Catalyst @ Health 2.0 Launches Rapid Response Open Call with Grapevine Health

Attention digital health innovators! Do you have innovative text message-based health tech solutions that can disseminate health-focused video content? Apply to the Grapevine Health Rapid Response Open Call! 

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the importance of health literacy and communication is more apparent than ever. Catalyst @ Health 2.0 is proud to host a Rapid Response Open Call (RROC) in collaboration with Grapevine Health. Five semi-finalists will receive $1k each and will have the opportunity to demo their technology. A grand prize winner will receive $5k and the opportunity to collaborate with Grapevine Health! 

Do you have a solution that can fit this need? Apply HERE today! Applications close 8/27.

About Grapevine Health

Grapevine Health is on the ground bridging health communication and demystifying health care for the community. Grapevine Health uses tech, videos, storytelling and collaborative conversations between community and health experts to improve health literacy and patient engagement.

Johns Hopkins Tech Startup, ROSE, Selected for Brigham and Women’s Hospital Pilot COVID-19 Program & More News...

Rapid Response Open Call Winner to Pilot with Brigham and Women’s Hospital 

Rose, a technology startup that provides a HIPAA-compliant mental health monitoring platform, announced a pilot program with Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) Emergency Department  to support healthcare professionals and their mental health during  COVID-19. The pilot program was facilitated through Rose’s participation in our Rapid Response Open Call, which sought provider-facing, text based platforms to help healthcare professionals self-monitor symptoms of coronavirus, report burnout, and access helpful resources. Following a 7-day application period, where Brigham and Women’s Hospital evaluated more than 80 quality submissions, Rose was selected as a semi-finalist and demoed their technology to the BWH team. 

Are you a health care provider looking to enhance your response to COVID-19? Catalyst @ Health 2.0 is continuing to hold open calls that connect providers with urgent needs to digital health solutions. APPLY here for consideration. 

AI LA, in collaboration with Catalyst @ Health 2.0 (“Catalyst”) is hosting “Digital Health During a Pandemic,” a virtual event that highlights innovative health tech responding to COVID-19 using augmented intelligence. The event aims to  highlight how the pandemic has affected health tech companies and their roadmaps for the future, ultimately providing the audience with clarity into COVID response in the field. The event will take place on August 20th from 12-2PM PT and will consist of a panel discussion, exciting Q&A and project demos with CA-based startups like Anchor Health, Syllable.ai, and Quantgene, and will be moderated by Catalyst’s co-founder, Indu Subaiya. Get your tickets today!

Innovaccer, Inc., a CA-based healthcare technology company, has launched a perioperative optimization solution for health systems. The solution will help optimize surgeries and ramp up volumes by identifying high-risk patients for pre-surgical intervention while also reducing the length of stay, readmissions, and cost, ultimately allowing hospitals to track their return on investment in real-time on a customizable dashboard.

At-Home Care Startup Plans Expansion with Humana & More News...

At-Home Care Startup Heal Plans Expansion with $100M Investment from Humana

Home healthcare provider Heal is expanding with $100 million in new funding from Humana. Humana will work with Heal to expand its footprint to new markets, including Chicago, Charlotte and Houston. Heal will also use the funds to expand the services that it offers, including potentially offering physical therapy and dermatology. Heal makes medical appointments more convenient, especially for patients with chronic conditions or other potential health risks.

Announcing the RWJF Emergency Response Challenge Semi-Finalists

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and Catalyst @ Health 2.0 are excited to announce the semi-finalists for their Innovation Challenges on Emergency Response for the General Public and Emergency Response for the Health Care System.

Emergency Response for the General Public Semi-Finalists:

• Fresh EBT by Propel- A technology tool for SNAP families to address food insecurity & economic vulnerability in times of crisis.   

• CovidSMS- CovidSMS is a text message-based platform providing city-specific information and resources to help low-income communities endure COVID-19.

• Front-Line Force- A platform that connects volunteers 1:1 with front-line healthcare workers to complete tasks for them in crises.

• Binformed Covidata- Binformed is a clinically-driven comprehensive desktop + mobile infectious disease, epidemic + pandemic management tool targeting suppression and containment of diseases such as COVID-19.

• Evva Health- Hub-and-Spoke model and A.I. Community Coordinator for individual and community-level personalization of support and resource coordination.

Emergency Response for the Health Care System Semi-Finalists:

• Qventus- Qventus is a patient flow automation solution that applies AI / ML and behavioral science to help health systems optimize resources for Covid, create effective capacity, and reduce frontline burnout.

• Path Check- Path Check provides privacy first, free, open source solutions for public health to supplement manual contact tracing, visualize hot spots, and interfaces with citizen-facing privacy first apps.

• Tiatros Inc- The first mental health and social support platform that combines clinical expertise, peer communities and scalable technology to advance mental wellbeing and to sustain meaningful behavioral change.

• Hikma Health- Hikma is the first affordable, lightweight, mobile, cloud-based EHR that provides dynamic data insights to physicians in refugee and under-resourced settings.

• University Hospitals Ventures- UH Innovates is a crowdsourcing platform for University Hospitals' 30k employees to generate, iterate, and implement ideas in real-time, within crisis response and beyond.

