News/deals roundup: Amazon’s health accelerator, digital health library opens, Ziegler’s ‘Hospital at Home’ paper, SEHTA announces MedTech event; $670M in funding for Talkspace, Pear, DrChrono, NuvoAir

June 25, 2021 | by

First, the news….

Another Amazon angle on healthcare. This time, it’s the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Accelerator for healthcare startups. It’s designed as a virtual four-week technical, business, and mentorship for 10 select companies. Naturally, it’s targeted to cloud-based operations for companies with ‘demonstrated commercial traction’ in remote patient monitoring, voice technology, analytics, patient engagement, and virtual care technologies and systems. Applications opened on 21 June and proposals are due 23 July. It’s limited to US-based healthcare startups or international startups with existing US operations. This round is in collaboration with KidsX, the world’s largest pediatrics digital health accelerator formed by a consortium of over 50 children’s hospitals from North America, Europe, and Australia. AWS blog announcement, FierceHealthcare

A crowdsourced library exclusively for digital health resources and research now open. The Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) and Center for Health + Technology (CHeT) at the University of Rochester have created a crowdsourced library for the digital health community. It’s hosted by the Digital Medicine Society (DiMe); the link to the library is here. “Resources” are defined as specific pieces of specific regulations, guidances, policy, or literature that are relevant and useful “as-is”. 

Another free resource is investment bank Ziegler’s white paper on ‘Hospital at Home’. The paper addresses the leading Hospital at Home models, providers, and the reimbursement dynamics for this growing tech-enabled option serving acute patients requiring higher medical care. A worthwhile read (24 pages)-see if your tech can fit into these models.

In the UK, SEHTA (South East Health Technology Alliance) announced their 2021 International MedTech conference on 8 October in a hybrid live and virtual event format. The live portion will be at the Hilton London Tower Bridge Hotel. They’ve also added a new director, Sven Bunn, Life Sciences Programme Director at Barts NHS Health Trust & Queen Mary University of London. SEHTA news page

A lightning roundup of $670 million in deals that aren’t taking the summer off….

Talkspace finally executing its SPAC with Hudson Executive Investment Corp., with a deal expected to give the company $250 million in capital. It was originally announced in mid-January [TTA 14 Jan]. Talkspace is a consumer mental health app that helps a user assess their concerns, then matches them with a therapist. Shares are listed at $8.90 on Nasdaq with approximately 152 million shares outstanding for a valuation of $1.4 billion. Mobihealthnews

Pear Therapeutics is planning a hefty SPAC towards the end of this year with Thimble Point Acquisition Corp., backed by Pritzker family interests. It’s estimated that it will round up about $400 million giving it a valuation of $1.6 billion. The new Pear Holdings will trade on Nasdaq as “PEAR”. Pear develops end-to-end platforms for prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) for serious diseases as stand-alone software treatments or jointly with pharmaceuticals. Pear release, FierceBiotech

Mobile-friendly EHR DrChrono now has a friendly $12 million in growth funding from ORIX Growth Capital. DrChrono also handles practice billing and management. This is on top of their January funding of $20 million, also by ORIX. Mobihealthnews (exclusive)

Stockholm-based digital respiratory care management system NuvoAir also raised $12 million (€10 million) to expand its chronic disease management and clinical trial platforms. It combines an app with data from a spirometer and sensors that attaches to asthma and COPD inhalers plus NuvoAir Cough, which assesses changes in nighttime coughing. The Series A was led by AlbionVC. Mobihealthnews, TechCrunch

UK news roundup: Health Innovation Manchester winners, donate Phones for Patients in isolation, British Patient Capital funds SV Health with $65m, Memory Lane on the Isle of Man, SEHTA and Innovate UK briefings

July 28, 2020 | by

A potpourri of health tech and funding news from the UK

Health Innovation Manchester announced the four winners of its 2020 Momentum Call. While the competition was initially scheduled to close in February (see Manchester home page), it was apparently delayed to address priority areas for the COVID-19 response. The winners are Cambio CDS T-MACS (risk evaluation for cardiac), Doc Abode (workforce deployment), Gendius diabetes AI-Intellin app, and Howz for Health (predictive ADLs). Two additional in-progress projects were halted due to the virus.  Each winner was awarded £50,000. Release on BuildingBetterHealthcare.com.

