A telemedicine startup that’s developed a virtual doctors’ office kiosk has signed a technology integration deal with wireless communications giant Sprint.
HealthSpot‘s “Care4 Station” telemedicine kiosks will be connected to the Sprint 4G Network. That will enable video conferences, patient vital sign data and other health information to be transmitted from patients in HealthSpot’s kiosks to doctors working remotely in their own offices, according to a statement from the two companies.
For a relatively obscure startup like HealthSpot, which nonetheless harbors grand ambitions of becoming a $1 billion company within five years, associating itself with a big, recognizable name like Sprint can’t hurt.
“This allows us to connect our Care4 Stations nationwide, bringing patients the ultimate in convenient secure healthcare at employer sites, retail locations and more,” said Todd Churchill, chief technology officer of HealthSpot.
HealthSpot envisions patients using its kiosks for a variety of primary care needs — minor illnesses, skin conditions, allergies and the like. Each kiosk comes equipped with high-definition videoconferencing capabilities, plus integrated digital medical equipment that can send doctors diagnostic information like temperature and blood pressure.
HealthSpot will make its money by taking a cut of the $60 per-visit fee from its 9- by-5-foot telemedicine kiosks, as well as charging a leasing fee to customers that host the sites, such as pharmacies, nursing homes or large employers.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
