Photo courtesy of Austin Boyer
College of Arts and Sciences graduates and current BU Medical students Talya Cohen and Tanusha Tholla of the non-profit HealthPair. The BU-associated nonprofit is launching a hub class this fall to provide students with health literacy skills. Photo courtesy of Austin Boyer.
For many young adults, the transition from adolescence to independence brings on many new responsibilities. Of those challenges, one of the most daunting is having to manage their own healthcare.
From understanding insurance to scheduling appointments and advocating for themselves, college students and recent graduates often find themselves unprepared to handle the complexities of today’s health care landscape.
That is where HealthPair, a Boston University-based nonprofit organization, steps in.
“What really got us thinking about health care and connecting youth to health care literacy resources was our own experiences in college and in undergrad at BU, thinking about how hard it was for us and others in college to find health care, especially during emergency situations, and know how to navigate it with confidence,” Tanusha Tholla, the CEO of HealthPair and a second-year medical student at BU, said.
Many adolescents and young adults resort to the emergency room when better options exist because they are stressed and do not know where to go, Tholla said.
“Oftentimes, youth are moving away from networks of family and caregiver support, far away to new places for a new job or college, and [are] left to navigate one of the most important aspects of life, our health and health care, on their own,” she said.
HealthPair focuses on equipping young adults with the tools, knowledge and confidence to take charge of their medical needs. The organization, registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, aims to go beyond information.
HealthPair’s work falls into four main areas: resources, online courses, workshops and connections. Its online resource site offers a glossary of health care jargon, checklists for transitioning into adult care and self-assessments to test health care readiness.
The organization also implemented a health literacy course into the BU HUB curriculum.
HUB CC 110, Cocurricular: Healthcare Literacy, aims to help students examine their own relationships with the health care system and advocate for themselves through reflections, in-class simulations and a research project.
“We worked with board-certified patient advocates, health care researchers and pediatricians, among other experts in the field, to compile a semester-long curriculum on how to navigate health care, designed for college-aged or the transition-aged youth,” Tholla said.
Though, the most dynamic aspect of HealthPair’s programming may be its workshops.
Known as “Health Hacks,” the interactive sessions are designed to be approachable, engaging and useful. A workshop might focus on skills including understanding an insurance card, preparing to see a specialist or organizing medical documentation.
The workshops have five main curriculum highlights: self-advocacy, health information and misinformation, care coordination, health insurance and emergency preparedness.
“We try to have engaging activities, like a lot of conversation and discussion questions, so it’s not just a lecture,” said workshop coordinator Zoe Solberg, a senior at BU. “We take [attendees] through different activities, and the discussions are good because people can share their own experiences.”
Those personal experiences are what’s driving HealthPair forward, even in a rapidly changing health care environment.
Chief Marketing Officer Samara Ruberg, a 2024 BU graduate, shared a testimonial on the impact of HealthPair’s work.
Over the summer, the organization hosted a drop-in self advocacy workshop at Boston Medical Center’s pediatric clinic. Visitors could stop by for guidance on anything — from booking appointments to transitioning to adult care.
One young adult, who had recently moved to Massachusetts, attended the session amid struggles with chronic conditions, identity-based discrimination and a lack of resources prior to moving to Massachusetts. Ruberg said he was looking for help moving from pediatric to adult coverage.
With HealthPair’s support, the student finally secured coverage — but not after a maze of phone calls and emails. The student left with a list of resources for primary, mental health and gender-affirming care, Ruburg said.
Moments like these show the heart of HealthPair’s mission — not just teaching young adults how to navigate a complex health care system but also being a source of support.
“One of our goals is to be a touchpoint for people and an ear because it’s stressful navigating all this stuff,” Ruberg said. “And we understand that, so we’re trying to ease the burden.”
Looking ahead, HealthPair hopes to expand beyond Commonwealth Avenue and Boston, making its way into other demographics as well.
“I would also love to target other populations, other than just young adults,” Ruberg said. “Older adults often have a lot of difficulties navigating care for various reasons.”
HealthPair’s leaders are quick to point out that their work is more about understanding logistics. The organization is about helping young adults feel capable and prepared to prioritize their well-being.
“If we are equipping youth with skills in health care literacy early on, we can prevent a lot of long-term financial [and] mental stress and help [them] to be better advocates for themselves, for their peers and for their families,” Tholla said.