When the Roads Close, the Cracks are Exposed
It’s 11 a.m., and the streets are buried under a thick layer of snow. Sidewalks are iced over and driving in current conditions would be dangerous. For a patient recently discharged from the hospital, perhaps recovering from surgery or managing a new diagnosis, a trip to the clinic for answers becomes a calculated risk. With a 45% increase in car crashes during states of emergency, patients are forced to decide: Is this symptom worth a trip through a storm?
During the recent blizzard, we watched this dilemma play out in real-time. As physical access to urgent care centers and hospitals plummeted due to unsafe conditions, Dimer Health experienced a record surge in patient volume, with our average daily appointments doubling.
A Healthcare Infrastructure Built to Weather the Storm
In healthcare, we often operate under the assumption that if a clinic is open, it is accessible. However, this storm reminded us that access is situational. A facility may be technically operational, but if the roads are hazardous, that facility is effectively closed to the patient. This isn’t just a weather problem. For patients recovering after a medical event or post surgery with limited transportation, or living in rural communities where facilities are already few and far between, access to care can disappear long before the roads ever close.
As the storm intensified, so did the patients’ needs: concerning symptoms, medication clarifications, and the general anxiety that comes with being housebound during a medical event. For these patients, during these stressful moments of uncertainty, care was in the palm of their hand. Dimer Health addressed medical needs, answered questions and provided a sense of calm amidst the storm.
Healthcare must be as flexible and personalized as the lives of the patients it serves. What we witnessed this week was a validation of our model: AI + human care, reaching the patients where they are, and delivering answers when they need them. When the world pauses for a storm, the need for medical care does not.
Our goal is simple: to ensure that when the roads are closed, care remains open.
