The idea began in October 2012 on a bus from Jakarta to Bogor.

When the bus stopped for fuel, Fulcher noticed an older woman, a man, and a young child washing up with water from a roadside gutter. Meanwhile, a low-cost Android phone in the woman’s hand streamed YouTube.

Fulcher was shocked at the juxtaposition. How is 3G internet available on affordable smartphones but basic medical care not accessible? If mobile video could reach an ordinary phone, could a doctor do the same?

Before the bus reached Bogor, Fulcher had begun writing the first lines of what would become RingMD code. Over the following weeks, he hacked together a prototype and started going door to door at hospitals and clinics in Singapore to onboard physicians. The first version was a simple directory of doctors, with photographs, consultation prices, professional experience, and résumé information.

Access to healthcare is one of the most important things for anyone. More than 3 billion people worldwide still lack it. RingMD’s mission is to help bring access to affordable healthcare to as many people as possible. RingMD works with governments to power their public health programs to extend their reach and impact.