The five teams will receive $1,000 and advance to the next round of the competition. Three finalists will be chosen with the help of a panel of judges to compete in a virtual pitch (TBD). They will demo their technology virtually in front of a captivated audience of investors, provider organizations, health plans, tech companies, foundations, government officials and members of the media and compete for first, second, and third place. The winners will be awarded $25,000 for first place, $15,000 for second place, and $5,000 for third place.

Learn more about the semi-finalists for the Emergency Response for the General Public Challenge here. 

Learn more about the semi-finalists for the Emergency Response for the Health Care System Challenge here.  

RROCs: Tracking Innovative Health Tech Solutions in Response COVID-19

In collaboration with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Catalyst @ Health 2.0 is continuing to hold open calls connecting health care providers in need with health tech solutions. Rapid Response Open Calls (RROCs) are a fast way to source innovative solutions from Catalyst’s widespread network. 

If you are a healthcare provider in need of #healthtech solutions or a healthcare stakeholder looking to participate in a subsidized RROC, you can learn more and apply HERE.

Disinfection Robot Targets COVID-19 & More News...

Sharecare Launches Digital COVID-19 Return-to-Work Solution for Employers

Sharecare, a health and wellness engagement platform, has launched Well-Being @ Work, a comprehensive COVID-19 readiness solution designed to assist employers and their workforces as they continue to work remotely or transition back to work. The new offering is integrated with ShareCare’s app-based digital health platform and offers COVID-19 screening, telehealth support/integration, geolocation of testing sites, daily symptom trackers and employee readiness surveying capabilities. Well-Being @ Work is now available for ShareCare’s enterprise partners.

Omron Launches UVC Disinfection Robot Targeting COVID-19 Virus

Omron, a provider of industrial automation solutions, announced the launch of a UVC-LD robot that autonomously navigates to disinfect high-touch surfaces. UVC light can break down the DNA and RNA of pathogens, effectively hindering their replication. Given the significance of sanitation and disinfection in the post COVID-19 era, the robot is predicted to yield a great value to organizations struggling to find effective, less labor-intensive and long-term solutions to ensuring the safety of their premises.

RROCs: Connecting Providers with Limited Resources to Health Tech Solutions

Are you a health care provider looking to enhance your response to COVID-19? Catalyst @ Health 2.0 is continuing to hold open calls that connect providers with urgent needs to digital health solutions. Rapid Response Open Calls can be launched within days and crowdsource scalable and intelligent health tech solutions from Catalyst’s global network to optimize care delivery. Interested in applying? Learn more HERE.

Pfizer, BioNTech Test COVID-19 Vaccine & More News...

Pfizer and BioNTech Release Preliminary Data on Covid-19 Vaccine Candidate

Drugmaker Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech, have released clinical data on a potential vaccine against COVID-19. Preliminary data from a clinical trial tested the RNA-based COVID-19 vaccine, BNT162b1. The results showed that participants who received the vaccine developed neutralizing antibodies against the virus. While the preliminary data is promising, the findings are currently under peer review. BNT162b1 is one of four vaccine candidates that Pfizer and BioNTech are testing.

Lenovo Unveils its Take on Remote Chronic Disease Monitoring

Lenovo, a computer hardware and technology company, has announced the launch of Lenovo Virtual Care, a remote health monitoring multi-product offering. Released in partnership with Vianova Health, a Florida-based health software company, the platform allows patients to follow their personalized care plans through Lenovo’s devices, connected biometric-monitoring tools, and an AI-based virtual assistant. The offering will hit the US market later this year.

RROCs: Tracking Digital Health Innovation in Response to COVID-19

As we continue to fight through the COVID-19 pandemic, Catalyst @ Health 2.0 is continuing to hold open calls that connect providers with urgent needs to digital health solutions. Rapid Response Open Calls can be launched within days to crowdsource scalable and intelligent health tech solutions from Catalyst’s global network.  

Are you a health care provider interested in participating in a subsidized RROC or a health care stakeholder interested in being connected with health tech solutions? Learn more and apply HERE.

AHA, Happify Health Announce Partnership & More News...

RWJF Emergency Response Challenges: 250+ Phase I Applications

Thank you to all the innovators who submitted their applications to Phase I of the RWJF Emergency Response Innovation Challenges. Applications for both Challenges are now closed. We are proud to announce a record breaking number of submissions! The Health Care System Challenge received 132 applications, while the General Public Challenge received 123 applications. The entries will now be reviewed by an expert panel of judges across the payer, provider, health tech, investment, design, and emergency preparedness industries.The review panel will help select five semi-finalists per challenge to advance to Phase II of the challenge. The semi-finalists will be announced in mid-July. 

Rapid Response Open Calls: Connecting Providers to Health Tech Solutions

During COVID-19, organizations and health systems are faced with a myriad of challenges, such as insufficient supply chain, staff and resource shortages. In these uncertain times, Catalyst @ Health 2.0 is proud to collaborate with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to offer funding for health care providers with limited resources who are seeking to leverage digital health solutions through our Rapid Response Open Calls (RROCs).

