Denver-Based DispatchHealth Hopes to be “Uber for Health Care”
DENVER – A Denver-based company hopes to be the next “Uber for health care,” providing a doctor on your doorstep instead of a costly trip to the hospital.
Caren Misky is a nurse practitioner for Dispatch Health (previously True North Health Navigation), traveling to homes with South Metro firefighters to offer an alternative to the ER.
“This kit is for lacerations,” Misky said, showing off her mobile medical unit, complete with an EKG machine and medical lab. “We can do basic blood work, check for the flu or mono or strep and we have IVs and IV fluids and other medication.”
Recently, she treated a Vietnam veteran with advanced Parkinson’s who had fallen and cut his head.
“So, I was able to assess him and examine him in his own kitchen with his wife there holding his hand,” said Misky. “We cleaned his wound stitched his wound. We stapled it up.”
For two years, Dispatch Health has worked with local fire departments when people call 911, but starting Monday, the company is expanding its services to a fleet of private vehicles staffed with doctors and nurse practitioners.
Next week, people will be able to call a doctor-on-demand by phone (303-500-1518) or on the website, and an app will be launched in October.
The company will charge people from $150 to $300 for an in-person visit to their house, work or senior center.
“I absolutely believe that there is a paradigm switch that’s happening and that we need to be more consumer centric,” said Dr. Mark Prather, the CEO of Dispatch Health.
Nationally, a series of startup companies are launching similar apps for in-person visits, but not everyone thinks the trend is positive.
“Some of these services that are talking about being able to sew someone up at their kitchen table — is that a sanitary environment? Is the lighting good? Is the proper equipment available to handle some type of medical emergency that might occur?” asked Alan Ayers with the Urgent Care Association of America. “And rather than adding efficiency to the system, it could add inefficiency.”
But Prather said Dispatch Health has treated more than 400 patients with no problems.
Misky said, in the case of the Vietnam Vet with the cut on his head, the family couldn’t have been happier.
“His wife was so grateful,” said Misky.”She said last time, they spent 8 hours in the Emergency Department and had a bill that was over $10,000 for the exact care that I gave him that morning.”
Dispatch Health will cover the Denver Metro area all the way down to Castle Rock.