have had on the public markets since debuting earlier this year. Tech investors are still thirsty for growth, but not at the expense of healthy margins.Jackal Pan | Visual China Group | Getty Images
Still, medical professionals say that Hims and others in the space have turned a corner by proving that they can establish relationships with doctors and make sure that patients are getting sound advice and appropriate treatment. "These companies figured out early on that when you find a problem that requires a pill for months, there's a lifetime value in each new customer and it changes the economics of the business," said Wetschler, who has worked with telemedicine companies like HeyDoctor.
"There are lots of things that can be done and don't require an in-person visit," said Daneshjou, a resident at Stanford Medicine. Virtual businesses can work "as long as the patient is able to contact someone if there is an issue, and the physicians doing the consulting have the appropriate specialty for what is being done," she said