A healthcare startup that is using mobile phones and iPads to provide video access to physicians has raised $3 million in seed funding, according to a company statement. Doctor on Demand is one of a group of telehealth companies trying to help address non-emergency questions about illnesses and symptoms to reduce the need for in-patient visits and the flow of people going to emergency rooms.
It also helps address the gap between the number of physicians and nurses and the number of people entering the healthcare system as a result of Obamacare. Earlier this year an IMS Research report estimated that telehealth would grow to reach 1.8 million patients by 2017.
The 1-year-old company was co-founded by Adam Jackson and Dr. Pat Basu, a former Stanford physician and White House Fellow who oversees its network of 1,000 physicians as the Chief Medical Officer. Jackson is the CEO.
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It has a presence in 15 states: Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, New York, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington.
Among the investors in the San Francisco-based company are Venrock, Andreessen Horowitz, Google Ventures, Lerer Ventures, Shasta Ventures and athenahealth CEO Jonathan Bush.
Here’s a list of areas for which the company says it is equipped to provide advice:
- Common colds, fevers, coughs, sinus infections and allergies
- Illness before or after a trip such as upset stomach, urinary tract infections, and muscle and sports injuries
- Pediatric colds, fever and vomiting or general questions for parents with a sick child
- Busy parents or patients whose only after-hours option is the ER or urgent care
- Rashes or eye problems
- Patients needing common prescriptions or an existing prescription refilled
- General health questions
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Although it cannot address queries that would require imaging, patients can upload high-resolution photos of rashes or eye problems during the call.
Users are charged $40 per video visit and can pay through a Health Care Spending Account, Flexible Spending Account or with a credit card.
Other companies in the telehealth space include:
First Stop is a mobile health company that focuses on phone calls to address users’ non-emergency questions in 50 states.
iSelectMD directs users to contact one of two call centers. They describe their symptoms. The call center contacts one of the service’s doctors, and he or she reconnects with the customer.
2nd.MD offers telemedicine as a source of second opinions. Users generally contact them after they have received a diagnosis or recommendation for a medical procedure. Patients typically are asked to provide lab and test results, and a physician’s assessment or recommendation for treatment for the patient’s condition. Within a few days, users can speak with two to five specialists, depending on their condition, in a 20-minute phone or video conference session. They can also access a summary of the opinions.
HealthTap users pose their health questions through the company’s website or mobile app. Physicians from a group of doctors with which the company contracts respond to the questions at no charge.
