For years, Dr. Dirk Perritt’s phone buzzed with familiar texts: a nephew’s swollen ankle, a sister’s toddler with a fever, and a cousin worried about a rash. With a few photos, a quick video, and a handful of messages, Dr. Perritt would diagnose, advise, and often prescribe, saving his family unnecessary, costly trips to the emergency room.
“My family called me their ‘pocket doctor,’” Dr. Perritt recalls. “That’s when it hit me. What if every family had that kind of access, a doctor who is just a text away?”
That idea became TAP Telehealth, the innovative service launched by MD Health Pathways. It is now changing healthcare in communities where access to affordable, timely care has been challenging. Residents connect directly with real doctors who answer their texts, review photos, ask questions, and deliver care, all without leaving home.
Text a Doctor. Get Treated. Stay Home.
The process is simple and intuitive:
- Text symptoms and share photos to a dedicated local number
- Answer a few quick questions from a licensed provider
- Receive a diagnosis, treatment plan, and prescription if needed
- Get a follow-up text within 48 hours to check on progress
All in minutes, not hours or days. No co-pays, no insurance hurdles, and no crowded waiting rooms.
Jennifer Martinez experienced it firsthand when her son woke with pink, crusty eyes late one evening. “Within 15 minutes, we had antibiotics waiting at our pharmacy,” Martinez said. “But what really got me was the follow-up text two days later, checking on my son. It felt like having a doctor in the family.”
A Community Lifeline With Measurable Impact
In Ferris, Texas, over 70% of households subscribe to TAP Telehealth as a $9 monthly utility bill add-on, covering every family member. For cities like Ferris, the results have been immediate and measurable:
- Emergency calls for non-urgent issues have plummeted
- School attendance has improved as parents no longer miss work for minor illnesses
- First responders face less pressure from avoidable ER visits
“The impact MD Health Pathways has had on Ferris would have such a greater impact on cities with much larger populations,” said Brooks Williams, Ferris City Manager. “It’s improving public health, keeping kids in school, and taking pressure off our first responders.”
The model is scaling quickly. Other communities are joining, motivated by overcrowded ERs and doctor shortages.
Technology With a Human Touch
Dr. Perritt’s mission goes beyond technology. At its core, MD Health Pathways is about restoring trust and access to local healthcare, especially for people who feel overlooked by traditional systems.
“My family never hesitated to text me because they knew I cared and would help them figure it out,” said Dr. Perritt. “That’s what we’re scaling, not just the technology, but that relationship. That trust. That certainty that someone’s there when you need them.”
For more information, visit mdhealthpathways.com.