Cisco, American Well Developing Telehealth-Enabled TV for Seniors
The future of telehealth could be through your TV. American Well is partnering with Cisco Systems to deliver care through home television sets, enabling them to reach patients who may not be comfortable using tablets or other devices. The companies hope the technology can shift part of aging patients’ care from doctor offices and hospitals to their homes.
With the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services expanding reimbursement for telehealth services and 52% of older adults being open to receiving care through telehealth, the launch of a new senior-focused virtual care platform is timely. American Well and Cisco are not the only ones developing digital home-health solutions targeting seniors. Best Buy has acquired GreatCall, a provider of connected health and personal emergency response services for older adults. Comcast is also developing an in-home remote monitoring device for seniors and people with disabilities.
Pfizer working with Finnish tech startup to improve patient adherence
There is a dire need for an effective digital health solution since only about 50% of patients who have long-term illnesses adhere to their treatment. Pfizer has begun collaborating with a Finnish digital health startup, Popit, to improve medication adherence and treatment outcomes for rheumatoid arthritis patients. Popit’s solution will monitor select patients' pill-taking with a smart device and alerts users via an app if they forget to take their medication. Initially, it will be implemented among 1,000 patients in Finland, Sweden and Norway, with possible expansion to other Central European countries afterward.
With expansion on the horizon, companies like Pilloxa, a Swedish digital health startup that utilizes a smart pillbox and app to improve adherence, can expect strong competition. Popit launched in 2017 with $1.4M seed financing and began by performing studies with patients using birth control. They are also running a pilot for type-2 diabetes patients. Popit’s CEO, Teemu Piirainen, hopes to tap into the global market and posits their current arrangement with Pfizer will be a catalyst to helping a large number of patients worldwide.
SAP.iO is seeking seed to Series A innovators for business development
SAP.IO is the early stage venture arm of SAP, the market leader in enterprise application software. The SAP.iO Foundries offer founder-friendly,no-equity-asked programs providing access to SAP APIs, SAP technologies, and exposure to SAP customers. SAP.iO is seeking a diverse group of exceptional seed to Series A founders driving innovation in health for their NY Fall Cohort. Selected teams will be immersed in a 3-month highly curated, in-residence program working along-side world-class executives and mentors with a focus on the unique challenges of B2B companies: Go-to-Market, Enterprise Sales, Growth Marketing, Funding, Pricing, Product Management. Apply here.
Health 2.0 VentureConnect Announces Grand Prize Package Valued at $12k
Applications are open for the VentureConnect Pitch Competition at the 2019 Health 2.0 Annual Conference on September 16-18, 2019 in Santa Clara, CA. The Health 2.0 VentureConnect Pitch competition brings together vetted seed through raising Series A-ready companies to compete for the title of Most Fundable Startup. Two winners will be crowned Startup Champion and awarded a monetary prize package valued at $12,000. This is an opportunity for startups and entrepreneurs to get valuable exposure and make connections with health tech’s biggest and most active investors.
Learn more about Health 2.0 VentureConnect Startup Pitch Competition here, applications close July 8, 2019.
Attending the Health 2.0 Annual Conference? Save $200 when you register with discount code: Catalyst200