What challenges or gaps in care are you focused on?

All of them.  I am an internist, by training and previous practice, so I come to the area of women’s health with a focus on not only “bikini medicine”, but the whole woman, including chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and mental health concerns, as well as the factors that impact on their health and healthcare.

I host the podcast Beyond the Paper Gown, focusing on those factors that impact our health, so that women can be more empowered to advocate for themselves:

• Medical conditions that manifest differently, predominately or exclusively in women which goes beyond bikini medicine to include areas such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, autoimmune disease and osteoporosis, to name a few
• Research that has –or in many cases, has not—been done on women’s health issues, including those that manifest differently in men and women
• Medical education and bias in the medical profession
• Policies and politics
• Social determinants of health
• Innovations—many of which are borne out of the lack of solutions for women’s health issues

As an investor, I consider the pain points in the market, the gaps with respect to solutions and the viability of the product.  I have also seen the challenge with respect to gaining regulatory approval due to a lack of knowledge or understanding of women’s health issues. In addition, there is a gap in funding women-led companies (which many of these women’s health companies are) and especially a gap in funding women’s health companies.

What initiatives are you currently spearheading to improve health?

• My Podcast, Website and Community Beyond the paper Gown (see above), aimed at empowering and informing women to attain optimal health.
• Angel investment through Golden Seeds, Portfolia and advisory councils such as Springboard’s Women’s Health Innovation Coalition to fund new innoations and solutions to women’s health challenges.
• Early stages of creating a company aimed at women’s integrated health care delivery.

What necessary collaborations/partnerships have you established within and/or outside of your organization in developing your initiatives?

• Angel and Venture organizations, incubators
• Non-profits such as the Black Women’s Health Imperative
• Podcast network—we are a member of the OffScrip Health Media Network

What is your measurement criteria for success/or current measurable improvements have you realized from the initiative?

• Podcast: Audience, feedback, and outreach to us for more information and speaking engagement
• Investments:  funding, milestones, metrics and revenue

What gives your hope for the future in health care?

• The innovators—most are women with their own pain points and they have created solutions, and in so doing, also generated data that can be used for designing future endeavors and serving women better
• Technology has been a great enabler and provided more opportunity for outreach and access to care
• More understanding and appreciation for reducing bias in health care
• More women in biomedical sciences, clinical settings, leadership, entrepreneurship, and funding, as well as in government
• More informed and empowered consumers