First Stop Health provides connected, whole-person virtual care that people love. Patients can talk with providers 24/7 via app, website or with a call. Pulse 2.0 interviewed First Stop Health’s CEO Teira Gunlock to learn more about the company.
Teira Gunlock’s Background
Could you tell me more about your background? Gunlock said:
“Growing up on a cattle farm in Missouri taught me a crucial lesson: nothing stays fixed forever. That meant problems—whether they were broken fences or stubborn machinery—needed small, thoughtful solutions every single day. That mindset carried me from Missouri to the world of healthcare, where I apply the same steady, problem-solving approach.”
“With a BA in Philosophy and a Master’s in Healthcare Administration from the University of Missouri, I spent seven years diving into healthcare market research. Then I returned to my first love: making healthcare easier to access. When I joined First Stop Health in 2015, it was like a perfect match: using creative solutions to tackle complex healthcare challenges. And just like fixing fences back on the farm, transforming healthcare isn’t a one-and-done kind of job. It’s an ongoing journey to improve affordability, access, and experience for everyone involved.”
“As CEO of First Stop Health, I oversee the big picture: ensuring we deliver care that’s affordable, accessible, and enjoyable. Over the past decade, I’ve had my hands in nearly every corner of the business—from product development to physician network management, and even client care and sales. Today, my role is all about driving growth, impact, and innovation in virtual care.”
Favorite Memory
What has been your favorite memory working for the company so far? Gunlock reflected:
“It might surprise you, but my favorite memory is from March 2020—right when COVID shut the world down. It was a whirlwind: public health was scrambling to guide us, employers were fighting to protect their teams, and we were doing everything possible to help our patients amid the chaos. The keyword for that time? Resilience.”
“Our team saw patient volume triple, yet we adapted on the fly. Yes, wait times went from an average of five minutes to about 15, but we continued delivering great care. Patients with pink eye, UTIs, or COVID concerns got what they needed without sitting in crowded waiting rooms. It felt amazing to contribute something so essential in such a critical time.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Gunlock explained:
“First Stop Health offers 24/7 virtual care that’s as easy as it is effective. Whether you’re looking for mental health support, primary care, or urgent care, we’ve got you covered through an app, website, or even just a phone call. We’re all about breaking down barriers—be it cost, access, or the intimidation factor—so care is within reach for everyone.”
“We create a seamless experience for patients, provide cost-saving solutions for employers, and give our providers a flexible, tech-friendly career path. Basically, we’re not just rethinking telehealth; we’re reshaping healthcare itself.”
Challenges Faced
Have you faced any challenges in your sector of work recently? Gunlock acknowledged:
“Mental health has been a major challenge for employees and employers alike. The demand is surging, but care is often costly and hard to find. In response, we introduced a virtual mental health solution during the pandemic. Now, we’re stepping it up with a comprehensive offering that includes therapy, medication management, and coaching. By listening to our employer clients and their workforce needs, we’ve created a solution to help bridge this critical gap in care.”
Evolution Of The Company’s Technology
How has the company’s technology evolved since launching? Gunlock noted:
“We’ve come a long way from the basics. Patients can now explore care options, book visits, and connect with providers all within our intuitive app or website. For those in low-bandwidth areas, a simple phone call gets the job done. By making virtual care this seamless, we’re not just improving healthcare accessibility; we’re deepening the trust and connection between patients and providers.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Gunlock cited:
“We were one of the first virtual care providers to enter the space back in 2011. When we started, we offered telemedicine care for basic urgent care complaints: UTIs, sinus issues, ear infections. Now, we’ve evolved to serve the whole person, not just their episodic ailments, offering services like behavioral health, primary care, dietitian support, smoking cessation, and more.”
“2015 was a year of major milestones for us. Aside from being the year I joined the company, we restructured our model to focus on reaching small to mid-sized employers through benefits brokers; this simple model remains our primary focus, allowing us to sell our services on a Per Employee Per Month (PEPM) basis with no cost to the employee.”
