

Awards and recognitions

 * Forbes Most Innovative Disruptors in Healthcare - Baxter was recognized by Forbes as one of the most innovative disruptors in healthcare for her work in pain management technologies.
 * Inc. Top Women in Tech to Watch - Named one of the top women in tech to watch by Inc. for her pioneering work with Pain Care Labs and its pain relief devices.
 * 2020 Tibbetts Award for Innovation - Awarded by the Small Business Administration for the significant economic and social benefits her company's medical devices have provided.
 * Huggies MomInspired Grant - Received the Huggies “MomInspired” grant, which supports innovative solutions developed by moms to improve the lives of children and parents.
 * 2011 Medical Design Excellence Award - Recognized for the patented Buzzy® device, which provides pain relief during medical procedures.
 * Top 10 Innovation Catalyst - Recognized by the Journal of Emergency Medical Services (JEMS) as a top 10 innovation catalyst for her work in emergency medicine and pain management technologies.
 * Multiple NIH SBIR Fast-Track Grants - Received over $2.8 million in Fast-Track Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants from the National Institutes of Health for her research and development in pain relief technologies.
 * Mayday Foundation Grant - Funded by the Mayday Foundation for initial research and development of her pain relief devices.