BY LYNNE JETER

When Andy Jacobson's wife fell ill while staying at the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas in April 2003, a concierge dialed a local physician who dropped by their room within the hour.

Intrigued by the concept of a doctor who makes house calls, Jacobson asked the physician, Dr. Cary P. Logan, about his specialty boutique practice. After a little more discussion about filling a much-needed niche for travelers, the two established InRoomMD.

Initially, the company served Las Vegas and Charlotte markets, but the concept of travelers not having to worry about finding medical help in a strange city or enduring seemingly endless emergency room waits was so well accepted that InRoomMD quickly expanded to Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Philadelphia, Orlando, Phoenix/Scottsdale, and Washington, D.C.

"Now our objective is to be coast-to-coast in the 40 largest U.S. travel destinations within the next 15 months," said Jacobson, president and CEO of InRoomMD, adding that Memphis, Nashville, New Orleans and Tampa Bay are on the target list. "We have plans to grow beyond that, but had to set our sights on an objective we could measure by time. For example, we eventually plan to have three or four networks in the Los Angeles area."

The concept is relatively simple: Vacationers living outside a 100-mile radius of their travel destination may purchase a subscription to the Be Well™ Travel Health Concierge Program™ for $28.95 at least 72 hours before their trip. Then if medical help is needed, program participants receive a callback from a doctor within 15 minutes, and an in-room visit, if necessary, within the hour. The patient pays a $45 service fee per visit, which also covers generic medications. If the patient requires an emergency room visit, the doctor will call ahead to the company's partner hospital — in Charlotte, it's Presbyterian Hospital – so the staff can fast-track the patient's care.

"We have a partner hospital in each market, and our doctor works with the head ER doctor or nurse to triage the patient into that partner hospital and to expedite their care procedures," explained Jacobson.

InRoomMD also provides access to emergency dentistry, eye care and chiropractic care and can have prescription medications delivered to the patient's room, as well as replacement eyeglasses and contact lenses. In some cases, the patient's insurance carrier will cover the fee.

The program fee can be acquired via tour operators, brick-and-mortar travel agencies, Internet travel companies, convention planners, trade show promoters or through the company directly at its Web site, www.InRoomMD.com, or its 24-hour call center at (866) 909-7666.

Non-subscribers may access the service by paying $299 for a daytime visit and $349 for an after-hours visit, plus medication costs.

Buoyed by the success of the InRoomMD, the company expanded its services last year to individual homes via InHomeMD. For an annual fee of $549 for an individual, $649 per couple, and $749 to cover a family, the company guarantees doctor house calls. Daytime visits are $185; after-hours visits cost $235.

"We're leading each market with InRoomMD, but we plan to add InHomeMD to each one as we continue to expand," said Jacobson. "This idea is quickly catching on, and we're eager to provide the services where needed."


February 2007