There is no shortage of iPhone apps that relate to the consumption of alcohol, but the latest to hit the market is going against the grain.
Internationally recognized Minnesota-based nonprofit Hazelden recently launched the “Field Guide to Life” app for more than 20 million Americans in recovery and trying to stay sober.
It offers alcoholics and addicts in recovery an array of digital tools and mobile support connected to core recovery principles, helping them evolve in their sobriety using the iPhone, iPad, or iPod. Users progress through the 12 stages of early recovery over the course of a year and interact with features including: daily guidance and inspiration, weekly challenges, progress tracking tools, meeting finder and relapse prevention awareness.
Via News Release
“MINNEAPOLIS—January 13 , 2012—7 Medical Systems, LLC, a leader in on‐demand digital imaging, electronic medical records (EMR) and revenue cycle management (RCM) solutions for healthcare, today announced the closing of its acquisition of Manager Consultoria em Informatica LTDA EPP. (“Manager Systems®”), a health informatics company providing practice management, EMR, radiology information systems (RIS) and picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) to hospitals and clinics in Brazil.”
By Arundhati Parmar, MedCity News
“A mobile health startup wants to help providers get a better handle on patient satisfaction and they find good reception given the advent of Accountable Care Organizations and other elements of healthcare reform.
Healthy Heartland Inc. has created CareWire, a text-messaging service by which patients can rate their satisfaction following an appointment on a scale of 0 to 10. After patients have completed their appointment, CareWire can send a text message on behalf of the provider to the patient asking that they rate their experience on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 being very positive.”
Via News Release
“STILWELL, Kan., Jan. 9, 2011 – Ascend Learning, a leading provider of technology-based educational solutions for healthcare and other vocational industries, has acquired Advanced Informatics, a software company helping healthcare education programs more efficiently manage the clinical education experience of their students.
The deal is part of Ascend’s overall growth plan, which emphasizes strong, organic growth of its current business units and selective, strategic acquisitions. “
Via News Release
“…UnitedHealth Group has announced strategic partnerships with three health technology companies that offer mobile products and services designed to help improve consumers’ health and well-being.
UnitedHealth Group’s new business partners — CareSpeak Communications (NJ), Lose It! (MA) and Fitbit (CA) — help simplify the consumer health care experience by making relevant, practical information easier to access by using consumer-friendly technology devices such as smartphones and other mobile devices.”
By Arundhati Parmar, MedCity News
“People eager to tackle obesity or just maintain a healthy lifestyle may soon have another tool to help them achieve their goals. MetaLogics Corp, a Minnesota company, is building a calorie monitor that it claims is the “only wearable device that directly measures the calories your body burns without relying on guesses or estimates.”
In late December the company raised $70,000 of the $200,000 it is seeking.The MetaLogics Personal Calorie Monitor is worn on the upper arm. It uses a patented technology used in metabolics research to measure the four kinds of heat generated by the body – radiant, conductive, evaporative and convective.”
By Rip Empson, TechCrunch
“Healthbox is set to launch its three-month accelerator program on January 9, 2012 and will be seeding the 10 companies it has chosen from over 200 applications with $50,000 equity investments (for a 7 percent stake). The 10 teams will share space and collaborate at the accelerator’s headquarters in Chicago…
CareWire is a patient engagement solution that utilizes automated patient text messaging to increase billable appointment yield, visualize patient satisfaction in near-real-time, and improve provider performance.”
Related, it was announced this summer that Ridgeview Medical Center had partnered with Healthbox.
Via News Release
“Rochester, Minn. (December 8, 2011) – Preventice, Inc., announced today that it will open a new headquarters location in Minneapolis during the first quarter of 2012. In addition, the company has added two key executive-level positions to its leadership team. According to Jon Otterstatter, co-founder and president/CEO of Preventice, the Minneapolis headquarters and new hires will better position the company for what it anticipates will be a year of rapid growth in 2012.
Preventice, which also has offices in Rochester, Minn., and Fargo, N.D., develops mobile health applications and remote monitoring systems that deliver continuous patient care across the health continuum and wherever an individual might be.”
Minneapolis startup Qualtrx is heading to New York City for three months, having been recently selected to participate in Blueprint Health’s inaugural startup accelerator program, according to CEO and co founder Rashaun Sourles.
Qualtrx is pioneering a web-based platform to move healthcare and pharmaceutical sales online, or, in the words of Sourles, “Interacting with sales people is almost universally annoying and we’re using social media to reshape the B2B healthcare marketplace.”
He describes a scenario wherein a pharmacist leverages Qualtrx’s private social networking environment to outline needs in a Q & A setting and essentially crowdsource responses designed to improve vendor relationships. The proposition is to offer providers more control over their time and spending through automation and increased competition — ultimately improving patient outcomes.
Blueprint, a member of the TechStars network, “offers $20,000 of seed capital [6% equity exchange], extensive mentorship and a shared work environment to help entrepreneurs go from idea to prototype and provide access to angel and venture capital investors,” says their website.
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