As promised , Here are my comments. Learning from Forward Health Failure Upon its initial launch in 2016 , the Forward Health concept had potential to disrupt the primary care space through a concept of combining technology and care. With nearly $1 Billion of funding ending in this last Series E funding of another $ 100 m . How is it that Forward could fail with reputable backers and a series of funding events? 1. Building technology without a clear end outcome in mind. Tech first orientation resulted in expensive hardware/systems that added no new info or efficiency outside of looking futuristic. 2. Care and tech should be designed to enable a “care model” or approach that is intented to solve a major issue that negatively impact health of a population. If tech doesnt create efficiency, better outcome, or reliability then why create it? 3. Forward lacked a service first model of thinking. Core to Healthcare is the human component and interaction. Moving to a self service model with failed tech is a assured recipe for disaster. 4. Promising technology that isnt fully reliable or trusted will shatter any confidence or belief in the capability and is hard to overcome. Technology has to work seamlessly and reliably or it will not be adopted 5. Tools designed without any added info to improve the decision making , diagnosis, or accuracy are worthless. 6. Fake it til you make it thinking may work in tech startups but healthcare is unforgiving and impacts lives. Dangerous to play games with peoples health. 7. Disenfranchising providers will not work in a system that is still reliant on people caring for people. Better to succeed by thinking through key players and how there role might change or be impacted. 8. Lack of integration of the service delivery value chain only fosters more fragmentation of care. Forward failed to think through the entire value chain of care including other key component in delivering care to patient such as specialty care. 9. No clear economic financial model matching the product / service model. Well-care for the rich is a different service population with different needs and expectations. Why would a wealthy patient pay for a self service model approach? #digitalhealth #healthcarestrategy #innovation #strategy
Tim Mooney
1w
Thank you for sharing
Kurt Tamaru, M.D. thank you for these thoughtful comments
Certified Case Manager in Digital Health Tech/Clinical Care Monitoring/Management Advisor for Telehealth RPM,CCM,RTM,PCM and Wellness
1w“Another bites the dust” This is what they said about Heal Doctors in less than a year after they removed the founders of Heal, replacing them with a CEO with zero Health Industry experience and other C-Suite executives with very little experience “According to WARN notices, Heal would cut 182 jobs in Los Angeles County and 60 positions in New York City. A company spokesperson told MobiHealthNews the company is in active discussions with possible buyers, and it's required to file notices in New York and California regarding potential upcoming layoffs. In late October, Heal announced it would expand with Cigna Medicare Advantage members in Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina and South Carolina. The startup most recently raised $100 million from insurer Humana in 2020. “ They sold for an undisclosed amount but went from being in 14 states to only 2 states