RROCs are streamlined calls for applications that connect health care providers to digital health solutions. Deployed as part of Catalyst’s Health Tech Responds to COVID-19 platform, Catalyst created the RROC to address an urgent need from Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) Emergency Department for provider-facing, text based platforms to help healthcare professionals self-monitor symptoms of coronavirus, report burnout, and access helpful resources. Within one day, the Brigham and Women’s Health RROC was launched. In a 7-day application period, Catalyst received an overwhelmingly positive response with more than 80 quality submissions. BWH was able to evaluate the submissions through a streamlined process and 5 innovators were selected to demo their solutions to the BWH ED team. BWH began pursuing a potential partnership with one of the semi-finalists. 

Are you a health care provider with limited resources who is interested in participating in a subsidized RROC? Apply HERE for consideration. 

Happify Health Inks Partnership with AHA on Cardiovascular Digital Health Program

Happify Health, a behavioral health company, announced the launch of a digital metal health program with the American Heart Association (AHA). The program, Heart and Mind, aims to reduce stress and encourage healthy behaviors among people with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Through 10 four-week programs, users are taught stress-reduction strategies, heart-healthy eating habits, and risk factors identified by the AHA. Heart and Mind is being delivered through the company's platform for employer and health plan customers.

NSF Grants Funding to Patient Privacy Solution & More News...

UT and Vanderbilt Develop Tool to Safeguard Patient Data for COVID-19 Research

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a $200,000 grant to researchers at The University of Texas at Dallas and Vanderbilt University Medical Center who are developing an open-source tool for COVID-19. The software aims to address security concerns behind personal-level data use and sharing as COVID-19 research continues and contact tracing apps become more widespread. Combining location data with a person’s medical history increases the risk of being able to identify patients. The tool could flag instances where data should only be shared on a restricted basis. 

Catalyst @ Health 2.0 Launches Rapid Response Open Calls (RROCs) in Response to COVID-19 

Applications for Rapid Response Open Calls (RROCs) are still OPEN! RROCs are launched on Catalyst’s Health Tech Responds to COVID-19 platform, and aim to connect health care providers with urgent needs to the digital health community. RROCs can be streamlined within days, and have the potential to support organizations, hospitals, health systems, and more to leverage health tech solutions to maximize their response to COVID-19. 

Interested in learning more about the ways we can work together to solve your organization’s needs? Click here. 

RWJF Emergency Response for the General Public Challenge: Apps Closing Soon

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is seeking digital health tools that can support the diverse needs of individuals during an emergency situation. During an emergency situation, (e.g. pandemics and outbreaks, natural disasters or severe weather, radiation and chemical spills) the public faces a deluge of information, misinformation, and recommendations. In addition, they may lack access to vital resources like health care, medications for chronic conditions, emotional support, food, and shelter. These challenges may have potentially life-threatening implications for individuals and their communities. 

Example solutions include:

• Solutions that help consumers understand clinical guidelines/recommendations during an outbreak

• Apps that connect consumers with resources (e.g. cleaning supplies, medications, testing capability) during an emergency or disaster

• Technologies that address consumers’ physical and mental well-being during and following emergencies

How the challenge works:
In Phase I, innovators submit their tech-enabled solutions addressing the challenge topic by June 12th, 2020 11:59 PM ET. Judges will evaluate the entries based on Impact, UX/UI, Innovation/Creativity, and Scalability. The top five teams will move onto Phase II.

Do you have a health tech solution that can address the obstacles faced by the general public during an emergency? Apply today! 

$25k Grand Prize: RWJF Emergency Tech Challenges

Applications for the RWJF Emergency Response for the Health Care System and General Public Challenges close in just 4 days! The Emergency Response for the Health Care System Challenge is seeking digital tools that can support the health care system during a large-scale health crisis (pandemic, natural disaster, or other public health emergency). Examples include but are not limited to tools that can support providers, government, and public health and community organizations. The Emergency Response for the General Public Challenge is looking for health technology tools to support the needs of individuals whose lives have been affected by a large-scale health crisis.

How It Works:

●     In Phase I, innovators submit their tech-enabled solutions addressing the challenge topic. Judges will evaluate the entries based on Impact, UX/UI, Innovation/Creativity, and Scalability. The top five teams will move onto Phase II.

●     In Phase II, five semi-finalists will be awarded $1,000 each to further develop their application or tool. Three finalists will be chosen at the end of Phase II to participate in a virtual pitch and present their solutions to an audience of investors, provider organizations, and more. The grand prize winner will be awarded $25,000 for first place.

Submit your solution today to help the health care system and general public address the challenges they face during an emergency situation. Applications for both challenges are due by June 12th, 2020 11:59PM ET.

To apply to the Emergency Response for the Health Care System Challenge, click here.

To apply to the Emergency Response for the General Public Challenge, click here.

Announcing: Subsidized Rapid Response Open Calls

In collaboration with The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Catalyst @ Health 2.0 is proud to announce funding for health care providers with limited resources and urgent needs to identify and source digital health innovation during COVID-19 through our Rapid Response Open Calls (RROC). RROCs are streamlined calls for applications that connect health care providers to digital health solutions. Deployed as part of Catalyst’s Health Tech Responds to COVID-19 platform, RROCs can be launched within days to meet the host’s needs.

