Meet Almond. The first full-service, state-of-the-art gynecological practice in the country
Tara Raffi and Carly Allen, co-founders of Almond, with Tara’s daughter Sol
Progress in women’s healthcare has been below par. It has taken decades of women advocating for themselves and raising their voices to bring about the need for change in systemic indifference. One of the largest areas of women’s health needs to overhaul its practice, investments, and improvements. The National Library of Medicine reported that 82.58% of participants saw a gynecologist throughout their pregnancy. In comparison, 8.33% responded that they saw one for the majority of their pregnancy(s). Additionally, Statista reported in 2018 that 26% of women never see a gynecologist.
There are many reasons why women are dissatisfied with their women’s care options, including trust, harassment, lack of respect, and hours of operation. Tara Raffi, co-founder and CEO of Almond, had enough bad experiences with traditional gynecologists, so she created a membership community where women can get comprehensive care that fits their schedule, not the doctors’. It’s the country’s first fully equipped, tech-enabled OB/GYN practice. In 2022, fresh out of Y Combinator, the company closed a $7 million seed round, including investments from True Ventures and Offline Ventures.
“We have a women’s health crisis in this country,” Raffi explains in a phone interview. “We have a chronic disease crisis in this country that affects women differently. So much attention and funding is being given to the primary care field. There were zero companies providing modern, tech-assisted care in gynecology and obstetrics, which is not a small niche. This is the second largest specialty. There are 110 million women in this country who require gynecology care at least once a year. We have the highest maternal mortality rate of any developed country and a 75% dissatisfaction rate with gynecology and obstetrics.”
Tara Raffi, Founder and CEO of Almond
Raffi began her career at McKinsey & Company in the healthcare consulting department. She quickly realized that she wanted to improve the anomalies in the broken system and create a better patient experience. When she decided to leave corporate America to start her own company, she contacted her high school friend Carly Allen.
Raffi explained to Allen how she wanted to improve women’s experiences with their gynecologists. They trusted each other, complemented each other’s skills, and had a strong work ethic. Together, they knew that the idea of a membership community for quality care would be a game changer in healthcare.
The co-founders began to understand what was missing from the market and what changes patients wanted to see in care. Next, they looked at the challenges providers faced with their contracts with insurance companies. Most providers reported that reimbursement from insurance companies did not match rising expenses, meaning they could not provide patients with the high-quality care they desired.
“We’re in a really interesting time where a lot of healthcare models are emerging out of this tension where people don’t want to hear, ‘Oh, this is normal. Just deal with it,'” Raffi explains. “One of the things we’re releasing specifically in response to patients, but outside of our traditional gynecological care, is a comprehensive PCOS program. We’ll be offering these for various chronic or persistent issues, starting with PCOS and menopause, which will be next in line for fertility.”
Dr. Christy Evans, Chief Gynecologist at Almond
Almond’s model allows its members to receive comprehensive care, 24/7 text messaging access to doctors to ask questions, and detailed individualized plans. Services include birth control, vulvar skin symptoms, period management, and perimenopause treatments. Although the company is currently based in California, Raffi and her team are looking for opportunities to expand nationwide.
When Raffi made a significant change in her career, she focused on the following key steps:
- Be curious. When an idea comes up, research the context and learn as much as you can about the concept.
- Be clear about where you want to go. Journaling and meditation can help you narrow down what you want to do.
- Have fun. If you find yourself smiling and motivated most of the time, you know it’s for you.
“I’ve learned to rely on my strengths,” Raffi concludes. “It’s not possible to be successful in the role of CEO early on by fitting into someone else’s mold. You have to be very honest and authentic about your particular mission and passion in this world. And that’s a vulnerable kind of trust in yourself. I don’t see any other way to do it.”
