One of a group of healthcare startups on display at the Startup Showcase at the HIMSS conference in Orlando next week is Branch2. It’s the second healthcare IT startup launched by Reggie Luedtke, a veteran of healthcare software giant Epic Systems.
In an interview with Xconomy, Luedtke highlighted some of the opportunities its Madison, Wisconsin-based IT business sees in the healthcare industry. It could help hospitals develop apps to exchange patient information between providers, but it could also help them commercialize healthcare apps that health systems would be willing to pay for..
Luedtke talked about some of the other aspects of healthcare where it would like to compete:
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Branch2 products could also play in the growing movement around the ‘Internet of Things,’ which is slowly making its way into healthcare, Luedtke said. Examples might include Branch2 software that works in tandem with computer chips embedded in medical devices or chips carried by doctors that monitor the amount of time spent face-to-face with patients.
…Healthcare systems could hire Branch2 to build an enterprise-level app, or on a smaller scale, individual physicians could pitch an idea and own the rights to the resulting app, Luedtke said.
Branch2 is partnering with two Madison software companies, MIOsoft and Hardin Design & Development. Both are taking equity stakes in the startup for undisclosed amounts, according to the article. MIOsoft will do back-end application work and host, manage Branch2’s API database, and analyze data for customers. Hardin Design will develop applications. BlueTree Networks is a healthcare IT consultancy Luedtke co-founded in 2012 and also has an equity stake in Branch2
It’s an interesting move because it seems to signal a change in attitude for startups. Instead of entrepreneurs bringing healthcare IT ideas to providers to help them achieve specific goals, providers are taking the lead in articulating their needs and what they want and a startup is helping them develop it.
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