Catalyst created the RROC to address an urgent need from Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) Emergency Department for provider-facing, text based platforms to help healthcare professionals self-monitor symptoms of coronavirus, report burnout, and access helpful resources. Within one day, the Brigham and Women’s Health RROC was launched. In a 7-day application period, Catalyst received an overwhelmingly positive response with more than 80 quality submissions. BWH was able to evaluate the submissions through a streamlined process and 5 innovators were selected to demo their solutions to the BWH ED team. BWH began pursuing a potential partnership with one of the semi-finalists. 

If you are a healthcare provider with limited resources during COVID-19 (e.g. FQHCs, community health centers, etc.), apply for a subsidized RROC HERE! 

COVID-19 Fingerprint Test in Development & More News...

Rapid COVID-19 Fingerprint Test in Development

Intelligent Fingerprinting, a diagnostics firm in the UK, has partnered with Imperial College London to develop a COVID-19 fingerprint test. Built upon Intelligent Fingerprinting’s existing technology, the test collects fingerprint sweat onto a small cartridge for analysis. It is read by a portable DSR-Plus analysis unit, which provides a positive or negative result on-screen in 10 minutes. If the approach is validated, the fingerprint-based test could be used by non-medical staff in settings such as care homes and workplaces. 

Cloud-based Platform Analyzes SDoH to Support Contact Tracing Efforts

Verato, an identity services provider, has launched Verato Enrich. The platform uses their cloud-based enterprise master person index (EMPI) to make demographic and SDoH information more complete in order to facilitate COVID-19 contact tracing efforts. It can append a wide array of data ranging from basic contact information like missing phone numbers and addresses to lifestyle data like income, ethnicity, transportation options and access to resources. Access to this type of data allows public health officials to gain access to key insights to support contact tracing, a vital next step in flattening the curve of the pandemic.

Announcing the 2020 RWJF Emergency Response Challenges

Catalyst @ Health 2.0 is proud to power the RWJF Emergency Response Innovation Challenges. The Emergency Response for the Health Care System Challenge seeks digital tools that can support the health care system during a large-scale health crisis (pandemic, natural disaster, or other public health emergency). Examples include but are not limited to tools that can support providers, government, and public health and community organizations. The Emergency Response for the General Public Challenge is looking for health technology tools to support the needs of individuals whose lives have been affected by a large-scale health crisis.

During a large-scale health crisis, the health care system is at risk of reaching patient capacity and workflow bottlenecks. The public faces a lack of credible, easy to understand information and access to critical resources like food, shelter, and emotional support.

If you have a digital health solution that is in a unique position to help consumers navigate information, find needed resources, and more during these difficult times, apply today!

To apply to the Emergency Response for the Health Care System Challenge, click here.
To apply to the Emergency Response for the General Public Challenge, click here.

Best Buy Eyes Senior Care & More News...

Best Buy Launches Medical Alert Device & App for Seniors

Best Buy has announced the release of Lively by Great Call, an app that when used in conjunction with the Lively Wearable2, provides older adults with one-touch access to emergency response services via Bluetooth to their smartphones. The Lively app also features access to nurses and doctors, alerts to inform loved ones, and motivational behavioral tracking to aid seniors in living active and independent lives. The app and wearable combination is the latest addition to the Best Buy Health product line, and the retail giant’s latest foray into the $3.5 trillion U.S. health care market. 

Teladoc Anticipates Rapid Telehealth Adoption Amidst Flu and COVID-19 Threats

Virtual care provider, Teladoc Health, aims to accelerate its virtual care deployment in anticipation of growing demand for telehealth. This year, Teladoc saw an increased number of telehealth visits due to a particularly severe flu season, and is expecting those numbers to rise as diseases like COVID-19 continue to threaten the U.S.’ health care infrastructure. Teladoc is not alone—stakeholders like the Alliance for Connected Care are petitioning policymakers in Congress to include provisions that would allow telehealth visits to be covered in traditional Medicare during public health emergencies. If policies are amended, telehealth providers across the nation can anticipate a sharp rise in demand and profit(s).

Upcoming Interoperability Event

Are you attending HIMSS in Orlando next week? If so, Catalyst invites you to join us at the 2020 Health Dev Jam on March 9th, 2020 at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management—just a few minutes from the Orlando Convention Center. Register today to learn about data access, consumer APIs, and patient empowerment as it relates to the future of health data interoperability.

Space is limited—register today! Use discount code “CatalystVIP” at checkout for more than half-off the rate at the door. 

Sanofi, HHS to Collaborate on Coronavirus Vaccine & More News...

Global biopharmaceutical company, Sanofi, will leverage previous vaccine development for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) to inform the development of a novel COVID-19 vaccine. Pasteur, Sanofi’s vaccines global business unit, and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), will spearhead the development of the vaccine. Sanofi aims to utilize its recombinant DNA platform to further investigate an advanced pre-clinical SARS vaccine candidate that could protect against COVID-19, a coronavirus which can cause respiratory disease. 

Digital Health Platform to Target Tobacco Addiction

Sharecare, a health and wellness engagement platform that provides users with personalized health information, is integrating Mindsciences’ Craving to Quit by Dr. Jud program into its digital health platform. The tobacco cessation program utilizes the neuroscience of mindfulness to help people overcome smoking and other forms of tobacco addiction. Tobacco use is the largest preventable cause of death and disease in the U.S. The platform supports users in their recovery journey through interactive daily modules, mindfulness exercises, in-app coaching, and behavior tracking. Craving to Quit by Dr. Jud marks the first collaboration between Sharecare and Mindsciences, and is the latest addition to Sharecare’s suite of digital health and behavioral tracking applications.

