Women’s Health Week offers an opportunity to reflect on progress and persistent gaps in how healthcare systems understand and serve women. This conversation between Grace McNamara, Chief Strategy Officer at Elfie, and Jasmin Hundal, Hematology/Oncology Fellow at the Cleveland Clinic, highlights that despite growing awareness, women’s health remains under-researched, underfunded, and often misunderstood. Yet, with advances in digital health and a renewed push for collaboration, meaningful change is within reach.

The Visibility Gap in Women’s Health

Ms. McNamara highlights a longstanding issue: women’s health has historically lacked focused attention in both education and research. “When I did my undergrad in physiology, we didn't talk about women's health being different from male health,” she explains. This absence has real consequences today, contributing to a “black hole of lacking knowledge” even among experienced healthcare professionals.

She also challenges the narrow framing of women’s health as primarily reproductive health. “Are we reducing women back down to the reproductive organs?” she asks. This limited perspective overlooks broader concerns like cardiology, osteoporosis, and oncology—areas where women often experience different symptoms and outcomes.

Data, Research, and the Cost of Being Overlooked

A major driver of these gaps is the lack of representative data. Ms. McNamara emphasizes that much of existing research is still based on male populations: “We need to do a better job of getting women represented in clinical research in order to get women-focused solutions.”

This imbalance contributes to widespread misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis. She shares a recent personal experience during which she felt gaslit by dismissal of her symptoms. Even when symptoms are present, clinicians may lack the training or resources to interpret them through a gender-specific lens.

The Role of Technology in Closing the Gap

Technology offers a powerful path forward. From AI-driven clinical tools to at-home testing, innovation is helping bridge the divide between patients and providers. Ms. McNamara is particularly excited about decentralized data collection: “At-home testing is huge in women's health.” With tools that allow individuals to track hormones, biomarkers, and symptoms over time, patients can arrive at appointments better informed. This not only improves conversations with clinicians but also strengthens the data available for research.

Equally important is breaking down silos. “We have to stop thinking of location-driven and time-driven research,” Ms. McNamara says. Digital platforms can enable continuous, global data sharing, unlocking insights that were previously out of reach.

Equity, Access, and the Power of Participation

While concerns about accessibility persist, both speakers note that mobile technology has already reached a majority of the population. The challenge now is building systems that are inclusive and easy to use.

Ms. McNamara points to the importance of developing infrastructure that allows people to contribute to research seamlessly. By enabling individuals to share long-term health data and participate in clinical trials remotely, technology can democratize research participation.

Representation Matters: Leadership and Design

Beyond data, representation in leadership and product design is critical. Ms. McNamara recalls evaluating a women’s health product developed entirely without female input: “Where's the woman in this conversation?” she asks. “That, to me, is just ignorant.” She argues that meaningful progress requires women at every level—from strategy to development to investment.

A Call for Collaboration

Ultimately, both speakers emphasize collaboration as the key to progress. “We are here to collaborate, and we want better solutions,” Ms. McNamara says. Bridging gaps in knowledge, data, and care will require coordinated efforts between clinicians, technologists, researchers, and patients.

Key Takeaways

Women’s health has been historically underrepresented in research and education, leading to significant care gaps.
Overemphasis on reproductive health overlooks broader, critical conditions affecting women.
Lack of female representation in clinical trials contributes to misdiagnosis and ineffective treatments.
Digital health tools—especially at-home testing and AI—can empower patients and improve care delivery.
Breaking down data silos and enabling global participation is essential for advancing research.
Representation in leadership and product design is crucial for creating effective, inclusive solutions.
Collaboration across disciplines is the most powerful driver of meaningful change.

About the Speakers

Grace McNamara, BSc, MPH, EMBA, is the Chief Strategy Officer at Elfie, a company leveraging AI to combined personalized lifestyle medicine, health monitoring, and chronic condition management into a single app with the capacity to individualize care navigation. With over 20 years of leadership experience, Ms. McNamara is dedicated to driving impact in population health through partnership with lifestyle medicine and technology solutions.

Jasmin Hundal, MD, MS, MPH, is a third-year Hematology/Oncology Fellow at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio. Previously, she completed her Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Hundal’s main area of interest is the overlap between cardiometabolic health and cancer, particularly for breast cancer patients and survivors. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, cooking, and hiking.

Women’s Health Needs Better Research—How Can Technology Help?