Heal raises $26.9 million for at-home doctor visits

Concierge medicine isn't just for the rich anymore, and the app Heal has raised $26.9 million to prove it.

The startup, which looks to eliminate wasted time and money in healthcare through on-demand, at-home doctor's visits, announced its first major funding round on Tuesday.

Heal says its platform is a long-term solution to problems in healthcare — not an alternative when the doctor's office is closed.

"We want to be your family doctor," Heal CEO Nick Desai told Mashable. "This is not something just to use on weekends."

Heal connects patients to primary care doctors through an app and website. Patients can request a doctor for that day for sickness and injuries, a regular physical, flu shots or other needs.

Heal accepts insurance and charges a typical co-pay for customers with Blue Shield, Anthem, Cigna, Aetna and United Healthcare. Other customers pay a $99 flat fee. The company expects to accept Medicare by November.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

The round was led by Tull Investment Group with participation from Breyer Capital, Slow Ventures, HashtagOne and David Ellison. Earlier investors included Pritzker Group Venture Capital and Lionel Richie.

Heal is able to bring down the traditionally exorbitant costs of concierge medicine since the platform doesn't have the overhead of a traditional doctor's office. In that way, the company is the next example of the gig economy, as applied to healthcare.

But the doctors who show up on patients' doorsteps when requested through the Heal app are mainly employees of the company's medical corporation, although some are long-term contractors. Their specialized skill is one reason Heal, unlike tech companies that use contractors without a similar skill level, has been encouraged to provide full-time employment and benefits.

The company said that most Heal doctors are three to seven years into their practice and attracted to Heal for its flexibility in hours or less hectic approach to primary care. They work primarily with Heal, not with another practice, and can choose their hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.

Heal launched in California a year ago, and in that time has hired 60 doctors and completed 11,500 patient visits. The company is still limited to California, but looking to launch in six to eight new markets this year, Desai said.

Heal's approach to medicine has helped attract a diverse group of investors who have contributed $40 million in total to the company since its seed round.

"It's the kind of product everyone wants to work. Everyone needs to go to the doctor's office and everyone hates going to the doctor's office," Desai said. "It's an intuitive appeal in that sense."