By Kimberlee Kruesi, Point Weekly

Can you hear me now, doc?

A new company is seeking to provide more direct access to physicians by connecting patients using a telephone.

RingADoc, based in Beverly Hills, launched earlier this month. The service is available only in California.

Patients can use the service by calling in and describing their medical complaints. They are then connected to the correct physician by a software program called Telethrive. Physicians can provide medical advice and prescribe certain medications. Patients even have the option of talking to a physician they have consulted in the past if they are a returning caller.

Each consultation costs $39, and the company does not require health insurance.

Jordan Michaels, one of the founders of the company, says the service is ideal for college students.

“A bunch of us [at RingADoc] are recent college graduates, so we understand that resources on campus are great while they’re open, but there are times when the health center isn’t available,” said Michaels.

Michaels explained that college students prefer a telephone medical provider because of the convenience and privacy it offers.

“We found that part of the issue why college students like [RingADoc] is that you do want to talk to someone really quick but you don’t always want someone to see you at the health center, especially if you have questions about sexual health and STDs or personal questions,” he said. “So that after a party, or whatever the situation, you can call in from the comfort and privacy of your dorm or apartment.”

Michaels went on to explain that the doctors understand the limits of telephone care and acknowledged that not all conditions can be treated over the phone.

A California Healthcare Foundation report found that two-thirds of physicians and medical providers use smart phones. More than 5,000 iPhone applications are directed for health-related concerns. A third of those are designed for physicians, including medical libraries, decision support tools and dosage calculators.

Junior Coleman Adams said such a service might be a temporary fix but is not a permanent solution. “This service seems like it could be helpful and could save people an expensive visit to the doc, but our healthcare system is still broken and I believe the solution is government-provided single-payer healthcare that provides comprehensive coverage for all Americans,” said Adams.

Michaels said RingADoc is a real solution.

“We really do hope we draw the attention of decision makers in government that this is a realistic solution to part of the problems in the healthcare system,” Michaels said. “We have an escalating physician shortage, we’re going to have an influx of patients in the healthcare system and honestly, patient demand heavily outweighs the physician supply, so I think this idea of utilizing existing technology is a way to improve access.”