Breaking Bias: Redesigning Healthcare Systems to Center Women’s Needs
Designing Healthcare for Half the World: Closing the Gender Gap in Women’s Health
Women make more than 80% of household healthcare decisions—yet the systems meant to care for them routinely fall short. From biased research to missed diagnoses and care models that ignore women’s lived realities, the gaps are systemic. Modality Global Advisors (MGA) helps organisations rebuild care with women at the centre—data-informed, equitable, and outcomes-driven.
The Gender Gap—Why It Matters
- After a heart attack, women are ~50% more likely to receive an incorrect diagnosis.
- Endometriosis takes 7–10 years on average to diagnose.
- Women—especially from racially and economically diverse backgrounds—remain under-represented in clinical research.
Unpacking the Bias
Research Gaps
The “male default” persists. Major trials still skew male, producing protocols that miss sex-specific responses, dosing, and risk profiles.
Dismissed & Misdiagnosed Pain
Conditions like fibromyalgia, PCOS, and autoimmune disorders are frequently minimised, delaying diagnosis and compounding morbidity.
Overlooked Mental Health
Women are twice as likely to experience anxiety/depression, yet care rarely accounts for hormonal shifts, caregiving burdens, and societal pressures.
Actionable Solutions: Rebuild with Women at the Centre
- Reimagine research: Mandate sex-balanced trials; prioritise endometriosis, menopause, maternal health, and cardiometabolic risk in women.
- Rewire practice: Bias training; symptom-first diagnostics; sex-specific guidelines and dosing.
- Women-centred models: Integrate OB/GYN, primary, behavioural, and chronic care; expand telehealth and culturally competent maternal pathways.
- Policy to practice: Fund women’s health research; align reimbursement with equity; elevate women in leadership and governance.
| Domain | What Changes | Outcome Signal |
|---|---|---|
| Research & Data | Sex-balanced trials; sex-specific analytics | Better evidence, safer care |
| Clinical Pathways | Bias-aware protocols; faster diagnostics | Fewer misdiagnoses, faster relief |
| Access & Experience | Telehealth, community care, culturally competent models | Higher engagement & trust |
| Policy & Incentives | Funding, equity-linked reimbursement, leadership parity | Sustained system change |
The Cost of Waiting
- $500B+ annual productivity losses in the U.S. from mismanaged women’s health.
- Up to $3T global GDP lift by 2030 if gender gaps in health and work are closed.
How Modality Global Advisors Drives Gender Equity by Design
- Regulatory & Ethical Planning: Roadmaps that align innovation (including emerging therapies) with safety, ethics, and standards.
- Equity by Design: Research, rollout, and communications that centre accessibility, transparency, and inclusion.
- Risk Mitigation: Scenario planning and predictive analytics to assess social, economic, and clinical risk.
- Cross-Sector Collaboration: Convening payers, patients, researchers, and policymakers to set common goals and governance.
- Women-Centred Analytics: Sex-specific dashboards—symptom trajectories, dosing safety, maternal outcomes, and access gaps.
Ready to build women-centred systems? Partner with Modality Global Advisors: hello@modalityglobal.com.
