On a particularly hot day in Nigeria, where temperatures can climb into the 90s, Ifeanyi Ossai, co-founder and CEO of CribMD, stands outside a medical clinic, watching as hundreds of patients wait in line in hopes of seeing a doctor. “It’s always like this,” he says, shaking his head. “All of these people are here for medical help, yet this clinic has one doctor. Probably 90% of them will be sent home at the end of the day with no answer to what is wrong with them or any medication. This clinic is a good example of the disfunction that is pervasive in Nigeria’s healthcare system, and CribMD is working to fix it.”

Ifeanyi’s own interest in the problem and its solution through CribMD is personal. “When my aunt died because the hospital was too busy to see her, we were all outraged,” he remembers. “What a tragedy! Our investor, Joe, understands this. When he was working as a diplomat in Nigeria, his son got sick and could not see a doctor because the hospital was too backed up. Joe was only able to save him because he called a doctor-connection in the States and got advice on what to do. This shouldn’t be happening today.”

With CribMD, Ifeanyi helped to create a solution. They began with physical clinics, but with the time needed to build one and staff it, impact wasn’t happening quickly enough. “On any given day, we could only see 10% of the patients that lined up under the hot sun to get help. The rest were usually turned away despite having money because we were at capacity, and some tried to bribe their way in. That is why we launched CribMD. We chose our platform because we were inspired by the way Airbnb turned homes into hotels. At CribMD, your home is the clinic, and the doctor will come to you, not the other way around.”

CribMD offers low-cost health insurance that enables access to health services and doctors with verified credentials across Nigeria. Patients can book telemedicine visits and doctor house calls at will with generalists and specialists and have any prescribed medications shipped directly to their door. CribMD patients have all their medical care expenses covered, including ambulance and hospital care. 

“Look at what’s happening,” Ifeanyi says. “Our technology is empowering patients to be seen by doctors when they need to. Instead of standing in line at clinics, they are being seen in their own homes. Doctors are getting a better view of the patients’ histories in a shorter amount of time because of our electronic technology. They are treating their patients more efficiently and are prescribing medications that appear at the patient’s door like magic the next day. Patients no longer have to tell their entire medical history to each new doctor they see. They don’t have to queue up in front of a clinic all day for a small chance to see a doctor or risk getting COVID-19 while they wait. We believe that this is the future of healthcare – more efficient treatment, less uncertainty, better health.”

CribMD has found broad support for its mission and is already experiencing success. “We have raised over $450k in venture funding, generate $20K+ in monthly recurring revenue, and have over 1K subscribers and a waitlist with over 25K patients. We have delivered hundreds of house calls and over a thousand tele-sessions to date and have healed thousands of Africans who would otherwise be without care if not for CribMD.”

CribMD is growing ten times week over week. “Nigerians are very enthusiastic about what we provide,” Ifeanyi says. “The old ways just don’t work anymore, so they are open to this new approach to medicine.”

Ifeanyi will know that CribMD has been completely successful when he is able to drive past a clinic and see no lines. “One day, with the help of CribMD and God, the stories about the country’s broken healthcare system will be a thing of the past. We’ve already got a good start on making that happen.”

Visit www.CribMD.com or find us on your app store (Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1534919330, Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=cribmd.com.CribMD ).