“It was also when we started guaranteeing our performance. Today, that’s evolved to us putting 100% of our fees at risk based on either a utilization or savings guarantee.”
“In 2017, we hit over 100,000 people served. Then, during the pandemic, we launched our behavioral health services in 2020, followed up by our primary care offering in 2022.”
“Now we’re expanding to whole mental healthcare. Through all of our offerings, we’re proud to serve over a million lives across 1,200 employers, with many more milestones still to come.”
— 2011: Among the first in virtual care, starting with urgent care services.
— 2015: Rebuilt our model to focus on mid-sized employers with a PEPM structure and began guaranteeing our results.
— 2017: Celebrated 100,000 lives served.
— 2020: Launched behavioral health services.
— 2022: Introduced virtual primary care.
— 2023: Acquired Sentry Health to enhance our primary care offering through adding Registered Dieticians, Diabetes Educators, Health Coaches, and other key talent.
— 2024: Offering comprehensive mental health solutions.
Today, we’re proud to serve over a million lives across 1,200 employers, and we’re not stopping anytime soon!”
Customer Success Stories
When asking Gunlock about customer success stories, she highlighted:
“One success story that comes to mind is Janet, a bank employee in her early forties, who is also the primary caretaker for her three children and one elderly parent.”
“Initially engaged through a health survey at her employer’s onsite checkup event, Janet was directed to a First Stop Health primary care physician. There, she worked on an appropriate treatment plan for the issues she identified: back pain, depression, & high-risk Type 2 Diabetes.”
“With our full-person approach, Janet’s PCP was able to coordinate both physical care for her back pain, begin mental health treatment, and align on a strategy to manage her blood pressure and cholesterol. Janet was able to receive integrated primary, mental health, and preventative care through First Stop Health. In the end, she completed nine visits over the course of the year, lowered her blood pressure and A1c levels, lost weight, and avoided back surgery through a physical therapy regimen.”
“That’s one example, but it’s emblematic of our integrated, whole-person approach to care delivery.”
Revenue
When asking Gunlock about the company’s revenue, she revealed:
“We’re happy to share that we are profitable and focused on continuing our incredible growth – organically nearly 40% this year – and expansion of our offerings to provide more people with the affordable, delightful care they deserve.”
Total Addressable Market
What total addressable market (TAM) size is the company pursuing? Gunlock assessed:
“We target underserved small- and medium-sized businesses with tailored solutions to provide cost-effective care that meets their unique needs. As we double down on the SMB market, expand into adjacent spaces , and collaborate with benefits brokers and consultants to bring our services to additional employers, we’re confident we’ll continue to provide more care to more people – and closer to our goal of ensuring every employee receives affordable, enjoyable healthcare experience.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Gunlock affirmed:
“We’re different because patients love us, and we put our money where our mouth is. Our NPS score is +80, compared to an industry average that often ranges between +30 and +50 . We get patients engaged and keep them that way.”
“On top of that, First Stop Health puts 100% of our fees at risk through either a utilization or savings guarantee – ensuring clients are paying only for the services and benefits they receive. Our commitment to affordability allows us to prioritize services that add tangible value to the employer and the employee – like primary and mental health care. With a combined direct and virtual care model, we’re able to provide quality care at lower prices, and eliminate the overhead that is driving care costs up.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the future company goals? Gunlock concluded:
“Our mission is to deliver the best, most enjoyable, and effective healthcare experience. By focusing on whole-person health outcomes and prioritizing high engagement, we’re committed to providing essential care that employees need—while saving money for them and their employers.”
“Starting January 1, we’re thrilled to launch our comprehensive mental health services, which cover a full spectrum of support, from prescription management to licensed therapy and mental health coaching. With this expansion into whole-person healthcare, we’re excited to reach more patients and employer clients nationwide.”
