Rock Health

?? Hot off the press: Rock Health’s Q3 2024 quarterly funding and market trends recap is now live. The key takeaway? There’s more to the story than just the numbers—if we’ve learned anything from digital health’s recent history, it’s to avoid conflating volume of activity (e.g., venture or M&A deal counts) with quality of activity (e.g., strategic M&A). ?? Notable insights from our breakdown of Q3: ? $2.4B in digital health venture funding across 110 deals this quarter, bringing the total YTD to $8.2B ? Though deal count has dropped across the first three quarters of 2024, average deal size held roughly steady at $22M, up from $20M in Q1 ? These patterns indicate that investors are making fewer, more focused bets with consistent check sizes ?? Of particular note, the emergence of digital health “tapestries"—what we’re calling it when companies strategically weave together new capabilities through acquisitions to compete at scale. This isn't just about adding features; it's about creating robust, integrated solutions that can serve healthcare's biggest players. For the full picture, read our Q3 funding and market trends recap: https://lnkd.in/gMt3JuQC

Join Rock Health at HLTH 2024 as we dive into one of healthcare's hottest topics: the rapidly evolving GLP-1 landscape. GLP-1s have become a stress test for the healthcare system—while these drugs are exceeding expectations for treating obesity, diabetes, and more, potential annual costs are reaching into the tens of billions. Sari Kaganoff, Rock Health Advisory’s Chief Commercial Officer, will moderate a must-attend panel, “Miracle Cure or Healthcare's Breaking Point?” with industry experts: ? Terry Gilliland, President and CEO, Geisinger ? Elliott Green, CEO & Co-Founder, Dandelion Health ? Kavita Patel, Professor of Medicine, Stanford University ? Florencia Halperin, Chief Medical Officer, Form Health They'll tackle crucial questions including: How do we balance innovation, access, and affordability? What's the future of healthcare economics in the age of blockbuster therapies? ??? Mark your calendar for October 22 at 10:40 AM. Hope to see you there! #HLTHUSA

More than 2,000 digital health partnerships have been inked since 2020. That’s more than a partnership a day—for nearly five years straight. But anyone who reads the news knows that not all partnerships are successful. At our recent interactive Innovation Studio, co-hosted by Rock Health Advisory and our Member CVS Health Ventures, we convened ~50 enterprise and startup leaders to dig into the question everyone is asking—what makes or breaks a successful digital health partnership??Recapping the discussion, here's what you need to know: ? 1?? Success hinges on nailing four major phases: need and partner identification, deal structuring, partnership execution, and expansion or completion 2??? We identified a six-point framework for optimizing partnerships: ? Vision and goals ? Operating and governance model ? Financial arrangements ? Measuring success ? Data exchange and IP ownership ? Ways of working and culture 3?? Key strategies from real-world examples: ? Build connections across strategy, operations, and clinical stakeholders ? Use a "crawl, walk, run" approach to generate quick wins ? Prioritize user-first thinking and empathy in rollout and development + For more details and insights, check out: https://lnkd.in/gaeavZJ9 + Thank you to our speakers for sharing their experiences! Julia Ivanova, Thyme Care | Alyssa Reisner, CVS Health Ventures | Rahul Joglekar, Sutter Health | Julia Chou Chapin, Abridge + Rock Health Advisory works with leading enterprises each year to identify winning opportunities at the intersection of healthcare and technology and connect the dots along their innovation journey. Our interactive Innovation Studios are just one way we bring together diverse perspectives to tackle the industry's biggest challenges. Reach out to us to learn how we can support you on your healthcare innovation priorities: [email protected] Sari Kaganoff Chris Lew

Excited to announce Rock Health’s new collaboration with the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP): the “Advancing AI and Digital Health for Primary Care Initiative” ??? ? There’s clear potential for AI and other digital health technologies to solve primary care challenges like patient access, provider burnout, and administrative burden, and the market has responded. Since 2023, more than 280 venture-backed U.S. digital health startups with AI/ML-enabled solutions have raised $6.3B in funding—and 67% of these companies have built their solutions for provider organizations. ? To explore and accelerate the adoption of digital health and IT tools in primary care, Rock Health is collaborating with AAFP to launch the “Advancing AI and Digital Health for Primary Care Initiative.” Our goal is to identify opportunities that can transform clinical practice, streamline operations, and improve patient outcomes. ? To kick things off, we’re forming the Primary Care Leadership Committee, bringing together leaders in primary care and digital health. We’re also launching a survey to capture insights from primary care physicians and clinicians on how they’re using (or planning to use) AI and digital health tools. ??Learn more about the Initiative and meet the Leadership Committee: https://lnkd.in/g5ZSE7a4 ???? Are you a primary care physician or clinician? We want to hear from you! Take the survey to share your thoughts and help shape the future of primary care: https://lnkd.in/gn4Qc75n #HealthcareInnovation #DigitalHealth #AIinHealthcare #PrimaryCareInnovation

LinkedIn this week released our annual list of Top Startups, one of my favorite data-driven rankings that we do each year. Healthcare companies are always well-represented on the list, but this year we saw a new trend emerge — the growth of women’s health startups, and particularly those founded by women to address concerns they’ve personally experienced. The perception about women’s health is that it’s a “niche” market — even though women, of course, make up half of the global population. Digital health companies focused on the space attract less than 10% of venture funding, and most years less than 5%, according to Rock Health. But the success of companies like those on this year’s #LinkedInTopStartups list is showing that not only is women’s health a massive market, but there’s room for highly specialized offerings for women at all life stages. Tell me: what do you think are the unmet needs in women’s health — or across healthcare more broadly? Tagging in some experts in our #healthcareonLinkedIn community for their perspective as well: Laurie McGraw, Joanne Armstrong, Mary Stutts, MHA, Alex Farris, Urvashi Bhatnagar, DPT, MBA, Karla Loken DO OBGYN FACOOG, Suzy Engwall, Georgia Cavanaugh

