PocketHealth is a platform that allows users to easily access, share and store any medical images or reports with their own doctors. This secure and private platform is reinventing patient care by giving patients the opportunity to take a more active and engaged role in their own care. We spoke with Rishi Nayyar, co-founder and CEO of PocketHealth to learn more about them.
What is your business called and what does it do?
Pockethealth is a technology platform that makes it easy for patients to access, share and store their medical imaging and reports securely on any device, putting them at the center of their healthcare journey.
With PocketHealth, patients no longer need to travel to their healthcare facility to collect a CD-ROM (yes, these are still being used!) for their imaging records and transport it to their next appointment or hope their care provider safely receives their diagnostic imaging and reports on time.
Anytime a patient has an ultrasound, MRI, CT scan, X-ray or another form of diagnostic imaging, we give the patient access to the actual diagnostic quality medical imaging.
We also help patients understand the results of their imaging. Patients can access the reports that accompany their imaging. They can click on medical terms and view definitions in easily understandable language, equipping them to have more meaningful conversations with their doctor and advocate for better health outcomes.
PocketHealth has more than 775,000 patients using the platform to securely access and shares diagnostic imaging.
What made you want to do this work?
Growing up, my brother Harsh and I both knew we wanted to make a positive impact in our work. In 2016, after Harsh experienced an injury that required diagnostic imaging, we discovered that the only way patients could share their medical imaging with physicians or anyone else on their care journey was by physically handing them a CD-ROM.
What problem did you want to solve with the business?
At a time when we could send and receive other types of digital files with one click, it didn’t make sense that we were still relying on outdated hardware to share critical health information. This is what inspired us to start PocketHealth.
Today, there is great demand for transparency in the healthcare system, as patients take more initiative and want to be actively involved. The pandemic has also put tremendous strain on the healthcare system, making it more important than ever for patients to advocate for their own care and the care of their loved ones. By placing patients at the center of their healthcare journey, providers are able to strengthen the partnership between physicians and patients leading to better outcomes.
Who is your clientele/demographics?
PocketHealth is used by both patients and healthcare providers like hospitals and imaging clinics. It’s for anyone who wants permanent and secure access to their medical imaging and report history, or who wants to manage an existing condition for themselves, or of a family member. We enable patients to securely store imaging and health records of up to five family members on the platform.
For healthcare sites like hospitals or imaging clinics, PocketHealth eliminates CDs from their workflow, saving money and time so staff resources can be reallocated.
PocketHealth has been implemented at more than 600 healthcare sites across North America. You can find us at most major hospitals and imaging clinics across the GTA. More than 775,000 patients use the platform, and we see more than 2 million images shared on PocketHealth every day.
How does your business make money? How does it work?
Patient-sharing is 100% free for providers, for that functionality our revenue comes from patients directly. We have a few options designed to service patients with different needs – like an annual membership to manage ongoing medical imaging and other health records for up to five members of a family, or a one-time fee to permanently access and store a patient’s medical imaging and reports from one site. We also have a financial assistance program that waives fees for any patient that can’t afford the fees — no questions asked.
Providers work with PocketHealth to access a provider-sharing program where they can access imaging with any provider across any network, anywhere in the world with just one click. This gives clinicians and other professionals flexibility and seamless interoperability. For this functionality, providers pay us directly.
Where in Toronto can we find your profession?
You can find PocketHealth at most major hospitals and healthcare sites across Toronto including Unity Health (St. Mike’s, St. Joseph’s, Providence), Sick Kids, UHN (University Health Network) hospitals, North York General, Michael Garron, William Osler, True North Imaging, Annex Medical and many more.
What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.
Patients visiting a hospital might ask, “Why would I need PocketHealth?”
And we would say, “PocketHealth lets you easily access, own and share your medical imaging and records with a few clicks, instead of returning to the hospital and picking up a CD of your scans or waiting for your doctor to call you in with the results. When patients have more access to their records, they’re encouraged to engage in more meaningful conversations with their doctors around their care.”
What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?
The best part about what we do at PocketHealth is building something that is so widely used by patients and I can see it being used every day. The worst part is knowing that at a time when we can track our grocery delivery, food order and financial investments in real-time, many of us still can’t easily access information critical to our health. That’s the problem we’re trying to solve.
What is your favourite joke about your own profession?
Why can’t you lie to a radiologist?
Because they can see right through you
What are your social media channels?
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn
PAY IT FORWARD: What is another Toronto business that you love?
We love ACTO – they are building amazing training and education solutions in the life sciences industry.