The Phones for Patients initiative helps isolated patients–for instance, those hospitalized with COVID or other infectious diseases–connect with family and loved ones by phone. This is made possible by temporary phones, older models donated by individuals and companies, which are wiped of all data and distributed to patients in NHS hospitals and care homes. This includes cables and chargers.

As a nonprofit initiative, Phones for Patients is organized by Bridgeway Security Solutions. Bridgeway secures, manages, and deploys communication and other apps to these devices for the NHS. Imprivata, a digital identity company that develops access management solutions for healthcare, is working with Bridgeway to secure mobile licenses and the software for the phones. 

According to Bridgeway’s managing director Jason Holloway,  “Bridgeway is providing this service free of charge, as our contribution to the effort to defeat COVID-19. We are delighted that Imprivata has been supportive and keen to be involved from the start. Using the Imprivata Mobile software has enabled us to process devices much more quickly, and therefore get them to the people that need them. We have had many heart-warming messages of gratitude and thanks from people working in care homes and in some cases, even from patients themselves saying how much they valued the service.” 

So far, over 8,300 devices have been donated. Both companies and individuals are invited to be part of this ongoing effort. Imprivata representative Melloney Jewell has advised that individuals can donate old phones, cables, and chargers through their JustGiving page.  Companies should go to the Phones for Patients website, review the requirements, fill out the form on the donation page or email donate@phonesforpatients.uk

In funding news, British Patient Capital committed $65 million to SV Health Investors’ latest fund, SV7 Impact Medicine Fund (IMF). SV7 is targeted to fund biotech companies producing high impact precision medicine drugs for poorly treated diseases. According to the release, the commitment increases British Patient Capital’s exposure to life sciences and health technology, building on a commitment to the Dementia Discovery Fund in 2018.

The Isle of Man’s Memory Lane Games, a charity and research partner with Hospice Isle of Man, launched their free app for iOS and Android on 14 July. The app features local nostalgia and familiar places, including visual images from Manx artists and photographers. There are also games based on popular themes like music, TV, animals, history, and sports which will be added to weekly. Hospice Isle of Man will also run proof-of-concept studies on the Memory Lane Games apps later this year to determine outcomes for improvements to the lives of dementia patients and carers. Release on News-Medical.net. Memory Lane Games is also an entrant in Zurich International Insurance’s Innovation Championships. Facebook. 

SEHTA is running free briefing webinars this week for the Innovate UK Biomedical Catalyst Competition. £30 million grant funding is available to UK health & life science SMEs. This is for early and late-stage projects with length from 12-36 months and total project costs between £250,000 and £4 million. Innovate UK can provide 70% of total project costs for SMEs. Previous webinars have been recorded. More information here Information from Innovate UK on how to apply for funding here on Gov.UK, though from 2018.

Events, dear friends: MedTech London, Aging 2.0 Philadelphia, speakers wanted for Connected Health Summit

February 28, 2019 | by

MedTech London, 11 April, London South Bank University

LSBU, SEHTA and the GLA have an event that blends commercial partnerships with academics and developing research collaborations.  The event also includes information on the latest NIHR Funding Programme and the Simulation for Digital Health programme supporting healthtech start-ups, SMEs and the Knowledge Transfer Programme Scheme by Innovate UK. The day’s agenda and registration is here.

Aging 2.0 Philadelphia: 13 March evening

Caregiving is becoming a new frontier for innovation. This free evening hosts a panel of caregiving and home care experts. More information and registration is here.

Connected Health Summit’s Call for Speakers: 27-29 August San Diego

Parks Associates’ Connected Health Summit has opened invitations for speaker submissions on two general topics–Innovation and Partnerships and Empowering Consumers with Connected Health–each with seven sub-topics. Interested applicants should submit here by 29 March. TTA has been a media partner of the Connected Health Summit over the past few years.

