July 23, 2015 • Blog, The Power 50, Uncategorized
Figure 1 is not for the faint of heart. In fact, it’s not really for the public at all. But if you’ve ever wanted to be a fly on a hospital’s wall, this is as close as it gets. Dubbed the “Instagram for Doctors,” Figure 1 is a photo-sharing app for the medical community. Instead of the requisite selfie, userspost images of abnormal growths, X-rays, CT scans and sometimes even stills from the operating room table.It’s social media, sure, but it’salso steered by an honourable goal. The idea isthat the more eyes there are on a problem, the better the diagnosis.
Anyone can join Figure 1, but only medical professionals, verified by an actual human from their Toronto office, can post pictures or leave comments.
Identifying features such as birthmarks or tattoos are blacked-out in order to maintain privacy, and patents are required to approve their images for use through an in-app waiver, designed to address the privacy laws in each of the 100 countries Figures 1 is available. With over 500 million total views, and between four and six million views a day, the app has certainly been noticed. It was even able to raise $4 million in seed funding last August.
With it’s user base cemented, Figure 1 is shifting gears with its latest feature, which it added in April, called ‘paging.’ “People can upload images and request feedback from specific specialists, giving them a wealth of information to draw on,” says co-founder Dr. Joshua Landy. “We’re excited about expanding this feature over the next few months.”
The feature uses push notifications to alert verified specialists when help is needed quickly, however there’s no word yet on whether billing will be a part of helping treat patients through the app.
Figure 1The Power 50
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