Knownwell commits $4.5 million to weight-adjusted body care

The Boston-based hybrid care company known as the company has launched $4.5 million in seed funding led by Flare Capital Partners.

Brynn Putnam from Mirror, home fitness platform acquired by lululemon; Lydia Gilbert of plus size womenswear company Dia & Co; Varsha Rao of home healthcare provider Nurx; Flybridge LTV Operator Fund; Oxeon; and Larry Summers also contributed.

knownwell describes itself as an inclusive healthcare company for people of all sizes. It offers metabolic health services, primary care, nutritional counseling, and mental health services.

“As a patient suffering from obesity, I always thought that I was the only one who was afraid of a useless lecture by my doctor who did not take my concerns seriously. – but after research, I found that most Americans experience the same stigma, and I knew I had found my life’s purpose,” Brooke Boyarsky Pratt, knownwell’s CEO and co-founder, said in a statement.

“I am proud to have brought together highly qualified doctors, service providers and staff who are excited to partner with patients on their journey to wellness. – whether this includes a change in their body size or not.”

BIG TREND

Obese patients may receive suboptimal care, as “several decades of evidence demonstrate a persistent weight bias expressed by health care providers, which may impair the quality of care for patients with obesity and diabetes,” according to clinical diabetes.

Other community-focused providers include the one backed by Serena Williams. Juno Medical, which provides individual and family care, wellness and specialty care, and on-site lab and imaging services to historically marginalized communities.

Folks Health offers virtual medical services for the LGBTQ+ community. The company was launched in late 2020 and provides hormone replacement therapy to transgender patients. It later added sexual health offerings as well as a virtual care platform focused on general health and primary care.

Other organizations include a virtual specialized care company. Oak Street Health, which offers a network of primary care clinics focused on the Medicare community; Plume, a startup focused on virtual care for transgender patients; and Tia, a provider of hybrid healthcare services focused on women’s health.