Pear Suite, a digital health company for community health workers, is partnering with OutCare Health, a nonprofit organization focused on LGBTQ+ health equity, to provide Pear's social navigation platform to employers, healthcare organizations and health plans in order to address the care needs of the LBGTQ+ community. 

Hawaii-based Pear Suite is a care-navigation platform that gathers social determinants of health data to garner insights for healthcare providers to improve healthcare outcomes.

OutCare Health provides LGBTQ+ healthcare-focused resources to patients and providers, including a directory of providers privy to the needs of the LGBTQ+ population. 

The Indiana-based company will utilize Pear's navigation platform with SDOH data to expand its reach in connecting LGBTQ+ patients with affirming healthcare providers, support groups, mentors and community health resources.  

"In addition to collaborating to bolster OutCare Health’s care navigation services, we are adding the company’s comprehensive and invaluable training, LGBTQ+ affirming provider network, and resources for Pear Suite customers to utilize, further expanding LGBTQ+ care across the country," Colby Takeda, cofounder and CEO of Pear Suite, said in a statement. 

THE LARGER TREND

Last month, Pear Suite closed a $2.5 million seed funding round to help expand its SDOH-driven care navigation platform. 

According to a report published by the Kaiser Family Foundation, in 2021, LGBT+ patients face greater health disparities than the general population and are more likely to say their health is fair or poor compared to non-LGBT+ people. 

Another company focused on improving LGBTQ+ care is Folx Health, which offers virtual care services to the LGBTQ+ community. Folx garnered $30 million in Series B funding in October.