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Most people are familiar with the classic saying, “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it.” This passive modus operandi is the premise from which the medical and health industries have run for years. Recently, however, there’s been a shift toward the idea of taking life into one’s own hands, in self-optimization, and ultimately a shift towards prevention and preservation. As with most trends and pop culture-driven behavioral changes, the free market ends up replying to the conversation of the masses. And for the medical field, that means adopting a new way of looking at health, and making the transition towards prioritizing and promoting preventive medicine. Dr. John Tidwell is behind this shift whole-heartedly. As an orthopaedic trauma surgeon, he has spent the majority of his career mending broken bones and reassembling body parts, and he sees this transition as a game-changer for both patients and the medical profession itself.
With his eyes set on reshaping the trajectory of medicine, Dr. Tidwell helped co-found Opt Health —where he also serves as the Chief Medical Officer —with his brother Greg Tidwell and longtime friend Camilo Isaza. Given that the preventive medicine sector has been lagging behind, this was the perfect opportunity to step in and fill the void with a real solution that marries health and technology. As a telehealth platform it aims to promote longevity and a higher quality of life. The company, and its founders, do not accept aging as a final sentence, instead the platform empowers its clients through education, bespoke treatments, hands-on solutions, and a gamified system that encourages men to optimize their health before a problematic health condition is upon them.
Dr. Tidwell explains that it’s not just about living longer because “there are two sides: healthspan and lifespan. We’re not only helping people live longer, but increasing the quality of those years,” he says, adding that Opt Health focuses on “the optimization of your health with your body’s natural hormones.” However, there isn’t one standard solution or one-size-fits-all approach. Each client, after an in-depth consultation with a team of professionals that includes a world-class physician, is presented with a customized plan and course of action. This is a major differentiating factor for Opt Health. “We offer a more personalized, multi-faceted approach for clients—there are definitely companies out there that are providing testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), but they do not have an all-encompassing concierge service like we do,” explains Dr. Tidwell. With the incredible level of care and support the platform offers its clients, the top-notch technology is icing on the cake.
Opt Health’s personalized dashboard provides each client with a health score that they can access in real time, while simultaneously using the platform to check their progress and stay on track with their goals. “There’s a little gamification going on with the dashboard—we measure six categories: gut health, hormones, nutrition, stress, exercise & sleep, and inflammation, which create a unique performance score. Since men are competitive by nature, the score is very helpful for both understanding what’s going on internally and keeping track of positive shifts,” elaborates Dr. Tidwell. Since every input, from lab results to physical training data, creates new tangible outputs, clients are not only given access to their health, but the chance to play an active role in it.
Since self-optimization is the platform’s specialty, it’s no wonder Opt Health continues to expand its already impressive arsenal of experts and physicians, by incorporating nutritionists and other lifestyle-focused specialists. The technology aspect is also getting an update with an upcoming Alexa integration into the dashboard to help keep clients accountable and on track to achieve their health goals. A company that lives and breathes its guiding principles is one you know you can rely on, especially with something as important as your health.
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