US-based telemedicine company Spruce has obtained a $15m series A round from investors including Google Ventures, the corporate venturing arm of internet company Google.
The round was led by Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers (KPCB), and included Baseline Ventures and Cowboy Ventures.
KPCB, Cowboy and Baseline provided a $2m seed round in September 2014.
The company has developed a mobile app to facilitate communication between patients and dermatologists. Patients take photos of their condition and answer a set of questions before receiving a personal treatment plan from a dermatologist within a day. Patients can then arrange follow-up appointments.
Skin conditions account for one-third of common reasons to seek medical treatment in the US, but waiting times average 29 days. Visits are expensive at over $100, and Spruce aims to keep the patient’s costs low at a fixed $40 per appointment.