Telehealth

Pomdoctor closes $20M IPO to grow mobile health platform in China

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 12:00:00 -0400

Pomdoctor Ltd. raised $20 million through a Nasdaq IPO on Oct. 8, with the funds geared to expand its mobile health platform for chronic diseases in China.

Device for monitoring wounds without removing dressings

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 12:00:00 -0400

Researchers from the University at Buffalo, the State University of New York (SUNY), filed for protection of their development of a new imaging technology that uses radar and AI to see through dressings to monitor wounds and other skin conditions.

Urine-testing device turns toilets into health trackers

Fri, 16 May 2025 12:00:00 -0400

In what represents just the company’s third PCT filing, Houston-based Starling Medical Inc.’s co-founders, Hannah McKenney and William Hendricks, seek to gain further protection for their at-home urine diagnostic patient-monitoring platform that eliminates the traditional use of catching containers and dipsticks.

Updoc patents AI-powered diabetes management platform

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 12:00:00 -0400

The first patent from Palo Alto, Calif.-headquartered Updoc Inc. provides protection for their development of an artificially intelligent, voice-based method for prescribing, managing and administering at least one medication for management of type 2 diabetes to a patient.

Toilets could be the next big health device: Medical Korea 2025

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 11:00:00 -0400

Seung-min Park, professor at Nanyang Technological University and cofounder of Kanaria Health, is working to manufacture smart bidets that can capture biomarker data from urine and stool automatically and enable continuous monitoring.

Congress eyes permanent telehealth measures in spending bill

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 11:00:00 -0500

The COVID-19 pandemic reset expectations of Medicare telehealth coverage, prompting a letter from dozens of members of Congress to Capitol Hill leadership asking for legislation that will memorialize telehealth benefits. But concerns over spending, fraud and abuse still hang over the discussion.

MedPAC wary of Medicare software payment in fee-for-service care

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 12:00:00 -0400

The problems with U.S. Medicare coverage for medical software are well known, but the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission recently indicated that these problems are largely manageable for services delivered via managed care plans.

Smartheart study reveals drop in hospital readmissions, ED visits

holland.johnson@clarivate.com — Fri, 12 Apr 2024 12:00:00 -0400

At the American College of Cardiology's (ACC) 24th Annual Scientific Session held this week in Atlanta, SHL Telemedicine Ltd. reported the full results of the Imperial College London TELE-ACS trial, the results of which were also published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Proliferation of remote monitoring tech may swamp medical coding

Thu, 29 Feb 2024 11:00:00 -0500

The COVID-19 pandemic is well known for increasing telehealth utilization, including remote patient monitoring, but there are still issues with payer coverage policies even a year after the formal end of the public health emergency for COVID.

US OIG highlights hazards of telemedicine fraud in latest enforcement action

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 12:00:00 -0400

Advocates are pressing the U.S. Congress to pass legislation to require more Medicare coverage of telehealth and telemedicine, but the Office of Inspector General (OIG) continues to report instances of fraud in this area. OIG reported July 24 that government attorneys had forced a guilty plea out of a telemedicine provider who has agreed to pay $44 million to deal with charges of fraud perpetrated over a period of three and a half years.

US OIG announces crackdown on $2.5B in health care fraud

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 12:00:00 -0400

The U.S. Office of Inspector General (OIG) reported June 28 that it had launched a series of enforcement actions against perpetrators of a variety of forms of health care fraud, including in the areas of telemedicine and opioid abuse. The 78 individuals arraigned in this crackdown are said to be responsible for $2.5 billion.

Telehealth Expansion Act passes first hurdle in US House Ways and Means

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 12:00:00 -0400

Proponents of telehealth have been pressing Congress to statutorily broaden coverage of telehealth since before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Telehealth Expansion Act of 2023 carries the weight of at least some of these expectations. The House Ways and Means Committee’s health subcommittee recently voted 30-12 to pass along the legislation to the full committee, but the bill operates principally to allow high-deductible health plans to cover telehealth benefits before the enrollee has met the deductible, leaving a substantial amount of telehealth terrain unaddressed.

