Mayra Hurtado of Hormony On How The US Health System Can Improve Medical Care For Women Over Forty
An Interview With Shawna Robins
Routine check-ups have to be centred in the human experience, personal, and holistic, incorporating hormonal health, mental health assessments, and education. Women seek healthcare practitioners who truly listen and understand their needs, and we must equip these practitioners with the tools to provide such support. Instead of women bouncing between specialists and receiving partial care, we should adopt a model where a coordinated team of providers offers comprehensive care — much like how athletes are guided by a panel of experts to achieve peak performance.
Women over forty often face unique health challenges and disparities in the medical care they receive. These women are at a critical stage in life where they may be dealing with menopause, increased risk of chronic diseases, and other age-related health issues. Despite the importance of tailored medical care, many feel underserved by the current health system. How can the US health system improve its medical care for women over forty to ensure they receive the comprehensive, respectful, and effective treatment they deserve? As part of this interview series, we had the pleasure to interview Mayra Hurtado of Hormony.
Mayra’s journey is a blend of corporate expertise and holistic well-being. She has over 20 years’ experience in the business world, spanning marketing, finance, and operations, alongside an MBA from Nanyang Technological University. Her experience includes business development with a biopharma startup; a decade in leadership at adidas South East Asia and Pacific; and leading the Global Sales and Marketing team for a women’s health startup. Mayra currently leads Hormony, a women’s health start-up on a mission to empower women by demystifying perimenopause and hormonal health.
Can you share with our readers a bit about why you are an expert on medical care for women over 40?
My journey into women’s health is deeply rooted in personal experiences and inspired by the incredible people I’ve had the privilege of working with. My father’s battle with juvenile arthritis introduced me to the importance of holistic healthcare from a young age. Later, I witnessed my aunt struggle with undiagnosed anxiety and depression during what we now know is perimenopause and another aunt suffered from diabetes, ultimately losing her leg due to inadequate education and healthcare. These experiences, combined with my own, highlighted the fragmented nature of our healthcare system. Women often spend years jumping from specialist to specialist, waiting months for appointments that provide only partial support. This frustration drove us, Dr. Sarita Kumble and I, to create Hormony. We envisioned an interdisciplinary approach to women’s health, similar to how athletes are supported by a team of experts working together to help them achieve peak performance.
What are some common health concerns for women over forty, and how can the healthcare system be more responsive to these needs?
Common health concerns include menopause, cardiovascular health, bone density, and mental health. The healthcare system can be more responsive by offering personalized care plans, improving access to specialized care, and integrating technology for continuous health monitoring. To achieve this, it needs to become less fragmented, providing women with comprehensive, coordinated care from an interdisciplinary team — much like the way athletes are supported by a unified team of specialists.
What changes would you like to see in the way routine check-ups and screenings are conducted for women over forty?
Routine check-ups have to be centred in the human experience, personal, and holistic, incorporating hormonal health, mental health assessments, and education. Women seek healthcare practitioners who truly listen and understand their needs, and we must equip these practitioners with the tools to provide such support. Instead of women bouncing between specialists and receiving partial care, we should adopt a model where a coordinated team of providers offers comprehensive care — much like how athletes are guided by a panel of experts to achieve peak performance.
What specific policy changes would you propose to enhance preventative care services for women over forty in the US healthcare system?
Insurance must be expanded to cover comprehensive hormone testing, hormonal and non hormonal interventions, mental health services, and preventive care for chronic conditions like diabetes. Additionally, we must address healthcare system fragmentation by promoting interdisciplinary collaboration among providers and decentralizing services to alleviate the current system’s pressure.
How can the integration of technology and telemedicine be optimized to better serve the healthcare needs of women over forty?
Telemedicine and technology can be optimized by developing platforms that offer continuous, personalized care. These tools should facilitate coordination among specialists, providing women with real-time, dynamic, and comprehensive support, similar to how technology is used to tailor care for athletes. And making such tools easily available, much like pregnancy tests, is crucial for responsive and effective care.
How can the US healthcare system address and reduce the disparities in access to specialized care for women over forty, such as menopause management and osteoporosis treatment?
Addressing these disparities requires a multifaceted approach. We need to increase access to specialized care through telemedicine, mobile clinics, and community-based services. Additionally, promoting an interdisciplinary approach, where specialists work together to provide coordinated care, can help women avoid the frustration of navigating a fragmented healthcare system. Involving the community and supporting the start-ups that are already improving the system.
What role should insurance companies play in improving the affordability and accessibility of comprehensive healthcare services for women over forty?
Insurance companies should broaden their coverage to include essential services like mental health support, testing, hormonal and non hormonal therapies, and personalized care plans. They should also incentivize the development and use of interdisciplinary care models and should also engage with new players who are actively working on improving the system.
In what ways can the healthcare system encourage women over forty to prioritize their health and seek regular medical care?
The healthcare system can encourage women over forty to prioritize their health and seek regular medical care through several key strategies:
- Targeted Education Campaigns: Launch public health campaigns that specifically address the unique health concerns of women over forty, such as perimenopause, bone density, and heart health. These campaigns should emphasize the importance of early detection and regular check-ups.
- Accessible and Convenient Care: Increase the availability of convenient care options, such as telemedicine and mobile health clinics, to make it easier for women to access healthcare without disrupting their pockets and lives. Offering extended hours and same-day appointments can also help.
- Comprehensive Care Packages: Provide bundled care packages that include screenings, mental health assessments, and lifestyle counseling, making it easier for women to address multiple health concerns in one visit.
- Community Support and Engagement: Foster community-based health programs that create supportive environments where women can share experiences, receive education, and build networks that encourage regular health maintenance.
- Financial Incentives and Insurance Coverage: Offer financial incentives, such as reduced co-pays or discounts for preventive care visits, and ensure comprehensive insurance coverage for necessary screenings and treatments to remove financial barriers.
- Partnerships with Employers: Encourage employers to offer wellness programs and flexible health benefits that promote regular check-ups and screenings as part of their employee health initiatives.
- Investment in Tools for At-Home Health Management Investing in and promoting tools for at-home health management is crucial for empowering women to monitor and manage their health regularly. This includes at-home testing kits for hormone levels, bone density, and other key health indicators, as well as wearable devices that track vital signs and physical activity. By making these tools accessible and easy to use, women can stay informed about their health status.
Wonderful. We are nearly done. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)
Melinda Gates, Dr. Mosconi, Dr Mary Claire Haver, Dr Stacy Sims, Dr. Jennifer Garret
How can our readers further follow your work online?
On LinkedIn (Mayra Hurtado) and on our website (www.findhormony.com)
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
About the Interviewer: Shawna Robins is an international best-selling author of two books — Powerful Sleep — Rest Deeply, Repair Your Brain and Restore Your Life, and Irresistibly Healthy — Simple Strategies to Feel Vibrant, Alive, Healthy and Full of Energy Again. Shawna is the founder and CEO of Third Spark, an online wellness hub for women over 40 who want to reignite their sleep, reset healthier habits and respark their lives. Shawna is a sleep expert, hormone health expert, and a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBHWC). She has been featured on many podcasts including Dr. Mindy Pelz’s “The Resetter Podcast” and in Authority Magazine, Thrive Global, and The Huffington Post. A free download of her latest book can be found at www.thirdsparkhealth.com/powerful-sleep/ You can follow her on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
