'Urgent Care On Steroids': DispatchHealth Doctor
By Kathy Walsh
DENVER (CBS4)- There is a company in Denver some call the "Uber for health care." It is mobile medicine; care in the comfort of your home.
CBS4 Health Specialist Kathy Walsh went on a house call with a team from DispatchHealth.
"Is it always red like this?" nurse practitioner Pam Womack asked Edward Romero, inspecting his right leg. "Does it hurt back here?"
The 62-year-old Romero had concerns about blisters on his leg.
"What we don't want is for an infection to happen," said Womack.
Romero wasn't at the doctor's office. Womack and EMT Abbott Valenti, with DispatchHealth came to him.
"We could be considered an urgent care on steroids," said Dr. Phil Mitchell, Vice President of Medical Affairs for DispatchHealth, an on-demand healthcare provider.
On the phone, an app or online, anyone can ask DispatchHealth for a house call.
"Flu, pneumonia we can take care of people with chronic headaches, we can take care of people who've injured themselves," said Mitchell.
Mitchell says the Colorado-based company brings low-cost care to your living room, up to a tenth the cost of an ER visit. In Colorado, DispatchHealth takes all major insurances.
"If you have no insurance at all, we have a flat rate fee of $275," said Mitchell.
"My Medicaid pays for it," explained Romero.
In just over 30 minutes, the DispatchHealth team treated Romero, even doing a blood test on site.
"I think this is going to heal up just fine without you having to see the doctor," said Womack.
"I think it's excellent," said Romero talking about the care provided by the mobile medical team.
According to company officials, DispatchHealth serves about 850 patients a month with the number growing as more people choose health care at home.
DispatchHealth covers the Denver Metro area, Boulder, Longmont and Colorado Springs. DispatchHealth recently secured $30.8 million in funding. The company has plans to expand to 10 new cities over the next 18 months.
Kathy Walsh is CBS4's Weekend Anchor and Health Specialist. She has been with CBS4 for more than 30 years. She is always open to story ideas. Follow Kathy on Twitter @WalshCBS4.