10 Health Tech Companies Changing The World

Print 01 July 2014
Ilya Pozin, Forbes

Healthcare is such a bloated and bureaucratic industry that, at first glance, it might seem immune to disruption by innovators. But a new crop of tech entrepreneurs is trying to change that. Their products range from apps and social networks to robots and complex simulators. But they all share a common goal: to leverage new technology to fix an old industry. Here are 10 of today’s tech startups that are changing healthcare and the world:

ReWalk

After an accident left Amit Goffer in a wheelchair for life, he started developing a system that would enable people with spinal cord injuries to walk again. It took more than a decade, but now the ReWalk exoskeleton is available to consumers at a price of $69,500. The ReWalk is basically a battery-powered set of legs. Users strap it on and then use crutches to balance as they walk. One of the primary goals is to allow people who have been bound to wheelchairs to meet the world “eye-to-eye” again. But the system provides real mobility, as well as positive metabolic effects and increased functionality, too. In 2012, a 32-year-old woman who’d been paralyzed from the chest down used a ReWalk to complete the London Marathon in 17 days. The system is available internationally and pending FDA clearance in the U.S.

uMoove

uMoove’s software can turn any device with a front-facing camera into a face- and eye-tracking device. Some of the obvious uses of the technology include, allowing user interfaces to respond to movements of the head and eyes, enabling video games to respond to gaze, and analyzing attention and level of interest. But the company is now pursuing new medical applications. Yitzi Kempinski, uMoove’s founder, says that a number of neurological diseases can be diagnosed based on eye movement. By taking advantage of this, uMoove could turn many mobile devices, laptops and even video game consoles into diagnostic devices. uMoove is an early entrant in the growing eye- and face-tracking space and investors have been eager to get in early. It recently closed a $1.5 million angel round that followed its $1.5 million seed round.

Telesofia 

Only about half of patients properly understand some medication instructions, even when they are as simple as “take one pill every four hours.” That’s the startling fact that led a team of doctors and techies to found Telesofia, an Israeli startup that enables doctors to provide personalized instructions to patients in easy-to-understand videos. The videos, which can be pushed to any device, use illustrations and everyday language to make sure that doctors’ orders turn into action at home. They also filter out irrelevant information, so that a 65-year-old man doesn’t get sidetracked by medication warnings intended for breastfeeding mothers. So far, Telesofia is working with $1.5 million of funding and as of May it had a Series A round open.

Surgical Theater

A neurosurgeon and two former air force R&D officers, founded Surgical Theater to bring flight simulation technology to the operating room. ST’s Surgical Rehearsal Platform (SRP) uses MRI images and CT scans to render 3D virtual models of patients’ brains. Surgeons then use two joysticks that control virtual surgical tools to practice operations before they perform them. The goal is the same as it is for air force pilots using simulators: make the mission familiar before it counts. Since the SRP secured FDA approval last February, a number of leading hospitals have installed it, including Mount Sinai, the Mayo Clinic, and NYU and UCLA hospitals. The company’s second product, applies the technology from the SRP to an operating room navigation system that allows surgeons to peak behind arteries and other structures using a 3D virtual model while they’re in the middle of an operation.

TotallyPregnant

Pregnancy mobile apps have become a booming segment of the app market, with offerings that include week-by-week pregnancy trackers, diet managers, and even belly selfie functions. A new entrant, TotallyPregnant, seems to have rolled all of its competitors functionality into one, while adding powerful location-based technology and the first-ever 3D fetus animation videos. The app has an elegant interface centered on a simple navigation wheel. Functions include personal photo albums, informational videos, expert advice forums, baby gear shopping and a weekly pregnancy tracker. The app is free but generates revenue with links to online stores and in-app purchases of classes like Lamaze and yoga for pregnancy.

Patients Know Best

As Dr. Mohammad Al’Ubaiydli received care from many different providers for a rare genetic condition, he realized that no one had a complete picture of his medical treatment. There was little he could do to change this because he didn’t have easy access to all of his medical records. That’s why he built Patients Know Best a platform that keeps medical records in the cloud and in the control of patients. It enables patients to show doctors their complete medical history and, as a result, promotes personally tailored care. Patients Know Best, which has raised more than $1 million of funding, has been promoted by a number of UK hospitals and is working on establishing a foothold in the US.

iCouch

iCouch uses videoconferencing to connect mental health professionals to patients. The entire interaction—from booking to payment—occurs online which means that mental health professionals can reach patients anywhere in the world. The ease of use, and the fact that you don’t even have to get off your couch, eliminates obstacles that prevent some people from getting needed treatment. These are welcome developments for a branch of medicine that suffers from a severe shortage of providers and a stigma that keeps away some people in need of help.

HelpAround

People living with diabetes usually have to carry around and use a toolkit of medical equipment every day. But what if you run out of glucose tabs or forget your test strips at home? HelpAround’s mobile app connects users to others in the area who might be able to provide missing supplies or even help with a blood test or an injection. The app also serves as a community for advice and support. The next iterations of HelpAround, supported by a recent raise of $200,000, will branch out from diabetes to create networks of helpers for people with other chronic diseases and food allergies.

Doximity

The LinkedIn for doctors, Doximity is a professional network for US physicians. It works like any social network, except with special functionality tailored to medicine. One of the most powerful functions is the HIPAA-secure platform that enables doctors with various specializations to collaborate on difficult cases. Today the network has more than a quarter of a million members thanks in part to a unique compensation model. Market research firms contract Doximity users for rates of up to $500 an hour to give advice about new medical devices and other healthcare products. The valuable members have led to serious funding. In April, the social network closed a $54 million round.

Fitocracy

The founders of this social network were out-of-shape gamers until they applied some of their videogame acumen to exercise. Now they’re ripped bodybuilders. Fitocracy is their attempt to help others follow a similar path. The network taps into the same compulsion-inducing format that make video games so addictive: when Fitocracy users log workouts on the site, they earn points that help them progress through levels. There’s a multi-player aspect, too: Fitocracy’s more than 1 million users can challenge each other to achieve fitness feats, such as running a certain mile time or completing a heavy lift.

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