Chat with a doctor in one click – interview with CEO HealthiestYou Jim Prendergast

Video editing contribution Xavier Smith
It’s 10:00 p.m. you have a 102 degree temperature, used 10 boxes of Kleenex and have a nose that rivals Rudolph. Instead of dragging yourself off the couch and going to a germ-infested urgent care, you grab your smartphone and push a button to talk to a doctor.
Jim Prendergast, CEO HealthiestYou, an on-demand patient care and wellness platform, was inspired to build this company after an experience with his eight-month-old son who had symptoms of the flu and ended up taking him to the ER. After the doctor validated everything they read online and sent them home, the family received a $1,600 bill; it was then he knew the telehealth market was an important aspect in patient care.

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While telehealth is being included in more employer health plans, Prendergast said the majority of employees aren’t even aware of the benefit, and if they are, getting them to change their behavior and use technology to receive healthcare is another hurdle.
In order to improve patient engagement, Prendergast said they wanted to “build a telehealth product that is about the member and engaging people into a solution that helps their pocketbook and employer.” With HealthiestYou, they simplified the process of talking to a doctor down to one click.
“We’ve become slaves to our insurance card. We want to make it very simple and the phone is the easiest and widely used way we reach a doctor.” Through their mobile app, the employee’s benefit plan is already piped into the system eliminating the need for the patient to figure out in-network physicians. It also has a geo-location feature that helps identify in-network doctors in ones’ area and has a wellness platform with physicians available to discuss fitness and health concerns.
“…just let them push a button and not have to go through files to find their benefit. We look for those solutions that are at the core of their family’s health and [want to] make it very easy to understand. [We want to] make a difference in their lives,” Prendergast said.
HealthiestYou recently raised $30 million to fuel development, growth and education.
Read all our coverage about HealthiestYou at AZ Tech Beat.