HMO

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  • Better's mobile app lets you call a Doctor as if they were tech support

    by 
    Daniel Cooper
    Daniel Cooper
    04.16.2014

    Technology problem? Easy, just hit the Mayday button (if you have one) or sign up for Google Helpouts and within a few minutes, you'll instantly connect to an expert. Compare that with selecting a healthcare plan, or making trips to the clinic, and medicine can seem a little old-fashioned. Better is looking to change that with an iOS app that offers both a concierge to help you navigate your HMO's bureaucracy, but also to offer instant access to the physicians at the Mayo Clinic when you're feeling unwell. The app is launching from today, setting you back $49 a month, and while it's currently not covered by any insurance plans, there are some incentives to help soften the blow.

  • Dr. Touch: exactly like what you think, except not at all

    by 
    Tim Stevens
    Tim Stevens
    08.29.2008

    The age of the house call is long gone, and until we manage to replace all our bodily organs with cybernetic proxies, medical gadgets are our only hope to minimize those pesky office visits. The Health PHS5000 (aka Dr. Touch) from LG and Intel isn't the first of its kind, but it is the latest such device, and it's been recently introduced exclusively in Japan to begin medical trials. The little white box with a friendly UI (smileys mean you're not dead yet, we presume) can track things like blood pressure and sugar levels, and will even send reports to your doctor's office -- meaning your terminal laziness can reach astronomical new heights... er, lows. It's perfect for the disabled or merely reclusive, and with any luck will be hacked soon to allow Wii Fit integration.