Meet Kari Cao of RenewRx

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kari Cao

Hi Kari, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My Journey to Creating RenewRx

I never set out to build a company—I set out to fix a problem.

It all started with a phone call from my sister. At 25 weeks pregnant, she had just been diagnosed with gestational diabetes and was sobbing. She left the doctor’s office with a glucose meter, a list of dietary changes, and no real support. Like most moms, she expected guidance, but with rushed visits and limited resources, that wasn’t possible.

As a family medicine clinican, a PA, I saw this struggle every day. I had 1,200 patients and 15–20 minutes per visit—barely enough time to scratch the surface of nutrition and lifestyle changes, let alone provide the support high-risk pregnancies require. Meanwhile, medical providers are overworked, practices are financially strained, and prenatal care hasn’t evolved in decades.

I knew something had to change.

With my background in medicine, nutrition, and behavior change, I set out to create a better way—one that supports both moms and providers in ways our healthcare system never has. What started as a mission to help my sister has turned into something much bigger: a movement to transform maternal health.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Bringing RenewRx to life has been anything but easy. I’ve faced challenges from every angle—medical, financial, and personal—but I’ve learned that every obstacle is just an opportunity to find a better way.

One of the biggest hurdles has been changing the status quo in prenatal care. Healthcare is slow to evolve. Care teams are overwhelmed, and patients are left to figure things out on their own between visits. The idea of integrating habit-building science and coaching into clinical care is still new for many providers, so proving the value and financial sustainability of our model has been crucial. And boy, did we do that.

Another major challenge is the financial structure of maternity care. Unlike other specialties, OB/GYN offices don’t get reimbursed until months after delivery, which makes cashflow tight. We had to find a way to make RenewRx not just a clinical asset but also a revenue-generating tool for their practice—something that improves care while helping struggling practices stay afloat.

Then, of course, there’s the personal side of entrepreneurship. Being a mom, a medical provider, and a founder all at once is an ongoing balancing act. There are days when it feels like there’s never enough time, but my motivation comes from the impact we’re making. Every time a provider tells me RenewRx has lightened their workload or a mom shares how much more confident she feels about her pregnancy, it reminds me why I started this in the first place.

We’ve been impressed with RenewRx, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
When an expecting mother is diagnosed with gestational diabetes or other high risk pregnancy-related conditions, the experience can be overwhelming. She leaves the doctor’s office with a glucose meter, a list of dietary changes, and a lingering sense of uncertainty. What should she eat? How does she make these changes? And who will guide her between rushed appointments?

For too long, prenatal care has focused solely on medical management, leaving lifestyle, nutrition, and behavior change—the most impactful factors in preventing complications—up to the patient to figure out alone. Providers want to do more, but they’re stretched thin, balancing heavy patient loads with limited time and strained resources.

This is where RenewRx steps in.

RenewRx was built to bridge the gap between patients and providers, ensuring that medical teams have the support they need to improve patient outcomes—without adding to their workload. We provide a structured, high-touch lifestyle and habit-building program, backed by behavioral science, fully reimbursable by insurance and scalable through technology.

At its core is the One Th1ng Lifestyle and Habit-Building Program, designed to guide expecting mothers through small, sustainable changes that lead to better health. Instead of overwhelming patients with drastic shifts, RenewRx helps them take one small, achievable step at a time—whether that’s improving meal balance, adhering to glucose monitoring, increasing movement, or managing stress.

What makes RenewRx different is that it’s not just an app—it’s a white-glove experience that ensures patients feel supported, heard, and empowered between office visits. Our approach combines remote monitoring, real-time data insights, and a collaborative provider partnership, ensuring that medical teams receive clear, actionable information rather than just raw data.

For healthcare providers, RenewRx is more than a patient engagement tool—it’s a revenue-generating solution. By tapping into existing insurance reimbursement codes, practices can improve care while unlocking a whole new revenue—without adding administrative burden.

And the results speak for themselves. RenewRx patients report higher adherence to treatment plans, fewer complications, and increased confidence in managing their pregnancy. Providers, in turn, experience less burnout, better patient engagement, and improved clinical outcomes.

By integrating RenewRx into prenatal care, we’re not just improving pregnancy outcomes—we’re reshaping the future of maternal health.

What matters most to you?
At the heart of everything I do is one simple truth: moms deserve better care, and medical offices need sustainable solutions to stay open and thrive.

Right now, prenatal care is failing moms-to-be. Complications like gestational diabetes are rising, yet the system leaves women to navigate the most critical aspects of their health—nutrition, lifestyle, and habit-building—alone. Meanwhile, medical offices are stretched thin, financially strained, and operating on outdated care models that don’t account for the full spectrum of patient needs.

This isn’t just a healthcare problem. It’s a system-wide failure with life-altering consequences—for moms, for babies, and for the future of maternal health.

What matters is changing that.

What matters is giving moms the tools, confidence, and real-time support they need to have healthier pregnancies—without feeling lost or alone.

What matters is making sure medical offices aren’t forced to choose between financial survival and patient care—but instead have revenue-generating solutions that enhance care, reduce workload, and keep them financially stable.

What matters is rethinking prenatal care altogether—moving from a reactive, outdated model to one that is proactive, collaborative, and financially sustainable.

That’s why I started this journey. That’s why this work is personal. And that’s why we won’t stop until every mother and provider has the support they deserve.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.renewrx.health
• Instagram: renewrx_health
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/renewrx/
• Other: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/8vmqtfaq5f29pyjx74xss/Testimonial-Reel-Rev-2.mp4?rlkey=ch24oiz578bjrcd89xtwl4nby&dl=0