
For $149 a Month, the Doctor Will See You as Often as You Want - SQL2219
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603374/for-149-a-month-the-doctor-will-see-you-as-often-as-you-want/
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jrnichols
The TechCrunch article has a few more details.

[https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/17/anappleaday/](https://techcrunch.com/2017/01/17/anappleaday/)

"Forward also plans to offer vitamins and other supplements and wearables
through the onsite store and Aoun said he would like to offer other
alternatives such as acupuncture in the future."

Add-on services that wealthier clients will pay for are rather profitable. An
ob/gyn office a friend worked in was making more money off the vitamins,
supplements, botox and microdermabrasion stuff than anything else.

It sounds like they're going to use a model like the Minute Clinics in CVS
too, just with a prettier image. They're hiring Nurse Practitioners who will
probably see you most of the time for office visits and then there's a primary
care physician overseeing everything.

It's not a bad idea and works great for most routine healthcare stuff. I'd
love too see CVS or Walmart or whoever start a subscription service like this,
as it would (hopefully) help to reduce the number of minor ailments in our
ERs.

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udfalkso
I know a couple of hypochondriacs that actually might like this.

It also may make sense for the elderly.

For everyone else it doesn't seem to make much sense. I get a checkup once
every year or two and that's pretty good.

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nlh
I see your perspective, but you're essentially arguing the point that the only
people who regularly use healthcare services are 1) hypochondriacs and 2) the
elderly.

I think if you were to look at the data on who actually uses healthcare
services and visits doctors in the US, you'd find a very different story.
Certainly the elderly are a large portion of the overall cost, but I think to
say "everyone else" only goes to the doctor once every 1-2 years is just not
accurate.

