If I had a million dollars to invest today...

The future of healthcare is specialized, preventative healthcare focused on adolescents.

Dogs and children play on the beach at sunset; Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

If I had a million dollars to invest in startups today, I’d put it into healthcare businesses offering specialized, preventative healthcare to youth. Here’s why:

Preventative healthcare is incredibly effective and currently under-invested in.

Preventative healthcare appeals to all sides of the healthcare system – payers, providers, and patients.  Every dollar invested in evidence-based prevention programs generates $5.60 in savings. For patients, seeking preventative healthcare expands both lifespan (years lived) and healthspan (quality of health in years lived). Americans who participate in employer-sponsored health plans focused on preventative care are projected to increase their lifespan from an average of 77.9 years to 90 years. Additionally, while the value of preventative healthcare is recognized in the healthcare system, there is much more room to invest. Preventative healthcare still receives just 2.9% of all healthcare investment dollars.   

Preventative healthcare is more effective the earlier it’s introduced.

Healthy habits (or lack thereof) are formed early. Take nutrition. Poor nutrition is the leading risk factor for early death in the US, and 60% of American adults have a chronic illness that is exacerbated by bad diets. Dietary habits are solidified at a young age, which means preventative healthcare efforts aimed at children would allow kids to form healthier eating habits and stave off chronic disease. For example, the more fatty tissue people develop as children (which is caused by being overweight), the greater their risk for Type 2 diabetes. A similar parallel can be drawn with mental health. If children receive mental healthcare earlier, when their brains are still developing, they can take the practices and self-understanding learned into their most formative years, operating with healthier habits. In addition, with an adolescent mental health crisis happening in our country today (more than 20% of teens report having considered suicide), mental health treatments for teenagers are becoming less preventative and more a necessity.

So… what’s the best form of preventative healthcare? Specialized healthcare.

I’m excited about the evolution of our healthcare system to see patients as one holistic vessel – body, mind, and soul (…beliefs long held in eastern medicine.) I’ve admired companies like Tia that build holistic healthcare for women, offering therapy, dermatology, gynecology, and other forms of care in one place, framing it as a “team” of providers for one patient. This approach seems to increase patient adherence and use of preventative care. 72% of Tia patients report having their diabetes under control, versus the national average of 55%. The same will likely ring true for specialized care for kids.

What does the future look like?

To me, an effective startup in this space will be one that doles out personalized care in an area where early intervention influences outcomes, typically in behavioral health. I’ve been watching startups like pediatric speech and physical therapy company Coral Care or the group therapy startup aimed at teenagers, Marble Health. Being insurance covered (or on track to be) is a prerequisite for success. Of course, the biggest question is whether guardians of these children will buy into this form of care without experiencing the benefits. However, I believe that if the growing investment in our pets has taught us anything, it’s that people are skewing more caring of other beings and their health, not less so.

Other related pieces: HERE is a piece I wrote on the nutrition industry. HERE is one on healthspan.