In the United States, over 35 million women live with an autoimmune disease1, yet less than 1% of women’s health funding is allocated to these conditions2. The impact is extensive: women often spend years trying to get a diagnosis, face daily symptoms that disrupt work and family life, and have
The Disproportionate Burden of Autoimmune Disease in Women Autoimmune disease is a women’s health issue! Autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases (AIIDs) afflict more than 35 million women in the United States alone1. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 75-80% of autoimmune patients are female. These disparities are most evident
The intersection of menopause and autoimmune disease represents a crucial yet underexplored aspect of women’s health. With 80% of autoimmune patients being female and millions of women experiencing menopause each year, understanding this connection is vital for improving health outcomes. The hormonal changes during menopause don’t just mark a life
Having dedicated decades to autoimmune patient advocacy, I have witnessed the remarkable emergence of patient voices in rheumatology, supported by the tools of the digital world, most directly by novel communication modes such as social media that support online communities. Thus, my virtual-first, digital rheumatology clinic rheumission was built on
In my mission to connect with autoimmune advocates, I have also collaborated with forerunners of patient advocacy and healthcare innovation. Advocacy spans beyond social media, and delves into the sectors of digital health, consulting, and innovation. In this second part, we’ll dive deeper into the dynamic world of advocacy, where
Why is a patient-first strategy mission-critical for digital health companies? My passion for strategic patient-first care is built on decades of living with autoimmune disease and advocacy for the invisible autoimmune epidemic. Despite affecting as many people, autoimmune is 50 years behind cancer: under-recognized, under-researched, and with mostly underserved patients.
Digitally enabled, virtual first care (V1C) offers a potential solution to convoluted autoimmune patient journeys. V1C especially offers significant advantages for autoimmune and inflammatory disease (AIID) patients in accessing specialized care. Virtual specialist practices get patients to a rheumatologist or gastroenterologist much faster (days rather than months) and with less
Many Convoluted Stages Along AIID Patient Journeys The convoluted journey of patients with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases (AIIDs) has many stages. Each stage presents challenges that may cause patients to drop out before they get the care they need. Unlike cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, there are no population screening
Slow & Uncoordinated Path to Diagnosis & Treatment Today, autoimmune patient journeys are typically long, convoluted, and frustrating; from first awareness of symptoms to scheduling medical visits, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term care. Since many autoimmune & inflammatory diseases (AIIDs) emerge in youth or middle age and last a lifetime, the
Invisible Epidemic of Autoimmune Disease As we continue to illuminate the hidden costs of the long-ignored epidemic of autoimmune disease (AIID), we must shine a light on the highest autoimmune cost: Specialty pharmaceuticals. Current data largely underestimate total AIID costs, and accurate numbers are few and far between. Through our