LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Health-tech startup Within Health announced today that it has launched operations in Massachusetts, becoming the first comprehensive, virtual treatment solution designed specifically for people suffering from eating disorders. Built by experts in the field, Within Health brings a recovery-focused and milieu-driven treatment program to patients overseen by a highly trained, multidisciplinary clinical team. Working on treatment from home, where life happens, the service provides individual therapy, remote patient monitoring, advanced nutrition therapy and catered meal support, all designed to interrupt the progression of eating disorders, prevent relapse and support long-term recovery.
Within Health is co-founded by board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Wendy Oliver-Pyatt and serial entrepreneur and venture investor, Abhilash Patel - both of whom are survivors of eating disorders.
“The need for Within Health has never been greater. Eating disorders are the deadliest psychiatric disorder, affecting 30 million Americans and more than 600,000 Bay State residents, the illness’ prevalence increased substantially during the course of the pandemic,” said co-founder and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Wendy Oliver-Pyatt. “We are launching Within Health in Massachusetts so that everyone who suffers from an eating disorder, no matter who they are or where they live, can access treatment free from stigma and shame. We have designed our treatment plan to be highly accessible, highly personalized to help our patients overcome their eating disorder, finding purpose and meaning, while embracing self-care as a foundation for health.
Powered by innovations in artificial intelligence, remote patient monitoring, treatment delivery and analysis, and built upon years of clinical experience, Within Health revolutionizes eating disorder treatment by providing highly personalized, clinical treatment in the comfort of the patient’s own home, and by connecting patients to providers through a specialized treatment app and dedicated technical, clinical teams. Patients benefit from receiving intensive clinical care, available anywhere, anytime, and in their homes.
Within Health co-founder Abhilash Patel said, “There has never been a solution for eating disorder treatment that delivers this level of clinical expertise to a patient in their home environment. We are thrilled to have been able to unite extraordinary digital and technical teams with a world-class clinical team, taking patient care to the next level. Our goal is simple, to reduce the suffering of those who experience eating disorders. Innovation, technology and AI enables us to deliver radically impactful treatment for everyone.”
WITHIN HEALTH APP: Through its proprietary app and innovative features, Within Health has transformed the way patients can access their treatment and dedicated care team. Through the app, patients have direct access to their professional care team, personal notifications regarding their individual and group therapy schedules, meal planning and support, personal movement practice, experiential treatment and more. This approach addresses the causes of eating disorders as they occur in real life, preventing relapses and promoting a long-term recovery.
MULTIDISCIPLINARY CARE TEAM: Each patient has an integrated, multidisciplinary care team that consists of a psychiatrist, psychotherapist, dietician and care partner who serves as a companion alongside the patient during the treatment. The care team members are located across the country, but available to the patient centrally through the Within Health app. The platform will use artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve the patient experience while also improving treatment outcomes. Additional innovations such as numberless scales and digital vital sign monitors allow Within Health clinicians to complete physio checks and receive patients’ vitals in real time.
BRINGING A TREATMENT COMMUNITY HOME: A distinct focus of Within Health’s treatment is the milieu-based recovery community as a foundation of the treatment experience, coupled with a myriad of specialized group therapy sessions and individual therapy. “Eating disorders thrive in isolation and connection is the cure,” said Dr. Oliver-Pyatt. “Shared experiences help the healing process exponentially. The relationships formed in group therapy help patients throughout the treatment and beyond.”
BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS: Within Health believes their new service will attract clinical subtypes such as men, moms, the elderly, those with higher weight bodies, and LGBTQ+, who make up the 70% of sufferers who don’t seek treatment because of access and stigma.
“Within Health is revolutionizing eating disorder treatment. We are breaking down the barriers to access. We are leveraging innovation, technology and expertise, along with compassionate care to combat stigmas - and we are inclusive of everybody and everyBODY,” said Patel. “Having suffered an eating disorder myself, I know how lonely and painful it can feel. Having spent my career building and investing in impactful businesses, I know the measures of success. In our case, our success will be measured by the number of people we can help heal.”
Within Health has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® for Provider Services Accreditation by demonstrating continuous compliance with its performance standards. The Gold Seal is a symbol of quality that reflects a health care organization’s commitment to providing safe and quality patient care. Currently, Within Health is approved to operate in nearly 30 states with plans to expand nationwide.
Learn more about Within Health at www.withinhealth.com.
About Within Health Co-Founders
Dr. Wendy Oliver-Pyatt, M.D., Within Chief Medical Officer, Psychiatrist, Educator, Advocate, Eating Disorder Survivor
Psychiatrist Dr. Wendy Oliver-Pyatt trained at New York University and served as Medical Director for the State of Nevada Division of Mental Health before delving into developing comprehensive treatment programs for eating disorders in 2003. She is the founder of several nationally recognized treatment programs that are widely considered among the best of brick-and-mortar treatment. She is a Fellow of the Academy for Eating Disorders, a Fellow of the International Association of Eating Disorders, and was one of the founding members of the Binge Eating Disorders Association, which has now merged with the National Eating Disorders Association. Wendy also participated in the development of the Joint Commission’s Eating Disorders Standards for Behavioral Health Care. Wendy received her specialty training at New York University-Bellevue Hospital in New York City. She has also held faculty positions at New York University, Albert Einstein School of Medicine, and University of Nevada School of Medicine, where she first developed her passion as a mentor and educator. She is also an eating disorder survivor.
Abhilash Patel, Entrepreneur, Venture Investor and Eating Disorder Survivor
Abhilash Patel is a serial entrepreneur, venture investor, speaker, philanthropist, triathlete - and eating disorder survivor. Abhilash works with companies in which he believes, helping them to grow and thrive. In 2017 he started the venture studio Thermal, with portfolio investments including: Byte, Elemy (formerly Sprout), Lyft, FIGS, Leaflink, Winc, Bridg, Daily Harvest, 4th MVMT and more. Prior to Thermal, Abhilash founded digital marketing agency Ranklab in 2007. In 2009, he co-founded digital publishing company Recovery Brands, providing tens of millions of people with online resources to help them recover from addiction and alcoholism. Abhilash oversaw the successful acquisition of both companies by American Addiction Centers in 2015. Abhilash graduated with a BA in Economics and Philosophy from Columbia University and an MBA from UCLA’s Anderson School of Management in 2012, building both Ranklab and Recovery Brands while he completed his studies.
