Strong Reception for Manhattan Pilot Prompts Pager to Announce Expansions Ahead of Plan

NEW YORK, Aug. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Pager, the mobile app for on-demand personal health care anywhere, today announced the expansion of its New York service -- including extended hours, more doctors, more ways to access the Pager network, and doctor visits to Brooklyn -- and that the innovative midtown Manhattan hotel group Apple Core Hotels has become the first to recommend Pager to their guests. The company also revealed the next cities in its nationwide rollout: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Chicago and Boston.

Some 67% of all primary care visits to emergency rooms and doctor's offices -- for illnesses such as upper respiratory distress, ear/nose/throat ailments, urinary tract issues and the flu -- don't need to happen there.

"Common conditions can be treated wherever the patient is, giving extraordinary convenience and avoiding an ER where there are long wait times and potential contact with sicker people who have contagious diseases," said Dr. Richard Boxer, Pager's chief medical officer. "Telephone and video consultations alone lack the face-to-face interaction that's so satisfying to both patient and doctor. Pager answers the call and gives patients the peace of mind that a board-certified primary doctor has provided excellent care."

The mobile app has enjoyed a strong reception from patients, doctors, complementary care providers, and like-minded leaders in the shift to hyper-efficient, on-demand services.

Juan Gamboa, a research scientist and yoga instructor in Manhattan had a 104-degree fever and was contemplating going to the emergency room in June. "My friend recommended Pager. I got the app, did a quick call with the doctor, and then he came to my apartment. The doctor was great and gave me the prescriptions I needed. I felt much better the next day."

Pager doctors are board-certified primary care physicians currently practicing at local hospitals or healthcare facilities.

"Pager handles the administrative tasks around a consultation, so I am free to focus 100 percent of my attention on the patient," said Dr. Jasper Schmidt, who currently sees Pager patients in Manhattan and Brooklyn. "That means access to better, more personal care for my patients and less red tape for me."

Apple Core Hotels is a group of five midtown Manhattan hotels has long taken a leadership role in providing comprehensive complimentary services such as free WiFi, daily breakfast, fitness facilities and movies on-demand that create a premium guest experience.

"We are fortunate to be the first hotel company to introduce Pager to our guests," said Vijay Dandapani, President of Apple Core Hotels. "Finding a doctor while you are traveling can be a stressful experience and Pager truly simplifies the process, something we know the Apple Core guests will appreciate should they need medical care while staying with us. We are dedicated to understanding the needs of our guests, both business and leisure travelers, and pride ourselves on providing the latest services and amenities."

"Eliminating the frustration points for patients and the administrative burden for doctors means Pager is pure, personal healthcare on your schedule and at your convenience," added Pager cofounder Gaspard de Dreuzy. "We created Pager to provide access to care for everyone, anytime, anywhere. It's truly urgent care on wheels."

Among the expansions effective today:

• The service is now available from 8am to 10pm, seven days a week.
• Additional doctors to serve an expanded New York service area.
• Referral relationships with doctor-search service BetterDoctor and Aetna's Wellmatch health care marketplace.

Pager is now available for Apple iOS devices, and will run on Android devices later this year. Daytime in-person visits are $199; and nighttime in-person visits are $299.

Pager delivers personal health care on-demand and anywhere. The location-based mobile app for Apple iOS devices connects doctors and patients needing acute, urgent care. Doctors in the Pager network are board-certified primary care physicians and specialize in emergency medicine, family practice, or internal medicine. They can perform diagnostic exams, physicals, prescribe medications, and order and interpret lab tests and x-rays. The service currently operates in Manhattan and Brooklyn and is expanding to additional cities throughout this year and 2015. Founded by former Uber engineer Oscar Salazar, seasoned entrepreneur Gaspard de Dreuzy, and venture capitalist Philip Eytan, Pager raised more than $4.5 million in initial financing from Lux Capital, Montage Ventures and private investors. For more information, see http://getPager.com or follow the company on Facebook/getPager or twitter @getPager.

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SOURCE Pager