Upcoming UK telecare and telehealth events; SEHTA calls for Healthcare Business Awards nominees.

November 1, 2018 | by

Winding up the year….

Managing digital change in health and care/The King’s Fund/Thursday 22 November/8.30am-4.30pm/The Met Hotel, King Street, Leeds, LS1 2HQ

This conference aims to support health and social care organisations that are looking to undertake large-scale digital change, no matter what their current level of technological advancement. Understand the factors that contribute to successful change by showcasing the experiences of different case study sites and Global Digital Exemplars that have already made significant progress. More information and registration here. 

UK Telehealthcare has several events coming up all over the country. For more information and registration, click here or the advert in the right sidebar and scroll down to ‘Members Events Coming Up’.

8th November 2018 – Suppliers’ Forum, Hammersmith Town Hall, King St. London W6 9JU
9th November 2018 – Providers’ Forum, Hammersmith Town Hall, King St. London W6 9JU
14th November 2018 – CECOPs Digital Health Masterclass, Carisbrooke Hall, Victory Services Club, 63-79 Seymour Street, London, W2 2HF
5th December 2018 – CECOPs Digital Health Masterclass, 2 Brewery Wharf, Kendell Street, Leeds, LS10 1JR.

UK HealthTech/4 December/Cardiff Park Plaza

At the UKHT conference, over 300 delegates will hear speakers discuss the major strategic issues and policy developments facing the life science and healthcare sectors. Showcases include the latest advances in R&D technologies and up and coming spinout companies. It closes with the 13th annual MediWales Innovation Awards, celebrating the achievements of the NHS, life science and health technology communities in Wales. More information and registration here.

SEHTA is calling for nominees for its 2018 Healthcare Business Awards through Friday 14 December. They are looking for the best achieving companies of 2018 in the following five categories: Export Achievement, Start-up, Innovation, Partnership with the NHS
MedTech, and the new category of Healthcare Investment of the Year (most significant/transformational public and/or private sector funding received in 2018). To download application forms, click here. Completed forms should be returned to Clare Ansett – clare.ansett@sehta.co.uk 

Two more events for the calendar: ATA’s EDGE18 (Austin TX), SEHTA/Brunel MedTech Connects (London)

September 6, 2018 | by

EDGE18, American Telemedicine Association, 26-28 September, Fairmont Austin, Austin TX

The revamped fall meeting of the ATA is being held in Austin, Texas this year as EDGE18.  The conference will highlight emerging best practices in telemedicine and virtual care, which are accelerating delivery model innovation, program design, and technology implementation. Speakers will include industry thought-leaders from WalMart, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Ascension Healthcare, Babylon Health, AHIP, and NY Presbyterian Hospital. There will also be interactive workshops and immersion tours (space limited) offering “hands-on” previews of new technologies and programs at the Austin offices of Fjord Austin, Dell Medical School, and others. For more information and registration, see their website.  

MedTech Connects: SMEs to Universities – Brunel University Showcase, 10 October, Darwin Room, Hamilton Centre, Brunel University, London UB8 3PH, 09:30 – 15:00

Brunel University, SEHTA and the GLA are hosting a free conference to highlight research, teaching and commercial collaborations through the Co-Innovate programme, a Brunel initiative supported by the EU through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). This major event is designed to start partnerships leading to collaborations with Brunel’s Design, Computer Science and Business schools, and collaborative research bids including current opportunities from InnovateUK, UKRI, SBRI and the Industry Challenge Fund. More information and registration is here.

Events roundup: The King’s Fund, SEHTA, RSM, VR4REHAB, Parks Associates, HealthIMPACT, Telemedicine SPS

May 17, 2018 | by
[grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Lasso.jpg” thumb_width=”125″ /]It’s spring into summer, prime time for healthcare and related conferences.