Drug Price and Scarcity Influence Black Market Boom

A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine reveals the selling of insulin and albuterol on Craigslist. The researchers combed through the classified ad website and found 432 advertisements for insulin and 105 advertisements for albuterol. Both drugs have the potential to rapidly stabilize patients who may be in life-threatening physical states, but are notoriously expensive and often inaccessible. Unregulated prescription drug sales are not only illegal, but can also be potentially harmful. For example, improper storage or handling of the medication can lead to contamination and loss of potency. The findings point to a dire systemic public health problem that requires substantive policy reform. 

FDA Approves Landmark Allergy Drug & More News

FDA Approves First Peanut Allergy Drug

Palforzia becomes the first FDA-approved medicine designed to lower the likelihood of severe allergic reactions to peanut products. Developed by California-based Aimmune Therapeutics, the oral immunotherapy can reduce life-threatening allergic reactions in children and is intended to be used in conjunction with strict peanut avoidance. An estimated 1.6mm children and teenagers in the United States have a peanut allergy. Even with mindful avoidance, unintentional exposure occurs. While the vote in favor of approving the drug was 7-2, the dissenting members of the FDA advisory voiced concerns regarding the drug’s efficacy and safety. 

Digital Platform for Musculoskeletal Pain Raises $90mm

Hinge Health, a digital health startup that targets musculoskeletal disorders (MSK), has raised $90mm in a Series C round. The company’s solution uses wearable sensors to track a person’s physical therapy progress, and connects them with health coaches through an app. The company aims to help users improve their chronic joint and back pain from the comfort of their homes. Hinge Health currently sells directly to employers and has already inked partnerships with retailers like Walgreens and health plans like Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. The company plans to use the influx of funding to continue to scale the company. 

$600mm Humana Venture to Focus on Development of Senior Care Centers

Humana and private equity firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe (WCAS) have partnered in a $600mm joint venture to develop senior-focused primary care centers for Medicare patients. WCAS’ General Partner cites a “significant, unmet need for value-based, senior-focused primary care” as a major reason for the venture. The development of the care centers will fall under Humana’s senior-focused care subsidiary, Partners in Primary Care, which currently has 47 centers across the United States. This new venture would effectively double the number of their clinics over the next three years and has  a special focus on developing senior care centers in underserved communities where access to quality care is limited.

J.P. Morgan Highlights & More News

Digital Health Experts Needed for Transnational Forum

The IDIH Project (International Digital Health Cooperation for Preventive, Integrated, Independent and Inclusive Living) is setting up an expert-driven “Digital Health Transformation Forum” with five strategic partner countries: Canada, China, Japan, South Korea and the USA. At workshops held all over the world, experts will be placed into groups that will collaborate on a roadmap for sustainable, international cooperation in digital health. The Expert Groups will undertake collaborative actions in four focus areas: preventative care, integrated care, independent and connected living, and inclusive living for the rapidly growing aging population. 

Who can apply? The IDIH Project is looking for individuals whose expertise is in alignment with the aforementioned focus areas, have a proven track record in their field, and are able to contribute towards the objectives of the expert group. Please note the candidate must be from the EU, USA, Canada, China, Japan or South Korea to be considered. 

To apply, please send your CV with a short explanation on why you are interested in becoming an Expert Group member or Chair, to experts@idih-global.eu  

Act fast—the call for experts closes on January 31st, 2020! 

Key Themes at J.P. Morgan Health Conference

Last week, health care executives, innovators, and thought leaders came together for The 38th Annual J.P. Morgan Health Conference. Christina Farr of CNBC highlighted key themes she observed from the panel discussions and guests’ conversations, such as the need for narrowing the scope of digital health’s definition. The all-encompassing term that relates to the intersection of digital health and technology often creates confusion for patients and health care providers due to its breadth. Another key topic of discussion was the surge of big tech in the health care space. Google’s Project Nightingale served as the prime example of the conflict between data-sharing and privacy. Farr also noted a lack of racial, gender and patient advocate representation, whose presence add important voices often missing from the health tech conversation.

Fitbit Could Help Track the Flu

A study published by the Scripps Research Translational Institute suggests that resting heart rate and sleep duration data collected from Fitbit devices can inform models of population-level influenza trends. Typically, Centers for Disease Control influenza-like illness (ILI) data are reported one - three weeks late, and often revised. Wearable devices provide real-time estimates of ILI markers. The study obtained over 13 million resting heart rate and sleep duration measurements that denoted periods of illness, and combined the data points with three-week lagged CDC ILI incidence data. The real-time wearables estimates improved the correlational accuracy of their models by as much as 32.9%. The study’s results point to continuous monitoring technology’s capacity to inform and support efficient responses to potential outbreaks of large-scale diseases. 

