By Walcott Aganu
Today, women are busier than ever, which makes them grateful for shortcuts that can help them achieve most tasks conveniently. The Maven app helps them do exactly that when it comes to health. Although people are generally advised not to take any shortcuts when it comes to health, the Maven app does so in only the best ways.
Health care is complicated; whether you’re an adulting pro or someone who just got booted off their parent’s care, it’s not only a confusing system but often an inconvenient one. What doctor is best for what you need? Does that weird rash warrant a half-day trip to the doc? Isn’t there some service that can provide a less traumatizing experience than Web experience from Google? Actually, yes. Enter Maven, the virtual healthcare solution explicitly designed for millennial women.
Instead of spending forever in clinic waiting rooms or even on a waitlist for a specialist, women can get face time with a doctor (or doula, lactation consultant, or nutritionist) through the Maven app. Founded by Katherine Ryder, the Maven app acts as a digital clinic that connects patients and health care providers. The services provided through the app is not free, but saving time is priceless.
It’s worthy of note that, it’s not meant to replace in-person medical exams, it merely helps with a non-urgent medical need. Maven’s founder Katherine Ryder says “The big thing we’re trying to do is give women better access to health care on their terms. You can do this from your office, from your house, from your car and ultimately be able to navigate the healthcare system in a way that’s a lot more convenient, affordable and trustworthy.”
How it Works
Depending on your needs,there are three service options to choose from: Maven, Maven Campus and Maven Maternity. Maven is the standard go-to for new users – a pay-as-you-go service for anyone who signs up. Maven Campus is a subscription-based service for college students. Recently launched grad offers students who might not have or are far away from their covered care unlimited messages and appointments for whatever they might need. And Maven Maternity, which is currently only offered at an enterprise-level, offers new moms and moms-to-be additional services to make the life-changing transition a little easier. Katherine says the postpartum service they offer is one area where she’s received a handful of messages from users saying it changed their lives.
Setting up an appointment on Maven can be a five-minute process. Set up an account, choose what kind of care you’re looking for + which doctor you like best, fill out a medical history report and see a doctor in a matter of minutes.
Who can use Maven?
Any woman can book an instant appointment with a practitioner in Maven’s highly-curated network – and get a prescription, support, or just peace of mind. Maven has OB/GYNs for birth control and therapists for depression. And specifically for pregnancy and postpartum, the app has an outcomes-based program called Maven Maternity that large companies can buy for their new moms. Mavens weekly maternity content and communities are practical, and reflect what new moms want/need – and they also get unlimited access to a network of over 1,000 of the women’s and family health providers available instantly to help address your issues and offer support 24/7.
What Makes Maven Special?
For individuals, Maven, a digital clinic, means you can book with any number of providers and chat with them via video or text about what you need. The OB/GYNs and nurse practitioners answer questions that may be embarrassing and write prescriptions for birth control, UTI medication, etc. The Maven Digital Clinic also consists of therapists and coaches who specialize in women’s mental health issues, and you can talk to them on your terms, privately, from the comfort of your couch. The app also provides links to nutritionists and physical therapists that are available for nutrition and exercise support. For HR executives, Maven offers an outcomes-based maternity benefit that allows companies to retain women better and reduce maternity-related costs.
They are setting the agenda for working mothers.
Maven Maternity is a program that focuses not just on providing more support for pregnant working moms, but also on helping women get back on their feet after having a baby and helping them transition back to work, which can be quite stressful. Maven also has programming for new dads, adoptive parents, surrogates, and tracks for infertility, egg freezing, and pregnancy loss. “Starting a family” means so many different things to people!
No more long delays for appointments. No self-diagnosis via Google (we’ve all done it). Need new birth control? Get on the app, have a 10-minute video appointment or phone call with a practitioner, and end it with an affordable prescription. They also offer support for big life moments like when you become a mom along with a slew of therapists, nutritionists and doulas too.
