Today’s landscape of diabetes care is fraught with challenges: it’s a condition that’s often misunderstood by both patients and the healthcare system, highly prevalent, financially burdensome and frequently mismanaged. To explore a new paradigm in addressing these issues, we’re speaking with Chun Yong, the founder and CEO of Reach7 Diabetes Studios. Chun, a biomedical engineer from Georgia Tech with experience as a UX strategist at Coca-Cola, is applying his unique expertise to “reimagine how everyday Americans access care” for chronic conditions through Reach7’s membership-based, concierge medical clinic model. This model’s focus utilizes hands-on coaching, nutrition, and comprehensive chronic disease management.
In this Q&A, Yong discusses the critical misunderstandings about diabetes and how lengthy specialist wait times are. This inspired Reach7’s approach to redefine access to specialty care, and the intricacies of their high-frequency, high-touch model designed for the daily realities of those living with diabetes.
Diabetes is a prevalent chronic disease that is highly misunderstood, expensive and very mismanaged. Can you elaborate on what you see as the biggest misunderstandings about diabetes from both a patient perspective and from that of the traditional healthcare system?
Reach7 Studios CEO Chun Yong: For patients: One of the most common misunderstandings is that if you don’t “feel” your diabetes, it must not be serious. But diabetes can silently progress—until it suddenly doesn’t. Many patients end up in the ER with preventable complications like DKA, vision loss or neuropathy [that could have been diagnosed early on].
For the system: It’s less about misunderstanding and more about a structural mismatch between how care is delivered and what diabetes actually requires. Traditional care models aren’t designed for daily, proactive engagement. With brief, infrequent visits and limited access to specialists, patients miss out on the time, education and consistency they need to manage their condition.
The bigger fallacy? Assuming diabetes can be treated with a single, one-size-fits-all protocol. Each person is different—clinically, personally and socioeconomically. Especially for those with type 2 or prediabetes, the solution isn’t just medication, but behavior change and daily support. Most systems simply aren’t built to provide that. That’s the gap—and the opportunity.
In today’s healthcare system, access to specialists is a significant problem, with wait times for endocrinologists being 6–12 months. How did these specific access challenges directly shape the conception and mission of Reach7 Diabetes Studios?
Chun Yong: The national shortage of endocrinologists—and the 6–12 month wait times—was a clear signal that something needed to change. Demand for diabetes and metabolic care is rising, but supply [of resources] is shrinking.
At Reach7, we didn’t build a workaround. We redefined what access to specialty care looks like. We’ve expanded the care team beyond traditional endocrinologists. We train nurse practitioners, dietitians and health coaches to deliver depth-level care using clinical protocols, decision support and real-time data.
With this model, there’s no waitlist. Care is immediate, local and continuous. And with AI and remote monitoring layered in, we’re able to intervene early and personalize treatment. This isn’t a workaround—it’s a reimagined care model built for scale.
Managing diabetes is a multi-faceted disease that requires constant, around-the-clock care. How is the Reach7 model fundamentally designed to support this journey differently?
Chun Yong: Diabetes doesn’t clock in and out—it’s with you every day. That’s why we built a high-frequency, high-touch model of care. Members have regular, proactive contact with our team, both in-person and virtually.
Whether they need to adjust a medication, interpret a blood sugar reading, or just talk through a tough day—they know they can reach someone who knows their story. We monitor key biometrics and intervene before issues escalate.
Our job is to align care with the daily rhythm of diabetes. Not to drop in once a quarter and hope for the best.
Reach7 is described as a “membership-based, concierge medical clinic.” Walk us through the typical patient journey and how you define the patient experience.
Chun Yong: It begins with a free screening and warm welcome. Many of our team members live with diabetes themselves, so empathy is built into the interaction automatically.
Our studios are designed to feel restorative, not clinical. Appointments are never rushed. We don’t double-book. We take time to understand each patient’s unique story.
What sets us apart isn’t just warmth—it’s operationalized trust and consistency. Patients have ongoing access to remote monitoring, real-time support and personalized guidance. Even after health goals are met, we remain involved to prevent setbacks [increase in A1C, etc].
The membership for Reach7 Diabetes Studios is $299/month for unlimited access. What does this cover and how do you address affordability concerns?
Chun Yong: We call it our Comprehensive Care Bundle, and it includes:
- Unlimited in-person and virtual visits (30-31 days)
- Biometric monitoring (glucose, BP, weight)
- Labs
- Nutrition & meal planning
- Grocery tours
- Same-day prescriptions
- Behavioral coaching
We benchmarked this against concierge primary care and ironically, many insured patients pay more than $299/month in premiums, deductibles and copays—and still get poor access and worse outcomes.
For patients who need help, our REACH7 CARES initiative provides donor-funded care. It’s equity-aligned, not just donor-supported.
The clinic is located near grocery stores and gyms. What’s the thinking behind this retail-centric approach?
Chun Yong: We chose high-visibility, community-centered locations for a reason. It’s about habit loops, convenience and emotional safety.
Patients see us as part of daily life—not as a detached medical institution. When they shop for groceries, pick up medications or work out, we’re right there.
We also integrate education into those spaces—like store tours to build nutrition skills. It’s care is integrated into daily life, not siloed from it.
Reach7 members report strong medical outcomes. What’s driving those results?
Chun Yong: Our care model is designed to produce repeatable, system-driven results—not isolated success stories.
We check in often. We adjust early. We build trust. Patients don’t just receive care—they participate in it. That’s how we see an average 2.3% A1C drop, 43-point reduction in blood pressure readings and 21 lbs average in weight loss.
These aren’t isolated results—they’re the predictable outcome of a care model built for progress.
How do you define and measure “patient experience” at Reach7 Diabetes Studios?
Chun Yong: Experience isn’t just culture—it’s an operational system. We hire for empathy, train for consistency and track experience through feedback tools.
We measure NPS, retention and post-visit surveys. We respond to every piece of feedback in real-time. Our goal is to maintain a consistent 5-star standard across every location, visit and team member.
What’s your approach to recruiting and training compassionate providers at Reach7 Studios?
Chun Yong: We look for community-rooted leaders who want to fix what’s broken. Every team member has a pathway to ownership—not just employment.
Training is ongoing and grounded in both clinical rigor and emotional intelligence. Many of our staff have lived experience with diabetes, making their motivation personal.
Compassion is our operating system—and it drives performance, not just morale.
Any final thoughts?
Chun Yong: Diabetes care is overdue for a radical shift—and Reach7 Studios is that shift. We blend clinical excellence with empathetic care and cutting-edge technology.
We’ve proven the model. Now we’re scaling—with the urgency this crisis demands. Helping patients reach a 7 in A1C, or lower, is the goal. Thus the birth of Reach7 Diabetes Studios.
About Chun Yong
Chun Yong is the founder and CEO of Reach7 Diabetes Studios, a bold new model delivering hands-on coaching, nutrition and chronic disease management through studio-based care designed for dignity and outcomes. A nationally recognized biomedical engineer from Georgia Tech and former UX strategist at Coca-Cola, Chun blends clinical rigor with consumer design sensibility to reimagine how everyday Americans access care. Reach7 is flipping the script on chronic disease—bringing high-touch, high-trust support to the places people already go, through neighborhood studios co-located with major grocers and other retailers.