Proteus Digital Health's Uncertain Future & More News

Proteus Digital Health’s Uncertain Future in Digital Therapeutics

Proteus Digital Health, a promising digital therapeutics (DTx) company targeting prescription adherence, was once valued at $1.5B. Now, the company faces an uncertain future as it failed to close a $100mm funding round. The company's renowned product, “smart pills,” pairs digestible pills with a smartphone app that alerts patients to take their medication. In 2017, Proteus landed a partnership with Otsuka to develop a digital medicine system named Abilify MyCite to target mental health disorders. The landmark product gained FDA clearance the same year. Despite the excitement over the digital pill, Proteus struggled with patient adoption and has limited data to corroborate the solution’s efficacy—prompting funding partners and potential investors to drop out. Such a downturn has become common for DTx companies, who have been struggling with clinical adoption and may be at risk of losing crucial funding. 

Telehealth Expansion to Close Crucial Health Care Gap

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced plans to allocate nearly half of its $42.5mm in grant funding toward the development and expansion of telehealth services for rural Americans. This endeavor is the latest federally-funded push to utilize digital health services to improve rural health care.The grants will cover various areas of focus including: providing quality telehealth services to rural populations, expediting the delivery of opioid treatment, increasing access to behavioral health services, and installing telemedicine equipment across various primary care offices and hospitals. Other federal entities like the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) are also targeting rural Americans and will allocate upwards of $90mm toward a pilot program to incentivize providers to develop broadband-based telehealth programs. 

VA Optimizing Health Outcomes Through AI

The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced the launch of the National Artificial Intelligence Institute, which aims to improve health outcomes for veterans through research and development of advanced AI and machine learning technologies. The VA is currently utilizing AI to better inform treatment decisions, identify at-risk or high risk patients, and improve clinicians' ability to interpret lab results. From the development of telehealth pods that serve veterans in remote areas to partnering with Verizon to maximize telehealth services, the launch of the institute is the agency's most recent effort in addressing veterans' unmet needs through health innovation. 

Google Under Fire for Use of Health Data & More News

Google Collected Personal Health Data for R&D

This week, it was revealed that Google has been working with Ascension, the second largest health system in the country, on a program dubbed “Project Nightingale” since early 2018. The tech giant has been collecting and analyzing Ascension patients’ personal health data across 21 states. Google and Ascension undertook the project to develop a tool that uses machine learning and AI to aggregate health data in one place, streamlining one of the main hassles of EHRs. While Google Cloud’s President Tariq Shaukat assured the public that patient data will not be combined with Google consumer data, Project Nightingale adds to growing concerns surrounding privacy and data sharing in digital health -- concerns that have prompted a federal inquiry into the project by The Office for Civil Rights in the Department of Health and Human Services.

AI May Accurately Predict Risk of Death in AFib Patients

Researchers from Geisinger Health System have found that artificial intelligence technology was able to accurately identify patients at risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib) and predict risk of death. The AI was trained through analysis of 30 years of electrocardiogram results and was able to identify at-risk patients more accurately than doctors interpreting test results normally. The results join a larger trend of technologies being developed to monitor heart arrhythmias such as AFib, with the hope that early intervention will lessen the risk of clotting, stroke, and heart failure for patients.

Announcing GuideWell’s 2020 Scale Up Accelerator: Aging in Place

GuideWell is proud to announce the 2020 Scale Up Accelerator: Aging in Place. With research suggesting that seniors are happier and healthier when they remain in their homes instead of assisted care facilities, GuideWell is sourcing solutions that empower seniors to maintain active and healthy lifestyles, while reducing the burden on their family members and caregivers.

10 health tech companies focused on senior care initiatives will be chosen to participate in an eight week accelerator program that will run from January 23rd, 2020 - March 9th, 2020, culminating in an invaluable Investor Matchmaking Showcase. 

If you have a solution that improves the overall physical and emotional wellness of seniors across the nation, here’s why you should participate:

• Access to GuideWell’s national network of experienced health/wellness experts and technology entrepreneurs as mentors

• Access to health care organizations within Orlando’s Lake Nona medical city and other health care organizations as customer prospects

• Curated 2-day boot camp followed by a series of virtual workshops that focus on challenges in health care industry customer acquisition, regulatory compliance and other health care specific business topics

• Opportunity to present at GuideWell’s curated heath tech investor matchmaking event

Don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity! Applications close December 8th, 2019. https://guidewellinnovation.com/guidewell-scale-up-accelerator

Prehab Tool and AI Win Big at the 2019 RWJF Live Pitch

Six finalists competed in an exciting live pitch for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s 2019 Innovation Challenges at the 2019 Health 2.0 Annual Conference. They demoed their technologies in front of an audience of health care professionals, investors, provider organizations, and members of the media. The Home and Community Based Care Challenge sought technologies that support the advancement of at-home or community based care. The Social Determinants of Health Innovation Challenge called for solutions that increase access to services related to social determinants of health.

During the 3-day Conference, Jessica DaMassa, Executive Producer & Host of @WTF_Health, spoke with the finalists about their experience competing in the RWJF Innovation Challenges, their personal highlights, and what’s next!

Home and Community Based Care Innovation Challenge Finalists

First Place:

Ooney’s home-based web-app for older adults, Prehab Pal, delivers individualized prehabilitation to accelerate postoperative functional recovery and return to independence after surgery.

Second Place:

Wizeview uses artificial intelligence to automate and organize information collected during home visits, supporting the management of medically complex populations at the lowest cost per encounter.

