Herself Health – a healthcare company providing comprehensive primary care to women over age 65 – recently announced it raised a $26 million Series A, with Michael Cline of Accretive serving as the lead investor. And the latest funding round comes just six months after the company raised $7 million in Seed funding. Herself Health currently operates one clinic in St. Paul, Minnesota with plans to expand its footprint substantially over the coming 18 months.
Herself Health launched in 2022 to provide value-based care to women 65+, focusing on helping them feel seen and heard as they age in a way that the current healthcare system does not provide. And the company utilizes a holistic approach that goes beyond labs, medication, imaging, more doctors, and surgery and looks at the whole picture of a patient’s health and wellness, including mobility, mental health, social and behavioral health, the patient’s life journey, and quality of life. Herself Health is working to ensure each one of its patients is properly cared for, listened to, and supported through this stage of their lives.
With this new funding round, Herself Health is investing in three key areas of growth:
1.) Clinic Expansion – The company is launching two more clinics in the broader Minneapolis-St. Paul region in 2023, and planning additional clinics based on patient demand in the coming 18 months. They will also add at least one new market in 2024.
2.) Digital/In-Person/Community Offerings – Herself Health has seen success in delivering virtual care to its patients for follow-up visits or for those who live too far from the physical clinic. The company is planning to expand virtual care as well as in-person care and community engagement offerings.
3.) Company growth – Herself Health is building a world-class team of physicians, nurses, and medical assistants to serve women 65+. This funding allows the company to attract and train new talent.
The company offers comprehensive primary care that looks at the whole picture of a patient’s health and wellness. And this includes whole person approach (the entire picture of a patient’s health and wellness, including mobility, mental health, social and behavioral health, and the patient’s life journey); Understanding what matters to her (Customized care plans, regular dialogue, and active listening to help patients achieve goals); female-focused care (Female-focused and age-conscious services designed to address health and wellness issues); Care planning (Genuine relationships and meaningful support from doctors).
Herself Health recently conducted interviews with more than 700 women 65+, which demonstrated the need for comprehensive primary care services tailored for them. And the interviews revealed that women in this age group frequently encounter doctors who do not listen to their concerns and fail to prioritize their unique needs. Further findings include that women in this age group are:
— 4x times more likely than men to be diagnosed with osteoporosis.
— 3x times more likely than men to have autoimmune diseases such as arthritis.
— 2x times more likely than men to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
— 33% more likely to be misdiagnosed than men.
— 43% less likely than men to receive a chronic heart disease diagnosis.
— 34% less likely to receive cardiac medication.
— 33% more likely to be misdiagnosed following a stroke.
Women face unique social and medical challenges as they age, but most senior care is usually one-size-fits-all. Herself Health was built to change that.
The company has raised $33 million to date.
KEY QUOTES:
“Women 65+ face unique health and social challenges as they age, and for far too long, their concerns, needs, and desires have been ignored. That’s why we are designing Herself Health to be the value-based solution to improve outcomes and help women find joy, purpose, and better quality of life. Our fundamental goal is to elevate the patient experience and provide meaningful in-person and virtual support that provides women 65+ with a primary care experience designed specifically for them. In the few months since our launch, the incredible interest from patients clearly demonstrates that this model was desperately needed. This funding will allow us to expand our physical footprint, grow our digital, in-person, and community offerings and continue to build a world-class team of providers and experts to serve this community in the manner they deserve.”
— Kristen Helton, CEO of Herself Health
“Herself Health is addressing a long-neglected segment of the population with thoughtful, differentiated primary care services. This approach has the potential to fundamentally change the way women 65+ across the United States experience health care and start a long overdue conversation about the unique health and wellness needs these women have. I could not be more thrilled to work alongside Herself Health, Kristen Helton, and the outstanding team bringing these services to the women who need them most.”
— Michael Cline of Accretive