New interoperability and safety guidelines come into force affecting medical devices in France

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 13:00:00 -0400

France is tightening access to the reimbursed health care market for digital medical devices. The national Digital Healthcare Agency (ANS) reported that a standard interoperability and safety system for digital medical devices is coming into force.

First telemedicine drone delivers consultations in Pakistan

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 13:00:00 -0500

Drones are now being used for medical consultations and facilitating remote diagnosis, potentially leveraging telemedicine technology to improve health care outcomes in remote locations that cannot be easily accessed. Telemedicine consultations using aerial drones are about to become commonplace in Pakistan, and possibly around the world, according to Shariq Khoja, CEO of Tech4Life Enterprises.

Nuralogix launches telehealth feature for AI facial scan app

Fri, 06 Jan 2023 13:00:00 -0500

Nuralogix Corp. is taking its selfie-based health monitoring platform to the next level, offering continuous health and vital signs tracking during video calls. The launch of Anura Telehealth is the newest addition its Anura app, which uses video cameras on smartphones and other consumer devices to extract facial blood flow information and provide a personalized snapshot of health and wellness.

Russia looks to expand its influence through health care

Fri, 22 Jul 2022 13:00:00 -0400

Citing “the current political conditions,” Russian Minister of Health Mikhail Murashko laid out ways for Russia to strengthen its international role in the health care sector, including the development of innovative radiopharmaceuticals. Other promising opportunities involve the improvement of drug provision and an increase in the number of foreign students in Russian medical universities, Murashko said at a July 19 meeting with medical, educational and scientific institutions in Russia.

Telehealth, digital health on tap in draft Medicare doc fee schedule for CY 2023

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 13:00:00 -0400

The U.S. CMS posted the draft Medicare physician fee schedule (MPFS) for calendar year 2023, and advocates of telehealth will be cheered by a proposed extension of some pandemic-driven telehealth services throughout 2023. The draft is less generous in connection with external electrocardiogram patches in a move that could ding Irhythm Technologies Inc., and its Zio XT device, but analysts at BTIG predict that any hit to reimbursement rates is likely to be offset with greater sales volumes, leaving Irhythm and its investors in a solid place going forward.

Stakeholders prod US Congress for permanent Medicare telehealth benefits

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 13:00:00 -0500

The COVID-19 pandemic shone a bright light on the need for and utility of telehealth, which in turn prompted the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to temporarily expand telehealth coverage. Some of those coverage policies are set to expire when the public health emergency ends, and a group of stakeholders, including the American College of Cardiology, are urging Congress to pass legislation that would make some of these benefits permanent, a potential boon for many telehealth entities.

Qardio predicts 2022 as pivotal year for RPM growth

Wed, 29 Dec 2021 13:00:00 -0500

With a new CEO at the helm, remote patient monitoring (RPM) company Qardio Inc. believes 2022 can be a pivotal year to drive adoption of its 4G and Bluetooth-enabled cardiac solutions. The San Francisco-based company recently launched Qardiocore, an ambulatory ECG, and Qardiodirect, an end-to-end remote patient monitoring and telehealth service.

Vicentra secures $74M to push Kaleido insulin pump in Europe

Fri, 17 Dec 2021 13:00:00 -0500

Vicentra BV has closed a $74 million series C financing round to accelerate the European rollout of its wearable insulin patch. The small, lightweight system Kaleido is the company’s flagship product and consists of two pumps controlled by a Bluetooth wireless connected handset. The small size rests on a pumping action that – unlike a conventional syringe mechanism – uses micro-pulse technology to deliver accurate and consistent doses of insulin.

Ophthalmic Sciences eyes 2023 for launch of AI device for glaucoma

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 13:00:00 -0500

Israeli startup Ophthalmic Sciences Ltd. is targeting 2023 for regulatory clearance of its artificial intelligence (AI)-based contactless intraocular pressure (IOP) measuring device, IO Perfect. The technology, which combines AI visual analysis in a virtual reality headset, enables remote monitoring of glaucoma. The device is designed to be used at home, in eye clinics, emergency room departments, pharmacies and primary physician settings.

