Between huge funding announcements, new partnerships and iconic interviews, our 1501 Health cohorts are gaining traction in the media. Explore our roundup of August and September below.
The Brief:
1501 Health cohort graduate Health in her HUE is partnering with Aveeno for the next stage of their program, SkinVisibility, which addresses the underdiagnosis, care, and treatment of sensitive skin conditions on Black skin. According to Essence Magazine, nearly 64% of Black Americans have a skin care concern, but 34% say it's difficult to find a doctor that understands their skin type.
As part of this initiative, Aveeno sponsored 500 free Health in Her HUE memberships to ensure access for low income communities.
Here's what Ashlee Wisdom, CEO and Co-Founder of Health in her HUE said about the partnership:
“We were intentional about making sure that all of the providers who join the platform self opt-in. They identify as a provider who is either a provider of color [and/or] a provider committed to providing equitable healthcare and culturally sensitive care for women.”
Learn more here.
The Brief:
Cohort graduate Cassie Choi was recently interviewed in Forbes to discuss the impact of Pair Team, their work with making healthcare more accessible and Mediciad.
Here's a quick quote:
“We see the opportunity to forge the path forward for how our nation thinks about caring for our most vulnerable community members, and if we do it well, how investing in these communities will reduce our nation’s ballooning healthcare costs without sacrificing outcomes along the way."
Dive into the full article here.
The Brief:
Big news for our 1501 Health cohort, Visana Health, a virtual women's health clinic. The team recently raised $10.1M in seed funding.
Visana Health connects patients to care teams, including OBGYNs, nurse practitioners, care coordinators and coaches. In addition to the reproductive health services it provides, it also offers services like behavioral health and nutrition.
Shelly Lanning, co-founder and president of Visana, shared a bit more about the program in MedCity News:
“Every woman who comes in can have a customized treatment plan that is unique to her symptoms, her conditions and her healthcare needs.”
Read more about this exciting development here.
The Brief:
In addition to the Aveeno partnershi, Ashlee Wisdom was also recently featured on the Yale Insights blog.
Here's a quick look at her spotlight:
"Ashlee Wisdom has a master’s of public health from NYU, and her lived experience, as a Black woman seeking healthcare, led her to realize that one of the reasons that Black women have poor health outcomes—and the data shows that Black women have among the poorest health outcomes in the U.S.—is that they don’t receive culturally responsive care.
A lot of people are talking about the lack of trust between Black people and the U.S. healthcare system. But they talk about it as if it’s the lack of trust itself that’s the problem, not the root causes and events that led to that lack of trust.
Ashlee’s company Health In Her HUE is a for-profit company—she’s raising venture capital funding—that aims to help Black women find providers who look like them and other culturally responsive providers.
She started Health In Her HUE to help more Black women feel that they can connect with culturally responsive providers that they can have those conversations with."
Read more here.
The Brief:
The Minnesota Board on Aging is awarding $750,000 to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, promote early diagnosis, and connect caregivers to resources.
1501 Health cohort company, MapHabit is one of the recipients. The team was granted $51,742 to start pilot projects in St. Paul and Granite Falls.
MapHabit's interactive program improves the quality of life for people living for people with dementia, and offers education, task mapping, and scheduling for family and friend caregivers.
Learn more here.
The Brief:
Founders of 1501 Health cohort Athelo Health, Jessica Thurmond and Monica Schmiede, were interviewed on the Health+Tech podcast series by McGuire Woods. In the episode, they discuss Athelo Health’s mission, how they use biometric data to support patients, the role of digital health tools in educating patients, and how to improve access to care.
Listen on YouTube here.
The Brief:
Liz Hamburg, Founder and CEO of Candoo Tech, joined the Art of Aging podcast to discuss the importance of digital equity among older adults and how Candoo Tech provides remote tech support and training to help them stay connected and independent. They also explore inclusive design, overcoming physiological challenges, and the impact of digital connectivity on social connections.
Tune into the episode here.
About 1501 Health
1501 Health is a unique partnership between Healthworx and LifeBridge Health, representing expertise in both health insurance and financing (payers) and healthcare delivery and services (providers). The investment and incubation program empowers entrepreneurs to get their innovative solutions to market and expand their impact in healthcare quality, access and affordability. To learn more about 1501Health, visit www.1501Health.com.
About Healthworx
Healthworx operates at the intersection of healthcare and innovation by creating, co-creating and investing in companies that are improving healthcare quality, accessibility, affordability and equity. As the innovation and investment arm of CareFirst, Healthworx envisions a healthier future for all people by changing the way health works. To learn more about Healthworx, visit https://www.healthworx.com.
About LifeBridge Health
LifeBridge Health is one of the largest, most comprehensive providers of health services in Maryland. LifeBridge Health includes Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Northwest Hospital, Carroll Hospital, Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital, Grace Medical Center and related affiliates. For more information, visit www.lifebridgehealth.org.