Ryan McQuaid had his fill of looking for local doctors and sitting in waiting rooms only to spend 10 minutes being seen by a doctor who is in a hurry to get to the next patient.
Dr. James Wantuck was also tired of being the doctor who was pushed to see more and more patients, including patients who could actually be helped with nothing more than a video call.
Out of these frustrations, PlushCare was formed in 2013. Dr. Wyntuck began by seeing patients via video call from the back office of his practice while Ryan handled the phone calls and made appointments.
The company used crowdfunding for startup funds and has since expanded its services to include Arizona, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Washington.
As of February 2016, the company received $8 million in Series A funding, enabling them to expand to 31 states.
PlushCare provides continuous access to board-certified, state-licensed physicians for non-emergency medical issues such as allergies, bronchitis, pink eye, sinus problems, and ear infection via audio-video technology for consultations regarding medical advice, diagnoses, and basic prescription medications.
The company received an additional $23 million in Series B funding, enabling them to double their staff and fuel company growth.
During the coronavirus crisis in the early months of 2020, PlushCare saw a 70 percent increase in appointments.
The company maintains its corporate office in San Francisco, California.
