Doctor On Demand

Like other telehealth providers, Doctor on Demand saw a surge in patients as offices closed to in-person visits and insurers ramped up reimbursement for virtual visits. The company saw usage of its app more than double, with much of that growth from urgent care and behavioral health.

“I think the growth is really coming more from people realizing this option exists,” Ferguson said. “Our challenge as a company has been getting you to try it for the first time; breaking the habit of going to an urgent care or brick-and-mortar location.”

Most of its users access its services through their employer or health plan, though Doctor on Demand also has a self-pay option. Walmart is one of its known partners.

To differentiate itself from its competitors, Doctor on Demand has also been building out a virtual primary care practice. The company struck a partnership with Humana last year to develop a new health plan built around virtual primary care.

Patients who use the plan will have a dedicated primary care physician, as well as telemedicine access to preventive, urgent care and behavioral health services. They will also be given digital tools to monitor their blood pressure, temperature and other vitals at home. For specialist visits, they can access Humana’s network.

“This new plan design represented a paradigm shift in healthcare, and demonstrated that our members can and will build long-term relationships with primary care providers and care teams in a virtual-first care setting,” Chris Hunter, segment president of Humana’s group and military business, said in a news release.

While most telehealth platforms treat physicians as contract employees, Doctor on Demand has a fully employed provider team. The company also has lots of back-end support to help patients navigate the system, set up telehealth appointments and manage health records.