The pandemic has led to an expansion of home delivery services, and now local startup CourMed is offering vaccine delivery to those who would like to be wrapped at home.
CourMed released as a pharmaceutical supply company, collaborating with independent pharmacies to bring prescription drugs, premium vitamins and supplements, as well as glasses and some natural medicines to DFW homes. The pandemic helped grow the company as the desire for home delivery became a security and convenience issue. The organization has now partnered with pharmaceutical giant McKesson and received investments from Google and Microsoft, accelerating its growth in the market. The company increased its revenue by 300 percent between 2019 and 2020, even before the pandemic further accelerated growth.
Derrick L. Miles, President and CEO of CourMed [Courtesy: CourMed]
Now, the company offers delivery of COVID-19 vaccine to those who are interested. Instead of unprofessional delivery drivers, CourMed sends medical professionals home to administer vaccines. Patients use the CourMed app to request a vaccine. CourMed coordinates with independent community pharmacies close to the address of the applicant and other provider companies for a person qualified to administer to deliver a vaccine. “We have been able to provide new revenue for community pharmacies and
If at the time you weren’t a customer of this community pharmacy, ”says CEO and founder Derick Miles. “We bring community pharmacies, new patients, offering concierge service.”
Vaccine is also being administered always to local seniors around the city of Dallas through a partnership with Meals of Wheels and Dallas Fire-Rescue. However, Johnson and Johnson had to deviate from the vaccine during childbirth. The service can help reach vulnerable residents who cannot travel or live too far from a vaccination site.
The company has also established a relationship with Children’s Health with a pilot program to administer prescribed medications through Children’s Health Telecare program. If a child provider prescribes a medication during the telehealth appointment, CourMed may have it delivered to the student’s home.
The company wants to expand the volume by working with other hospitals and collaborating with Medical City and HCA in North Texas to deliver drugs through its Hospital to Home program. “Now that hospitals get on board, our hope is that hospitals do what they always do, which is a stack,” says Miles, who has previous experience in hospital administration. He has more than 15 years of experience in some of the largest medical centers in the country. “Once a company puts its finger in the water and tests innovation, others say,‘ Okay, have you done that with them yet? “It should significantly reduce the sales cycle for us.”
Looking to the future, the company is seen offering a variety of home health care, including IV infusions, vitamins and even monoclonal antibodies that are used to treat COVID-19 for those who already have it. They hope to grow other local collaborations with the Catalyst health network to provide delivery to Catalyst patients. Arizona, Florida and California are also expansion zones, once all relationships with suppliers and pharmacies are established.
The startup has begun financing without receiving significant external investment, but hopes to raise funds and continue explosive growth beyond the pandemic. “We grow as fast as the money is available,” Miles says. We have a lot of demand and we believe that in the next 30 to 45 days, this money will be in the bank and you will see much more growth ”.