Westermann thinks of mySugr as telehealth 1.0 and 2.0 versions, while 9am.health is the next generation, allowing more extensive models of care and prescription medication fills — all of which can be delivered to people’s homes to coincide with digital check-ins.
“It’s a digital front door to healthcare, offering 360-degree care with a clinic,” Westermann told DiabetesMine. “Healthcare is just not a great experience in the U.S. Costs have increased massively, but outcomes for those with diabetes haven’t gotten better. Good healthcare doesn’t need to be expensive, and I’m determined to prove that.”
Subscribers to 9am.health can get personalized treatment plans with 24/7 access to “patient care advocates,” a network of endocrinologists and diabetes care and education specialists (DCES) who can answer patient questions and provide care virtually.
They have contracted with a network of diabetes professionals spread out throughout the country, and internally they have 18 employees in house.
As far as costs, the company uses a subscription model, starting at $20 per month.
9am.health doesn’t develop its own tests or supplies; they have licensing agreements with those manufacturers and simply add their virtual clinic’s brand on the packaging. The same goes for the medications, which are shipped from 9am.health, but are made by established pharma companies.
They only accept cash pay, so no insurance is needed. Westermann believes the barriers to healthcare are often tied to insurance companies and middlemen, who only serve to complicate the process and jack up the final price tag. So, instead of replicating those issues, they’re cutting out the middlemen and keeping it cash-price only.
To get started, subscribers sign up on the 9am.health site using any device and fill out a medical questionnaire. Then, they get connected to a particular healthcare provider, likely one who is licensed to practice in their particular state.
“We want to make this as smooth as possible, so it’s not like your traditional healthcare experience,” Westermann said.
As to the name 9am.health, he laughs and says it comes from the idea that each day of life with a chronic condition is a “daily battle,” and that each day you have a chance to start over and do something differently or better, starting each 9 a.m.
“Forget about whatever happened yesterday. It’s a new chance for the new day to manage your diabetes,” he said. “We really want to empower people to just make the day as good as it can get, and take every day as a chance to get better.”
This content was originally published here.