Things & Thinks-Issue XLI
For the 41st edition of Things & Thinks, I have collated an interesting research paper, the usual dose of digital health news and the monthly sections- Longread of the month, Tweet of the month and Chart of the month. Happy Reading!
Research Digest
510K Clearance and Class I Recalls
Researchers found that devices were much more likely to be slapped with a Class I recall if their FDA authorizations were based on devices that had previously been recalled as well — and that likelihood was further compounded for future generations of devices cleared through 510K.
Digital Healthcare News
Tech in Digital Health
AWS launched Amazon Omics for precision medicine, aiming to provide security, scale and the processing power needed for genomic data storage and analyses, eliminating the need for specialized infrastructure and workflows.
Amazon also launched RxPass, a subscription service for customers who have Prime memberships; users will pay $5 a month to fill as many prescriptions as they need from a list of about 50 generic medications.
Microsoft is collaborating with Paige to improve cancer diagnostics and patient care through the use of pathology AI.
Regulatory/Policy Brief
US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights (OCR) warned providers that using pixel-tracking tools in patient portals could constitute a HIPAA violation.
UK-based Ultromics’ machine learning-based decision-support system used to help detect heart failure with preserved ejection fraction received FDA 510(k) clearance.
ChroniSense Medical received FDA 510(k) clearance for its Polso wearable that collects and shares vital signs via a mobile app for patients and a cloud-based platform for clinicians.
Avenda Health received FDA 510(k) clearance for AI-backed clinical decision support software that assists physicians in prostate cancer care.
Funding, Deals, Mergers & acquisitions
UpStream Healthcare, offering technology and support services for value-based primary care practices, raised $140Min Series B funding.
Carbon Health, hybrid care provider, raised $100M.
Vial, CRO offering technology platforms for running clinical trials, raised $67M.
Lumen, maker of a handheld metabolism measurement device, raised $62M in Series B funding.
Alira Health, a healthcare advisory, clinical research and technology company, raised $58M in funding.
Patient engagement company Carenet Health acquired Stericycle Communication Solutions for $45M.
Ostro, recently rebranded from RxDefine, raised $45Min Series B funding.
Peppy raised a $45MSeries B round; Peppy offers gender-related health services through employers.
Healthcare fintech Paytient raises $40.5M.
Singapore-based insurance technology company Igloo has received $27M in an extended Series B funding.
Virtual psychiatry and therapy platform Array Behavioral Care raised $25M.
RxAnte, pharmacy care management business company, received $25M.
Telesair, a medical device company developing hospital-to-home products for respiratory care, raised $22M in Series A funding.
Authenticx raised $20M in Series B Funding.
Hybrid maternity clinic Oula raised $19.1M in Series A funding.
Other News
The Cleveland Clinic would begin billing up to $50 for certain messages sent by patients to their provider through its MyChart patient portal.
Longread of the Month
This overview of the UK’s digital health landscape by OHE is quite comprehensive.
Tweet of the Month
This tweet thread and the discussions in the replies is quite interesting to note…
Chart of the Month
This superb chart, via healthpopuli, illustrates consumer usage of various digitally delivered services.
