US-Based Pediatric Telehealth Startup Summer Health Expands Services to Address Parents' Everyday Health Questions

The subscription-based service, priced at $20 a month or $192 annually, provides families with unlimited access to a medical team assigned to their accounts.

In response to the increasing demand for accessible pediatric care, Summer Health, a pediatric telehealth startup, has expanded its services beyond urgent needs. 

Launched a year ago as a text-based service connecting parents with pediatricians, the startup identified a significant gap in addressing parents' everyday health questions and concerns.

Commenting on the same, Ellen DaSilva, CEO of Summer Health, said, "We've launched an app that now houses a CareHub meant to be the singular place you go for information about your child's development, health, and wellness. More radically, we're also assigning a doctor to your family."

The subscription-based service, priced at $20 a month or $192 annually, provides families with unlimited access to a medical team assigned to their account. This team includes a lead pediatrician for continuity of care, as well as specialists like sleep coaches, lactation consultants, and nutritionists.

DaSilva highlighted the platform's goal, saying, "We want to be there not only for our customers' urgent needs 24/7 but to also be there for those everyday questions that they need answers to."

To enhance the user experience, Summer Health introduced the CareHub app, where parents can track and manage their child's health in one place, including visit notes, milestone tracking, and treatment plans.

Providing information on the expansion, DaSilva said, "There's not much between their one annual well visit and searching the online archives to basically diagnose their kids. We want to be there for all of those in-between moments."

With more than 22 million millennial parents in the US alone, Summer Health recognises the preference for text-based communication. The platform leverages smartphones to provide convenient and efficient care, aiming to alleviate the burden on urgent care facilities.

DaSilva acknowledged the shortage of healthcare providers and increasing wait times for primary care. She added, "We are definitely facing a major shortage of doctors, which then pushes individuals to use urgent care for primary care needs as opposed to using the primary care system, which is what it was designed to do."

Summer Health plans to further expand its services, exploring the addition of dermatology and allergy care. The platform also integrates artificial intelligence on the back end to streamline clinician workflows, aiming to provide efficient and personalized care without replacing human interaction.

In addressing the growing need for accessible and timely healthcare information for children, Summer Health's Everyday Care emerges as a practical solution, offering parents a reliable source for their children's health and well-being.