It's no easy feat to treat a chronic health condition within the U.S.
An autoimmune disease, like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes, is a disease in which the body's immune system attacks healthy cells. According to the Autoimmune Association, 50 million Americans have one or more autoimmune diseases, and 75% of those affected are women.
It's no coincidence a health condition that mainly impacts women, and particularly women of color, also boasts long diagnosis times — often due to doctors dismissing patients' symptoms, says Ellen Rudolph, co-founder and CEO of autoimmune disease care platform WellTheory. Historically, women and people of color face higher rates of discrimination in healthcare, with many finding that their pain and concerns are not taken seriously by providers.
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Rudolph started to navigate her autoimmune disease journey three years ago and experienced this treatment firsthand.
"My chronic health mystery left me completely bedridden at the age of 25," says Rudolph. "In that process, I bounced around from doctor to doctor without getting any real answers. My symptoms were dismissed, and I was often referred out to therapists."
This is a common experience, with 45% of autoimmune patients being labeled as "chronic complainers" and not having their symptoms taken seriously during the diagnosis journey, according to the American Autoimmune Related Disease Association.
"The medical gaslighting is really prevalent," says Rudolph. "It actually takes most people four and a half years to get a diagnosis."
Fortunately, Rudolph trusted her gut and eventually found that her condition was autoimmune in nature later that year. To this day, she has never received an official diagnosis, although her antibodies suggest she may have a form of lupus, an inflammatory disease that causes the immune system to attack its own tissues.
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Still suspended in a degree of uncertainty, Rudolph chose to focus on making changes to her diet and lifestyle in the face of intense fatigue, rashes, bloating and tremors. While this worked for Rudolph, she knows everyone suffering from an autoimmune disease would benefit from hands-on guidance on how to manage their condition — which is why she launched WellTheory in 2022. Equipped with a registered dietitian or nutritionist, a board-certified health coach and a membership coordinator, Welltheory helps members design a care plan specific to their needs.
"Our belief is that a lot of your health happens outside of the doctor's visit," says Rudolph. "It's the food you put in your mouth, how you're moving your body and how you manage stress."
While WellTheory can be purchased by anyone looking for help, Rudolph is hoping to partner with
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"It's an invisible population," says Rudolph. "Someone might experience a symptoms flare-up and take a few sick days here and there, or their symptoms are preventing them from bringing their full self to work."
Employers, and managers specifically, have to create environments where employees are comfortable sharing their struggle with an autoimmune disease. Additionally, the work culture shouldn't frown on employees taking sick days, underlines Rudolph.
Rudolph argues it's in employers' best interests to help their employees manage their condition, rather than stigmatize it by penalizing or ignoring autoimmune talent. If employers choose the latter, they stand to lose capital due to drops in productivity and high rates of absenteeism. Not to mention the annual healthcare costs — Rudolph notes that autoimmune patients can cost employers between $20,00 and 30,000 a year.
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Whether through a health management platform, work culture policies or a mix of both, Rudolph asks employers to take their autoimmune employees into consideration for their own sakes as well as their workers.
"We employ a lot of individuals with autoimmune diseases," says Rudolph. "And we know it comes down to creating a culture that prioritizes people bringing their best selves to work."
