We are building tools to bridge the communication gap between women and their healthcare providers by supporting clear, informed, reciprocal conversation.
We don't want to build something that doesn't actually work for you,
so before we build, we're listening.
If you've ever left a doctor's appointment feeling unheard, we want to hear from you.
Are you a healthcare provider? We want to hear from you too.
Reach Robin directly at
55%
of women with chronic pain conditions have considered giving up on seeking care altogether due to repeated dismissal.
21%
of women report having their medical concerns dismissed by doctors. That's double the rate of men.
KFF Women's Health Survey, 2020
86%
of patients report that their doctor does not consistently see their full health history
And 80% worry that important issues might slip through the cracks
2026 State of Primary Care Report
57%
of physicians report
experiencing symptoms of prolonged anxiety or burnout
The State of America's Physicians: 2025 Wellbeing Survey
Real problems demand real solutions
Help us build a solution that works for you!
Curious to see what we are creating?
Share your opinions
Talk with us!
Providers, we need you too!
Everyone, we would love to hear from you. If you'd like to send an e-mail, or are willing to set up a brief interview, please reach out!
Your experience shapes our future. Share your perspective with us to help make Firmground the best it can be!
Please consider completing this brief survey to help us understand how we can support better communication.
About Robin, and the origin of Firmground
Here's the honest version of why Firmground exists:
I was mad.
I spent almost 10 years in pain, bounced between more than 12 doctors, and kept hitting the same walls (it's psychosomatic, there's nothing there, *shrugs*, have you tried CBT?) Then in 2022, a medical student shadowing my doctor figured out what all the specialists had missed. The fix was almost embarrassingly simple. The difference wasn't a better test or a fancier machine, it was that she actually listened to what I was telling her instead of just reading my chart.
That stuck with me. I spent a year thinking about it, reading about it, getting mad about it, and eventually decided I wanted to build something that helps other people get heard the first time, not the twelfth.
I knew I didn't have the healthcare background to do this well on instinct alone, so I went and got it. I took a job at MaineHealth to see the system from the inside, and went to grad school to formalize the skills I'd need: project management, business analysis, leadership.
Along the way, I learned something I didn't expect. This isn't just a patient problem. I talked to plenty of providers who are just as frustrated as their patients. They want to listen, they want the fuller picture, but the system doesn't give them the time or the tools to get there. That changed how I think about Firmground. It's not about fixing bad doctors. It's about closing a gap that's letting everyone down.
Right now it's just me, a clear problem I care about, and a growing group of people who believe it's worth solving.
Firmground is just getting started, and I am so glad that you are here!
Warmly,
Robin