Oral health is much more than just clean teeth—it's a crucial component of overall health and impacts systemic issues including sleep disorders, diabetes, Alzheimer's, heart disease, and more. Yet many overlook this connection because of the way our health system is configured. Oral healthcare is treated and insured separately from general healthcare, creating access barriers and limiting a more holistic approach to care. Rock Health Advisory’s latest piece explores the connection between oral and general health, the evolving landscape of dental innovation, and opportunities for entry. Key takeaways: ?? The funding landscape | A largely untapped market: ? On average, funding for U.S.-based digital dental health startups accounts for less than 2% of overall digital health funding annually ? But there are signs of an inflection point—25% of all funding deals for digital dental health startups occurred between 2023 and H1 2024 ?? Opportunity areas for oral health innovation | To reach its potential, oral health innovation must go beyond dental-centric solutions, to new care models connecting oral health to whole-person care, including: ??Dental as a medical front door: 27 million Americans visit the dentist but not a physician annually ? Chronic disease care: Treating periodontal disease can save individuals with diabetes nearly $6,000 in healthcare costs per year ??Care at key life transitions: Gum disease during pregnancy can contribute to preterm birth risks, yet less than half of pregnant women see a dentist? ??Consumer empowerment: As consumers increasingly view oral health as part of their overall wellness, there’s growing demand for personalized oral care solutions As awareness grows about oral health’s connection to overall health, we expect to see increased innovation and integration in this space. For more, read the full article: https://lnkd.in/eXgNPGTp + Special thanks to CareQuest Innovation Partners for their support and collaboration on this piece. + Interested in working with Rock Health Advisory to advance thought leadership in the ecosystem? Reach out to learn more: [email protected] #oralhealth #digitalhealth #healthinnovation

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Yesterday, Rock Health Advisory members convened at the Golden Gate Yacht Club for our annual Fall Member Forum, which brings together strategy and innovation leaders from life sciences, health systems, payers, retail, tech, and beyond. San Francisco gifted us with a beautiful sunny day, and we covered critical topics shaping the future of healthcare innovation: ? Measuring the impact of digital health initiatives ? Evolving consumer engagement strategies ? Centering on purpose to create sustainable businesses and movements for change A standout feature of the day was our breakout sessions, which provided the opportunity for members to exchange ideas and workshop solutions in small groups. The hot topic? How they’re making the case for and measuring digital health projects at their organization. From thought-provoking panels to insightful “bayside” chats, the diverse perspectives and collective expertise in the room left us all feeling inspired. It's events like these that remind us of the power of community in driving healthcare forward, and we're already looking ahead to our next gathering. + Rock Health Advisory membership provides the opportunity to expand your network with warm introductions, meet new potential partners, learn from peers, and so much more. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/dRTRQQh5 #healthcareinnovation #digitalhealth

That’s a wrap on Rock Health Summit 2024! The countdown to next year begins—save the date for Tuesday, September 30, 2024. Until then, here are the themes from today we’ll be reflecting on: ?? Resilience and Renewal in Digital Health: The digital health market is still unpredictable. But we're seeing a shift toward more sustainable, scalable business models—emphasizing operational discipline to achieve profitability as opposed to growth at all costs. ?? GLP-1s and Obesity Care: GLP-1 medications are now transforming obesity care, and there is opportunity for significant long-term benefit as it relates to health outcomes and cost. Digital health has the opportunity to not only enable access to quality obesity medicine but also to tailor and personalize care to individuals. ???? Caregiving Reimagined: Caregivers are critical yet historically under-recognized and under-supported. Today, innovators are stepping up to develop solutions which center caregivers alongside patients, providing insight into the care of loved ones in a way that is clear and actionable. ?? Youth Mental Health: The youth mental health crisis is deepening, and digital solutions are evolving to meet young people where they are—on their phones and in their schools. While investment in the space is increasing, so is fragmentation and opportunity exists for a better integrated and connected pediatric care experience. ?? Food as Medicine: Whether you call it food as medicine, food is medicine, or foodcare…the movement is gaining momentum. In fact, the average food as medicine startup is about three years younger than the average digital health startup—but has raised $5M more. As more stakeholders integrate nutrition into healthcare, digital solutions can help bridge access gaps, particularly in marginalized communities. ?? Healthcare in 2040: AI is guaranteed to catalyze change in healthcare, especially for resource-constrained health systems. Relative to today, some segments in healthcare are anticipated to consolidate (e.g., AI-focused startups) and others to disaggregate (e.g., health systems, PBMs). Overall, the healthcare industry needs to focus on identifying and scaling what works while abandoning ineffective models to avoid stagnation. #RHSummit24? Katie Drasser Megan Zweig Bill Evans Sari Kaganoff Chris Lew

Rock Health Summit is finally here and we could not be more excited! Today’s agenda includes conversations on food as medicine, funding trends, youth mental health innovation, and more. If you have FOMO, it’s not too late to experience the magic—the virtual experience is still available, register before we kick off at 1:00 pm PT: https://lnkd.in/dhjTBimv + For a content sneak peek, check out the Rock Health Summit Virtual Series: ?https://lnkd.in/g6sMrmX4? + Last but not least, head over to Rock Health’s X/Twitter (https://x.com/Rock_Health) for live discussion themes and takeaways—and join the conversation using #RHSummit24!