Dubbed “Uber for doctors,” Heal, a new California startup, is bringing back the physician house call, all from the tap of a smartphone app. Heal’s service delivers licensed and background-checked pediatricians and family doctors in less than 60 minutes for $99. Doctors are available in Los Angeles and San Francisco from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Like the on-demand car service, Heal uses smart technology to find its nearest and best-matching available doctor to the requested need of the patient, turning living rooms into waiting rooms.
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In New York City, Pager provides a similar physician house callservice at a cost of $50 for the initial visit, $100 for a physical and $200 for regular visits.
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In Chicago and Milwaukee, Go2Nurse provides pre- and post-pregnancy care, eldercare, specialized care for patients with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, and other services. Prepaid visitation plans range from $200 to $1,000 per month.
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On the optometry front, New York City-based Blink provides at-home, on-demand eye exams at a cost of $75 per appointment. Technicians visit homes with portable testing equipment to take measurements that are reviewed by optometrists, who provide a prescription within 24 hours.
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Popping up in major metropolitan areas, including New York City, northern New Jersey and San Francisco, The I.V. Doc provides in-home, on-demand IV hydration therapy for everything from flu, jet lag and exercise fatigue, to food poisoning, general exhaustion and hangovers. Costs range from $150 for a super B vitamin complex boost to $399 for flu and migraine relief.