OSF Ventures, the investment arm of Peoria, Illinois-based OSF HealthCare, took part in the latest financing round of Level Ex, a tech company that develops video games for doctors.
The Chicago-based startup has AR and VR games that let physicians diagnose virtual patients in an effort to improve their clinical decision-making skills. They can earn CME credits upon completion of patient cases.
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Level Ex’s games include Airway Ex, which lets anesthesiologists train on airway procedures, and Gastro Ex, which allows gastroenterologists to perform endoscopies. Its Pulm Ex (for pulmonologists) and Cardio Ex (for cardiologists) offerings are coming soon.
“While we do not disclose the amounts of our venture investments, I can say that this round was an extension of the round Level Ex closed several months prior and I believe was generally driven by the mutual interest both entities have for clinical education and the opportunities for collaboration going forward,” Stan Lynall, OSF Ventures’ vice president of venture investments, said via email.
In October 2017, Level Ex closed an $11 million Series A round led by 4490 Ventures.
Lynall said OSF Ventures was interested in Level Ex because of “the uniqueness and quality of their product offerings, the mobility of their technology and their clear commitment to educating clinicians on sophisticated and challenging areas of patient service.”
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Jump Simulation, which is part of OSF Innovation, is currently working to create technology that can enhance how OSF HealthCare is delivering education.
“There is alignment with what the teams at Jump and Level Ex are doing in regards to transforming how medical education and training is delivered,” Garrett Vygantas, managing director of OSF Ventures, said in a news release. “We see an opportunity for collaboration to create new content that can be utilized by physicians at OSF and the larger medical community.”
Lynall noted his organization and the startup will be exploring the potential focus of a collaborative effort.
The investment by OSF Ventures comes as virtual reality and simulation are becoming the new frontiers of medical training. Companies like Kognito Solutions are utilizing simulation programs for physician role-playing purposes, allowing doctors to practice having difficult conversations with patients.
Last fall, OSF Ventures invested in New Haven, Connecticut-based PatientWisdom, which has a digital platform that zeroes in on what truly matters to patients. Caregivers, families and patients can use it to share information about themselves, their health and their goals. This information is then shared with their care team, which is able to gain valuable insights about each patient.
OSF HealthCare launched OSF Ventures in 2016.
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