Speaking Startup: The teledoctor is in

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Shelley Cooper saw an increasing demand for health care and a shortage of doctors. Cooper found a solution through virtual doctors appointments. She founded telehealth consultancy Diversity Telehealth in 2014. In 2019, she launched SureShow, a startup that works to help doctors replace no-show appointments with virtual visits. Once the pandemic hit, Cooper saw her industry really take off. Telehealth has grown into a $3.5 billion industry, according to market research company IbisWorld, up from around $500 million in 2014. Cooper and others in the sector say virtual doctor visits will have longevity after the pandemic. In this week's Speaking Startup podcast, we look into telehealth's rise and staying power. Plus, as distance medicine thrives, the same cannot be said for other industries, like food service. We spoke with one Missouri entrepreneur using an app to encourage people to support restaurants, while also fighting food insecurity.