Tampa company makes technology free to help control spread of Covid-19
Developers of DocClocker, an app that lets doctors communicate about wait times with their patients, are doing their part to control the spread of Covid-19 coronavirus.
“We have decided to make the app free for all health care facilities, providers and screening centers during the pandemic,” Dr. Kevin Makati, co-CEO and cofounder of DocClocker, told the St. Pete Catalyst.
The app allows patients to avoid long waits in crowded medical waiting rooms, potentially limiting risk of exposure to coronavirus.
DocClocker rolled out last year, after Fast Pathway, the development company behind it, raised $1 million in a seed round funded by local physicians. Makati, who is board certified in cardiovascular diseases and is an assistant professor in cardiology at University of South Florida, co-founded the company with Dr. Eric Carter, board certified in family medicine and a hospitalist at BayCare Medical Group. A third co-founder, Brandon Sultemeier, is a marketer in Austin, Texas.
DocClocker was profiled by the Catalyst as well as featured on the Embarc Collective blog. With the coronavirus outbreak, the app has gotten national attention, including a Fox News story that was picked up by the New York Post.
The software platform lets doctors provide real-time information about their schedules, so patients will know how long they can expect to wait to see the physician. Doctors can either use the app or log in online and report any delays they are experiencing. Patients can use a smartphone or web-enabled device to view the waiting times in real-time.
The app also can be used to find doctors who subscribe to DocClocker and to make appointments with them.
The subscription cost for doctors is “affordable,” DocClocker said, but during the pandemic it will be available for a free trial.
The Centers for Disease Control has told people who think they might have coronavirus to call ahead before going to their doctor’s office. However, many people who don’t exhibit symptoms also can be carrying and transmit the virus.
“It is important that people are not sitting in sick waiting rooms during the coronavirus outbreak when there are delays in the office,” Carter said. “DocClocker providers value their patients’ time and are engaged in technology efficiencies that mitigate long wait times. At times like these, patients deserve nothing less.”
