SAN FRANCISCO, June 1, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Nurx, the leader in digital healthcare for women, today announced that its at-home dermatology services has expanded to include treatment for rosacea. The service consists of a consultation with a Nurx medical provider, a personalized treatment plan for rosacea, home delivery of medication, and ongoing care, and builds on the successful launch of Nurx's acne and anti-aging treatment services earlier this year.
Rosacea is a chronic but treatable condition that affects the facial skin, and is often mistaken for acne. Rosacea affects more than 16 million people in the United States, disproportionately impacts women and is linked with depression and anxiety disorders. (1) In the U.S., lost productivity among patients and caregivers due to rosacea is as much as $78 million. (2) This new service from Nurx expands access to medical treatment for the condition, by eliminating the need to make an in-person doctor's appointment or wait in line at the pharmacy for medication.
After launching acne treatment in March, Nurx immediately experienced strong demand, with thousands of patients in the first month of service, well exceeding expectations. The Nurx medical team saw that a significant percentage of patients seeking acne care actually had rosacea that patients mistook for acne.
The U.S. is experiencing a well-documented shortage of dermatologists, and growing demand for their care. (3) Dermatologists are increasingly concentrated in wealthier, urban areas, creating access barriers for patients in rural or lower-income communities. Recognizing a big unmet need for convenient and affordable access to care for skin conditions beyond acne, Nurx began offering treatment for sun-related aging in April, has now launched treatment for rosacea, and has plans to expand its acne treatment offering to minors age 13+ this summer.
"Dermatology has been out of reach for many, due to the shortage of dermatologists or prohibitive prices, and Nurx has the power to unlock access to care for common skin conditions, including rosacea, and by soon expanding our acne treatment to include teens," says Varsha Rao, Nurx CEO. "Skin problems can have a negative impact on self-esteem and mental health, and there is no reason that a patient should have to hunt for a referral from a primary care doctor or drive for hours to see a dermatologist in order to receive this important care."
It is crucial that rosacea be properly diagnosed and treated, because if the condition progresses it may lead to scarring and permanent disfiguration of the skin. Rosacea is often missed or misdiagnosed in people of color, because redness and other symptoms may be less immediately apparent on darker skin. This leads to rosacea being diagnosed later in BIPOC, which is associated with more advanced progression of disease and risk of scarring.
"We know that many of our current patients experience rosacea, and that many people with rosacea haven't received proper diagnosis or treatment and may lack access to specialized care," says Jennifer Peña, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Nurx. "The combination of our provider team's clinical acumen and the Nurx telehealth platform will allow us to make high-quality medical care broadly accessible to those who need it."
To request rosacea treatment through Nurx, a patient shares their health history through a comprehensive online intake, and uploads photos of their skin onto the secure Nurx care platform. A licensed and certified Nurx medical provider will review the patient's condition, provide a diagnosis and create a treatment plan, then the Nurx pharmacy will mail medication to the patient's door. Each personalized treatment plan will give patients the same evidence-backed prescriptions they'd receive from an in-person medical provider, now with far greater convenience.
Unlike many telehealth providers, Nurx bills insurance for medication, and offers affordable out-of-pocket prices for those without insurance.
Through its all-in-one service that eliminates many of the traditional access barriers to healthcare while enabling an efficient and affordable way to deliver patient-centered care, Nurx has experienced unprecedented growth over the past year, registering more than 500,000 new consultations with medical providers. Touchpoints with patients grew to 7.25M, with 3.15M taking place in 2020 alone. Nurx services over 325,000 patients on a monthly basis and offers specialized telehealth care for a broad range of health needs including contraception, sexual health (HIV prevention with PrEP, oral and genital herpes), at home diagnostics such as STI, HPV and COVID-19 testing, headache and migraine treatment, and dermatology services.
Nurx's services are available to patients in 30 states and the District of Columbia, encompassing nearly 90 percent of the U.S. population. To learn more, visit http://www.nurx.com/rosacea-treatment.
About Nurx
Nurx is a health tech company providing convenient, affordable, and personalized care for sensitive health needs. By reimagining the healthcare experience, Nurx offers patients transparent pricing and judgment-free care whenever and wherever works best for them. We believe everyone should have the freedom to live well and be in charge of their healthcare decisions, regardless of their circumstances. From diagnosis to delivery, we make every part of getting healthy and staying healthy, better.
(1) Clinical, Cosmetic, and Investigational Dermatology
(2) American Academy of Dermatology
(3) JAMA Dermatology
Media Contact
Ann Noder, Pitch Public Relations, +1 480.263.1557, [email protected]
SOURCE Nurx
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