HealthTap snatches $11.5M for mobile health advances

Krystal Peak · December 6, 2011 · Short URL: https://vator.tv/n/2259

Mayfield, Mohr Davidow fund an online network for consumers, physicans to share information

The demand for health care applications has resulted in the creation of vibrant online communities and mobile health innovations.

HealthTap, a interactive health network online, secured $11.5 million in Series A funding Tuesday, led by the Mayfield Fund, Mohr Davidow Ventures and Eric Schmidt's Innovation Endeavors.

The latest round brings the young Palo Alto startup to $14 million.

HealthTap was founded by Ron Gutman, founder of the health information portal Wellsphere.

What is HealthTap?

HealthTap is a networked environment where anyone can pose health question online or via a mobile app and quickly receive credible responses from a community of more than 6,000 U.S. physicians across 100 specialties, for free.  The new mobile application launched just two months ago and applications are available on Android, iPhone and iPad.

Specifically, the iPad market has grown exponentially for physicans and hundreds of medical reference and illustration tools have been adopted nationally by medical schools, hospitals and physcian practices to reduce the heft and clutter of encyclopedias of medical information, drug interactions and physiology diagrams.

All physicians who are members of HealthTap undergo rigorous background checks verifying their medical licenses and that they remain in good medical standing. This process helps the credibility of content on the site, especially since so much medical advice is offered on the Web without that verification.

On the physicians' side of the platform, each medical professional receives a free 'Virtual Practice' where they can lead the online health conversations or create health literature to share with the community. Physicians then can answer user questions, endorse answers posted by other physicians and create networks to grow their own practice.

The mobile health space

There are similar online health applications in the space including the physician-only networking site Doximity, and other health networks like WebMD and Patients Like Me. HealthTap told VatorNews that its has found strength in creating a place where those with medical concerns can connect directly with physicians together -- rather than catering to either physicians or patients. Also the community has the capabilities of working between users in real time so that certian issues or announcements can be addresses live.

“HealthTap has become the only place online where medical information is trusted both by physicians and by patients alike,” Ron Gutman, HealthTap’s founder and CEO told Vator. “We’re seeking nothing less than to transform the industry by building leading products that will revolutionize the way people access and use health information and interact with physicians in the process of care.”

The mobile health market is forecasted to exceed $400 million in the next handful of years but often has its challenges since any medically-accepted communities must adhere to the strict HIPAA regulations.

HealthTap stated that it will use this round of funding to "accelerate growth, recruit top talent, and engage more physicians and patients in the vibrant online HealthTap community."

The company also is looking at the next year as an opportunity to push innovation in health care.

Previous angel investors in HealthTap include Esther Dyson, Stanford professor and former CEO of Veritas Software Mark Leslie and Aaron Patzer, founder and former CEO of Mint.com.


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HealthTap

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HealthTap+ has reinvented the way people all over the world manage their health and well-being. Our free web and mobile apps enable 24/7 access to personalized, relevant, and trusted health information in the form of answers, tips, checklists, and news from over 67,000 U.S. doctors.

Members can get expert answers to their personal health questions, read personalized news and tips, and access expert reviews of health apps from HealthTap’s Medical Expert Network of more than 67,000 doctors for free.

In July 2014, HealthTap launched its premium HealthTap Prime subscription service. Prime members pay a monthly subscription fee for unlimited live consults with physicians via HD video, voice, and text chat. The service is available via any mobile device or personal computer.

HealthTap then launched HealthTap Concierge in October 2014, which connects members with their own doctors, via HD video, voice, and text chat for a low, per-consult fee. No monthly subscription is required to use HealthTap Concierge.

HealthTap released its first annual AppRx Report in January 2015. Thousands of doctors on HealthTap independently reviewed tens of thousands of health and wellness apps available in the iOS and Android app stores and provided recommendations for those they deemed the best.

In March 2015, HealthTap launched RateRx, the first free, large-scale resource of doctor ratings and reviews for over 4,000 drugs and medications. It was created by doctors to help consumers understand the effectiveness of drugs and treatments based on doctors' real-world experience.

 

The company is backed by leading investors such as Khosla Ventures, Eric Schmidt’s Innovation Endeavors, Mayfield Fund, and Mohr Davidow Ventures.