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The story behind Rume: from COVID-19 testing to transforming traditional healthcare

At Rume, our mission is to forge a new model of healthcare that integrates seamlessly into your lifestyle and your schedule. Read how we got our start below.

The Rume story begins in 2020

It’s March, and the United States government has just declared a national emergency in response to COVID-19. 

Dr. Matthew Abinante–a family physician with a master’s degree in public health–hears that covid won’t last long. 

But as the owner of a California-based direct primary care practice, he’s witnessing the opposite. Cases are on the rise. And because covid testing is not yet available at scale, his community is getting hit with the virus en masse. Low-income and high-risk communities are getting hit even harder.

So he decides to do something about it. He and his staff set up a tent in the parking lot of his private practice. They start inviting cars through for “drive-through covid testing.”

Their mission is to enable anyone in the community to get tested for COVID-19 quickly, safely, and–thanks to government funding–at zero cost to them. 

It’s an immediate success. Soon the operation is given a name–Covid Clinic–and nonprofit status.


From Covid Clinic to Rume 

In the next 18 months, Covid Clinic opens nearly 200 temporary locations across the country and tests more than three million Americans. Telehealth services are made available–open 7AM to 10PM–so that patients are able to receive COVID-19 treatment from home, at a time that fits their schedule. 

More than half a million cases are diagnosed. Countless lives are saved.

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As the success of Covid Clinic grows, the doctor and his Covid Clinic team observe something.

When paired together, drive-through healthcare and virtual healthcare provides patients with three things the traditional healthcare model lacks: access, speed, and convenience.

They wondered: what would happen if this new model of care was applied to other domains of healthcare? What different use cases could it be incorporated into?

And so they took the leap to create a new business.

And it was named Rume.

 


Today and beyond

Rume is named after an ideal: that in the near future, we’ll live in a world with room enough for everyone to get the high-quality care they deserve.

So every day, we’re working to change what it means to “go to the doctor.” 

No more germ-filled waiting rooms. No more three-month waitlists. We’re using the drive-thru/telehealth model to disrupt the traditional healthcare paradigm.

At Rume, we bring services to patients when, how, and where they want them: through in-person care, virtual care, or both; from their home, car, or office; during the day, evening, or weekend. 

Busy moms, for example–notorious for prioritizing their family’s health over their own–are finally finding time to invest in themselves thanks to Rume’s new Virtual Women’s Health Clinic.

Our new on-demand Virtual Convenient Care service allows people to get treated online for illnesses and accidents that need immediate attention, but don't warrant a trip to the urgent care or ER.

And by offering new testing and telehealth services to K-12 schools and long-term care facilities, we’re making the student and resident experience safer and improving their health outcomes. 

At Rume, this is what a new age of healthcare looks like. And we’re only getting started.

 


Talk to a healthcare provider–any time you want.

Gone are the days of crowded waiting rooms, daunting hospitals, and cold exam tables. At Rume, we offer care on your terms, where and when you need it, including telemedicine and drive-thru testing. And we’re just getting started!

Learn more about our new Virtual Convenient Care services, or check out what we can do for you at our Virtual Women's Health Clinic.

Want to learn more about our rapid testing services? Visit Covid Clinic to see what tests and locations are available in your neighborhood.

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