During our research for the Rivalists app, we had a conversation that really stuck with us. Sure, it was insightful and proved very helpful. But it was the question that kicked off the conversation that stood out:
"If your ultimate goal is to make it easier for everyday athletes to live longer, healthier lives, aren't they already pretty healthy and not taking on significant costs or visiting a doctor often, is it really that hard for them?"
It was a fair question and not entirely unexpected. But the initial, simple response we gave was:
"Are you aware that the average soft tissue injury treatment in the ER is $2,294?"
The reaction:
" I had no **** clue it was that high"
More often than not, we receive a confused or shocked look when we share the costs for common athletic injuries. For instance, Forrester shared a dislocation costs around $4,600, with some bills going as high as $6,900. To make matters worse, some patients learn of these costs after receiving care. It gives credence to the fact that only 28% of Americans exercise enough according to the CDC (source: Forbes).
If you're over 25, it's not unreasonable to weigh the risk vs reward for continuing an athletic lifestyle. The costs, care access issues, and employment impact due to an unexpected injury, (just to name a few), can make someone pause before committing to an athletic event. While it's likely multiple factors play a part in someone opting out of continuing their athletic pursuits, it's unfortunate to think they may shut down their inner athlete due to concerns an injury may be too disruptive.
We often reflect back on that question because it evolved into a larger conversation around the complexity of healthcare issues and the difficulties in trying to solve them. It's also a reminder that many are unaware of some of these issues or the costs until it impacts them directly.
Ultimately, at Rivalists, we don't want the fear of injury and financial strain to stand in the way of anyone pursuing an active lifestyle. We believe that everyone deserves easy access to a personal health team, not just elite professional athletes. Throughout our app development process, we've been steadfast in the pursuit of that goal.
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During our research for the Rivalists app, we had a conversation that really stuck with us. Sure, it was insightful and proved very helpful. But it was the question that kicked off the conversation that stood out:
"If your ultimate goal is to make it easier for everyday athletes to live longer, healthier lives, aren't they already pretty healthy and not taking on significant costs or visiting a doctor often, is it really that hard for them?"
It was a fair question and not entirely unexpected. But the initial, simple response we gave was:
"Are you aware that the average soft tissue injury treatment in the ER is $2,294?"
The reaction:
" I had no **** clue it was that high"
More often than not, we receive a confused or shocked look when we share the costs for common athletic injuries. For instance, Forrester shared a dislocation costs around $4,600, with some bills going as high as $6,900. To make matters worse, some patients learn of these costs after receiving care. It gives credence to the fact that only 28% of Americans exercise enough according to the CDC (source: Forbes).
If you're over 25, it's not unreasonable to weigh the risk vs reward for continuing an athletic lifestyle. The costs, care access issues, and employment impact due to an unexpected injury, (just to name a few), can make someone pause before committing to an athletic event. While it's likely multiple factors play a part in someone opting out of continuing their athletic pursuits, it's unfortunate to think they may shut down their inner athlete due to concerns an injury may be too disruptive.
We often reflect back on that question because it evolved into a larger conversation around the complexity of healthcare issues and the difficulties in trying to solve them. It's also a reminder that many are unaware of some of these issues or the costs until it impacts them directly.
Ultimately, at Rivalists, we don't want the fear of injury and financial strain to stand in the way of anyone pursuing an active lifestyle. We believe that everyone deserves easy access to a personal health team, not just elite professional athletes. Throughout our app development process, we've been steadfast in the pursuit of that goal.
Ryan Fleming
Founder
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