change:healthcare wants to empower “medical consumers” — but has more work to do
For empowered “medical consumers” to really transform the healthcare system, as Health 2.0 proponents would have, clear pricing and quality data for medical care is essential. Unfortunately, such information is currently in short supply.
The startup change:healthcare aims to fill that void with a revamped Web site, just launched this afternoon. And it’s a nifty idea, if unfortunately still flawed in execution. See our review at VentureBeat Life Sciences.
change:healthcare aims to make medical costs transparent — but falls short in execution
Can social networking help restrain, or even lower, healthcare costs? The Nashville, Tenn., startup change:healthcare is primed to find out.
Healthcare plans are inexorably forcing more cost-sharing on patients — a strategy some call YOYO, for “you’re on your own” — which means that the actual cost of medical care is looming larger for many Americans. Healthcare free-marketers think that’s a good thing, arguing that cost-consciousness will make people better medical consumers and cut down on… Continue Reading
Life sciences briefing: Friday, Feb. 22, 2008
TODAY’S HEADLINES:
HemCon Medical acquires Alltracel Pharma (release)
Transoma Medical, implantable wireless device maker, withdraws its IPO (Edgar)
Oracle Healthcare cuts Precision Thera acquisition price by roughly 15 percent (release)
MedBillManager adopts change:healthcare name, aims for March 3 relaunch release
Another slow news day, as yesterday we covered most of the fundings other sites are writing about today. I’ll update if anything else crops up. In the meantime, feel free to check out yesterday’s briefing or any other items here.
HemCon… Continue Reading
Peeling back the veil of ignorance — why medical costs vary so much, and what Health 2.0 might do to help
The burgeoning movement known as “Health 2.0″ makes some pretty big claims about the power of social networks and Web services to transform the sprawling mess we like to call the U.S. healthcare system. One of the central principles is that providing individuals with better information about medical treatments and procedures will make them better “medical consumers” capable of exerting market pressure that can improve quality and lower prices.
There’s nothing at all wrong with that… Continue Reading
Life sciences briefing: Tuesday, Oct. 2, 2007
Featured companies: Change:healthcare, Gemin X Biotechnologies, Ipsogen, the Practice
Change:healthcare raises $1M for health 2.0 sites — Nashville, Tenn.-based change:healthcare, a provider of Web-based health information, raised $1 million in a first funding round. The investment firm Solidus, also based in Nashville, provided the cash. There’s no release, but the Nashville Business Journal did run this story.
Change:healthcare operates two “health 2.0″ Web sites designed to empower individuals by helping them better navigate the healthcare system. FindYourDoc.com offers… Continue Reading