Accessing consistent and compassionate care as a person with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) and related conditions remains one of the biggest challenges in the healthcare system – no matter the country we live in. From delayed diagnoses to a lack of coordinated support, patients often find themselves piecing together care from multiple specialists—while simultaneously managing insurance, navigating medical trauma, and coping with complex, daily symptoms. Chronius Health, a Florida-based practice founded by patient-turned-CEO Danielle Lazarowitz, aims to change that. With a promise of primary care without the gaslighting, Chronius offers high-touch, virtual-first care designed specifically for people with complex chronic illnesses. Chronic Pain Partners’ Karina Sturm spoke with Lazarowitz about what makes their approach different and how they support patients with EDS.

Karina Sturm: Your tagline—“Primary care without the gaslighting”—really stood out to me. It’s a bold promise. What inspired it, and how does it shape your practice?

Danielle Lazarowitz: I started Chronius Health as a patient myself. While I don’t have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, I do have POTS—a common comorbidity—as well as autoimmune diseases like Sjögren’s and myasthenia gravis. Like many people with complex chronic conditions, I’ve had doctors dismiss my symptoms as anxiety or stress. That gaslighting delayed my diagnoses and treatment. I knew care could look different if providers truly listened to patients and were clinically curious. Many conditions, like EDS, aren’t that hard to diagnose—if you know what to look for. So our practice focuses on improving both clinical outcomes and the patient experience, reducing the trauma that often comes from being dismissed or misunderstood in healthcare settings.

Karina Sturm: You mentioned you don’t have EDS, yet your practice specializes in it. How did that come about?

Danielle Lazarowitz: We focus on complex chronic conditions—EDS is just one of them. About half our patients have EDS, but most have multiple overlapping conditions. On average, our patients live with seven different chronic diagnoses. So we don’t just look at one condition in isolation. We help patients understand what’s actually going on in their body and how these conditions interact—because sometimes a treatment that helps one issue can make another worse.

Karina Sturm: Would you say that’s one of the biggest gaps in primary care for EDS patients—not seeing the full picture?

Danielle Lazarowitz: Absolutely. One issue is a general lack of EDS knowledge in primary care. Getting diagnosed is often the first hurdle. Here in Florida, there are very few providers who even diagnose EDS, and the waitlists are long. But we believe that primary care should be capable of doing the initial diagnostic work—ruling out differentials, doing Beighton scoring, ordering genetic testing if necessary. Beyond that, most providers don’t see how EDS connects with other health issues. For example, routine care might not include screening for heart valve issues with regular echocardiograms—but that might be important for someone with EDS.

Karina Sturm: If someone wants to become your patient, what does the onboarding process look like?

Danielle Lazarowitz: Patients can self-schedule their first visit online—usually within 2 to 4 weeks, which is much faster than major clinics. That first visit is an hour long and includes an in-depth intake and review of their medical history. After that, we co-create a personalized care plan with the patient. This can include testing, referrals, or at-home management strategies.

Then our care coordination team steps in. We take on a lot of the administrative work—like finding specialists who not only accept the patient’s insurance but also understand conditions like EDS. It’s a big relief for patients to know we’re helping them build a knowledgeable, supportive care team.

Karina Sturm: That’s incredible. Who pays for all of this? Do you accept insurance?

Danielle Lazarowitz: We use a hybrid model. We accept insurance—right now Aetna, Cigna, Medicare, Florida Blue, and UnitedHealthcare. On top of that, there’s a small monthly membership fee—$40 monthly or $300 annually. That covers care coordination, advocacy support, a monthly support group led by a licensed therapist, and access to our app where patients can track symptoms and access educational materials. We wanted to find a middle ground between barebones insurance-only care and expensive concierge models.

Karina Sturm: How do you handle care that traditionally requires in-person exams?

Danielle Lazarowitz: You can do a lot virtually now. For EDS, we guide patients through a Beighton score exam over video. We also ask them to measure their wingspan, photograph scars, and provide other documentation that supports diagnosis. If a truly hands-on exam is needed, we refer them to a trusted local provider. But in most cases, we’re able to handle everything virtually.

 

Karina Sturm: So technically, patients from anywhere could see you?

Danielle Lazarowitz: In theory, yes. But in practice, we’re currently only licensed in Florida. As long as the patient is physically in Florida at the time of the visit, even if they don’t live here, we can treat them. We do plan to expand to other states.

Karina Sturm: What do you wish more clinicians understood about EDS, especially in primary care?

Danielle Lazarowitz: First, I wish they knew what signs to look for—beyond just hypermobility—to start the diagnostic process. Second, I wish they understood the ripple effects of EDS. For example, patients often require higher doses of anesthesia. That’s something primary care providers should flag when clearing someone for surgery. And lastly, providers need to recognize comorbidities like POTS, mast cell activation syndrome, anxiety, depression, or autism, which are more common in the EDS community.

Karina Sturm: With so many diagnoses and providers involved, how do you keep everything organized?

Danielle Lazarowitz: We take very detailed, problem-based notes—often 10+ pages per patient. That helps us, and any specialists we coordinate with, quickly understand the full picture. We also maintain a curated database of providers, both in and out of state, based on feedback from our patients.

Karina Sturm: Do you train your team specifically in EDS care and trauma-informed practices?

Danielle Lazarowitz: Yes. We spent a year before launching developing training on the 30 most common complex chronic conditions—including EDS, POTS, MCAS, fibromyalgia, and more. We worked with top academic specialists and built care journey maps for each condition: initial symptoms, diagnostics, treatments, etc. All providers must complete this training, which also includes telehealth best practices and delivering patient-centered, empathetic care.

Karina Sturm: How do you make your practice accessible for deaf, blind, or neurodivergent patients?

Danielle Lazarowitz: We tailor everything to patient needs. About a third of our patients are neurodivergent. We use real-time captions, allow patients to wear eye masks or turn off video, and let them attend appointments lying in bed if that’s what’s comfortable. Telemedicine offers flexibility that traditional clinics can’t.

Karina Sturm: What kinds of outcomes have you seen so far?

Danielle Lazarowitz: We track metrics like functional ability, quality of life, and care burden. Most patients report feeling more confident and supported, and we’ve seen a 65% reduction in ER visits. We also create personalized “flare plans” that outline daily routines, rescue strategies, and when to seek emergency care—plus an ER letter explaining the patient’s conditions to help reduce dismissal.

Karina Sturm: What’s next for Chronius?

Danielle Lazarowitz: We’re launching physical therapy with a provider who specializes in EDS—her daughter has the condition—and plan to add mental health therapy soon. We’re also working on expanding to new states because we get requests daily from patients around the country.

Karina Sturm: Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?

Danielle Lazarowitz: Just that Chronius was founded by a patient. That perspective shapes everything we do. We’re incredibly patient-centric—not because it’s a buzzword, but because we’ve lived it. And there’s plenty of room at the table. The number of people with EDS is likely underreported due to misdiagnoses. We’re here to offer the kind of care people deserve.

Karina Sturm

July 2025