StartUp Health, a global entrepreneurship development company for Healthcare Transformers, and GE Ventures, announced the addition of three digital health startups to its StartUp Health Academy’s GE Program. As part of the partnership, both companies will work to build 19 companies focused on virtual health solutions and plan to select at least 7 more companies this year to join the program.Since its launch, over 500 companies from 22 countries have applied for StartUp Health Academy with GE
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Fitbit Acquires Wearable Payment Assets from Digital Wallet Coin
Connected health and fitness market Fitbit Inc. has acquired wearable payment assets of digital wallet startup Coin. The deal includes key personnel and intellectual property specific to Coin’s wearables payment platform. Currently, Fitbit states it has no plans to integrate Coin’s wearable payments technology into the 2016 Fitbit product roadmap. The acquisition also excludes Coin's 2.0 "universal card" solution. The company wrote on its blog that "Coin will no longer sell its line of smart
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Livongo Health to Offer Public Wisconsin Employees Access to Diabetes Management Program
Livongo Health, a consumer digital health company has teamed up with WEA Trust to provide public employees in Wisconsin access to its end to end diabetes management program. The goal of the partnership is to improve the quality of life and high cost of care for Trust members with diabetes.“Engaging members to track their diabetes regularly and then giving them real-time feedback is essential to managing care and cost, ” said Dr. Tim Bartholow, WEA Trust’s Chief Medical Officer.Partnership
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Cigna, Integrated Independent Physicians Network Launch Collaborative Care Program
Cigna and Integrated Independent Physicians Network, LLC have teamed up on a collaborative care program to improve access to health care, enhance care coordination and lower costs. Effective April 1, the program is part of Cigna Collaborative Care, a value-based model that will reach nearly 7,000 customers.Cigna Collaborative Care is helping to improve the health of Cigna customers while effectively managing medical costs. For example, the programs are helping to:- Close gaps in care, such as
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Magellan Health To Acquire Armed Forces Services Corporation for $117.5M
Magellan Health, Inc., a provider of complex care and special population management, announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Armed Forces Services Corporation (AFSC) for $117.5M. The acquisition will enhance Magellan’s existing footprint in special population management within the military and veteran communities, as well as other federal agencies. Headquartered in Arlington, Va. AFSC has extensive experience providing and managing behavioral health and specialty services to
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M&A Expert Talks 4 Trends Emerging from the Health IT M&A Market
As Managing Director of SC&H Capital, an investment banking and advisory firm, Chris Helmrath knows M&A opportunities when he sees them. And in today’s HIT M&A market, he sees a rapid shift from mega mergers to middle-market acquisitions.In our interview, Chris—a 30-year veteran of buy- and sell-side healthcare transactions—discusses four key trends emerging from the evolving health IT M&A market, as well as what they mean for consultants and their clients. Trend No. 1. A More
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Study: Telehealth-based Programs for Stroke Therapy Accelerates Recovery
Stroke survivors engaged in telehealth-based stroke therapy programs received 5 times more therapy than patients receiving in-clinic therapy alone, according to an internal study conducted by Constant Therapy, which provides a science-based, customized brain rehabilitation software program. After analyzing more than 20 million therapy exercises completed by users on its mobile platform, the company found that stroke patients experience greater improvement in both cognitive and speech accuracy
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ZocDoc Integrates with Epic EHR Via API for Health Systems
In an effort to strengthen its rebranding focus on hospitals, ZocDoc announced it will integrate its online scheduling platform with Epic's EHR via an API to improve access and interoperability. The new Epic EHR integration will provide a streamlined experience for both companies' customers such as Hartford HealthCare, Inova, NYU Langone Medical Center, Yale New Haven Health, and others. ZocDoc's Business Shift from Individual Practices to HospitalsWith two-thirds of doctors moving from
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Simplee Nabs $20M to Scale the Modern Patient Financial Experience
Israeli financial healthcare technology startup Simplee, today announced it has raised $20 million in Series C funding led by Social Capital, with participation from existing investors 83North and Heritage Group, and new investor American Express Ventures. Founded in 2010 by CEO Tomer Shoval, COO Roberto Rabinovich, and CTO Tom Tsarfati, Simplee offers providers a financial engagement platform that engages patients with a unified experience across the healthcare journey. From pre-service to
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HHS, AARP Launch “A Bill You Can Understand” Challenge
On Monday at the annual Health Datapalooza conference, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced the launch of the "A Bill You Can Understand" challenge. Sponsored by AARP and administered by the design agency Mad*Pow, the challenge is intended to solicit new approaches and draw national attention to a common complaint with the health care system: that medical billing is a source of confusion for patients and families.Lack of Standardization for Consumer
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