Femtech start-up launches first virtual endometriosis centre

Chronic care start-up ELANZA Wellness has launched the first virtual endometriosis centre to help women and assigned female at birth individuals better manage their symptoms from home.

EverythingEndo aims to provide patients with a personalised symptom management plan that combines scientific research, individual data and specialist support.

Members can get medications online, learn about different treatments, meet with specialist care providers and access therapeutic interventions and education virtually. 

The female-founded start-up developed the platform in collaboration with endometriosis patients, gynaecologists, advocates and holistic health providers to help people access knowledge, resources, specialised support and treatment options from the comfort of their own homes.

“People with endometriosis need better support and faster access to effective interventions,” said co-founder and CEO of ELANZA Wellness, Brittany Hawkins.

“For too long the majority of people have had their symptoms dismissed or normalised and over 70 per cent of sufferers are now left with unmanaged pain.

“It’s our aim to change that, layering data insights with specialist, compassionate care designed to take into account the mind and body.”

Hawkins’ co-founder, Catherine Hendy, said: “Endometriosis is so complex that everyone’s journey is different. We provide a supportive space for anyone looking for effective help to address their symptoms.”

In doing so, the team aims to address stark geographical disparities in care, financial barriers to treatment and health provider shortages to help patients find the right treatment.

One in ten women lives with endometriosis, a chronic condition where endometrial-like tissue grows outside the uterus.

The disease is linked to as many as 50 per cent of infertility cases, being acknowledged by public health experts as a crisis on a vast scale.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that “at least” six and a half million women in the US alone have the condition, a figure that rises to as high as 190 million globally.

When accounting for hospital readmissions and repeat doctor or emergency room visits along with loss of workplace productivity, unmanaged endometriosis costs the US economy an estimated US$50bn per year. 

However, symptoms can be successfully treated and disease progression can be slowed or halted with timely intervention, which translates to higher quality of life and lower costs. 

To provide better management of diverse symptoms, ELANZA’s new service conducts an assessment of symptoms and provides private consultations with prescribing physicians and care navigators, as well as a dashboard of education and classes from a range of specialists, including reproductive health nurses, gynaecologists, pain and fertility specialists, nutritionists, breathwork coaches and acupuncturists. 

Classes are available for at-home sessions and accessed through a Peloton-style dashboard within the platform, with members working with a dedicated care navigator to document progress.

The ELANZA team follows the biopsychosocial model of care, which takes into account the social and psychosocial determinants of health.

This approach is consistent with published research showing that a multimodal approach to managing endometriosis can improve functional and quality of life outcomes for people living with endometriosis. 

“We bring the latest evidence-based virtual treatments, products and services together in one place to better connect the dots, using data to faster learn what will move the needle for each individual’s quality of life,” explained Hawkins.

“That’s the exciting part: making strides in better understanding this condition so future generations don’t need to suffer.” 

The start-up, which counts a Stanford Gynecology and Obstetrics Professor Emeritus amongst its clinical advisory, emerged from Techstars New York accelerator and received funding from Human Ventures, Gaingels and the Accel Scout Fund. It has recently joined the Re/Wire development studio run by the consumer health company HALEON.

EverythingEndo is accessible from any device and works either standalone or in complementary tandem with in-office surgical and medical treatments.

For more information, visit elanzawellness.com.