Caroline Hofmann Talks About Protecting Women’s Health
These days, we’re constantly seeing women’s health and reproductive rights in the news cycle. On this episode of the WomenHeard podcast, host Julie Hochheiser Ilkovich sits down with Caroline Hofmann, Chief Business Officer of Thirty Madison, to discuss the impact of ever-evolving healthcare policies on women’s health and economic decisions.
Hofmann started her career in healthcare management consulting at McKinsey. Inspired by the industry, she later joined Thirty Madison, which offers virtual-first healthcare access. She oversees Nurx, a telehealth provider for women that offers services ranging from contraceptive care to mental health to dermatology.
Ahead of the 2024 general election, Nurx surveyed over 1,000 women to gauge the agency women feel over their health and the influence policies have on their personal health and economic decisions. Here’s a taste of what we can learn from the results.
WHAT WE KNOW
Women feel their reproductive rights are threatened by the changing political landscape, resulting in increased demand for emergency and oral contraceptive care. Nurx found that 54 percent of women surveyed were anxious about their reproductive and sexual freedoms, while 49 percent of women felt anxiety about accessing in-person care to address their reproductive and sexual health. According to Hofmann, Thirty Madison reported a 300 percent spike in daily patient requests for emergency contraception the day the decision from Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (which overturned Roe v. Wade) was first leaked, increasing to 1700 percent the day the decision was finalized.
HOW WE MOVE FORWARD
So what can be done? Some ways to make a difference: Use your voice to spread awareness about the negative impact changing policies have on women’s health and peace of mind; share Nurx’s survey to give context to the landscape; open up about the ways in which the policies impact you on a personal level; and talk about your experiences as a woman. Be loud and proud about all your accomplishments—not only the career successes but the at-home victories as well. And remember: “For every woman doubting herself first and not saying anything, not trying,” Hofmann says, “there are men out there being very confidently wrong.”
