He’s a Harvard grad with medical degree from Columbia and New York Presbyterian. He’s also the founder of one of Tribeca Skin Center, one of NYC’s most tech-forward dermatology practices. Meet Dr. Sherwin Parikh, MD, one of the more than 40,000 physicians in the Oscar network.
First off, tell us a little bit about your practice.
I started Tribeca Skin Center 14 years ago, wanting to do something to make the patient experience better. Medicine doesn’t exist in a vacuum; it’s a conversation and a collaboration, and how people feel when they’re with their doctor is going to affect the information we get. I wanted to create a practice that really put people at ease. We did this with design—our space is very modern, airy, and loft-like. But we also did it by taking the stress out of the process. We were using online registration and virtual charts so early, the Wall Street Journal covered us in a piece about the future of the doctor’s office. Today, we’re four doctors, and between all of us, we’ve seen over 90,000 patients since we opened.
What are some things patients can expect at a visit?
First, you’re able to input all your data beforehand, on your own time. This means that once you get to the office and say your name, there’s already a virtual chart for you—no scrambling to fill out forms. Because of that, we know your insurance situation well before you see us. This means that we can do two things: We can talk to you about costs upfront, so there are no surprises. And we’re able to find ways to lower the costs you do have. If, for example, your insurance doesn’t cover a medicine, we can double down on samples.
What’s your experience been like with Oscar?
Like most people, I saw the subway ads and was really intrigued. As I learned more, I realized that Oscar was really aligned with what we were doing. Not just as far as technology goes, but also in terms of helping people get the best care with the most coverage. That’s a very hands-on endeavor, and it involves a variety of skill sets. Our managers and data people are an essential complement to our doctors, so we also identified with Oscar on that front.
This all sounds great! So when (i.e. for what conditions) should we come and see you?
We do a lot of skin cancer checks. Think of it like a physical for your moles. And when you’re there, we can teach you how to do a self-check. Because it’s summer, we’re seeing our fair share of sunburns, but year-round it’s acne, anti-aging, and a whole lot more. From how to treat infections from yoga mats (yes, you can get those!) to what to do with bug bites, there’s not a question we haven’t heard. Yet!