Talkspace and Ovia Health partner to launch the Women’s Health Coalition for Digital Solutions

Initial Coalition members include Conceive, Evernow, FitOn, Nurx, Cove, and Nutrium,

In April, telemedicine-based therapy provider Talkspace unveiled a partnership with specialty telemedicine company Thirty Madison, which operates Nurx, a provider of specialty, comprehensive care in women's health, and Cove, a virtual clinic treating migraines, to expand mental health access for women.

Earlier this week, the company took another step in that same direction, announcing a new partnership with Ovia Health by Labcorp, a digital health solution for women, families and family-building, to launch the Women’s Health Coalition for Digital Solutions, a coalition of companies leveraging technology, innovation, and collaboration to advance women’s health and well-being. 

In addition to Talkspace and Ovia, the founding group of member companies include Nurx and Cove, along with Toronto-based fertility and pregnancy support platform Conceive; personalized online menopause care Evernow; home exercise platform FitOn; and Portuguese nutrition counseling platform Nutrium.

The aim of the Women’s Health Coalition is to advance women’s health through technology-driven solutions, education, and advocacy, with the member companies platforms communicating and collaborating so they can integrate women's health services by enhancing employer benefits coverage.

The companies will also combine forces to advocate for workplaces that promote women's health equity and access to comprehensive healthcare, starting with their own employees; provide public resources and support to employers and organizations to empower women to take control of their health and wellness journey; promote awareness and destigmatization of women's health issues through thought leadership and focused initiatives; and foster innovation in women's health technology by encouraging research and development.

Talkspace matches its members with one of thousands of licensed therapists within days and can engage in live video, audio, or chat sessions, and/or unlimited asynchronous text messaging sessions. The company also provides psychiatry services and prescription fulfillment, adolescent therapy, and couples counseling.

More than 130 million Americans have access to Talkspace through their health insurance plans, employee assistance programs, our partnerships with leading healthcare companies, or as a free benefit through their employer, school, or government agency.

Ovia Health by Labcorp, meanwhile, is a family health solution that identifies and intervenes with high-risk conditions. It has over 50 clinical programs, including predictive coaching and personalized care plans, that help prevent unnecessary health care costs, improve health outcomes and foster a family-friendly workplace that increases retention and return to work. Since 2012, the company has served more than 22 million family and parenthood journeys. 

The Women’s Health Coalition is necessary to fill in gaps that currently exist for women in the healthcare space: out-of-pocket healthcare costs for employed women in the U.S. are estimated to be $15 billion higher per year than for employed men, according to a Deloitte analysis. Additionally, more than one-third of U.S. women report they have skipped needed medical care because of high costs, according to a Commonwealth Fund study.

There's also a gap when it comes to mental health care for women: while 50% of women say they needed mental health services, compared to 35% of men, only half of those women have tried and were able to get an appointment for care, while 10% tried but were unable to get an appointment, and 40% did not seek care at all.

“Talkspace and the charter members of the Women’s Health Coalition have come together to help create a world where every woman has access to high-quality, holistic healthcare tailored to her unique needs,” Natalie Cummins, Chief Business Officer at Talkspace, said in a statement.

“Recognizing the connectedness of mental and physical health, as well as the market demand for comprehensive women’s health solutions, the Coalition furthers our mission to make mental health care more accessible by collaborating with the preeminent women's health leaders in the digital health space.”

(Image source: healthkart.com)