iCareBetter Inc.

What will the future of endometriosis and pelvic health practice look like? The future of endometriosis and pelvic health practice is poised for significant advancements. The focus will be on earlier diagnosis, personalized treatments, and comprehensive care approaches. Key developments will include: 1. Enhanced Diagnostic Techniques: a. Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI is being utilized to improve the accuracy and speed of endometriosis diagnosis. For instance, projects like Matricis.ai analyze MRI images to detect endometriosis more reliably, potentially reducing the need for invasive procedures. b. Non-Invasive Biomarkers: Research is ongoing to identify specific biomarkers that can be detected through blood tests, aiming to diagnose endometriosis without surgical intervention. 2. Personalized and Innovative Treatments: a. Hormonal Therapies: Advancements in hormonal treatments offer symptom relief with fewer side effects. b. Minimally Invasive Surgeries: New techniques are emerging, providing less invasive options for treating pelvic conditions, potentially reducing recovery times and complications. c. Regenerative Medicine: Exploration into stem cell therapies and regenerative techniques aims to repair damaged tissues and restore normal function, offering hope for more effective treatments. 3. Comprehensive Care Models: a. Multidisciplinary Approaches: Integrating gynecologists, pain specialists, physical therapists, and mental health professionals ensures holistic care, addressing both physical and psychological aspects of endometriosis and pelvic pain. b. Patient Education and Support: New initiatives are being developed to reduce societal stigma and provide support for those with chronic pelvic pain, enhancing patient engagement and self-management. 4. Policy and Awareness Initiatives: a. Government Investments: Countries are allocating funds to improve endometriosis care. For example, the Australian government has invested $49.1 million to support longer specialist consultations and train nurses in regional areas, aiming to reduce diagnosis delays and improve treatment access. b. Public Awareness Campaigns: Efforts to increase awareness and education about endometriosis are crucial for early diagnosis and reducing stigma, leading to better health outcomes. These advancements aim to transform endometriosis and pelvic health practice. They offer hope for improved patient outcomes and quality of life. #endometriosis

Could Forward Health Survive in Endometriosis Space? Forward Health is closing. It was a tech-enabled primary care clinic that charged about $150 per month and offered a certain number of visits. However, it did not work. Some suggested that this model could work in specialty clinics. So here is my experience with a similar model in endometriosis. Based on the market needs, we launched a cash-pay subscription-based holistic endometriosis clinic to offer non-surgical care such as diet, hormone balance therapy, chronic care management, and disease recurrence monitoring. The fee for patients was $150 per month. As we started seeing patients, we realized we were losing money on each patient monthly. By doing some calculations, we learned that the right price for our services to make a difference in patients' lives and make some profit would be around $1000 per month to help with only some of the patients' issues and not all. However, $1000 per month is too much for this population because they are already in pain, can not work much, and mostly need a cash-based surgery that costs them 10s of thousands. We also considered accepting insurance, but for over 80% of procedures, the reimbursement would only pay for the cost, and there would have been no profit left. The 20% of the procedures that could make a profit were unnecessary for most patients. Surprising lessons that we learned from this experience: -The level of demand is sky-high. We were at about 20% of practice daily capacity within 8 weeks. These patients need much help and guidance and are ready to receive it without hesitation. Whenever we gave them advice or referral recommendations and facilitated them, they took them. -Most of the patients had no previous experience working with resources such as dietitians, hormone therapists, etc. -In this subscription model, you would hope the usage is below the fee. But when you are dealing with chronically ill patients, that is probably not going to happen. We are back to the whiteboard to find a model that can help patients meaningfully and be profitable at the same time.

