BOSTON — As the United States continues to face a growing physician shortage, many patients are finding it harder to access timely care. A Massachusetts-based virtual health company is working to help women overcome some of those challenges by connecting them with specialized nutrition counseling covered by insurance.
Erin Gaudreau, a working mother preparing for another round of IVF while also navigating perimenopause, said finding affordable nutrition support was difficult.
“There are a lot of nutrition organizations out there that you can find a provider, and then you find out its self-pay and it’s $200 a session,” Gaudreau said. “That’s just not sustainable for a lot of women.”
Gaudreau discovered Coord Health at a community event in South Boston and learned she could receive virtual nutrition counseling through her insurance at no cost. She said the ability to bill services directly to insurance provided significant peace of mind.
The company was founded by Christina Vosbikian, who said the idea grew out of time spent shadowing physicians and seeing firsthand the limitations of the healthcare system.
“When you’re at your OB-GYN, you’re going through some of the biggest changes in your life, and there’s so much more that needs to be done that amazing doctors just candidly don’t have time for because of systemic strain,” Vosbikian said.
Coord Health provides virtual nutrition counseling tailored to women experiencing health concerns such as gestational diabetes, menopause, fertility challenges, and other life-stage transitions. Patients can receive a referral from their doctor or sign up directly through the company’s website before being matched with a Massachusetts-certified registered dietitian. All appointments are virtual.
“It’s just really nice to have a group that just like gets it,” said Gaudreau. “You don’t have to explain the complications of your schedule and being a working mom because they just know, because they are too.”
Vosbikian said long wait times and complicated referral processes often discourage people from seeking care.
“If things aren’t readily accessible and pretty immediately there, and if systems aren’t smooth, it just decreases the likelihood of women getting care,” said Vosbikian.
The company also aims to combat misinformation that patients often encounter online while searching for health advice. Vosbikian said women can be especially vulnerable to misleading health content on social media during significant life changes.
“We’re really trying to get right in that doom spiral and kind of disrupt it so that women don’t have to navigate that, because it’s pretty horrible once you start scrolling what’s out there,” said Vosbikian. “And it’s by design, because that what gets you to spend money, and it’s what makes women scared enough to do that.”
For Gaudreau, the support has been valuable not only because of the professional guidance, but also because of the shared understanding among providers.
“It’s just really nice to have a group that gets it,” she said. “You don’t have to explain the complications of your schedule and being a working mom because they just know, because they are too.”
More than 1,000 patients have signed up since Coord Health launched just over a year ago. Coord Health says it accepts most commercial insurance plans in Massachusetts, with approximately 95% of patients paying nothing out of pocket for its virtual services.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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