A message from our Founder and CEO Gina Bartasi
As we head into ASRM later this week in Denver (and see more of you at HLTH in Las Vegas), the Kindbody team and I can’t wait to catch up with our incredible industry partners and reflect on this important year, and all that’s ahead as we all work to increase access to all who need fertility support. We’re at such a pivotal time in our market – as we close 2024, we are collectively reflecting on a year that presented unexpected regulatory challenges, as well as hugely exciting national dialogue confirming the country’s demand for access and more support for fertility care for all.
I see this period as a watershed moment for all of us working in fertility. This year marks my 15th year of attending ASRM and I am just as eager as year one to continue learning from the best. When we founded Kindbody six years ago, our mission was simple: to make reproductive healthcare available to everyone, not just the privileged few. It’s humbling to note our growth since then – and remarkably make it to be named the largest national brand in fertility in such a short time per Inside Reproductive Health’s Fertility Practice Ownership Report last week.
While we don’t focus on lists at Kindbody, it is important to take a moment to reflect on what our team has achieved in such a short period as a bellwether of what’s possible for all of us in this industry to increase access to more families looking for support. In a few short years, we’ve done what some might have said was impossible – built over 30 clinics, partnered with 150+ employers, served thousands of patients who otherwise would not have had fertility access, and most importantly, created thousands of families across the U.S. – many of whom credit Kindbody with creating an opportunity they never would have had.
Being a first mover in any industry invites critics, and Kindbody is no exception. We know our bold moves have left people with some questions, and I’m eager to share more with our clients, partners and peers about what’s happening at Kindbody. It’s a privilege to be trusted by our valuable patients who encourage us to keep innovating and disrupting the status quo, and from our employers who know us to be thought leaders in the field and count on us to continue to revolutionize how family-building care is delivered – and, by the managed care companies, who we’re not giving up on that there has to be a better way because everyone deserves to have the family they’ve dreamed of.
In our next chapter, growth will continue. And, as we stay on pace to drive transformation, you can expect Kindbody to stick to what we know best: boldly and unapologetically challenging the status quo to transform the industry as a steward of the patient. From our founding moments to today, we’ve always operated as an outsider in a decidedly insider industry. Like any innovator, at times this approach has afforded us massive wins, and at other times, we’ve learned lessons that have helped us learn and improve as a team. An example of this learning curve is a challenge we’ve faced, and are currently tackling head on, RCM, revenue cycle management. While Kindbody’s rapid growth is a huge advantage, it can also come with a price – and the truth is, we grew faster than our backend billing infrastructure was built to keep up with. In talking with industry leaders, there’s always a laugh, followed by a long pause, and then a sympathetic, “Yeah, we experienced the same thing. You will get your arms around it, but it’s going to take awhile.” Our industry is collectively working to solve for the complexities of RCM while we undergo a meaningful transition from self-pay to sponsored fertility care, and here at Kindbody, we’re eager to continue learning from our peers as well as share our lessons as we rapidly catch up to our scale and soon master RCM.
As our growth continues, we’ll face many more lessons learned in the future and you can expect us to keep being open and collaborative in the lessons we’re learning, as we also want to learn from so many of you. So as we get ready to meet one another at ASRM, I’m eager to connect with you all and share that Kindbody is a ready and committed partner to meet the massive demand and lead the national conversation around the future of fertility care. I truly believe this is another new beginning – and you can expect us to get bolder and faster in how we grow and build innovations that democratize care for all – our new goal is simple: ensuring every American with a fertility story can access care from our team that makes their family dreams possible. To get there, we have a lot of work to do and many more partnerships to build.
See you at HLTH! Our Founding Physician and Chief Innovation Officer Dr. Fahimeh Sasan will join the panel “Birthing our Future” to discuss Kindbody’s Doula Program and the future of maternal health. Sunday, October 20, Disco Stage, HLTH Las Vegas, 1:40 – 2:20 PM
Kindbody is presenting at ASRM Scientific Congress & Expo. Learn more about this year’s program.