Looking forward to our upcoming session this Saturday @AAGL Deep #endometriosis 🎗️Hysterectomy DOES NOT treat #endometriosis ‼️@endostats @newsforendo @EndoWhat @EuroEndoLeague @EndoEICE @EndometriosisUK @Endofound Abhishek Mangeshikar Harald Krentel #TedLee

How to Become an Endometriosis Expert: Training Path I am not an endometriosis surgeon. However, I have helped develop a vetting process that recognizes top endometriosis surgeons by reviewing their surgical videos. It is a double-blind process. The reviewers are experts in endometriosis surgery. Since we launched this vetting program, I have seen hundreds of review results and comments. So, based on the review outcome data, I can claim some knowledge about what training can make someone a top endometriosis surgeon who can pass iCareBetter vetting. This post can help OBGYN residents and GYN fellows map out their training to achieve top expertise. Advanced training in endometriosis diagnosis and treatment Advanced training helps doctors become skilled in multiple aspects of endometriosis care. The complete training model has the following: - Diagnostic imaging techniques and interpretation - Surgical management of the disease - Hormonal treatment protocols - Pain management strategies - Reproductive medicine expertise - Psychosomatic medicine understanding - Post-surgical treatment planning Specialists must complete training at certified endometriosis centers. They work directly with patients and learn different treatment approaches. This specialized training prepares doctors to deliver complete care to their patients. Surgical skills development Surgical expertise is crucial for endometriosis specialists. Training programs must help doctors become skilled at laparoscopic or robotic excision of endometriosis. Surgeons need to develop proficiency in several specific techniques. - Advanced Surgical Skills: - Surgical preparation by imaging studies - Comprehensive assessment of the pelvic and abdominal organs during the surgery - Removal of deep infiltrating endometriosis - Parametrial dissection techniques - Ureterolysis and ureteral procedures - Rectal surgery techniques - Nerve-sparing deep pelvic preparation - Endometriomas - Recto-vaginal septum endometriosis Surgical training combines simulation-based learning with supervised practical experience. Specialists enhance their skills through workshops and specialized courses. At the end of their training, doctors must excel in minimally invasive surgical techniques for removing endometriosis lesions. LinkedIn has a character limit, so I could only include part of the article here. Please go to this link if you would like to read more. https://lnkd.in/eUsCW2FD

Dear friends and colleagues of #endometriosis #imaging! #Scientific and #innovation #abstracts are Due Oct.31st for oral presentations! Don’t miss your opportunity to share your ideas with Endo imagers from around the world! 🌎 Also, #sonographer early bird registration is available until Oct. 31st. We are excited to see our alliance partners from Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS) and beyond!!!🤩 https://lnkd.in/gDxSkW8H Isabelle Thomassin-Naggara Dr Vimee Bindra Basu Alin Stefan Constantin Susanne Johnson Luciana Chamie Scott W Young Steven Young Pamela Causa Andrieu Myra Feldman Emad Mikhail Miguel Luna Russo Mana Moassefi

Product-Journey Fit in Women’s Health Products A patient with a endometriosis goes through multiple steps in their care journey. Some of these steps deliver relief but others are ineffective. I am stating the obvious I guess. But … I believe one of the most common misconceptions for entrepreneurs is the “snake oil” trap. Meaning that they are creating something and want to completely reinvent the journey. For example, - Some are creating an app to diagnose and treat endometriosis - Some are creating a test to eliminate the need for diagnostic laparoscopy and Imaging studies - Some are introducing their medications as an answer to all problems in endometriosis. However, when you introduce a new product, it’s extremely important to focus on journey inefficiencies and leave the strengths alone. For example, you can have an app to help with information and instructions but it can not “diagnose and treat” endometriosis with the available options. Or you can have a test to rule in the suspected cases but it cannot replace imaging studies and diagnostic laparoscopy. Likewise, you can invent a hormonal or pain medication for certain periods but it can not be a cure to replace surgery and other interventions. Knowing an endometriosis patient’s journey is critical. And having a clear vision about the product-journey fit should not be overlooked. It has impacted us at iCareBetter Inc. seriously by trying to fix every inefficiency at once. I am hoping to shed light on this so my fellow entrepreneurs can make the right decisions.