GCWest’s mission, to provide world-class general counsel services to businesses transforming healthcare, has paired us with industry innovators willing to think differently to create better models and approaches to care. Nest Health, a New Orleans-based healthcare start-up founded by Dr. Rebekah Gee and Rebecca Kavoussi in 2022, is one such example. Nest Health was created to eliminate the countless roadblocks pregnant women, new mothers, children, and families face when it comes to accessing quality healthcare by coming to the home (or nest!) to provide care for the whole family in one visit.
GCWest supported Nest by providing outside GC services and had the opportunity to see the impact Nest Health could have on the future of healthcare.
Access is a Big Hurdle
In her role as the Secretary of Health for the state of Louisiana, Dr. Rebekah Gee discovered a shocking reality in 21st Century America – the existence of sizeable maternal and family healthcare deserts. According to the 2022 Annual Report from the March of Dimes, “Areas with low or no access to maternal care affect over 5.6 million women and nearly 350,000 births across the US.”
Access to maternal health care for many patients in Louisiana, in particular, is so difficult that many miss out on regular pre-natal and post-natal appointments. Qualified practitioners and facilities are often hours away, making appointments incredibly challenging to keep. In addition to the transportation challenge, maternal patients must also face taking time away from work and arranging for costly child care. In spite of countless advances in medicine and healthcare overall, today, women in Louisiana are less healthy than they were a generation ago.
Dr. Gee set out to change this trend and bring an end to poor healthcare outcomes for women and families. Along with healthcare executive Rebecca Kavoussi, her co-founder and chief operating officer, Dr. Gee founded Nest Health to address these problems head-on. “Getting healthcare in the U.S. requires three things that most families don’t have enough of – time off of work, childcare support, and transportation to visits. Nest Health makes healthcare radically accessible for the entire family by bringing it directly to their home,” said Dr. Gee.
Bringing Holistic Healthcare Services to the Nest
Offering in-home and virtual care to families, Nest Health provides care for multiple family members in the same visit, making critical healthcare services truly accessible. Nest Health was designed to streamline appointments and eliminate logistical roadblocks to healthcare, allowing families with multiple children to receive wellness exams for all – at the same time, at home.
This simple, yet revolutionary approach eliminates the need for families to manage different appointments, on different days, in several locations to cover all family members, thereby setting up families for better health outcomes
Nest Health’s team reaches beyond basic healthcare to include not only family doctors, nurse practitioners and registered nurses, but also mental health specialists, dieticians, and social workers to support families’ full health needs.
Starting Where the Need is Greatest
Nest Health has focused their early efforts in Louisiana, which according to data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, ranks 49th out of 50 in child well-being and has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the United States.
Dr. Gee recently appeared on 60 Minutes to discuss that state of maternal healthcare and noted, that, “in the developed world, Louisiana has the worst outcomes for women having babies.” However, Nest Health intends to change that. With a successful investment round of $15 million, spearheaded by healthcare and technology venture funds, 8VC and Blue Venture Fund, Nest Health will finally bring comprehensive healthcare to vastly underserved women and families in New Orleans and become the new model for healthcare delivery across the country.
We have been honored to play our part in supporting a company like Nest Health as they seek to transform health care and the lives of their patients.