One may ask, what is Treehouse and why is this needed now? The reality is that many allied healthcare providers who support families, individuals, or anyone in between have been significantly struggling for many years to optimize their workflow, care management and client engagement. Our solution is focused on not only fixing those business pain points but going deeper and delivering better outcomes for clients and healthcare as a whole.

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Impacts on Canadian Parents
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Canadian researchers estimate that depression and anxiety affect 1 in 7 women during the perinatal period and are associated with increased risk of preterm delivery, reduced mother-infant bonding, and delays in cognitive/emotional development of the infant. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a substantial increase in the likelihood of maternal depression and anxiety and has revealed a significant need for better support, and more accessible assessment and treatment for maternal mental health. 
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Treehouse solves this problem for both providers and their potential clients. Our SaaS solution gives providers the digital infrastructure to manage their practice and client records, all while staying connected to their clients on a secure platform. Clients also benefit from the ability to grow their care team, stay in touch with their providers, and build their communities, all of which help to optimize their care. 

A recent CBC News article highlighted the trauma that many families have experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Factors such as birthing alone, a lack of support, and not being able to build close connections with other new parents have created a massive strain on new and expecting individuals and families. This article highlights the importance of building connections and community, as well as the idea of having a “village” to support the transition to parenthood. Experts discuss the ripple effects they expect over the next several years and how it is important to act now to support these individuals. 

Treehouse is committed to building an accessible, innovative, and desperately needed community to give individuals from every type of family access to the wealth of resources that exist across Canada to support them in their parenting journey. 

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Current Lack of Tech and Innovation
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No existing technological solutions in Canada target midwives and we at Treehouse want to rectify this situation. Our solution will revolutionize the way that technology is used in midwifery practices across Canada, North America, and eventually globally. The impact of cost-effective midwifery care in low- to middle-income countries can be felt in more than fifty health and wellbeing outcomes, including reducing maternal and infant morbidity and mortality, and improving breastfeeding rates. 

We need not look beyond our borders to see the difference that midwives can make in the lives of families in the childbearing year: expecting parents in rural and remote communities in Canada’s northern regions rely heavily on midwives to provide comprehensive care. In 2020, Rankin Inlet’s birthing services were suspended due to staffing shortages related to a lack of governmental support and racism. Without access to local birthing services, parents are required to travel to give birth in ‘southern’ hospitals - sometimes more than a thousand kilometres.

Despite all the obstacles both in Canada and abroad, “positive signs exist: global policy and guidance on human resources, education, quality care, and care in pregnancy, labour, and birth increasingly acknowledge the contribution of midwives.” 

The pandemic has been an accelerant for our solution and our community-based approach is a winner for the needs of the market. We believe that women’s and family health is not just a vertical, but the core of a functional healthcare system in a system that desperately needs reform. Treehouse is at the forefront of revitalizing the client-provider relationship and putting power back with the individual.‍‍