Dr. Somi Javaid’s journey into women’s healthcare began with a personal experience that shaped her career path. As a pre-med student at Northwestern, she nearly lost her 45-year-old mother to heart disease due to misdiagnosis. This pivotal moment inspired Dr. Javaid to dedicate her career to improving women’s healthcare and addressing critical gaps in the field.

Revolutionizing Women’s Healthcare Innovation

After practicing for nearly a decade, Dr. Javaid recognized the need for a more patient-centered approach to gynecology. She founded Her MD to empower, educate, and advocate for women. Her innovative model includes longer appointment times, insurance-based care, and a focus on gynecology, menopause, and sexual health.

Her MD’s approach has proven so successful that women have traveled from 35 states and three countries to seek care at the Cincinnati location. This demonstrates the significant demand for specialized women’s healthcare services that address often overlooked areas like menopause and sexual health.

Patient-Centered Gynecology: A New Approach to OBGYN Practice Management

Her MD’s model differs from traditional gynecology practices in several key ways:

– Longer appointment times (40-60 minutes) allow for more thorough care and patient education.
– Focus on gynecology, menopause, and sexual health, rather than obstetrics.
– Comprehensive services under one roof, including a medical spa, surgical center, and imaging.
– Insurance-based model to ensure accessibility.

This approach allows Her MD to provide superior outcomes while maintaining financial sustainability. The medical spa and other services generate additional revenue streams that support the longer appointment times and specialized care.

Overcoming Challenges in Healthcare Entrepreneurship

Dr. Javaid acknowledges that building Her MD hasn’t been without challenges. Insurance companies often resist providing adequate reimbursement rates for longer appointments and specialized care. To address this, Her MD has diversified its revenue streams and focused on demonstrating superior outcomes to justify higher rates.

Expanding to new locations and states also presents challenges, particularly in negotiating with insurance companies and maintaining quality control. Dr. Javaid’s approach involves strategic expansion, focusing on adding multiple locations within existing states to maximize impact and operational efficiency.

Work-Life Balance for Doctors: Innovative Staffing Solutions

Her MD has implemented several strategies to improve work-life balance for its providers:

– Limiting patient load to 15-17 patients per day.
– Hiring a third-party service to handle after-hours calls.
– Eliminating weekend work.
– Rotating evening schedules to ensure fair distribution of off-hours.

These measures have helped Her MD attract and retain top talent in a competitive healthcare market. The company’s culture emphasizes growth opportunities and mission-driven work, which resonates with many healthcare professionals seeking alternatives to traditional hospital-based practices.

The Future of Women’s Health Education and Accessibility

Her MD’s commitment to education extends beyond patient care. The company has developed Her University, an internal training program for providers that ensures consistent, evidence-based care across all locations. This program has allowed Her MD to track outcomes and demonstrate the effectiveness of their approach.

Patient education is also a core focus, with Her MD employing a multimodal approach that includes:

– Community events and speaking engagements.
– Social media education and live streaming.
– Newsletters with high engagement rates.
– Comprehensive website resources.
– In-office educational materials.

Looking ahead, Her MD plans to expand its reach by opening more locations in existing markets and exploring telemedicine options. This strategy aims to increase accessibility while maintaining the high standard of care that has become Her MD’s hallmark.

Dr. Javaid’s vision for Her MD extends beyond just growing the company. She sees a critical need for more physician leadership in healthcare and encourages other doctors to consider entrepreneurship or leadership roles within healthcare organizations. This perspective aligns with the growing recognition that effective healthcare solutions require input from those on the front lines of patient care.

As women’s healthcare continues to evolve, Her MD stands as a model for how innovative, patient-centered approaches can address long-standing gaps in care. By combining accessibility with specialized expertise, Her MD is not just treating patients – it’s transforming the landscape of women’s health.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

What makes Her MD different from traditional OBGYN practices?

Her MD offers longer appointment times (40-60 minutes), focuses on gynecology, menopause, and sexual health, and provides comprehensive services under one roof. They also use an insurance-based model to ensure accessibility while maintaining high-quality care.

How does Her MD maintain financial sustainability with longer appointment times?

Her MD diversifies its revenue streams by incorporating a medical spa, surgical center, and imaging services. This allows them to support longer appointment times and specialized care while remaining financially viable.

What strategies does Her MD use to promote work-life balance for its providers?

Her MD limits patient load to 15-17 patients per day, uses a third-party service for after-hours calls, eliminates weekend work, and rotates evening schedules. These measures help attract and retain top talent in the competitive healthcare market.

How does Her MD approach patient education?

Her MD uses a multimodal approach to patient education, including community events, social media, newsletters, website resources, and in-office educational materials. They also developed Her University, an internal training program for providers to ensure consistent, evidence-based care.

What are Her MD’s plans for future expansion?

Her MD plans to open more locations in existing markets to maximize impact and operational efficiency. They are also exploring telemedicine options to increase accessibility while maintaining their high standard of care.