We are empowering a generation of confident parents to raise the healthiest kids
Pediatric care built for parents by parents
An experience with my two-year-old son inspired me to found Summer Health. Like many parents, I had an urgent question for my pediatrician after hours. We could not reach anyone, so we ran to the emergency room. After a four-hour visit, the only guidance we received was to watch him overnight. For that privilege, we received a bill for $2,500. We could have easily handled this situation from home had we reached a doctor in time. I want to ensure all parents have access to the care they need at their fingertips whenever needed.
My story isn’t unique. Parents spend more than three hours a week managing non-scheduled health needs for their children. A child's fever, bump, or rash often occurs outside doctors’ office hours and may require immediate medical attention—or may not. These trips often involve waiting hours to be seen by a doctor and hefty out-of-pocket costs. And sometimes they aren’t necessary. Pediatric needs don’t stop with urgent care either. Finding a specialist to answer questions about development is also in short supply.
Every American should be able to text a phone number and get care within 15 minutes instead of turning to the internet or defaulting to urgent care. We aim to help busy working parents like us have a more convenient, personalized solution to managing their family’s health. We believe healthcare is the most fundamental consumer experience, and everyone, regardless of geography or resources, deserves access whenever needed. All families are unique, so this care should not be one-size-fits-all. We strive to create a relationship-based approach to care that fits every need.
Thank you for trusting us with your family, we can’t wait to help.
-Ellen DaSilva, Founder/CEO Summer Health
Our team
Ellen DaSilva
Matthew Woo
Tim Foran
Dr. Ali Alhassani
Anton Sten
Melissa Seligmann
Claudia Keating
Daba Oruwariye
Mimu Jung
Rachel Kim
Lipsa Panda
Sam Silverman
John Dockery
Will Weaver
Our Advisors
Edith Bracho-Sanchez
Edith Bracho-Sanchez is a pediatrician and an advocate for interventions that improve families’ understanding of their health and ability to access medical care. At Columbia University, where she currently practices, Dr. Bracho-Sanchez has led the development of a successful pediatric telemedicine program for underserved communities. Through podcasting, digital platforms, and traditional media, Dr. Bracho-Sanchez is a frequent guide to families in both English and Spanish. She lives in New York City with her husband and one year old son.
John Brownstein
John Brownstein, PhD is Professor of Biomedical Informatics at Harvard Medical School and is the Chief Innovation Officer of Boston Children’s Hospital. He directs the Computational Epidemiology Lab and the Innovation and Digital Health Accelerator both at Boston Children’s. He was trained as an epidemiologist at Yale University. Dr. Brownstein is also co-founder of digital health companies Epidemico and Circulation and an ABC News Medical Contributor.