New Women’s Heart Health-Focused Service Aims to Solve Physician Access Crisis with Innovative Group Virtual Care Solution
BOSTON, Jan. 27, 2025 — Systole Health, a tech-enabled group virtual care solution for women’s heart health, today announced $2M in pre-seed funding. The round was led by Benchstrength, with participation from January Ventures, J Ventures, and Tom X. Lee, founder of One Medical.
Systole Health delivers comprehensive care for women’s heart health through innovative group virtual visits. Women at risk for heart disease meet with a doctor and health coach to receive personalized coaching, medical care, and a supportive community in hour-long appointments. This program is a proven, yet underused, group care model that offers women the opportunity to ask questions and get expert care and support. By comparison, the current average doctor-patient visit is 18 minutes, primarily focused on medication management, an issue compounded by physician shortages and accessibility challenges as patient volumes continue to increase. Systole Health is available directly to consumers and will become available through partnering health systems as the program expands.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women, with 90% of women having at least one heart disease risk factor and 45% already carrying diagnoses of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite these alarming statistics, women are underdiagnosed and undertreated for heart disease risk factors.
“When we look at investments, we prioritize new companies that address an unmet need with a novel approach, brought to us by founders who have both vision and a distinct ability to execute,” said Ken Chenault Jr., Managing Partner at Benchstrength. “Systole Health meets all these criteria with its innovative group virtual care model, which leverages technology to provide scalable and sustainable solutions for women’s heart health. Their patient-first approach, designed specifically to address systemic gaps in cardiovascular care for women, is transformative, and we’re excited to support their mission to deliver meaningful outcomes and expand access to quality care.”
Dr. Simin Lee, CEO and founder of Systole Health notes, “Our mission is to bend the curve of heart disease in women by introducing a new care model that prioritizes outcomes and connection. As a cardiologist, I have witnessed firsthand the struggles women face in managing their heart health. Our solution is built for women by women, addressing the unique challenges we experience and expanding access to the kind of care we want for our mothers, aunts, sisters, and daughters.”
Lauren McConnell, COO and founder of Systole Health adds, “We know there’s a lot of women looking for help with their heart health, without the option to get into their existing providers as much as they need to. I’m excited to build a supportive, community-driven space for those women, extending their lives and by extension – improving the health of their families.”
Systole Health plans to utilize the funding to expand into key markets throughout the United States and build its early clinical team. The company is also focused on forming strategic partnerships with healthcare providers and payers to further integrate its services into the broader healthcare ecosystem. Currently, the program is being piloted and serving patients in Massachusetts and Florida.
“At Systole Health, we’ve seen how this model can do more with less and unlock the power of community for our patients,” says Dr. Lee. “This is exactly the kind of solution needed to truly move the needle for women’s heart health.”
About Systole Health
Based in Boston, Systole Health is a pre-seed start-up revolutionizing women’s heart health through its innovative, tech-enabled group virtual care model. Focused on addressing systemic gaps in cardiovascular care, Systole Health delivers scalable, community-driven solutions that prioritize access, outcomes, and patient connection. Led by Dr. Simin Gharib Lee, a Harvard-trained cardiologist, and Lauren McConnell, a digital health innovator, the company is backed by Benchstrength, January Ventures, J Ventures, and Tom X. Lee. For more information, visit www.systolehealth.com.
Media Contact:
Vikki Herrera
Oak Street Communications for Systole Health
[email protected]
SOURCE Systole Health