If you are in the UK, prime territory on your calendar will be marked for 10-11 July in London at The King’s Fund 2018 Digital Health and Care Congress. Content and case studies include creating the right culture for large-scale digital change, using digital technology to improve quality of care, prevention and changing behaviors, population health informatics, tools for self-management, and much more. Find out more here. It includes a drinks reception on Tuesday 11th. Follow The King’s Fund on Twitter here: #KFdigital18. TTA is a media partner of the Digital Health Congress.

Hacking for Solutions is the prior week (4-5 July). It’s part of the three-year VR4REHAB project, with partners including The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust and Teesside University, with the objective of developing new VR applications that promote better function and outcomes for patients and children with disabilities. Find out more on the UK Hackathon here and the international program here. At Brunel University London, Department of Clinical Sciences, Mary Seacole Building, Kingston Lane. 

SEHTA’s 2018 AGM & Annual Conference is 13 June at the Mary Sumner House, 24 Tufton Street, London. More information here.

The RSM has two upcoming events presented by the Telemedicine and eHealth Section: The 4th Annual Future of Medicine: The Role of Doctors in 2028 on 13 June and the timely Health Data: Who Owns It and How to Keep It Safe on 24 September.

And last, the Digital Healthcare Show will be 27-28 June at ExCeL London as part of Health+Care, positioned as Europe’s largest integrated health and social care event. More information on their very flashy website here. The TSA will host their Summer Forum at the Technology Enabled Care Theatre including updates on key areas for TEC and why regulation and standards are so vitally important for TECS. TSA members can receive discounted passes. UK Telehealthcare will also have members’ activities during the show.

For more upcoming UK Telehealthcare events starting 7-8 June, click the advert at the upper right. 

In the US, Parks Associates’ 2018 Connected Health Summit: Engaging Consumers will be held 28-30 August at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, California. This year will analyze the role of innovative connected health solutions in driving changes in consumer behaviors as well as how healthcare systems, insurers, and hospital networks interact with consumers.  Speaker submissions are open until 1 June–more information is here. Early registration is open. TTA is a media partner of the Connected Health Summit and there will be more on this as we move closer to the event.

HealthIMPACT East moves to Washington, DC’s National Union Building 18-20 July with deep dives, re-think tanks, and re-boot camps. Their goal is to improve healthcare through technologies making a meaningful impact on patient outcomes and experience through honest and candid best practice sharing. The new format provides a TED-like experience to senior health system leadership. Register before 1 June with promo code HIEEB2018 to save 30%. The Digital Medicine Conference will return to NYC on 5-7 December. TTA is a past media partner of HealthIMPACT.

The Telemedicine & Telehealth Service Provider Summit (SPS) is annually organized by the Arizona Telemedicine Program, one of the pioneering organizations of practitioners in the US. This year the meeting is 8-9 October in Glendale, AZ, but abstracts for poster presentations are still open till 30 June. 

Autumn/winter UK health tech events–Extra #1

September 16, 2016 | by

SEHTA (South East Health Technologies Alliance), one of the largest healthcare networking organizations in the UK, has two upcoming digital health-related events of interest to those in London and the Southeast. Hat tip to Clare Ansett of SEHTA for the details.

London Innovation Surgeries 26 Sept at Queen Mary University, London. There are only two spots left so act quickly. More information here. SEHTA is in partnership with Kent Surrey Sussex Academic Health Science Network (KSS AHSN), GLA, MedCity, Digital Health.London and Enteric HTC.

How to Access Funding 12 October at City Hall, London. This is a ‘how to’ workshop on finding funding from crowdfunding to public/private sector. Partners are KSS AHSN, GLA, MedCity and Digital Health.London. More information here. Free but limited registration.

 

MALCOLM final results now online (UK/FR)

January 16, 2015 | by
[grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/MALCOM-Middle-logo.jpg” thumb_width=”250″ /]If you are interested in the outcomes of SEHTA and Pôle-Tes‘ MALCOLM project, they are now published on the SEHTA website. The Anglo-Franco project analyzed remote care via ICT (information and communications technology) delivery (eHealth) and needs in the coastal Channel area: Hampshire, Surrey, West Sussex, East Sussex and Kent in England, and Lower Normandy in France. The press release has more details on results, methodology and the funding.