What was changed
When COVID‑19 hit, telehealth demand exploded, overwhelming existing platforms and lengthening wait times. Pager and Hims & Hers decided to augment their services with AI‑driven triage and free self‑assessment tools to triage patients quickly and keep care accessible.
Pager’s AI could manage about one‑third of incoming cases, directing low‑risk users to self‑care and high‑risk cases to clinicians. Hims & Hers rolled out free COVID‑19 self‑assessments, expanded into new U.S. states, and reported a surge in virtual visits. Together, the moves reduced bottlenecks, widened access, and demonstrated how AI can augment telehealth during crises.
What it achieved
Pager’s AI triage handled a third of cases, cutting wait times; Hims & Hers offered free COVID‑19 self‑assessments; both expanded services, boosting usage and access.
Why it worked
The pandemic caused a sudden, massive increase in telehealth usage that strained existing infrastructure.
Patients faced longer wait times, risking delayed care and increased pressure on providers.
Both companies saw an opportunity to leverage their AI capabilities to triage patients efficiently and scale access.
What can be applied
In a health crisis, rapidly deploying targeted AI tools can scale telehealth capacity, ease bottlenecks, and broaden patient access when traditional systems are overwhelmed.
Aftermath
After the initial rollout, Pager continued to refine its AI triage model, expanded its platform globally, and forged partnerships with health insurers to broaden reimbursement. Hims & Hers grew to unicorn status, added more primary‑care services, and retained the telehealth platform as a core offering. The AI triage and free self‑assessment features became permanent components of their products, illustrating how crisis‑driven innovation can yield lasting improvements in healthcare delivery.
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