Never Sit in a Doctor’s Waiting Room Again With This App
We’ve got great news for anyone who doesn’t love showing up 15 minutes early to sit in a waiting room for two hours — two hours that could very well go to something far more productive — a clean house, a healthy lunch and all that paperwork you’ve been putting off for months. Doctor house calls are back thanks to a new service called Heal.
Heal came to be when Dr. Renee Dua, a nephrologist, and her entrepreneur husband Nick Desai, came face-to-face with the reality of just how difficult it is for two hard-working parents to find a time to meet their child’s medical needs.
The app is easy to use. All you have to do is fire it up and request a doctor. Heal pairs you with a nearby physician, who will show up at your home in less that an hour for a flat fee of $99. While you wait for your doc to arrive, you can watch videos of who you’re about to meet and learn more about them.
And the service isn’t just for busy moms and dads. Think of all the good it can do in rural communities, for elderly or disabled patients and for those who can’t drive. Just think; there will be no more long commutes, uncomfortable rides or the need to hire someone for transportation. Just get on your app, and let your doctor come to you.
Besides the mobility factor, Janani Krishnaswami, a part-time physical with Heal, told Buzzfeed, “It’s very rare for someone to feel comfortable in a medical setting. You’re surrounded by people who are suffering, there’s an exam table, you feel exposed.”
One clear demographic in need of this service is the elderly community, specifically those living at home. Often the availability of transportation for senior citizens is limited to family and paid services. With Heal, they can easily cut out the middleman and pay the doctor to come to them with out all the time and expense of travel. We love when technology works to make the world a better place.
Right now, the service is only available on iOS in Los Angeles and San Francisco, but they have big plans to expand. Go to the website and get on the list and maybe your city will be the next in line. They also have an Android app in the works.
If you are in need of a major medical procedure, you’ll obviously need to do that in a sterile environment. But if you’re only in need of a check-up and a confirmation on your clean bill of health, Heal is for you. They’re not yet able to accept your insurance, but they are hard at work on it. In the meantime, if you’ve got the means, they’ve got the doctors.
How long have you been dreaming of doctor visits coming to the house like the olden days? Let us know in the comments.