Healthcare is evolving, in no small part thanks to the new technologies we have available today. Tech advances allow us to spend less time in the waiting room, and more time at home with our loved ones. They let our doctors monitor key health metrics during our daily routine rather than only in the office. They give us better access to our healthcare records and make sharing them with doctors and other health workers easier. And they allow people to take control of their health in ways we never have before. Wondering which up-and-coming technologies will impact healthcare in the coming year? Here are a few of our picks for startups to watch.
Auris Health
Over the past several decades, surgeries that were once considered major operations are now simple outpatient procedures with minimal cutting involved. For many of these procedures, robotics and computer-assisted surgical programs are making it possible for doctors to operate more precisely. This means better outcomes for patients all the way around.
One of the big players in the robotic endoscopy space is Auris Health. This cause-turned-company is working to ensure that doctors have the tools they need to perform the surgeries that save lives and improve quality of life too. Their Monarch Platform brings together robotics, micro-instrumentation, endoscope design, sensing, and data science to create solutions where no good answers currently exist and improve outcomes where surgery currently is risky or involves unfortunate tradeoffs.
DispatchHealth
If you’ve ever spent miserable hours sitting in a waiting room at your local ER or urgent care clinic, only to spend no more than 15 minutes of facetime with an actual clinician, we feel your pain. It’s time to put this old model to rest. It doesn’t serve patients well, and it can lead to the further spread of contagious diseases.
Enter DispatchHealth. They offer on-demand healthcare for people of all ages in the comfort of their home. And they can treat common to complex injuries and illnesses, with highly qualified clinicians who are given the time to really listen and address all of your concerns. Best of all, you won’t pay a huge bill for the convenience. Because they accept most major insurance, it will cost the same as your normal urgent care copay!
In 2018 alone, DispatchHealth completed more than 32,000 patient visits resulting in $70.8 million in medical cost savings. While they currently serve 10 markets, they are looking to expand even more in 2019.
Five Microns
Life with Parkinson’s disease and Essential Tremor can be really difficult. Tremors make it difficult to do even the simplest things like eating or getting dressed. Imagine trying to write your name or drink a glass of water when you can’t stop your hands from shaking.
Fortunately, the folks at Five Microns have developed Tremelo, an anti-tremor technology that makes simple tasks doable again. This energy-absorption system allows sufferers to the things we all take for granted every day. And since it’s completely drug-free, there’s no need to worry about medication interactions or side-effects!
HabitNu
Diabetes has become a major epidemic in the US and other first-world countries. Insulin shots and medications can help, but they come with side effects when overused, especially over the course of an entire lifetime. With over 100 million Americans diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes, it’s safe to say this is a problem that needs to be solved sooner rather than later.
Fortunately, there are lifestyle changes that can slow the progression of this disease and help to alleviate symptoms. HabitNu is a program designed for those at risk of developing diabetes. It helps individuals to build healthy habits that will serve them for a lifetime. And after just one year on the program, your risk for developing diabetes and cardiovascular diseases is reduced, and overall health is improved! Best of all, this program is designed to be easy to understand, and they provide the support and answers you need to get your health on track, no matter what your starting point.
MedManage
Juggling a long list of medications and supplements can be a challenge. And if you’re being prescribed medication by several different specialists for different conditions, it’s not uncommon for interactions to become a problem.
MedManage is an electronic daily medication log that helps you to manage all of your medications easily. It will send you reminders, create an electronic log you can share with your doctors, and even update family members and caregivers. It’s great for anyone dealing with chronic disease, for family caregivers, and even for drug addiction rehabilitation!
myLAB Box
STDs can range from mildly annoying to life-threatening. If you’re sexually active, and particularly if you have multiple partners, you likely know how important it is to get tested routinely. But going to a clinic or doctor to discuss testing is embarrassing and time consuming, so most of us don’t do it as often as we should.
MyLABBox has the solution. They offer lab-certified at-home STD tests. In just five minutes, you can take the test in privacy, no waiting rooms needed! And in three to eight days when you receive your results, you can take advantage of a free same-day phone consultation with a physician who understands and cares. You can even share the results directly with your partner!
Nori Health
Just a few years ago, interacting with AI seemed like science fiction, but today we do it all the time. From Siri and Google Assistant on our phones to the chatbots we encounter on sites all across the internet, AI is a great way to get answers quickly and simply. And now it can be applied to your health too.
Nori is a chatbot designed to help those suffering from Crohn’s Disease, Colitis, Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Irritable Bowel Syndrome live fuller, healthier lives. Nori acts as a health coach, asking you questions and recording information about your nutrition, hydration, stress, medication, alcohol or tobacco use, and mental support systems. She can spot patterns and help you identify triggers that inflame your symptoms. And for those times you need to speak with a real person, the Nori Health team is available to help too!
