Community Corner
Antidote Health Changes The Way People Get Insurance, Health Care
The company's goal is to assist uninsured and underinsured people so they receive the quality health care they deserve.
This Patch article is sponsored by Antidote Health.
Antidote Health is creating the first digital HMO specifically for people who are uninsured or underinsured in the U.S. Antidote Health is combining insurance and providers to provide affordable healthcare. Antidote Health believes its services are ideal for families because they are affordable for the entire family — including an entire household. Antidote Health offers special features, such as three-way calling and the ability to choose a designed family doctor.
Patch had a chance to talk with Dr. David Zlotnick, chief medical officer and co-founder of Antidote Health.
Find out what's happening in Tampawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Patch: How long have you been doing business in town, or how long has your organization been around in the community?
Dr. Zlotnick: Antidote incorporated in March 2020 and launched in January 2021.
Find out what's happening in Tampawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Patch: What attracted you to the line of work you’re in, and how did you get started?
Dr. Zlotnick: My first exposure with telemedicine was about 20 years ago when it was via telephone. I worked in Northern Canada with the Inuit population. We made medical decisions by phone because of the remote location of the people. We made decisions clinically when there were limited resources and technology. Now that video has become commonplace — and with advancements in technology — video calls are the norm. COVID-19 has also accelerated the advancement of telemedicine in the market.
Patch: If you had to sum up your business mission to a stranger in five words, what would those words be?
Dr. Zlotnick: The highest quality care to the uninsured.
Patch: What’s the biggest challenge or most difficult moment you’ve faced in your job?
Dr. Zlotnick: It can be challenging to explain to people that telehealth is not just a one-time use situation, and that it can be a long-term option. You can build relationships with the doctors over time, and we have the option to choose a designated doctor for your family.
Patch: What’s the most satisfying part of your job?
Dr. Zlotnick: Being able to provide core services to people that would otherwise have no possibility of receiving that care, therefore increasing their quality of life.
Patch: How would you say your business distinguishes itself from the others?
Dr. Zlotnick: Our target audience. We do everything we can to focus on assisting the under and uninsured, not just providing telehealth but an HMO experience.
Patch: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given when it comes to success?
Dr. Zlotnick: You can learn from everybody; everybody has something to offer.
Patch: Are there any new projects or endeavors you’re working on that you’re extra excited about? If so, what details can you share and what makes it so exciting?
Dr. Zlotnick: We are working on a lot, but I am most excited about increasing our offering to include mental health services. With the pandemic more people are suffering from these issues and it has become more acceptable to talk about and seek treatment, however many people have limitations to accessing this care.
Patch: Do you have any events coming up in your community? If so, tell us about them.
Dr. Zlotnick: This past July, we just had a great event in our community — this is an ongoing event for our doctors. This session we invited the Artificial Intelligence (AI) community and our Antidote doctors to discuss AI in healthcare. It involved an idea hub with discussions on quality of care and how to improve medical records.
Patch: How can Patch readers learn more about your work and business?
Dr. Zlotnick: Patch readers can learn more about our business through our website antidoethealth.ai, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube and our blogs.