Third Place:

Heal doctor house calls, paired with Heal Hub remote patient monitoring and telemedicine, offer a complete connected care solution for patients with chronic conditions.

Social Determinants of Health Innovation Challenge Finalists

First Place:

Social Impact AI Lab is a consortium of nonprofit social services agencies and technology providers with artificial intelligence solutions to address social disconnection in child welfare.

Second Place:

Community Resource Network’s Social Determinants of Health Client Profile creates a whole-person picture across physical, behavioral, and social domains to expedite help for those most at risk, fill in the gaps in care, and optimize well-being.

Third Place:

Open City Labs matches patients with community services and government benefits that address SDoH seamlessly. The platform will integrate with HIEs to automate referral, eligibility screening & benefits enrollment.

Congratulations to the six winners and thank you to all of the participants involved in both Innovation Challenges. To learn more about these efforts, you can visit the Home and Community Based Care and Social Determinants of Health Challenge websites.

Announcing the Winners of the RWJF Innovation Challenges & More News

Announcing the Winners for the RWJF Innovation Challenges

The three finalists for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Home and Community Based Care and Social Determinants of Health Innovation Challenges competed live at Health 2.0 on Monday, September 16th! They demoed their technology in front of a captivated audience of health care professionals, investors, provider organizations, and members of the media. Catalyst is proud to announce the first, second and third place winners.

Home and Community Based Care Innovation Challenge Winners
First Place: Ooney
Second Place: WizeView
Third Place: Heal

Social Determinants of Health Innovation Challenge Winners
First Place: Social Impact AI Lab New York
Second Place: Community Resource Network
Third Place: Open City Labs

To learn more about the Home and Community Based Care Innovation Challenge, click here.
To learn more about the Social Determinants of Health Innovation Challenge, click here.

CalMHSA's Help@Hand Project

Applications are open for an exciting pilot program hosted by The California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA). The Help@Hand Project is pursuing technological solutions that address a county-shared need to increase access to mental health services for a variety of target populations. CalMHSA is seeking prospective vendors to be part of a multi-year innovation project that will assess and pilot virtual mental health care services. A RFSQ (Request for Statement of Qualifications) will need to be completed by interested companies that have the capacity to meet one of more of the following criteria:

• Implement technology-based mental health solutions accessed through multiple platforms (for example, computer, smartphone, etc.) to identify and engage individuals

• Provide automated screening and assessments

• Improve access to mental health and supportive services focused on prevention, early intervention, family support, social connectedness peer support

• Decreased use of psychiatric hospitals and emergency services

This exciting multi-year innovation project will consist of an open application period (September 12th – October 7th, 2019) and a subsequent pilot period that allows the opportunity for vendors to be added to the Help@Hand Product Portfolio. After a vendor is included in the portfolio, all counties participating in the project can view company and product profiles and may choose to implement technologies at a larger scale.

If you have a digital technology that has the potential to save lives and empower the mental well-being of Californians, apply today!

Applications will close on October 7th, 2019.

Announcing the GuideWell Caring for Caregivers Challenge

Applications are now open for GuideWell’s Caring for Caregivers Challenge! The competition will award up to $100,000 to companies or non-profits with innovative digital solutions that have the potential to provide a comprehensive resource network for family caregivers. Applicants must be able to demonstrate their ability to develop and sustainably deploy innovative, scalable approaches that support the mental, social and economic health of family caregivers and improve their ability to care for loved ones.

If you are an organization or non-profit that focuses on improving the quality of life for family caregivers, apply today! For more details on eligibility criteria and the application process, please click here.

RECAP: The 13th Annual Health 2.0 Conference in Santa Clara, CA

This year's Health 2.0 Conference saw industry experts, thought leaders, and change drivers discuss complex and fascinating topics including challenges and areas of growth in health tech. The first day kicked-off with opening remarks by Catalyst's co-founders Matthew Holt and Indu Subaiya. It was followed by a keynote from Poppy Crum, Chief Scientist at Dolby Laboratories, who took the audience on a journey through people's natural processing and the surprising convergences it has with artificial intelligence. For example, Dr. Crum likened "technology-targeted neuroplasticity" to the regenerative capabilities of nuerons. Cris Ross, Chief Information Officer of Mayo Clinic, explored the need for data liberation in technological advancements. He shared his personal battle with cancer and the role of Mayo Clinic's advanced EHR system in combating the disease. The Conference concluded with Launch!, where attendees saw innovative companies debut their market-ready innovations and voted for their favorite company. The winner, OMNY, was awarded $5,000 and HIMSS mentorship to support their efforts to activate supply chain and billing data.

The Future of Smartphones: Detecting Norovirus with an App & More News

The Future of Smartphones: Detecting Norovirus with an App

A research team from the University of Arizona is developing a way to detect norovirus in water sources with a smartphone. In the test, the researchers soak paper in a water sample before adding antibodies against the virus that are labeled with fluorescent material. They then use a camera attached to a smartphone to take a picture of the paper and an app to analyze the fluorescent patterns of the antibodies. The researchers’ findings show that the smartphone app is able to detect norovirus at very low concentrations.

