Georgann Yara

Special to ABG

When cardiologist Kishlay Anand started Akos MD in 2016, he did so in response to what he saw as a health care system that was fragmented and not affordable or convenient.

He sought to change that with the Phoenix-based telehealth platform that provides a two-pronged approach comprised of virtual and in-person diagnosis and treatment.

Fast forward four years later and Anand’s company plays a key role in assisting individuals needing care amidst the new coronavirus crisis and the battle against COVID-19.

All patients need is a computer, smartphone or tablet to access Akos and its team of medical professionals. They don’t need to physically go to a doctor’s office, clinic or emergency room and risk their health and, potentially, that of others.

“With this pandemic, much care is needed and we’re able to use technology. Physicians can continue to provide care to patients at home and keep them safe from high risk situations, especially in this time,” Anand said.

No, he didn’t envision this exact scenario playing out when he launched Akos in what seems to be a lifetime away from the current state of conditions. But its significance is not lost on Anand and his business partner Swaraj Singh, a vascular neurologist with whom he co-founded the company.

Akos is the first and perhaps only in Arizona to offer a model that combines virtual with physical diagnosis and treatment, Anand said. In addition to an online presence, it maintains a physical one with a partnership to house 14 med clinics in Safeway and Albertsons grocery stores in the state.

It’s part of a global telehealth market that’s expected to grow at a compound annual rate of more than 14% in 2020, according to Foley & Lardner LLP, an international law with a specialty in health care matters.

For physicians, Akos’ Connect Platform allows practices to easily offer telehealth services to serve their patients at a distance. Due to the pandemic, Akos is offering this secure platform to practices on a free two-month trial period. After that, it’s $100 a month.

As of late March, 50 physicians groups are on board, Anand said. Of those, 30 signed on since the pandemic with that number growing. Akos partners with about 60 workers compensation boards and similar large organizations nationally to offer virtual care.

It recently firmed a partnership with Bonsa Health to provide free home delivery for prescription medications.

The cost is $49 for a consultation, online or in-person. If a preliminary online consult requires lab work or more diagnostics that must be done at a med clinic, there is no additional charge.

Akos also networks with dozens of urgent care facilities throughout Arizona.

When Tracy Wright’s daughters Paris and Skye came down with pink eye and strep throat, respectively, she took them to an Akos Med Clinic in the Safeway near their Scottsdale home.

All paperwork was done with an iPad and the attending nurse took their vital signs and examined them in a private room. Then, a consultation was done with a physician Skype. Both conditions were promptly diagnosed and treated. In the end, everyone was pleased with the process and outcome.

“He was really nice,” Paris, 16, said. “I’d go there again.”

When asked if she was comfortable with the experience and whether she would use Akos again for herself or her daughters, Tracy said, “Absolutely. He was so nice and friendly and the doctors were also so nice and great about educating us.”

A board-certified cardiologist and electrophysiologist, Anand wanted to improve the quality of health care to individuals, especially those with insurance plans that weren’t comprehensive or who lack insurance completely. He also wanted to reduce what he described as a trend of overprescribing of antibiotics and other medications.

“We’re using technology to make health care more convenient, affordable and accessible. There’s no tele-guessing and we can deliver the right care at home and near home,” he said. “We’re raising the standard of care and that’s where we created our niche.”

Calls are taken by board-certified providers, nurse triage lines assist workers compensation boards and similar groups, and a network of national providers are at the ready, Anand said.

He admitted that at first, physicians and patients were slow to jump on board. Clearly, that has changed. Anand compared this to the banking industry. Once upon a time, all transactions were done in person. Today, there’s little reason to physically go into a financial institution to get basic or serious tasks done.

“Health care is the last (industry) to really change. But with this new generation and technology, we feel, this is the future of health care,” he said.

Data backs up this assertion. Nonhospital-based telehealth accounted for 84% of telehealth claim lines in 2018, up from 52% in 2014, according to Fair Health, a New York nonprofit that operates a vast database of commercial and Medicare claims.

In 2005, annual telemedicine usage rates translated to one per 1,000 people. By 2017, that number had increased to more than seven per 1,000, with an annual average compound growth rate of 261% from 2015 to 2017, according to the OptumLabs Data Warehouse.

Anand talked about a mother of three young children who used Akos when one of them was sick. Before, she had to put all three of them in the car, take everyone to the doctor and hope the other two easily cooperated or didn’t get sick themselves.

“She told us we made her life easier,” Anand said. “We are lucky to be part of this movement nationally to amplify the value of healthcare.”

Akos MD

Where: Phoenix

Employees: 60

Interesting stat: Provider adoption of telemedicine is at 71% in inpatient and outpatient settings, according to HIMSS Analytics.

Details: 844-900-2567, akosmd.com