Folx Health, a virtual care provider designed by and for the LGBTQ+ community, rolled out virtual primary care for people at risk or infected by the monkeypox virus.
The announcement follows the Biden administration declaring the virus a public health emergency. To prevent further spread, Folx is using a multipronged approach of education, counseling, evaluation of symptoms and referrals for monkeypox. Members of the community hit hardest by the outbreak can now book an appointment to discuss the threat with a licensed clinician in their state. The resource comes in the face of 98.9% of infected persons being defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as men who have sex with men, many of whom have been unable to access preventive and responsive care for the virus.
“The LGBTQ+ community has long struggled to access affirming and expert care and has a history of being unfairly blamed for the spread of viruses, as was the case during the beginning of the HIV/AIDS crisis,” said Liana Douillet Guzmán, CEO of Folx Health, in a press release. “As monkeypox began to spread, we felt it was our duty and responsibility as a queer and trans healthcare provider to quickly mobilize and serve as a source of truth in a sea of misinformation. Health scares like this are one of the many reasons Folx Health exists—as a safe space for queer and trans folks to receive education, counseling, evaluation and referrals.”
Due to supply chain issues, and what many are calling a slow governmental response, access to preventive vaccines and medication treatment have been difficult to access. The Folx virtual primary care platform tries to fill that gap by connecting patients with clinicians in their state who have been thoroughly vetted by the app and trained on the virus. Currently, those seeking treatment in 44 states can link with a physician with all 50 states expected to join the platform by the end of the year.
Kate Steinle, chief clinical officer at Folx Health, said the company assesses physicians by first viewing their patient intake forms. If Folx sees questions regarding pronouns and gender identities, medical providers can continue up tiers of clearance. The final step of approval is Folx-run training, such as the most recent monkeypox course.
The coaching is designed to avoid tendencies to “blame or shame” patients with diseases that can be transmitted sexually and instead provide a nuanced education, according to Steinle.
“What can we learn right now about transmission, about access, about vaccines and treatments?” Steinle asked. “This is the population that’s being affected right now. Instead of 'isolate and push aside,' how do we shine a light and get resources there? Let’s make sure that all our clinicians are trained on the most up-to-date information about monkeypox.”
The majority of those using the app, 78% according to Douillet Guzmán, did not have access to affirming care before Folx, and 71% reported they avoided seeking care due to fear of discrimination. Folx seeks to infuse its care with an awareness of the medical trauma that over half of the LGBTQ+ community report after ill-informed care.
Folx also invites public access to its digital library covering myriad community-minded medical issues including access to birth control, family planning and sexual health.
“We think that a lot of what’s happening in healthcare is gate-keeping under the guise of medical advice,” Douillet Guzmán said. “For us, it’s about supporting our community as they make the individual decisions that are right for them. For us, it's about: How can we give people all of the information to make the right decision, and then how can we make sure we’re providing access to care as needed.”
The move to primary care comes after the company established itself as a leading provider of end-to-end gender-affirming hormone replacement therapy.
“In the past, we have seen people not seeking access to care because they are worried about what the person in front of them is going to think or is not going to ask them questions in the right way,” Steinle said. “What we want to do is open up the gates so people will come to us to access information.”
The platform’s new treatment options are buttressed by Folx’s enterprise solution allowing employers to provide competent care for their workforce. According to Douillet Guzmán, employers who have made establishing an inclusive workforce a priority are realizing they need to do more.
“If we can provide this care through employers, we can increase the people who have access to affirming care in a pretty meaningful way,” Douillet Guzmán said. “We’ve also seen a lot of inbound interest from employers who have invested a lot in creating inclusive benefits only to realize its inclusive on paper but not in practice because people are struggling to find affirming providers in network.”
The platform hopes to continue to expand its care in the future to fully address other challenges requiring LGBTQ+ competent care such as behavioral health.