Sword Health cuts through crowded MSK field to win $189M

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 13:00:00 -0500

Sword Health Technologies Inc. slipped another $189 million into its coffers with an oversubscribed $163 million series D fundraising round that spilled into an additional $26 million secondary transaction. The enthusiasm for the round points to the keen interest in digital delivery of musculoskeletal (MSK) physical therapy, which has driven Sword and competitor Hinge Health Inc. both into rarified unicorn territory with valuations of $2 billion and $6.2 billion, respectively.

Stakeholders jeer Medicare physician fee final for 2022, but telehealth scores a win

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 13:00:00 -0400

The U.S. CMS waded into controversy with two final rules calendar year 2022, drawing fire from device makers and doctors who allege that cuts in rates for physicians will hamper beneficiary access. Software developers working in the telehealth space will find much to cheer, however, given that some telehealth services that were covered during the COVID-19 pandemic will be covered after the pandemic has passed.

Alivecor taps blockchain technology to connect Kardiamobile users with physicians

Wed, 27 Oct 2021 13:00:00 -0400

Alivecor Inc. is partnering with blockchain technology company Solve.Care to connect users of its Kardiamobile device to physicians through a telehealth network. Tallinn, Estonia-based Solve.Care’s blockchain platform, the Global Telehealth Exchange (GTHE), is an open global cross-border telehealth network currently available in 27 countries. Alivecor’s Kardiamobile 6L device is the first and only six-lead personal ECG cleared by the FDA. Through the partnership, Kardiamobile devices will be integrated with GTHE where physicians will be able to access a user’s electrocardiogram (ECG) reading upon their consent through teleconsultations.

EY Pulse: Three ways med-tech companies can capitalize on pandemic shifts

Wed, 13 Oct 2021 13:00:00 -0400

The Ernst & Young Pulse of the Industry 2021 report outlined several ways med-tech companies can benefit from fundamental changes in business wrought by the pandemic to build a stronger foundation for the future. While the need for more agile supply chains and the drive to measure social and environmental impact as well as financial metrics have affected all economic sectors, COVID-19 transformed the med-tech industry in specific ways that could have long-lasting impact.

AI or crystal ball? Panel predicts the future of digital health post-pandemic

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 13:00:00 -0400

Software-as-a-medical device (SaMD) came into its own during the pandemic as digital health applications enabled patients to receive care from home through telemedicine, apps and remote patient monitoring. At the 2021 Medtech Conference, a panel of regulators, advocates and digital health executives discussed how the last 18 months may permanently change the regulation of these devices, the steps manufacturers can take to secure the footholds they gained, and how the U.S. CMS can enable digital health to achieve its promise.

Singapore startup Doctor Anywhere banks $88M for telehealth expansion

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 13:00:00 -0400

Health-tech startup Doctor Anywhere Ltd. (DA) has raised $88 million in series C fundraising, as the telehealth sector continues to be attractive for investors. The round is one of the largest private investments ever raised by a Southeast Asian digital health company and was led by growth equity investor Asia Partners. Novo Holdings, Philips, OSK-SBI Venture Partners, EDBI, Square Peg, IHH Healthcare, Kamet Capital and Pavilion Capital also participated.

Opya nabs $15.4M in series A fundraising

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 13:00:00 -0400

Opya Inc., a provider of integrated autism services, secured $15.4 million in a series A fundraising round. New investors in the round included Panoramic Ventures, Softbank’s Opportunity Fund, Disability Opportunity Fund, and Raven One Ventures. Divergent Investments and Altitude Ventures added to their existing investments in the company.

Telemedicine company charged with filing $784M in false claims for DME

Thu, 12 Aug 2021 13:00:00 -0400

The frequent calls for an expansion of telemedicine have come with relatively hushed advisories about the potential for fraud, concerns that have been borne out by an indictment recently returned by a federal grand jury in New Jersey. A company that presented itself as a provider of telemedicine services has been charged with filing $784 million in false claims for unnecessary durable medical equipment.

CMS proposes to extend some U.S. telehealth coverage through the end of 2023

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 13:00:00 -0400

Medicare coverage of telehealth services in the U.S. received a boost during the COVID-19 pandemic, a change that stakeholders have argued should be made permanent. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed to extend coverage of some of these services throughout calendar year 2023 in the draft Medicare physician fee schedule, but some stakeholders are urging Congress to act before the end of the year to make these benefits permanent.