Although further research is needed, the test’s ability to detect small amounts of norovirus is significant because just 10 virus particles can make a person sick. Norovirus is responsible for a staggering 700 million cases of gastroenteritis, over 200,000 deaths, and over $60 billion in associated costs each year. This test highlights the increasing diagnostic role that digital tools like smartphones are playing in the health sector --- from patient monitoring to virus detection, innovative solutions are becoming integral players in the effort to make care accessible and intelligent.

Smart Devices Venture Into Chronic Illness Monitoring

Health care organizations are partnering with innovators to invest in personalized smart monitoring for individuals with chronic illnesses. For example, Myia Health has closed a $10 million financing round with Mercy Virtual, the digital arm of the Mercy Health hospital chain, to monitor patients with congestive heart failure and track their early symptoms through Myia’s technology suite.

Myia Health is not the only innovator focused on chronic illnesses. Fitbit executives recently announced a one-on-one coaching service to be rolled out in 2020 to help consumers manage chronic conditions like diabetes. In addition, wearables from Apple and Biobeat offer heart rate, blood pressure, and sleep habit tracking of patients at home. Health care organizations and innovators alike, are exploring the effects of personalized monitoring and home-based care on patient recovery and resilience.

Health Care Survey Results Highlight Major Gaps in Cybersecurity

Since 2017, the health care industry has seen a string of cyberattacks, from the the WannaCry ransomware attack in May 2017 to a recent data breach at Presbyterian Health Services that exposed 183,000 patients’ data. While internet-connected devices provide high levels of utility and connectivity, they are also at a high risk for cyberattacks due to their software vulnerabilities. Irdeto, a security software company, surveyed 700 security decision makers across health care, transportation, and manufacturing industries in 5 countries. It found that 8 out of 10 health care organizations have experienced an IoT-focused cyberattack in the past year. Across all 3 industries that the survey targeted, operational downtime (43%) is the most common impact of a cyberattack, followed by compromised customer data (52%) and brand or reputational damage (31%). The results of this survey indicate that organizations are aware that such vulnerabilities exist, but they do not have the infrastructure to anticipate and deal with such attacks. To address organizational network vulnerabilities, organizations need to invest in cybersecurity strategies that incorporate all connected devices on a given network.

RWJF Innovation Challenges Finalists

Finalists for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Home & Community Based Care and Social Determinants of Health Innovation Challenges will compete live on September 16th!

Home & Community Based Care Innovation Challenge Finalists

• Heal

• Ooney

• Wizeview

Social Determinants of Health Innovation Challenge Finalists

• Community Resource Network

• Open City Labs

• Social Impact AI Lab - New York

The three finalists from each challenge will compete in a Live Pitch on September 16th, from 2:30-4:30pm, at this year’s Health 2.0 Conference in Santa Clara, CA. They will demo their technology in front of a captivated audience of health care professionals, investors, provider organizations, and members of the media. The first place winners will be featured on the Conference Main Stage, September 17th at 3:15pm. Winners will be awarded $40,000 for first place, $25,000 for second place, and $10,000 for third place.

Digital Health’s Next Target: The Projected $225B Senior Care Market & More News

The RWJF Live Pitch Competition at the Health 2.0 Conference

The finalists of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Home & Community Based Care and Social Determinants of Health Challenges will be announced on Monday, August 26th! Three finalists from each challenge will compete in an exciting Live Pitch on September 16th, from 2:30-4:30pm, at this year’s Health 2.0 Conference in Santa Clara, CA.They will demo their technology in front of a captivated audience of health care professionals, investors, provider organizations, and members of the media. The first place winners will be featured on the Conference Main Stage, September 17th at 3:15pm. Winners will be awarded $40,000 for first place, $25,000 for second place, and $10,000 for third place.

Digital Health’s Next Target: The Projected $225B Senior Care Market

As seniors become an increasing portion of the United States’ population, their need for new care solutions grows. The Population Reference Bureau expects the senior population to double from 46 million in 2016 to a staggering 98 million by 2060. This threatens the sustainability of federally funded programs like Medicaid and Medicare, that support a majority of the health services for older adults in the United States. One of the biggest challenges that the senior population faces is an increasing shortage of home health aides and assisted living facilities. Digital health innovators have already begun developing solutions that increase the efficiency and personalization of senior care, such as voice-activated software, personalized health monitoring through a wearable or cellular device, and apps that allow seniors to easily access health care providers and physicians near them. With the AARP reporting that 21% of seniors will require additional care for chronic illness by 2050, there is a lucrative market for elder care that digital health innovators are urged to tap into.

The Cloud’s Impact on Health Care Providers

Physicians’ use of of cloud technology has seen an increase due to its capacity to maximize efficiency for activities such as medical research and data entry. Cloud technology provides physicians with the necessary support to streamline work through guided-decision making and supports interoperability between other systems, as well as physician networks. However, cloud technology and the consumer-facing apps it supports may be the cause of dissonance for some health care professionals. With care moving towards a 24/7 model, physicians are finding it difficult to discern when to “clock-out,” as well as where and when to set limits to the care they offer. Additionally, the influx of sophisticated tools may pressure new medical professionals to incorporate unneeded technology into their practice. To mitigate the frustrations that cloud technology may bring for physicians, Deloitte’s Chief Digital Officer for Health Care proposes a balanced model where physicians utilize cloud technology in areas of work that need to be streamlined, and bypass it in areas that are already optimized.