Our Founder's Story

By Betty Rich

I didn’t set out to start a healthcare company. I was just a frustrated patient—and a mom—trying to navigate a system that felt cold, confusing, and completely disconnected from the people it was supposed to serve.

Like many others, I experienced long waits, rushed appointments, and the overwhelming amount of paperwork that comes with traditional, insurance-based care. But what really stayed with me were the moments when I needed care for my children and couldn’t get it—simply because it was after 5 p.m. or on a weekend. Those were the moments that made me think, There has to be a better way.

Over time, that thought turned into a calling. I didn’t want to keep accepting the way things were. I wanted to create the kind of care I wished existed for my own family—one that put people first, prioritized relationships, and made it easier to stay well instead of just reacting when something went wrong.

That’s how Connected Health was born.

From the start, our philosophy was simple: remove the red tape, take insurance out of the equation, and give doctors the time and space to truly care for their patients. We adopted a membership-based model that allows our team to focus on prevention, early detection, and proactive care plans—not just quick fixes.

In traditional practices, doctors are often juggling thousands of patients. I knew we could do better. At Connected Health, we keep our patient panels intentionally small, and we surround our physicians with a full support team—navigating insurance issues, coordinating care, and handling the administrative side—so their time is spent where it matters most: with you.

I believe your primary care doctor should be your partner in health, your advocate, your guide. They should know your story, not just your chart. That’s why we built a team-based model that brings together medical doctors, pharmacists, physical therapists, dietitians, and chiropractors. It’s a whole-body approach that treats you like a person—not a number.

My goal today is the same as it was when I first started: to help people take back control of their health, feel empowered in their care, and finally feel seen. Healthcare shouldn’t be something you dread. It should feel like coming home to a team that knows you and wants what’s best for you.

That’s what Connected Health is all about.

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