How Hims & Hers is Increasing Access to Care for Everyone

Every day, Hims & Hers connects patients with highly-qualified, licensed healthcare providers and evidence-based treatments so they can access personalized care for conditions that impact how they feel about themselves when they wake up in the morning. One powerful way we do that is by enabling customers to connect with licensed providers from the comfort and privacy of their own homes via asynchronous care¹. 

This approach is called an asynchronous care model, and we offer access to it on our platform to help level the playing field. Here’s how we’re doing it:

What Asynchronous Care Means at Hims & Hers

Asynchronous care allows patients and providers to connect via secure electronic communication so that they can exchange information and communications in a back-and-forth manner, instead of talking in real-time. Being a partner in our customers' health and wellness journeys is a responsibility we take seriously, and we’ve built the platform to ensure that our customers are well cared for.

When a customer first comes to our platform, they fill out a clinical intake form which collects detailed and specific information about their symptoms, health history, and treatment goals, just as they would in a brick-and-mortar doctor’s office. Our intake form is dynamic and can range in length depending on the information provided. For example, if a customer shares that they are taking other medications, they may be asked more questions about that medication or the condition it is treating to understand the customer's full picture of health. Customers are also required to go through an identity verification process that can vary across locations, based on the laws in that state.

Once the intake process is complete, a provider licensed in their state thoroughly reviews the information gathered during the intake process and has the opportunity to follow up with the patient if there are any questions or remaining information deemed necessary to provide safe and high quality care. That provider then makes an independent decision on whether the patient is an appropriate candidate for treatment through our platform, and if so, shares the diagnosis and treatment plan with the patient. If the provider determines the patient cannot be appropriately diagnosed or safely treated through our platform, they refer the patient off the platform to seek care better suited to their condition or situation. The healthcare professionals who provide care through the Hims & Hers platform are held to rigorous clinical quality assurance standards and follow current evidence-based clinical guidelines when diagnosing and treating patients. These evidence-based clinical guidelines are regularly reviewed and vetted by experts in their respective fields.

Throughout the entire process, our platform allows for unlimited messaging back and forth between the provider and patient, so the patient can ask questions, communicate any side effects, and stay closely connected to their providers. It’s a complete patient-provider relationship, with the additional benefit of letting the patient and provider contribute their portion of the e-visit on their own schedule, without needing a synchronous “meeting,” like a video or phone call. 

Studies have found that asynchronous care can increase access to care, can be easily implemented by clinical teams, maintain patient and provider satisfaction, and reduce costs. We offer access to asynchronous care in every state that allows the model because of the impact we know it can have on access for our customers.

How Asynchronous Care Impacts Our Customers

Historically, individuals looking for access to the kinds of treatments offered through Hims & Hers often had to access care through an in-person provider, like their primary care physician, but that can create obstacles to access. 

• Faster Access to Treatment: Appointments with primary care providers are difficult to get (even in major metropolitan areas, the average wait for a new patient appointment is over 20 days). Through Hims & Hers, providers typically respond in under 24 hours (and sometimes much faster than that!) in asynchronous consultations. If a provider deems treatment is appropriate for the patient, there’s no need to deal with insurance delays or overburdened local pharmacies. Each prescription is shipped directly to the customer's door, along with all the important safety information and instructions they need to get started.

• Fewer Barriers to Care: Patients with busy schedules, limited mobility, childcare or work responsibilities often have to contend with complex office scheduling. For patients in rural areas, travel time to appointments can be extensive. With the Hims & Hers platform, asynchronous patients can complete a comprehensive care process at their own pace, and on their own schedule. 

• Less Judgment: Asynchronous care can be especially valuable for people seeking treatment for stigmatized conditions like ED, hair loss, weight loss, anxiety, and depression. Hims & Hers helps take the shame out of seeking treatment for conditions they might be too embarrassed to discuss with their family provider. Customers often tell us how much easier it is to open up to a provider about these issues through the asynchronous intake form and secure messaging, rather than having to “confess” their symptoms face-to-face.  

• More Communication: Once a traditional in-person doctor's appointment ends, patients often feel like the conversation has ended, but care accessed through Hims & Hers includes unlimited access to communicate with providers. If someone is experiencing medication side effects, is unsure about dosage, or has any other burning questions, they can just open the app and ask. Providers on the platform respond quickly, with an average response time of 24-48 hours, and have a clinical process in place to refer patients out to our health system partners if they need more specialized care. This open line of communication and our EMR make it simple for patients and providers to communicate quickly and effectively to find the right treatment for each patient – without needing to make additional appointments, calls to the insurance company, or trips to the pharmacy.  

A Safe Experience at Scale

We take our commitment to customer safety seriously, and take great pride in how we’ve created access to important care in times of need. The providers on our platform have completed over 20 million consultations on the Hims & Hers platform since our founding, all informed by training specific to each condition they treat, and monitored for the quality of care delivered, including appropriate referrals, documentation, and customer interactions.

By prioritizing convenience and efficiency for each individual who comes to Hims & Hers, asynchronous telehealth can empower patients to take charge of their health and create a more accessible, patient-centered healthcare system – no overstuffed waiting rooms, scheduling headaches, or judgmental doctor’s offices. 

That’s why we believe in the power of our platform – it’s healthcare as it should be.