Digital health news, funding roundup in the prior week; March 28, 2022

The EU and WHO partner up; the Mayo Clinic launches AI program; Google can book doctor appointments

Top Health News

• A survey from the American Medical Association found that the majority physicians like telemedicine and plan to keep investing in it, with 60% saying they either agreed that telehealth allowed their practice to provide more comprehensive quality care for patients, more than 80% agreeing that patients have better access to care since they began using telehealth, and 62% said that their patients are more satisfied as a result. Over 50% of physicians also said that telehealth increased their own professional satisfaction
• The European Union and World Health Organization signed a letter of intent to partner in global health and the ongoing preparations for a global accord on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. The EU will contribute €24.5 million to the World Health Organization, to support the local manufacturing of and access to vaccines, medicines and health technologies in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• The Mayo Clinic launched a new program called Mayo Clinic Platform_Accelerate, for health tech startups, with its initial cohort of participating companies. The 20-week program will help four artificial intelligence (AI) companies get market-ready. The program offers participants access to Mayo Clinic experts in regulatory, clinical, technology and business domains with a focus on AI model validation and clinical readiness. Technology experts from Google and Epic also will provide workshops for the participants.
• The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill opened a new research center, called The Winston National Center on Technology Use, Brain and Psychological Development, to examine the long-term effects of technology and social media use on teen social and emotional development. The idea is to create more tools for parents, caregivers and teens to make better informed choices about how they interact with technology and social media.
• Google released a new feature in which users can view appointment availability for healthcare providers so they can book an appointment. Initial partners include MinuteClinic at CVS.
   

M&A

• Fresenius Medical Care, a provider of products and services for individuals with kidney diseases, InterWell Health, a physician organization driving innovation in the kidney care industry, and Cricket Health, a provider of value based kidney care entered into a definitive agreement to create an independent new company that will operate under the InterWell Health brand
• Remote patient monitoring platform Huma acquired AstraZeneca’s digital health platform AMAZE as part of a broader partnership with AstraZeneca
• DeliverHealth, a provider of software and technology-enabled services for hospitals, health systems and group practices, acquired PresidioHealth, a healthcare technology and clinical intelligence company
• Novo Integrated Sciences, a company that takes a holistic approach to patient-first health and wellness, signed a Membership Interest Purchase Agreement to acquire Clinical Consultants, a consulting firm specializing in providing value-added services for the healthcare industry. 
• MedPiper, a virtual care provider, acquired MedWriter, an AI writing assistant for doctors
• ESO, a data and software company serving emergency medical services, fire departments, hospitals, state and federal agencies, acquired Interdev Technologies, which develops a suite of SaaS products to provide Emergency Services with essential data
• TELEO Capital Management, a private equity firm, acquired CHCS Services, a third-party administrator for the senior health and eldercare markets
• Astute Imaging, a subscription-based imaging service, acquired Dileny Technologies, which develops artificial intelligence and medical imaging solutions for radiologists
• DePuy Synthes, the orthopaedics company of Johnson & Johnson acquired, CUPTIMIZE Hip-Spine Analysis, a solution that uses patient-specific data to help surgeons assess dislocation risk
• Kerry Logistics Network, a provider of a suite of logistics software, acquired a majority stake in Pro-Med Technology, a supplier of rehabilitation equipment based in Hong Kong

Funding Roundup

• Surgical training tool Osso VR raised $66 million
• Alife, which uses artificial intelligence to advance IVF, raised $22 million
• Telehealth provider Antidote Health raised $22 million
• Be Seen Be Safe Ltd., an animal health technology provider, raised C$113,575
• Signifier Medical Technologies, developer of a medical device for the treatment of sleep disordered breathing, raised $49 million
• Prelude Corporation, a developer of molecular diagnostics and precision medicine for early-stage breast cancer, raised $20 million
• BioCoach, a direct-to-consumer in-vitro diagnostic testing platform, raised $4 million
• Recora, a cardiac recovery program for health systems, medical groups and health plans, raised $20 million
• FutureCure Health, a platform for diagnosing and treating patients with chronic diseases like dizziness, migraine, tinnitus, and others, raised $4 million
• OK Capsule, a provider of technology, products, fulfillment, and strategic support for companies to deliver personalized supplement packets, raised $9.5 million
• TimeDoc Health, a virtual care management activation company, raised $48.5 million
• Janani.life, a company that helps people suffering from lifestyle disorders, raised $2.2 million
• MedMe Health, a provider of a virtual care and clinical services technology platform, raised CAD$2.7 million
• Oliva, a workplace mental health platform, raised $6.3 million
• Activ Surgical, a digital surgery imaging startup, raised $15 million 
• Podimetrics, creator of the SmartMat and integrated clinical care services that can help save the limbs and lives of complex patients with diabetes, raised $45 million

(Image source: pixabay.com)