Founded in Munch in 2018, Wellster is a healthtech startup with the vision to provide more people with easy access to effective medical treatments for everyday health issues. Now, they have launched a dedicated platform for women’s healthy – taking on one of the greatest medical care gaps.
Wellster focuses on medical topics that are often considered taboo, empowering people to get access to quality care regardless of who they are. Currently, Wellster has platforms for men’s intimate health (gospring.de), men’s hair loss (myspring.com), mental health (helloeasy.de), skin health (easyderma.de) and medical self-tests (easy-testen.de). Now, after raising €17.5 million, the young startup is putting a much-needed focus on female health, with a new platform called MySummer.
Viola Karl, CEO of MySummer, said: “With MySummer, we are creating a platform for women that provides individual medical advice and direct treatment. Our goal: “To provide women with holistic advice and make effective medical services easily accessible.”
Across Europe, the market for women’s health has long been neglected. Whether it’s testing the individual risk of thrombosis before taking the pill or acute help with cystitis – there are many topics that fall by the wayside in practice or are currently associated with many difficulties for female patients. In the digital health sector, in particular, there are very few medical services available – that’s despite the fact it’s estimated women will spend 30% more on healthcare than men.
Wellster’s product, MySummer, sees itself as an addition to a doctor’s treatment. On the platform, patients can now get medical advice directly from home. Initially, the focus will be on contraception, urological issues, skin and intimate health. However, the range of services is to be gradually expanded. When gynaecologists have an average of 9 minutes per treatment – which unsurprisingly doesn’t leave enough time for personalised care and attention to detail – tech such as this is ensuring women will get access to better treatments.
With MySummer, a team of experienced doctors from the fields of gynaecology, urology and dermatology is available to patients around the clock. Behind the medical concept of MySummer stands a renowned medical advisory board consisting of leading physicians and professors. Among them are urologist Prof. Dr. med Sabine Brookmann-May, gynaecologist Prof. Dr. med Mandy Mangler and dermatologist Dr. med. Nursel Yesilkus.
MySummer offers patients medical support throughout the entire treatment period, as well as education and advice. Patients are informed about side effects and possible risks during the treatments and have the opportunity to test their individual risk of issues arising from certain medications – for example, the risk of thrombosis before taking the pill (a test which is generally left undone). Women can also find quick help for an acute bladder infection in the form of antibiotics or in advance with D-mannose powder, a sugar that prevents the disease. In addition, dermatological help is also offered for an individual skin solution.
Each treatment begins with a medical online questionnaire, which is to be filled out by the patient, answering questions about symptoms, previous diseases and possible intolerances. Based on this information, doctors make a treatment recommendation and, if necessary, issue a required prescription. Depending on the urgency, the medication is sent directly to the patient’s home in cooperation with local pharmacies, by mail or by pharmacy express delivery service. Tolerance of the medication is inquired about in a later follow-up. Patients can also use the website to make an appointment for an online consultation via video call.
Prof. Mandy Mangler, MD commented: “A digital approach can be a real relief in everyday life. For example, if you have an acute bladder infection, you need a quick remedy and no waiting time at the doctor, pharmacy or delivery. I also see potential for many other indications. This offers women an additional opportunity to receive self-determined and discreet medical support.”
