Flo is now FSA/HSA eligible
Published: 09 Dec 2024
Earlier this year, more than 4,000 OB-GYNs gathered in San Francisco for ACOG’s Annual Clinical & Scientific Meeting (ACSM). As the largest OB-GYN conference in the US, the meeting brings together clinicians, researchers, and industry experts to discuss the latest advancements, share innovative research, and explore the future of women's health care. Better still, this year’s keynote speaker was none other than Abby Wambach: a soccer legend, activist and two-time Olympic Champion.
Naturally, we had to go along. (It was our second year in a row – we couldn’t resist after attending the 2023 event in Baltimore!) With colleagues from Flo’s Partnerships, PR, Medical Affairs, and Scientific teams, we set up a stall in the heart of the conference to raise awareness of Flo’s mission: to build a better future for female health.
Andrea Maduro, Flo’s Medical Adviser, who was there on the day, describes the scene:
“The Partnerships team did an exceptional job setting up our eye-catching pink conference stand, where we provided a wealth of information about Flo, highlighting its key features for healthcare professionals. Plus, we had a bunch of Flo-branded giveaways for attendees, including pregnancy wheels, pins, and, of course, our Flo uterus plushies. We were undoubtedly a big hit!”
At the exhibition stand, our colleagues engaged with OB-GYNs, providing insights into how Flo can support reproductive health education for their patients. Kym Jacks-Bryant, Director of Medical Affairs and Partnerships at Flo, explains how Flo’s presence at ACSM conference benefits the team. “My role was to talk to as many different people as possible to expand my knowledge of the emerging trends, issues, and solutions in the field of obstetrics and gynecology,” she says.
But the conference was much more than networking. Flo’s Director of Science, Liudmila Zhaunova, explains: “This event was a remarkable opportunity to engage with leading experts in obstetrics and gynecology, gaining insights into the latest advancements and research in the field.”
The conference featured a variety of educational sessions, hands-on workshops, and networking opportunities, making it a key platform for learning, collaboration and professional development. During the sessions, Andrea heard first-hand how Flo is helping women to better understand their bodies. “I was thrilled to hear from specialists in the field and users about how Flo has made a positive impact on their work and daily lives, whether as practitioners or simply as women,” she says. “I really felt part of a community of people who care deeply about women's health.”
Flo colleagues contributed to these educational sessions, giving their thoughts and insights, while getting up-to-date with the latest advancements in female health. As Liudmila explains: “Flo is the number one women’s health app, which is used by 1 in 6 women in the US, and our mission is to empower women through technology. So, it was really important for us to be at ACSM and take part in discussions on integrating digital health solutions to improve patient outcomes. Events like this reinforce our commitment to staying at the forefront of women's health.”
Needless to say, it wasn’t all cutting-edge science. Flo’s stand was near ACOG’s “Pawty Zone”: a dedicated area where attendees could relax with puppies. As Andrea puts it: “If the groundbreaking scientific content wasn’t reason enough to participate next year, the Pawty Zone certainly would be!”
What were the conference highlights? That’s a hard question to answer. On her part, Kym was left inspired by how attendees learned from one another. “When you get that many experienced people together at an event where curiosity and discussions are all around you, there is so much to learn,” she says. “The impromptu conversations sparked from sitting next to someone in the audience or while waiting for coffee, taught me so much about the different challenges being faced by OB-GYNs right now and what creative ways they have found to solve them, I think it would be enlightening to any OB-GYN.”
For Liudmila,“it was exciting to see more research efforts examining the impact of modern technology on women’s education and health”, she explains. Among the discussions she went to was one on the quality of educational Pap smear videos on TikTok, alongside another session on the educational capabilities of technologies including ChatGPT, OpenAI and Google Bard on contraception. “I was also really inspired by the growing focus on perimenopause and menopause research, as well as the development of novel treatments, including non-hormonal options,” she adds.
While the meeting was no doubt uplifting, it also laid bare the exhausting reality facing many OB-GYNs today. Kym describes how she heard “personal stories” of burnout throughout the conference, praising the incoming ACOG president Stella M. Dantas for “talking about the changes that need to be made”. Similarly, Andrea was sombered by research highlighting “the need for improved patient resources,” she says, “especially in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions like PCOS and endometriosis”.
Ultimately, the conference was a hugely rewarding, enriching and inspiring day, reinforcing our commitment to staying at the forefront of women's health.
“Attending congresses like ACOG's Annual Clinical & Scientific Meeting is an incredible opportunity for Flo Health to raise visibility and awareness among OB/GYNs and the broader professional network,” concludes Andrea. “It not only allowed us to network directly with leading experts and key stakeholders in women's health but also gave us the chance to showcase Flo’s features, positioning Flo as a trusted partner in women’s health.”
P.S. watch this space – plans for Flo’s presence at this conference next year are already in the pipeline!
