A few years ago, if you'd told me I'd be helping launch a preventative health clinic, I may have laughed.
After all, I'm an orthopaedic surgeon.
People usually come to see me when their health is already broken.
The arthritis has progressed.
The tendon has ruptured.
The bunion is unbearable.
Surgery is extremely rewarding. Every week I have the privilege of helping people move again, return to work, play sport with their children or simply walk without pain.
I genuinely love what I do.
But somewhere along the way I started asking myself a question that wouldn't go away.
What if we could help more people before they reached my consulting room?
From Treating Disease to Preventing It
Earlier this year I had the opportunity to give a TEDx talk about something I've become increasingly passionate about.
Movement is medicine.
Not as a catchy slogan.
As actual medicine.
Exercise is one of the most powerful interventions we have for preventing chronic disease, improving mental health, preserving independence and helping people live better for longer.
The evidence is overwhelming.
The challenge isn't convincing people that movement matters.
It's helping people build lives where movement happens and continues in the long term.
That's a very different problem.
Movement Is Medicine ... And the Evidence Is Clear
That's why Phoenix Health Co immediately felt different.
Phoenix doesn't replace the question, "How do we treat disease?"
It simply gives equal importance to another question:
"How do we help people stay healthy in the first place?"
That might sound simple.
It isn't.
It requires time.
It requires collaboration.
It requires experienced clinicians who have the time, the support and a multidisciplinary team working alongside them to have the conversations that prevention deserves.
Why Phoenix Health Co Feels Different
It means understanding someone's goals, lifestyle, recovery, nutrition, sleep, stress and movement, not just their latest blood test.
One of the things I've realised during my career is that healthcare isn't short of brilliant people.
We have outstanding GPs, surgeons, physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, dietitians and psychologists. The expertise is already there.
What is often missing is the structure that allows these clinicians to work together around the patient.
Better Healthcare Starts with Better Collaboration
General practitioners, in particular, are under enormous pressure. They are expected to manage increasingly complex health issues, often within the constraints of short consultations and fragmented healthcare systems. It's not that these conversations about prevention aren't happening, they're just incredibly difficult to do well when time is limited and the rest of the team sits outside the room.
Too often, patients find themselves trying to coordinate their own care between multiple providers. Everyone is doing their best, but the system doesn't always make collaboration easy.
FOUNDERS: Dr Meghan Dares (far right) with fellow Phoenix Health Co founders (from left) Wynter Dares, Katie Horky and Dr Oscar Horky.
Why General Practice Matters More Than Ever
One of the things I'm most excited about is working alongside Dr Oscar Horky.
Oscar genuinely lives and breathes preventative medicine. More importantly, he has helped build a model that allows experienced GPs to spend more time with patients, work closely with exercise physiologists, dietitians and other allied health professionals, share information more effectively and develop long-term health plans rather than simply addressing the problem of the day.
I think general practitioners are one of the most valuable (and one of the most underappreciated) parts of our healthcare system.
My hope is that Phoenix complements the work of local GPs, giving patients access to a broader multidisciplinary team while ensuring their GP remains at the centre of their ongoing care.
Technology is incredible.
Wearables are fascinating.
AI is becoming a surprisingly clever colleague. (Although I still occasionally wonder whether I'm accidentally training my future replacement.)
But none of those things replace sitting across from an experienced GP who has the time—and the team around them ... to see the bigger picture.
That human conversation still matters.
Now more than ever.
Medicine, Movement and Recovery: Working Together
Of course, Phoenix isn't just about doctors.
It's about creating a team where medicine, movement and recovery work together instead of separately.
Exercise physiologists.
Dieticians.
Movement specialists.
Everyone contributing to one shared goal:
Helping people stay healthier for longer.
As a surgeon, I find that incredibly exciting.
Because every person who maintains their independence, improves their health or delays the progression of disease is a win. And for those who eventually do require surgery, they'll often arrive fitter, healthier and better prepared to recover well afterwards.
That's healthcare working exactly as it should.
Prevention and Surgery Aren't Opposites
People sometimes ask whether surgeons worry that prevention means less surgery.
I don't see it that way.
Surgery is one of the most powerful treatments we have when it's needed, and I wouldn't change what I do for anything. But if we can help people stay healthier for longer, or ensure they're in the best possible condition when surgery does become necessary, that's good medicine.
To me, prevention and surgery aren't competing ideas—they're different parts of the same continuum of care.
Why I'm Proud to Be Part of Phoenix
So yes...
Apparently I'm now involved in launching a health startup.
Life wasn't quite busy enough already.
But this feels different.
It feels important.
Because I genuinely believe we can structure health better.
And I can't wait to help people discover what's possible when medicine, movement and prevention finally work together.
Ready to invest in your long-term health?
If you're looking for a more proactive approach to your health—one that brings together experienced medical care, movement, recovery and personalised guidance—we'd love to meet you.
Our Foundational Health Assessment is designed to help you better understand your current health, identify potential risks early, and create a personalised plan to help you stay healthier for longer.
Bookings are now open, with a limited introductory launch offer available for August appointments.
👉 Book your Foundational Health Assessment today
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