RelyMD, co-founded by UNC School of Medicine alumnus Dr. Bobby Park, is an online urgent care service that’s available 24/7, 365 days a year — a type of care that’s becoming more popular across the state. Launched in early January, RelyMD provides patients access to cheap, quick and convenient health care.
Users log on, pay the $49.95 co-pay, input their medical history and are wirelessly connected with one of RelyMD’s 70 practicing emergency medicine physicians.
“It’s for everyone with a busy schedule (who) is looking for a convenient, easy, high-quality way to receive urgent care,” Park said. “It’s like Skype, except secure.”
While the program is not currently covered by insurance, Park said it will be eventually.
“Innovation always precedes insurance and payers, it’s just a matter of time,” he said.
The idea behind RelyMD came from Park’s sister, who lives in California.
“At the time, she had a young daughter who fell off the monkey bars and got a cut on her wrist — so, she sent me a bunch of pictures of it, I looked at it and I told her, ‘It doesn’t need stitches, this is what I would do to take care of that,’” Park said. “I thought, ‘I do this every week with friends, family, church members — there is a critical need here.’”