Meet Tia’s Inaugural Changemakers in Women’s Health

Yesterday, I wrote about the ways in which the healthcare system is failing women, who are faced with a “triple threat” when it comes to access and outcomes — between a worsening primary care shortage, a widespread mental health epidemic, and an urgent reproductive health crisis.

At Tia, we’re tackling the triple threat in our care model by integrating primary care, mental health, and reproductive health into a first-of-its-kind medical home for women that helps women get and stay truly well.

But we can’t do it alone. Put simply, the threats facing women in America are too vast. The triple threat requires systemic change and innovation from across the public and private sector — and a collaborative approach in which women support other women shapers, builders, and makers across the industry. In honor of International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating leaders who are advocating for and building towards change that addresses each “threat”: primary/preventative health, mental health, and reproductive health. We asked each featured changemaker a few questions about the barriers facing women today and opportunities for change. Here’s what they told us:

#1 Primary & Preventive Healthcare:

Today we’re faced with a dramatic and worsening primary care physician shortage, which is particularly severe among reproductive-aged women, 60% of whom do not have a primary care provider. We’re inspired by the amazing women leading companies that fill access gaps in primary and preventive care, from dedicated solutions like Elektra — which focuses on menopause support — and FOLX — which provides affirming care for the LGBTQIA+ community — to value-based care companies like Cityblock Health, which delivers medical, behavioral health, and social services to underserved communities. Here’s what we heard from the women at the helm of these companies:

#2: Mental Healthcare

Often described as the “second pandemic,” the mental health crisis in the US — exacerbated by COVID — disproportionately affects women, who experience anxiety & depression at 2-3X the rate of men. It’s been exciting to see a proliferation of solutions aimed at increasing access to mental healthcare and leveraging technology to do so. We’re thrilled to highlight three female-led companies working to solve the mental health crisis, including Spring Health — which provides mental health benefits to employers — Going Digital: Behavioral Health Tech — a community and media business committed to expanding access to mental health through technology — and Oasis for Girls — a nonprofit for girls and young women from under-resourced communities that incorporates mental health support.

#3: Reproductive Healthcare

In the wake of the Dobbs decision, which exacerbated inequities and barriers to access to safe and legal abortion, the urgent reproductive healthcare crisis has reached a fever pitch. The U.S. has the highest rate of maternal mortality among industrialized nations, negligible postpartum care — with 50% of deaths happening after a woman leaves a hospital — and disproportionate outcomes based on race and ethnicity.  And all too often, women living in zip codes with the highest rates of maternal mortality are also “maternity care desserts” with partial or total abortion bans.

There’s no shortage of women building incredible companies across the reproductive spectrum — from fertility solutions like Cofertility and reproductive and sexual health platforms like LOOM to medication abortion trailblazers like Hey Jane.

These incredible leaders are just a few of the countless women fighting for structural change in the healthcare system everyday — whether through front line care delivery, private sector innovation, public sector reform, or acts of self-care and caregiving.

I am proud to be among such inspiring women forging solutions to the “triple threat” facing women. This International Women’s Day, I hope you take a moment to celebrate the inspiring changemakers on this list, and the female changemakers in your life.