Why Welfie Matters
Families are sicker, dying younger, and paying more for healthcare.
Too many people are being left behind when it comes to healthcare, especially communities of color and people living at or below the poverty line. When people can’t get access to good health care, it costs us all. In fact, health inequity costs the U.S. economy $135 Billion yearly, $93 Billion in lost profit to healthcare organizations and another $42 Billion in lost productivity to our communities.
Lack of access to good health care results in poor health, and both tend to be passed down from generation to generation. That means that families of color and those living in poverty are often the hardest hit, and in ways that make every other aspect of their lives much more difficult.
In almost every major health domain: cardiovascular disease, infectious disease, and mental health, underserved communities suffer because of health inequity they have faced for generations.
Non medical factors play a huge role in people’s health. Non medical factors are known as social determinants of health, and they often play an outsized role in barriers to care. They include things like income, education, food security, job security — and even things like where you were born and if you endured any childhood trauma.
Welfie can’t fix everything. But we believe health literacy, better access to care, and affordable care options are three key factors that can lead to healthier, happier lives. And that’s what we’re about.
The Welfie Way Forward.
For us, everything starts with “a Welfie,” a wellness selfie, which is a snapshot into your health. It’s the first step in putting families on the road to better health, and it helps us deliver meaningful content and point to helpful services that will help people take control over their own health journeys.
When we talk about being a health equity platform, we mean that we exist to educate, engage and empower people, families and their communities to around their own future of improved health. Welfie is a critical bridge between millions of people and a healthier, happier and better world.