Feb 26
2014
Conversa Health Recognized in Patient App Challenge from Box and Dignity Health
Conversa Health, which helps physicians manage their relationships with patients through its digital care platform, today announced that it received an honorable mention in the Box + Dignity Health Patient Education App Challenge. With more than 150 applications, Conversa was the only company to receive an honorable mention in addition to the five companies that will advance to the final judging round with Aaron Levie, CEO of Box; Aneesh Chopra, former CTO, White House; Ted Maidenberg, General Partner, The Social+Capital Partnership; and Richard Roth, Vice President, Strategic Innovation, Dignity Health.
In October 2013, Box, a cloud-based content and collaboration management platform, Dignity Health, the nation’s fifth largest hospital system, and The Social+Capital Partnership, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital, launched an app challenge to drive innovation in patient education. The contest challenged developers to build tools that deliver health information and engage patients in taking a more proactive approach to their health. The winning team will receive a $100,000 investment in the form of a convertible note and one month of office space and mentorship from The Social+Capital. The winners will also have the opportunity to present the product to Dignity Health’s leadership as a potential pilot project.
Conversa applied to the Patient App challenge because the company’s solution addresses a transformative market shift toward data-driven patient engagement. With Conversa, physicians are able to send personalized educational materials and gather structured feedback on patients’ progress and outcomes through “digital checkups” between visits. Patients are asked simple but precise questions such as “Are you experiencing any of the following symptoms since your last visit?” or “Are you still taking your blood pressure medication as prescribed?” Conversa’s analysis of patient-generated data enables physicians to efficiently monitor and communicate with their patient population and identify patients requiring intervention. When embedded in existing electronic health record (EHR) systems, the platform enables patient-generated data to seamlessly become part of their medical record.
“The Patient App challenge appealed to us because we are focused on developing solutions that address the gap in doctor-patient communication between visits,” said Conversa Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder West Shell III. “We believe the time is right for this solution, given the emerging payment models with their focus on outcomes. Conversa will help physicians focus on patients that need to be seen sooner, leading to better outcomes and satisfaction.”
Through its use of automated digital checkups, Conversa’s solution uniquely intersects the two biggest trends transforming healthcare: the shift toward value-based payment models and data-driven patient engagement. Last week, Conversa announced a pilot test of its digital checkups approach with GreenField Health, a Portland, Ore.-based primary care clinic. Conversa chose GreenField Health as a pilot site because of the clinic’s national reputation as a leader in primary care. Conversa’s talented team of seasoned health care executives understands the need for solutions that address the needs of both physicians and patients in a market that demands a new approach to doctor-patient interactions and engagement.
For more information about Conversa Health, please e-mail information@ConversaHealth.com or call 971-229-1942. Conversa is exhibiting at HIMSS, booth number 5791, through Feb. 27.
About Conversa Health (conversahealth.com)
Founded in 2013 by a team of technologists and healthcare professionals who are passionate about transforming the health care conversation through personalized patient engagement services, Conversa Health is privately held and based in San Francisco. The company is focused on automating digital conversations between physicians and their patients, creating continuous, structured interactions between visits to improve patient outcomes and overall satisfaction while helping to address escalating health care costs. Conversa’s distinguished advisory board consists of industry thought leaders and innovators, including Adam Bosworth (Google, Salesforce.com), Dr. Brad Bowman (WebMD, Healthgrades), Brad Lawson (StayWell Health Management), Dr. Chuck Kilo (Oregon Health & Science University), Ann Mond Johnson (ConnectedHealth) and Clare Martorana (WebMD).