Today we’d like to introduce you to Shweta Patel.
Hi Shweta, please start by introducing yourself. We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
My journey in advocating for women and their health started when I became a gynecologist. Throughout my profession, both in medicine and in the military, I saw the same trend- women pouring from their cup as if it was bottomless. The tendency to want to care for everyone else is innate, even for me. However, it also has a constant, low-grade” running on fumes” feeling. Our healthcare system is not set up to foster self-care. Frankly, neither is our society. We often glorify selflessness. Self. Less. Ness. – in all of our roles- Mother, Wife, Daughter, and Doctor.
How about we try Self.First.Ness for a change? That is why I created the women’s healthcare startup: Gaya Wellness
You wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been smooth?
Is anything worthwhile ever? The biggest challenge was transforming this vision into a reality in a traditional brick-and-mortar practice. Despite my best efforts, delivering a comprehensive wellness experience seemed very challenging in a 5-minute time slot. It was also fiscally incompatible with our current healthcare model ( Read: profitable). We were going to have to operate in a leaner fashion if we were to provide better care to our patients. Cue Telehealth. Because of Covid 19, Telehealth opened avenues in medicine that had not been considered before. Women’s health, however, was not an early adapter like some other specialties. Overcoming the misconceptions of what “Women’s Virtual Care” would look like has been another obstacle we have been slowly chipping away at.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Gaya Wellness: An integrative and innovative way to care for women care for the whole of you, not the segmented version that has to see 4 different doctors to get to the root cause of their concerns. That’s reactive. We like proactive. Gaya focuses on developing a relationship with you. We want to spend time discussing your concerns and answering questions. We want to discuss your health with the whole of you. We want to make you feel comfortable and empowered by your visit. Oh. And we want to do all this while making it unbelievably convenient, efficient, and affordable. We intend to fortify rather than replace the traditional ob-gyn visit. When a woman schedules a visit with us, she can conduct her visit from anywhere- home, office, car, in between child shuttling, or work out schedules. We create a wellness plan tailored to her needs- including equipping her with up-to-date information about routine screening ( pap smears or mammograms), treatment options, weight loss and hormonal support, and more. We also help her coordinate her in-person care- whether with her existing Ob/Gyn or she chooses one of our preferred OB/GYNs partners. We coordinate the back office processes, such as following up on lab results, addressing PA needs, and following up on care plans – essentially serving as a personal wellness team for her. The result is a streamlined, comprehensive, and effective experience on her turf and terms. That’s how we make things better. That’s how we transform women’s health care.
What do you think about happiness?
- When I see a lightbulb go on for someone, I am interacting with. I love helping people realize the possibilities.
- Dogs: My dogs ( all four), My family’s dogs. Any dogs. All dogs. Heaven forbid you put me in front of a puppy- game over. Instant euphoria. And ovulation.
- My Daybed Swing: The best $150 I have ever spent at Walmart.
Pricing:
- $69.99 for a Telehealth Visit
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gayawellness.org
