Live at HLTH: The Benefits of a Direct-to-Consumer Healthcare Model—featuring Melynda Barnes

In traditional healthcare, patients don’t control the flow of funds. And that leaves payers or health systems in the driver’s seat when it comes to decision making. But Ro designed a business that gives control back to patients. A business where health insurance doesn’t stand in the way of patients being able to access the care they want and need. Dr. Melynda Barnes is Chief Medical Officer at Ro, a direct-to-patient health care platform that provides high-quality, affordable care without the need for insurance. Dr. Barnes is one of Fierce Healthcare’s Most Influential Minority Executives and a 40 Under 40 Leader in Health, and she is passionate about democratizing access to quality care. On this episode of The Beat, Melynda joins hosts Dr. Jessica Shepherd and Dr. Gautam Gulati to discuss the future of vertically integrated primary care. Melynda walks us through Ro’s suite of product offerings, explaining how her team addresses stigmatized conditions and why patients are more willing to discuss these issues with the Ro care team. Listen in to understand why Ro built out its own pharmacy and learn how patients benefit from the company’s scale—and its very high bar for asynchronous telehealth care. Topics CoveredWhat inspired Melynda’s shift from practicing medicine to healthcare startup execHow Ro offers a direct-to-patient model where insurance doesn’t stand in the way of quality careThe stigma around obesity and why there’s debate on covering medication to address itRo’s suite of product offerings and why Melynda’s team focuses on stigmatized conditionsWhy patients are more willing to discuss conditions that carry stigma virtuallyHow Ro sets the bar very high for asynchronous telemedicineHow patients pay for Ro’s services through memberships, cash pay and insuranceWhat members of the Ro Body program get with their membershipWhat enabled Ro to scale so quickly and get their visits down to a $15 price pointHow the Ro platform is built for patients, providers and pharmacistsRo’s patient-first approach to expanding its service offeringsWhy Ro built out its own pharmacy and the benefits of such vertical integration Connect with Melynda BarnesRoMelynda on LinkedIn Connect with Dr. Jessica Shepherd & Dr. Gautam GulatiHLTHDr. Shepherd on XDr. Shepherd on LinkedInDr. Gulati on XDr. Gulati on LinkedIn ResourcesStanford Biodesign FellowshipsGLP-1 Obesity MedsRo Body Program