Kyle Russell
Image credit: Unsplash (https://tinyurl.com/2ubxmfzw)
Physical health remains top of mind for many Americans. In the United States, 77% of adults say they think about their physical well-being either “very” or “fairly” often. And in a survey from The Harris Poll and the American Osteopathic Association, 42% of Americans said physical health was the area of their lives that needed the most improvement — even outpacing financial stability.
In this landscape, wellness-focused startups such as telemedicine company Nuform have been able to make a significant impact and experience massive growth. Over the course of 12 months since its inception, Nuform has grown its revenue to roughly 20 times greater than what it achieved during its first months in operation.
A widespread interest in physical health isn’t the only reason why this startup has achieved such results. As Dr. Christopher Elia, neurosurgeon and co-founder of Nuform explains, much of that growth can be attributed to the company’s distinct services and business model.
Owned and Operated By Healthcare Providers
Nuform was founded by Dr. Elia, alongside Romario Yousif, PA-C — a factor that Dr. Elia feels has helped distinguish the company from their peers.
“We are one of the few companies in our space that is owned and operated by healthcare providers,” he explains. “This is foundational to our mindset in how we run our business in comparison to other companies — namely in that we put people first, rather than profits. We’d rather offer competitive pricing that allows us to reach more patients than try to increase our profit margins with each individual patient, and I think the people we treat can feel that difference.”
Being owned and operated by healthcare providers has also enabled Nuform to dictate its own direction in the areas that it treats, which currently include hormone optimization, weight loss therapy, sexual health, women’s health and hair loss treatment.
Telemedicine Focus
Another distinct element of Nuform’s services is its primary emphasis on telemedicine services. While the availability of telemedicine appointments has risen drastically since the COVID-19 pandemic, most physicians continue to primarily focus on in-patient visits.
In contrast, Nuform operates with a telemedicine-first approach. While in-person appointments are available if desired, Dr. Elia feels that telemedicine has been key to their growth by allowing them to reach a broader patient base.
“We are licensed in every state except Rhode Island,” he notes. “Telemedicine has enabled us to reach people across the country while also making it easier to deliver care in a way that better matches their schedule and lifestyle. Being able to reach a nationwide audience, rather than limiting ourselves to our immediate geographic area, has had such an impact on our discoverability and awareness in the wellness space, which has allowed us to treat patients we might never have seen otherwise.”
As a result of this approach, any medications that are prescribed by Nuform’s team are then delivered to the patient’s door, further streamlining the healthcare process.
Emphasis On Personalized Treatment
While competitive pricing and a telemedicine-first approach have played large roles in Nuform’s growth, Dr. Elia believes that the biggest factor behind his company’s growth has been its emphasis on personal health optimization plans.
For Dr. Elia, Nuform’s emphasis on health optimization is personal. “I discovered the value of hormone optimization after I experienced my own health issues where I needed to use this therapy. Just three months of treatment dramatically improved my mood, energy, vitality and muscle build. That personal experience was a big inspiration for learning more about this area and then starting Nuform to help others.”
To achieve this, Nuform has prospective patients fill out an initial intake form, after which they are contacted by a Nuform team member to arrange lab work at one of over 2,000 partner locations nationwide.
“We test for over 90 biomarkers with our lab tests, which gives us an in-depth look at hormone levels and other key health markers,” Yousif explains. “Based on this information, we then develop a personalized treatment plan for each patient, which may include hormone treatment, nutritional adjustments or other lifestyle modifications. By avoiding a cookie cutter approach, we’ve been able to achieve real results for our patients — and that has directly led to many of our new patients coming from organic, word of mouth referrals rather than paid advertisements.”
Dr. Elia, Yousif and their team prefer seeing growth through organic referrals because they view it as an indicator that their healthcare services are making a meaningful difference for their patients — and if 20x growth over the course of one year is any indicator, they’ve been able to achieve just that.
A Rising Trendsetter In Health Optimization
As Dr. Elia’s insights reveal, Nuform’s surging growth over the last 12 months is no accident. The unique mindset that comes from being owned and operated by healthcare providers, the focus on telemedicine offerings and the emphasis on customizing each individual treatment plan to their patients’ needs and goals have helped create the perfect foundation for word-of-mouth referrals and organic growth.
It’s a valuable lesson for all in this space. By shifting the focus away from profits and emphasizing the unique needs of each patient (including how they receive healthcare), providers can create true win-wins.