PlushCare: Interview with Founder Ryan McQuaid
PlushCare provides convenient and affordable access to urgent care telehealth doctors who can diagnose, treat and prescribe medication over the phone or through video. The service is affordable and time efficient - for only $45, users can book same day appointments and get diagnosed, treated, and prescribed medication.
Ryan McQuaid, PlushCare co-founder, answered some questions for us about the growing business.
B: How did the idea for PlushCare take shape?
Ryan: Our team is very passionate to provide every individual (men, women and children), the opportunity to have a healthy and productive life. Personally, my Division I collegiate athletic career at Berkeley ended from traumatic brain injury following numerous concussions. My grades plummeted, I couldn't focus, I couldn't sleep, and I wasn't interested in being social. I got to see first hand how important being healthy is to having a successful life. I was fortunate enough to have an amazing support network and access to top medical providers as a Division I athlete and eventually fully recovered. Although I was never cleared to play sports again, I've committed to take that passion and drive to give every individual convenient and affordable access to world-class healthcare just like I received, including children who cannot even afford the $45 fee through our Care4Care initiative.
B: How is PlushCare different from what’s out there today?
Ryan: Going to urgent care is expensive, inconvenient and patients feel like they're on an assembly line. Doctors feel rushed and are not able to provide the experience that they would like to be able to provide - PlushCare removes the financial and administrative stress for physicians so they can focus on what they love doing, which is practicing medicine, and patients can access convenient and affordable healthcare from world-class physicians who truly care.
B: What are the most common reasons patients use PlushCare?
Ryan: Urinary tract infections, sinus infections, sore throat, pink eye, bronchitis, common cold, flu, rashes, STDs and more. We also help patients manage chronic conditions such as high blood pressure.
B: Where is the Company expanding to next?
Ryan: We've been focused on being the #1 trusted platform by doctors and patients for virtual care rather than expanding as quickly as possible across the US. You can look at our physician network and see it's literally best in class. We're constantly receiving inbound inquiries from doctors around the US to join PlushCare but need to ensure we put quality first, which no doubt slows our growth but it's definitely worth the investment for both our patients and our physicians. However, after over one year of operating, we believe that we've nailed the experience in California and plan to make PlushCare available to over 170 million Americans by the end of 2015.
B: Are there additional features that will be added in the next year we should look forward to?
Ryan: We see our patients and physicians as founders and are constantly working with both parties to improve their experiences.
I'm excited for your readers to join our mission of providing every individual the opportunity to have convenient and affordable access to world-class healthcare.
