Digital Medical Services Have No Limitations: DocTour

Q: How has demand for DocTour’s regular and business services improved with the recovery of tourism?

A: Our most significant improvement is our new service platform. We also implemented some memberships for vacation rentals, which users and hosts have requested. Through the memberships, visitors are entitled to an ambulance and medical services. It also provides small coverage for expenses in case of an accident and discounts on medicine delivery. Benefits for property owners include cleaning assistance once a year, some furniture installation and legal assistance.

We also offer a product for businesses that provides their employees access to nutritionists, psychologists and telemedicine, along with webinars and health services campaigns. Through the program, employees can access unlimited consultations with our doctors and get checkups for eye health and chronic diseases. It also includes a small life insurance policy, reimburses medical expenses, and helps with funeral expenses at a reduced cost for companies.

Q: How has your recent partnership with Microsoft for Startups improved your service offering and performance?

A: We formalized our software licenses to improve our information security. We chose to protect our operational data with Microsoft. We started by using business licenses to set up an information security structure. Later, the software giant invited us to use Microsoft for Startups, allowing us to participate in mentoring events and gain Microsoft credits.

Several providers asked to use this platform, so we are offering it as a white label. We are building this tool in different environments so the client can implement it in their cloud.

Q: What are the regulatory or legal frameworks that DocTour must follow to prescribe?

A: Prescriptions issued in Mexico are only valid in the country. Mexican doctors can treat foreigners in Mexico without a problem but they cannot write prescriptions for Mexicans traveling abroad. In this case, they can only give advice or make a suggestion to doctors in the country where the patient is residing. If it is a minor problem, DocTour can recommend an over-the-counter (OTC) medicine.

Q: What are the main expectations for DocTour's newly opened branch in Brazil?

A: In Brazil, we are working with travel agencies to provide the travel memberships, which is our travel assistance product. We assist Brazilians coming to Mexico or traveling to the EU. By the end of the year, we hope to have a stronger presence in Brazil and other Latin American countries.

Q: DocTour worked with Tecnológico de Monterrey to create rural telemedicine centers and provide healthcare to rural communities. How has that evolved?

A: We have several projects with Tecnológico de Monterrey. Within its “Tec 21” modality, we participate as a partner/instructor for some programs, doing projects with students related to innovation and mapping the country’s health problems. We have two projects in this modality. The first relates to information security, and the second aims to provide medical care to Nuevo Leon’s rural areas alongside the Anacleto fund (FONDEAGG), which already brings education to rural communities by providing tablets with audiovisual content to families who have school-aged children.

The latter initiative was so well-received that we proposed to offer health education regarding good habits and hygiene for elementary school children and their families. The content generally focuses on nutrition and the importance of good hygiene practices like washing hands to avoid disease, but it also addresses region-specific problems that affect health, such as droughts and lack of clean water in Nuevo Leon.

To build long-term solutions, we are trying to set up a rural health point based on technology to offer telemedicine and start prevention work to empower the community. We plan to assign some employees to the health point so consultations are as productive as possible.

Q: As an entrepreneur in healthtech, what have been the benefits of joining associations such as the Mexican Healthtech Association?

A: We have built many good relationships through these associations, as we have found partners that align with our values. The networking opportunities facilitated by them have been highly valuable to us. 

DocTour is a telemedicine and medical orientation company committed to improving healthcare for tourists in Mexico. DocTour strives to offer foreign tourists a fast and efficient service at a lower cost and in the visitor’s language.