Medical Startup Changing The Way Bostonians See Their Doctor

Those used to long wait times and impersonal experiences at the doctor’s office might find a new Copley Square medical facility foreign. 

One Medical, ranked by Fast Company as one of the most innovative companies of 2017, is expanding in Boston this week with a second office at Dartmouth and Stuart streets near Back Bay Station. Like its first location at Government Center, the healthcare startup will offer 24/7 virtual care, same-day appointments, warm furnishings and artwork selected by doctors to make patients feel at ease. Physicians here are salaried as opposed to following the pay-for-performance model most doctors operate with insurance companies. One Medical has what it calls a more human experience of 20 to 30-minute appointments with patients as opposed to other practice's quick visits for more financial reward. 

The amenities come after paying One Medical’s $199 membership fee, which goes toward technology associated with the facility. Round-the-clock medical care is a tap away on the One Medical app, and it includes video assessment by on-call providers as well as prescription refills and medical records. Insurance is accepted for in-person visits. A One Medical spokesperson said landlords normally are not enthusiastic to sign doctors as tenants due to the stream of under-the-weather people coming through their building.

“They don’t like having a doctor’s office because of all the sick people,” One Medical communications manager Katie Dally said. “Our patients, however, are ones who are proactive with their health. We locate where people work and live.”