Revolutionizing Telemedicine in Dermatological Care

Renata Block, MMS, PA-C, a board-certified physician assistant in Chicago, Illinois, and a Dermatology Times Editorial Advisory Board member, interviewed Michael Rubio, PA-C, co-founder of Well Revolution. Rubio, a board-certified dermatology physician associate practicing in Brooklyn, New York, shared the journey of Well Revolution, a healthcare platform aimed at improving primary care accessibility and affordability.

Rubio and his co-founder sought to provide more convenient and timely health care in a multicultural system. After testing the idea in New Zealand, the platform rapidly grew, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic led to a surge in telemedicine usage. In 2024, Well Revolution expanded to the US, aiming to address the widespread healthcare challenges faced by its over 300 million citizens.

“It's just to try to answer a simple question. ‘Can we make primary care affordable, accessible, and timely?’” Rubio said.

Although Well Revolution approaches all aspects of primary care, Rubio spearheads the dermatology sector of the program. This more efficient model saves time and enables quicker access to care, offering a better way for clinicians and their patients to get in touch with one another. Block and Rubio both agreed that an overwhelming number of cases seen in the office can be treated virtually.

“The thing with any kind of nurse practitioner [or] PA, we can have them be seen that week. But a lot of patients don't know that,” Renata noted. “So when they reach out on your platform, they are able to be seen immediately, maybe within 24 hours, 48 hours, within the week...and that gives them the timely diagnosis.”

Rubio elaborated on the challenges of implementing new healthcare tools, emphasizing that the cultural environment surrounding the technology plays a significant role in its success. He noted that introducing telemedicine within dermatology has had its challenges, including overcoming skepticism and adapting workflows to suit virtual care.

“[At first], it didn't land well because it's hard to do things you don't know,” Rubio noted.

Despite this initial doubt, Well Revolution has expanded its partnerships with specialists across the country, especially those who want to become more familiar with telehealth but don’t know how. Rubio confirmed that many of these practices focus on more vulnerable patient populations who may lack access to in-person care.

“This is what I eat and sleep and think about all day long,” Rubio said. “And so that's what Well Revolution [is] really designed to do.”

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