TELEMEDICINE PIONEERS: WHEN MEDICINE AND TECHNOLOGY MEET
How one of the nation’s first remote health care companies continues to grow
Secure Medical wants to make insurance companies sweat. It offers a suite of telemedicine products and services that make it easier for patients—including those without medical coverage—to obtain affordable prescriptions. Convenience is part of the appeal. Rather than shoehorning a doctor’s visit into a crowded workday, people can access care around the clock. Moreover, while remote health care is not meant to take the place of traditional medicine, it is already helping people in all 50 states get treatment for certain conditions that don’t always require an immediate physical exam.
AT THE FOREFRONT OF TELEMEDICINE
The telemedicine field is nascent, but Secure Medical has a long history. It was one of the first companies in the space, founded by Kyle Rao, now the company’s president, in March 1999 under the name Viamedic.com. Later that month, and shortly after erectile dysfunction and hair loss products had become available to the public by prescription only, he launched eDrugstore.com. In 2001, the team established Secure Medical as the parent brand to a number of startups, including HealthyMale.com. Over the years, the team strategically acquired companies, developed technology, and established partnerships to expand their ability to offer low-cost generic lifestyle medications and to facilitate virtual communication between patients, doctors, and pharmacies. Today, Secure Medical has a spot on the Inc. 5000 list.
The company’s launch of OurDoctor.com in 2017 was significant. Patients use the platform to connect with physicians and, if eligible, receive and fill prescriptions for a variety of common ailments, including allergies, upper-respiratory infections, and skin and eye conditions. Businesses can offer their employees access to the platform as a replacement or a supplement to traditional insurance, says Rao. Its launch helped to remove the stigma around telemedicine, he says. This fall, they launched WhoisEd.com, a new social media platform where people can discuss conditions like erectile dysfunction, STDs, and hair loss, which should help reduce shame about these ailments. The company is also rolling out a new prescription platform, PrescriptionHub.com. More information is available on the company’s website.
A FORMULA FOR GROWTH
This year, Secure Medical upped its advertising spend and invested in the customer experience across all its properties, making design changes to drive engagement, longer site visits, and overall web traffic. But it is customer service approval ratings that matter most, says Rao. The company increased customer satisfaction ratings by 38 percent by rolling out new customer service and conflict resolution training for employees. Another driver is its affiliate program. Company participation has increased by 52 percent in the last year. Through the program, companies with databases over 100k or more can create a new revenue stream by setting up a custom website where patients can receive medical consultations and purchase lifestyle medications discreetly. “We split the profits 50/50 on all sales the site generates,” Rao explains.
To support its growth, Secure Medical cultivates a deliberate culture, in which they emphasize working smarter, not harder. The right team is essential, as Secure Medical has big plans. In the near-term, they will roll out solutions that will help patients obtain life-saving medicines, like insulin or blood pressure medication. Long term, they intend to become a household name and to snag a top spot on the Inc. 5000. “We believe this field is the future of the medical industry, and we aren’t afraid to pioneer it,” Rao says.