All Posts By

Kevin Roche

The Healthy Skeptic is a website about the health care system, and is written by Kevin Roche, who has many years of experience working in the health industry through Roche Consulting, LLC. Mr. Roche is available to assist health care companies through consulting arrangements and may be reached at khroche@healthy-skeptic.com.

Jan 01 2015

Looks like 2015 is going to be like 2014, sigh, a company called PocketDerm has raised $2.85 million for its tele-dermatology business that has patients send selfies of their skin conditions.

http://medcitynews.com/2014/12/teledermatology-company-uses-selfies-aid-diagnosis-raises-2-85m/?utm_source=MedCity+News+Subscribers&utm_campaign=02cb43fe40-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c05cce483a-02cb43fe40-67648197
Dec 29 2014

AMN Healthcare, which just in the last couple of weeks completed several acquisitions, is at it again, acquiring Avantas, a clinical labor management consultant, for up to $25 million.

http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20141226/NEWS/312269995/-staffing-powerhouse-amn-continues-expansion-with-avantas-deal
Dec 29 2014

Veridicus Health, a vendor of care management and pharmaceutical services, has acquired Global Pharmaceutical Solutions, which provides help to Medicare Part D programs.

https://veridicushealth.com/public/newsletter
Dec 28 2014

Hi.Q which periodically provides updates, emerging from a quiet period has put an exclamation point on recent work, ending questions, and parenthetically raising some new funds in the amount of $5.5 million.  Period.

http://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/2014/12/15/health-literacy-startup-hi-q-emerges-from-stealth-with-funding-and-app/
Dec 28 2014

NeosTech has acquired AFrame Digital, a provider of wearable health monitoring and alerting devices.

http://www.nationalresearch.com/news/?category=4&articlesid=275
Dec 28 2014

National Research Corporation has acquired Digital Assent to bolster its patient satisfaction ratings business.

http://www.nationalresearch.com/news/?category=4&articlesid=275
Dec 28 2014

Talkspace, which offers therapy by phone or online, raised another $3.5 million in capital.

https://www.pehub.com/2014/12/therapy-start-up-talkspace-attracts-3-5-mln/
Dec 28 2014

TouchCare, which connects patients and doctors via an, wait for it, smartphone app, has collected $4 million in new capital.

http://www.touchcare.com/touchcare-closes-series-a-funding-led-by-mosaic-health-solutions/
Dec 28 2014

Orion Health, a large health care software vendor based in Auckland, New Zealand, has completed an IPO which provides additional capital for expansion in the U.S.

http://techcrunch.com/2014/12/18/first-opinion-raises-6-million-in-series-a-from-polaris-partners-to-help-you-text/
Dec 28 2014

First Opinion has gathered an additional $6 million in capital for its medical advice app.

http://techcrunch.com/2014/12/18/first-opinion-raises-6-million-in-series-a-from-polaris-partners-to-help-you-text/
Dec 26 2014

The Government Accounting Office has issued a very scary report regarding state and local government finances.  Largely due to health care costs, they are expected to be in a significant and growing deficit position through the 2050s.  Time to immediately reform Medicaid and government employee pensions and health benefits.

http://www.gao.gov/assets/670/667623.pdf