Each time you open your social media accounts, an algorithm presents you with ads based on your preferences and interests. Former Facebook employee, Morgan Hewett, saw an opportunity to use that same technology to address an ongoing mental health challenge – treatment-resistant depression. Hewett co-founded Options MD, a telehealth platform that matches people with severe depression to innovative, customized, and effective treatments.
“The core of what we do [at Options MD] is treatment matching technology—building algorithms to better predict the right treatment for you,” Hewett said.
Algorithms weren’t the only inspiration Hewett took from her time at Facebook. In her role at the social media giant, Hewett helped launch their healthcare marketing division. Her efforts included leading disease awareness campaigns in partnership with industry-leading healthcare and pharmaceutical firms. These experiences prepared her to build a healthcare company that leveraged the power of technology.
Cultivating change starts with the decision to integrate problem-solving and creativity. However, Hewett’s motivation for founding Options MD came from much closer to home. In addition to her own experiences with mental illness, she witnessed her brother’s difficult journey with treatment-resistant depression. He had been on at least a dozen medications with little-to-no results. Hewett built Options MD to support patients like her brother, who are among the one-third of people who suffer from severe depression and have tried at least two medications with no improvement. For these patients, common and well-known medications like Zoloft don’t work.
“It’s actually very common to have this experience. What it really means is that you probably are a better fit for a more innovative medication. It could be things like a combination of medications or more intensive treatment such as a ketamine infusion therapy or brain neuromodulation techniques,” Hewett said.
There are more than 200 treatment options available for mental illnesses that include combinations of different classes of medications, as well as lifestyle treatments, supplements and, more recently, psychedelic treatments. The challenge is to narrow down those options to the ones that are most likely to work. That’s where Options MD and their algorithm come in to provide access to better curated treatment.
“My company has worked with patients who have already tried 25 medications before coming to us, and we still have been able to match them to a better-performing treatment that has worked for them. The key takeaway here is that there is a plethora of treatment options and there is almost always one that will actually work for you,” Hewett stated.
Options MD’s team of therapists and clinicians specialize in working with complex and persistent cases of depression, and they are experienced in prescribing innovative treatments. In addition to the expertise of these healthcare professionals, Options MD patients also benefit from the platform’s software that helps their doctors consider more uncommon medications and treatments. The process is a careful and thoughtful one that allows doctors and patients to pursue the most effective treatment pathways.
“In our first appointment experience, you’ll spend about an hour going through our software to give the doctor all the information they need to make better prescribing decisions. Then you’ll have another hour with the doctor talking through your treatment options,” Hewett explained.
In addition to a clinician, Options MD patients are assigned a care coordinator who checks in on them weekly, answers questions about their experiences and medications, and arranges follow-up appointments or urgent care when needed. These care coordinators act as advocates for patients throughout the process. They also help to cut down on the wait times patients often experience when testing new treatments by identifying when a prescription is not working so doctors can try something different.
“Those kinds of open communication channels and the ability for the care advocate to flag the doctor if you need to get in for a follow up appointment sooner than scheduled is an important resource.”
On the platform, Options MD is powered by ateam of mental health professionals who provide direct care to patients. But behind the scenes, Hewett and her business partner, Kyle Pierce, are keeping the business running smoothly. Hewett takes the lead on product and marketing. She also pushes Options MD’s goals for social good forward.
“Creating a business that focused on social impact was a more sustainable way for me to make an impact on the world. [With Options MD], we are tracking [metrics] such as reductions in suicidal ideation and hospitalizations and getting people who are suffering from severe mental health conditions into remission,” Hewett said.
Hewett’s vision is protected by her business partner’s knowledge of healthcare law. A former healthcare attorney, Pierce handles legal matters, works with investors, and ensures the company and its equity are never in jeopardy.
“He comes from that legal background, so he’s really protecting the company. I think it’s extremely important to have somebody on the founding team who has a legal background. Being a lawyer really teaches you how to negotiate and represent your clients,” Hewett explained.
Together, Hewett and Pierce have navigated the growth and development of Options MD, learning to spot good opportunities and pivot when things don’t work. Hewett shared that the business has been through several iterations, and they’ve learned to be both patient and persistent as they continue to build their brand.
The dedication of Options MD’s co-founders has led to amazing results. They have a 95% patient satisfaction rate, which is way above the industry standard of less than 20%. Options MD also has a rebooking rate that is twice as high as the average telehealth service. Whenever new appointments are posted, they fill quickly, and Hewett and her team are working on expanding to keep patients from having to wait to get help.
“What we really want is to get to a place where as soon as you come to our platform, within a few days, you’re able to get that appointment with a doctor,” Hewett said.
As Options MD continues to grow, Hewett plans to expand the business outside of New York state and begin offering treatment for other mental illnesses, like bipolar. Having witnessed someone she loves suffer from treatment-resistant mental illness and suicidal ideation, Hewett is also passionate about using Options MD to destigmatize and prevent suicide.
“The way that my team and I look at suicidal ideation is that it is a clinical symptom of depression. Full stop. We really try to destigmatize it and look at it as a symptom that can be treated. I would advise people with friends and family members who are going through suicidality to focus on getting the person help from a therapist or psychiatrist who can talk thoughtfully about it.”
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