Direct primary care platform Hint Health buys AeroDPC

This is the second acquisition for this space after buying Equal Health last year

The Direct Primary Care (DPC) movement allows patients pay a monthly subscription fee to see their doctor, rather than paying per service. This model is growing quickly: DPC membership increased 241% from 2017 to 2021.

Hint Health is a company dedicated to supporting the growth and success of the DPC movement, which it does by taking care of member enrollment, employer plan administration, eligibility management, billing, invoicing, payments, and collections for clinics and enterprises.

Now the company is expanding its capabilities by acquiring AeroDPC, a practice management and Electronic Medical Record (EMR) designed for DPC clinics. While no financial terms of the deal were disclosed, it was revealed that AeroDPC will operate as an independent subsidiary of Hint Health going forward.

"Our teams both shared a vision of redesigning the healthcare system for the better, and shared alignment on our mission to power direct primary care and make it the new standard," Hint Health CEO Zak Holdsworth told VatorNews. 

"We have already seen both teams embracing Hint’s core values of being transparent, learning continuously, being deliberate and embracing health. Also, in terms of team dynamic, the interactions have felt so natural from day one."

Founded in 2013, the HintOS platform powers thousands of clinics and networks, providing care for nearly one million members. Hint also produces Hint Summit, a DPC innovation conference, and supports Hint Connect, a curated national network of independent DPC clinics.  

AeroDPC, meanwhile, is a software company that supports everything a DPC doctor needs in a singl;e platform, including EMR, business management, and patient communication software. 

"Our current HintOS platform integrates with an all-in-one EMR that is designed for established practices or startup clinics, and works to further streamline the process of getting started with DPC. With the acquisition of AeroDPC, the platform will become a fully integrated end-to-end solution for startup DPC practices," said Holdsworth. 

While AeroDPC will remain independent, Hint is planning to combine the capabilities of the two companies with the release of a new product in the coming year. In addition, the company will also look to leverage the integration work it is currently doing as a blueprint for how it can deepen other partner integrations.

Along with the acquisition, it was also revealed that Dr. Brad Brown, co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of AeroDPC, will be new Medical Director at Hint going forward.

"As a DPC physician himself who began AeroDPC alongside his brother, Dr. Brad Brown’s experience in the industry and current position as the Chief Medical Officer at his company make him a clear fit for the new role as Medical Director at Hint. It’s a collaboration that Dr. Brad himself called a 'no brainer' based on our shared company mission, culture, and approach to execution," said Holdsworth.

This acquisition of AeroDPC is the second in the past year for Hint, as it acquired Equal Health, a DPC network and benefits provider, in 2021 as part of its broader strategy to launch Hint Connect, as well as to improving access to primary care for employers and innovative health plans with a plug-and-play DPC solution.

For Holdsworth, success for the acquisition of AeroDPC will be if startup DPC clinics choose Hint and Aero as their preferred solution.

"Success is enabling physicians to do their job with the least amount of friction, and providing products that will scale with them as their practice grows whether or not that is via our all-in-one solution, or through our ecosystem of integration partners with more sophisticated products designed for scale," he said.

(Image source: webwire.com)