Wellbe has raised fresh capital to expand its multimedia approach to helping orthopedic patients stick to their care plans into other medical specialties.
In an emailed response to questions, a Wellbe spokeswoman said it will use the $2.4 million it raised to expand its patient navigation platform into pain management, spinal procedures and cardiovascular conditions. It secured the funding from Terrence Gibbons, former CEO of Pharmacy OneSource; Greg Baldwin, former CEO of Baxa and a board member; Mark Bakken, former CEO of Nordic Consulting; and Philip Seeger, CEO and President of Medcor, among others. The company raised $1.4 million in 2013.
“We want to build out our sales on a national footprint,” the spokeswoman for the company said. “We’re also working on expanding our care coordination capabilities within the platform.”
The health IT company’s platform transmits videos, articles and interactive content in manageable bites as part of the patient’s care plan. Wellbe’s Guided CarePaths helps prepare patients for an upcoming procedure and recovery by informing them about each step without overwhelming them. One goal is to ease anxiety and stress so that patients can be more active participants in their care. Patients log on to an online portal where they can access checklists to complete as they prepare for or recover from a procedure. It could include watching a video, completing feedback survey, for example.
The company also added a customer — Methodist Dallas Medical Center in the Methodist Health System. Its care plan navigation service is integrated with the hospital’s surgery program — pre-admissions testing, Joint Academy class, and physical therapy, according to a company statement.
A StartUp Health report last month identified healthcare system navigation as the third largest area of digital health investment — companies in the space attracted $974 million in 2014.
