Healthvana, Once Focused on HIV Results, Partners with LA on Vaccination Records and Reminders
Jan 06 2021
Los Angeles officials are preparing for the next phase of a massive vaccine campaign that will test the region's capabilities. Most Angelenos aren't expected to get the vaccine until the spring or summer.
Among the stickiest of problems is how to ensure patients are given a second vaccine dose or "booster dose" meant to make the inoculation 95% effective and authenticate who has the vaccine.
<p>With no national strategy, individual counties have been desperately looking for solutions. In Florida, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-05/u-s-officals-resort-to-party-invite-sites-for-vaccine-rollout?sref=4Kf8RwDw" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bloomberg reports</a> that officials trying to rollout the vaccination have turned to party reservation system Eventbrite as government websites become overwhelmed. </p><p>In Los Angeles, the nation's most populous county, officials have enlisted Healthvana, a healthcare startup that in 2015 began delivering HIV results to users over its platform.</p><p>Since April, the company has provided coronavirus test results to patients accessing a number of county testing sites — including one at Dodger Stadium — through its partnership with labs like <a href="https://dot.la/coronavirus-rapid-test-curative-los-angeles-2645906983.html" target="_self">Curative</a>.</p><p>It's likely that a slew of tech solutions will spring up as more vaccinations are administered across the country and the need to show proof of immunization grows. </p><p>"There won't be one system across the country that manages all of this, from what we know," said Healthvana CEO Ramin Bastani. "We're not trying to be the only system."</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTIzOTM3Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyMTc4NzY3MH0.QfgRQ1zxxbSMQ__vgfx9GTRWSad8EbFTuPfYyqx0l94/img.jpg?width=980" id="42643" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b11a761a2490147a97664697dce2ccb8" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Healthvana" data-width="1283" data-height="877" />
</p><p>After receiving a dose of the vaccine from a county vaccination site, Healthvana sends the patient an email or text message to view their digital vaccination record. Users can then opt-in to receive text messages and email reminders for the second dose and store the record in their Apple or Google Wallet.<br/></p><p>The Department of Public Health said this technology will not replace the paper vaccination cards. Those without smartphones can print a PDF version of the Healthvana record or stick to that hard-copy documentation. </p><p>"It's kind of similar to credit cards as a form of payment," Bastani said. "It's not like you can only use an American Express across the country and that's the only form of credit card." </p><p>But Bastani is careful about how he's positioning this tool and says these records don't serve as an "immunity passport." </p><p>L.A. County has administered 75,015 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and 7,871 doses of Moderna's. Together, that represents just 30.7% of all doses allocated to the county.</p><p>In a briefing Monday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state remains in phase one of its <a href="http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/docs/about/COVIDVaccineDistributionPhases.pdf" target="_blank">vaccination plan</a>, which prioritizes the roughly three million health care workers and long-term care residents. Phase 1B will first target people over 75 and workers in education in childcare, emergency services, food and agriculture. </p><p>"We are working aggressively to accelerate our pace," he said. "That said, it's gone too slowly."</p><p><em>This post has been updated. </em></p>
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Los Angeles is seeing a renaissance in medical technology.
Earlier this month a venture capital firm headed by two former Amgen executives announced they raised $500 million to boost and incubate new life science and biotech companies across Los Angeles. And the firm, Westlake Village Biopartners, is working to develop a 30,000 square foot campus in Thousand Oaks.
<p>
Across town, the 20,000 square foot LABioSpace is set to open. Funded through the county, federal funds and private donations, the incubator will feature lab space dedicated to bioscience research and collaboration and is designed to house up to 25 companies.
</p><p>
And yet, another "innovation hub" backed by the county and private funds called BioScienceLA is expected to launch its own space in Culver City next year.
</p><p>
"For years, we have lost talented scientists and entrepreneurs to other regions, due to lack of investment capital and start-up and expansion space for growing companies," said David J. Whelan, the CEO of BioscienceLA. "We are finally at an inflection point, with funding, space, and talent supporting each other to grow the LA life sciences ecosystem."
</p><p>
Here are some trends to watch in healthtech.
