MedHelp is at the center of an acquisition this week. It’s being split in half with StayWell, which is acquiring its mobile platform and Vitals acquiring its network of patient communities.
After acquiring MedHelp in 2014, Physicians Interactive later changed its name to Aptus Health.
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StayWell, which is majority-owned by Merck subsidiary Healthcare Services & Solutions, acquired MedHelp’s mobile platform. The mobile division includes apps for diabetes, including Sugar Sense, women’s health apps such as “I’m Expecting”, and weight management along with machine learning tech to improve engagement for these app users.
Vitals snapped up MedHelp’s peer channel Patient-to-Patient Communities, according to a news release. The website boasts traffic from more than 15 million visitors each month and covers 300 medical conditions, including diabetes, pregnancy and mental health. It will make up part of the newly formed Vitals Consumer Services, which combines Vitals consumer websites and the newly merged MedHelp online community business.
The deals reflect not only the steady drumbeat of consolidation in digital health but also the consumerization trend in healthcare. MedHelp provides a way for both Vitals and StayWell to expand their engagement tools.
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StayWell CEO Nicole Latimer responded to questions about how this deal fits into the company’s plans and broader industry consolidation trends in an email.
How does this deal fit in with other M&A deals you are seeing in patient engagement and employer wellness, both in terms of the kinds of companies being snapped up and how larger companies are integrating the technology they acquire?
Based on what I have seen, the majority of acquisitions in the health and wellness space (For example: Tea Leaves by Welltok, mySugr by Roche, Carena by Avizia, etc.) either:
- Acquire more data about consumers and patients; or
- Provide flexibility in serving consumers and patients.
StayWell’s acquisition of the MedHelp platform does both.
What do companies like StayWell look for in these acquisitions?
Take a look at StayWell’s acquisition of MedHelp. The mobile apps provide patient-reported data, such as their responses to barriers to care adherence and clinical results from integrated fitness trackers and measurement devices like glucometers and scales. With access to more granular, patient-specific data, StayWell is able to deliver more personalized, more tailored content to help patients stay motivated and adhere to their care plans.
The mobile platform also offers greater flexibility for how StayWell provides health and wellness programs to consumers and patients. The company’s innovative programs, like self-directed coaching and interactive chronic condition management journey, can be delivered via a patient’s smartphone, the mechanism the consumer uses to view non-healthcare related content.
The platform also provides StayWell with the opportunity to leverage additional technologies, like chatbots, to increase interactivity and patient engagement.
Photo: Jirsak, Getty Images
