When Felicia von Reden was diagnosed with endometriosis, she was confronted with a bleak and outdated medical system, particularly in the realm of fertility and obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN). Unwilling to accept the status quo, she partnered with Dr. Lynae Brayboy (a US-trained reproductive clinician and egg biologist), and Dr. Christina Hickman, whom she reveres as the 'Godmother of AI in IVF,' to establish Ovom Care—a venture that aspires to revolutionize in-vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics.
A New Way Forward with Ovom Care
Ovom Care is on a mission to tackle the biggest problems in today’s IVF clinics: poor patient experiences and financial barriers. By using advanced technology, they’re making decisions smarter, reducing costs, and introducing a groundbreaking 'no baby, no fee' system. This not only aligns the clinic’s goals with those of the patients but also makes IVF accessible to many more people.
The Three Goals of Ovom Care
1. Higher Success Rates: With the help of technology, Ovom Care is working to increase average IVF success rates from just under 30% to over 50%.
2. Making it Affordable: By implementing value-based pricing and lowering the overall cost of IVF, Ovom Care is on its pathway to democratizing IVF fertility treatments
3. Better Patient Experience: A digital support system, including a patient companion app and clinic management system, is lifting the curtain in treatments and putting the patient at the center of care
The Power of AI
Ovom Care is using AI in two key stages of the IVF process. First, by integrating existing tools like computer vision algorithms and robotic tools, they optimize specific parts of the process. Then, they create an end-to-end data ecosystem, allowing a complete view of the patient and optimizing every decision point across the entire treatment journey
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Current and Future Operations
Ovom Care’s first clinic, in partnership with Avenues in London, serves as a testing ground for combining AI and technology with physical space. Already today offering success-based pricing: no baby, no fee enabled by one of our proprietary algorithms that allow us to predict the number of cycles a patient needs to get to pregnancy
Plans are in place to open a primary hub in Portugal next year, thanks to favorable regulations there. Satellite clinics in Germany and Switzerland will also facilitate consultations, diagnostics, and monitoring, due to complex regulations in these countries.
Costs and Savings
Currently, Ovom Care’s London services are priced about 10 to 15% below the market standard. In Portugal, they plan to start with prices 10-15% lower than the local market, then lower them as clinic processes improve.
Overcoming Challenges
Building patient trust and navigating regulations are significant challenges for Ovom Care. However, the team is committed to working hand in hand with both patients and regulators
through these issues as part of their journey.
A Bright Future
In five years, Ovom Care aims to truly democratize IVF by making IVF even more accessible by reducing prices and setting up a grant system for those needing financial support. They plan to have clinics in 5-6 European countries, satellite offices in over 10 countries, including the US and the Middle East, and target 20,000 cycles per year. This focus on being patient-centric and financially accessible with better medical outcomes is expected to make Ovom Care a preferred choice over other clinics.
In summary, Ovom Care is redefining the IVF experience by using advanced technology, reducing costs, and focusing on the patient experience. This innovative approach is setting a new standard for IVF clinics worldwide.
About the Interviewer
Felicia von Reden is the Co-Founder & CEO of OVŌM Care. She has a background in business innovation and entrepreneurship from the University of St. Gallen, and has built a company in the space of veterinary care. Last year she founded OVŌM Care, as it redefines how reproductive care is brought to patients by combining modern in-person care with advanced AI-based technology.
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