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Small Business Profile
Consult A Doctor makes bottom lines healthier
 CEO Wolf Shlagman [Photo: Daniel Portnoy] |
But as the recession was beginning, companies were reluctant to pay for their employees' memberships. So Shlagman focused on marketing to insurance companies and brokers. The company conducted pilot programs to get the data it needed, bringing companies onboard by guaranteeing they would save money on healthcare costs. Doug Smith, founder of Minute Clinic, joined the company as chief medical officer.
Armed with venture capital funding, Consult A Doctor expanded rapidly last year, with revenue in "the $3-million to $5-million range," Shlagman says. Customers include Pepsi, hospital chain HCA and Minnesota-based health plan Medica. It expects to release an iPhone app soon, with an Android app to follow.
With healthcare legislation drawing attention to cost savings and access to care, Shlagman believes the company is on the verge of "hyper" expansion. He has been flying around the country looking to raise capital to fund it. "There's quite a bit of appetite right now for these types of solutions, so the investment community is looking hard at this space," he says. This fall, the company was selected to present at both the Enterprise Development Corp.'s Emerging Technology Business Showcase and Florida International University's Americas Venture Capital Conference, where it won the grand prize as "Top Global Innovative Venture."
