Web & Mobile App Leverages Telemedicine to Help Identify and Treat Sexually Transmitted Diseases

- STD Triage to Deliver First Anonymous Service for STD Assessment

San Francisco, Ca. – March 6th, 2013 – STD Triage has launched as an iOS app and website that provides discreet assessments of externally visible sexually transmitted disease (STDs) by a licensed dermatologist within 24 hours via photos submitted by the user. Personal identification information such as name or email is not collected and the user is therefore anonymous to the dermatologist. Payment is only required if the user chooses to review the doctor’s assessment. The app also has geo-location capabilities used to display a map showing the nearest STD clinics and pharmacies based on the user’s location.  

 “After my first service/ app, iDoc24 which was created with the intention of identifying any skin related concerns, we noticed that an overwhelming amount - over 30% - of the cases submitted were STD related, so STD Triage was really born out of a need we saw first-hand,” said Dr. Alexander Börve, Founder and CEO of iDoc24 which developed and powers STD Triage. “Skin problems in the genital area are far from uncommon. But how can you tell the difference between a common hair root infection, signs of STD and other similar symptoms? We wanted to create this app specifically for these more intimate problems so that the user could feel empowered instead of embarrassed when addressing their sexual health concerns.”  

STDs continue to be a prevalent health problem in the United States with 19 million new cases being reported every year.  In fact, as many as one in two people will get an STD by the time they are 25 years old.  Left untreated, STDs may have serious consequences such as infertility or increased risk of cancer.

“STDs are one of those topics no one likes to talk about; it’s very awkward to bring STDs up to a doctor and embarrassing to mention getting tested to a boyfriend or girlfriend,” said Dr. Börve.  “With STD Triage, we are not giving a diagnosis, but rather specific medical information with the hope of elevating serious concerns so that an individual will be compelled to schedule an appointment with their doctor or visit a clinic to receive proper treatment if needed.”

The demands on public healthcare are continuously increasing as the population grows older. At the same time, a higher quality of care can be made possible through medical and technological innovation. The development of IT solutions brings about new possibilities for the individual to access healthcare services through these new channels of information.  STD Triage is developed based on mobile telemedicine, also termed “mHealth”. The doctors strive to give accurate information on a possible diagnosis and treatment regime. The service should not be considered as a substitute to an in-person doctor visit, but rather as a high quality information service from experts, which serves as a complement to health searches on the internet and healthcare portals.

STD Triage respects users’ privacy through a completely anonymous process.  The doctor given the query only sees the photo and not the users name or any other personal information.  Once the case is submitted, a doctor responds within a 24 hour time frame, but average response time is within four hours.  

The STD Triage app is available today for iPhone <https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sexually-transmitted-diseases/id595867030?ls=1&mt=8> version and can be downloaded for free. You can also use our web form on our webpage www.STDtriage.com.  Users will pay the fee of $9.99 only if they choose to read the answer from the dermatologist.   
 
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About STD Triage
Based in San Francisco, California, STD Triage is an app and website developed and powered by iDoc24 that provides discreet assessments of externally visible sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) by a licensed dermatologist within 24 hours via photos submitted by the user. Developed by Doctor and iDoc24 Founder, Alexander Börve, STD Triage employs telemedicine to encourage education and treatment of STDs.  All user information is kept completely anonymous to the diagnosing doctor, and payment of $9.99 is only required if the users chooses to review the doctor’s assessment.  STD Triage also provides a map of the nearest STD clinics and pharmacies using its geo-location capabilities.  For more information, visit www.STDtriage.com,,

About iDoc24
iDoc24 is a Swedish digital health company founded in Stockholm in 2009. The company is focused on evidence-based medicine and visual skin problems. Since 2009, iDoc24 has answered over 2,000 cases. The user can send in a visual query to dermatologists via any internet enabled device (iPhone, Android and the web) for a first hand assessment of their skin concerns. iDoc24’s research shows that approximately 70% of users can self-treat, while the other 30% are advised to see a doctor in person for further tests and treatment. iDoc24 relocated to San Francisco from Stockholm in 2013.
 
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