United States
DispatchHealth provides on-demand urgent healthcare for injuries and illnesses in the patient’s home.
Telemedicine is quickly becoming the norm for primary care as it offers an abundance of benefits and has limited drawbacks. However, when someone needs to be seen in-person for assessment or treatment, heading into the clinic or urgent care centre is the only option. During Covid-19, social distancing has led to a reduction in face-to-face visits. This has led to the rise in telemedicine use across the world. However, even outside of the pandemic, getting to a clinic for treatment may be too costly or inappropriate for a small subset of patients.
DispatchHealth, a Denver-based startup founded in 2013, brings urgent medical care to people in their own home. The medical team is trained and equipped to handle any illnesses and injuries that an urgent care centre would. However, anything that threatens a patient’s life or if there are immediate concerns, accident and emergency care is recommended.
Patients can request a medical team visit either by calling the company, requesting through the mobile app, or submitting a form online. If DispatchHealth deems that treating the patient is within their scope, an appointment is scheduled, and the medical team arrives within a few hours.
The team consists of two medical professionals well-equipped with medication and supplies. They can conduct a range of tests on the spot, including Covid-19 and flu testing, blood tests, heart traces using ECGs, urine tests, and bacterial sore throat tests. Additionally, they can undertake procedures such as stitching wounds, inserting catheters and hydrate patients with a drip. The team can prescribe numerous oral medications, update the patient’s family doctor, and bill the patient’s insurance company.
Providing an alternative to traditional urgent care centres can decrease medical centre workload while providing patients with a comfortable solution for meeting their healthcare wishes. DispatchHealth provides an in-home care option for patients who have tested positive for Covid-19, which helps decrease transmission by removing the chance of exposing others to the virus in a clinic setting.
Their service area includes several larger cities in the US. They recently raised $200 million in a Series D round to expand their service area.
Website: https://www.dispatchhealth.com/
Email: https://www.dispatchhealth.com/contact-us/
Image: DispatchHealth
