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A health system takes an Amazon approach |
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| Last week, Chicago-based Rush University System for Health debuted "Rush Connect," a subscription service that puts it toe to toe with other direct-to-consumer companies vying to be the first place you go for medical care. |
| Fabric, a health IT startup backed by General Catalyst, is the organization powering it. Fabric helps health systems triage incoming patients, among other services. In the case with Rush, it’s using AI to help navigate the patient, taking a "white glove" approach to make sure the patient gets to the virtual or in-person care they need, Fabric CEO
Aniq Rahman told me. The subscription service costs $189 a year, about in line with what Amazon’s One Medical charges. |
| I’ve long followed how health systems are transforming as they face increased competition and disruption from nontraditional players such as retail pharmacies, online prescribers, etc. Some have teamed up with organizations like One Medical, while others have started their own telehealth services or digital strategies. What’s different with
the way Rush is doing it? |
| Rahman said the idea with Rush Connect and its subscription approach is to go beyond, say, helping a person with a quick virtual urgent or primary care visit, to give the health system a chance to create a relationship with a potential patient. Plus, the recent growth of Hims, Ro and Amazon suggests consumers want on-demand access to care. |
| "We think this is actually much more instructive of the future, where you have a health system that embraces this hybrid care paradigm, but also is creating the subscription aspect to drive loyalty," Rahman said. He said he sees what Rush is doing as something that individuals and families could take advantage of, but also potentially employers looking to add health benefits. |
| Health systems across the US are under financial pressure — and that’s expected to get worse with the changes coming for Medicaid and Medicare. |
| "I think it's important for health systems to control their own destiny a little bit more," Rahman said. |
| - Lydia |
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