</p><h2>Telemedicine Brings Health Access and Equity to Patients at Home</h2><p>
Doctors visits and at-home testing have been made easier during the pandemic as more companies launch platforms to deliver health information to patients from home.
</p><p>
COVID-19 has sparked new demand for telehealth services to test and treat consumers. And more clinics and hospitals are adopting the tech. According to a PitchBook <a href="https://pitchbook.com/news/reports/q2-2020-emerging-tech-research-retail-health-wellness-tech" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">report</a>, companies in the virtual health segment raised about $534 million in venture funding in the second quarter of 2020.
</p><p>
L.A. startups like Healthvana and <a href="https://dot.la/consejosano-2649513485.html" target="_self">ConsejoSano</a>, a platform for patients and providers that aims to make healthcare easier to access for multiple cultures and languages. Last week, the North Hollywood company raised $17 million to build out its services like scheduling appointments and coordinating transportation to a patient's provider.
</p><p>
Meanwhile, Los Angeles-based MotiSpark developed a digital tool to send personalized reminders to users. And in September, the Santa Monica-based prescription discount platform GoodRx, <a href="https://dot.la/goodrx-app-2647780743/particle-2" target="_self">went public</a> and became the most downloaded medical app, boasting five million active users and 70,000 pharmacies.
</p><h2>More Investment in Diagnostics </h2><p>
Diagnostic companies typically have a hard time securing capital, but this year changed that. Kevin Zhang, a partner at Upfront Ventures who leads health and biotech investments, said the life sciences industry has seen a spike in gene therapeutics companies over the last few years. And the wave of new drugs brings with it new demand for lab testing.
</p><p>
"Frankly, it was a bit of a dead zone for venture investment," he said. "It's one of the least sexy areas to put money into. Now that's grown tremendously"
</p><p>
The pandemic has only accelerated that need, Zhang said, and investors have shifted their attitude about biotech companies focused on diagnostics.
</p><p>
Since March, L.A. biotech companies and labs like <a href="https://dot.la/coronavirus-rapid-test-curative-los-angeles-2645906983.html" target="_self">Curative</a> have pivoted to developing and administering COVID-19 tests. The team's testing technology is now being deployed across the nation. Meanwhile, several companies are now producing <a href="https://dot.la/la-small-business-ecommerce-2649455924.html" target="_self">vaccines</a> and COVID-19 therapeutics as the nation gears up for mass distribution.
</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image">
<a href="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjY3OTM3MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMTI4MjEwMX0.3lEVWrHJp9r5rJpYEhx7sQUk-RHdMhOhdnzevOukAME/img.jpg?width=980" target="_blank"><img type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMjY3OTM3MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY3NDM1NDEwMX0.Ty0bKPHFYY_e-6AwKcQVTsidCEVZpoBxCSDKboXV7iY/img.jpg?width=980" id="fa188" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3b5d1d9c57302ba86f6825ac3c151896" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Headspace app" /></a>
</p><h2>Employers Using Mental Health and Wellness Tech </h2><p>
The anxiety and stress caused by the pandemic has stoked demand for mental and physical wellness apps, including several based in Southern California. Experts see interest continuing into the new year as these wellness companies tap corporate partners to drive growth.
</p><p>
Earlier this year, Headspace, the Santa Monica-based meditation app, began offering free subscriptions to healthcare providers and teachers.
</p><p>
"We've seen explosive growth," said Headspace co-founder and CEO Rich Pierson at dot.LA's Summit in October. "CEOs have realized now that mental health is being discussed in every boardroom. That was not the case pre-COVID."
</p><p>
Calm, Talkspace and BetterHelp are among the handful of tech startups selling meditation classes and more affordable therapy access. And both Calm and Headspace offer a corporate product as employers and insurance companies have worked to make mental health resources more accessible since the pandemic began.
</p><p>
Exercise subscription platforms are also seen a boom. Apple launched its Fitness+ app in December, whose classes are filmed at a Santa Monica studio. As gyms remain closed in many parts of the country, consumers are buying up Pelotons and Mirrors. The craze is expected to continue to grow into the next year with several Southern California companies poised to benefit.
</p><p>
Indoor cycling app Zwift scored a $450 million investment in September. The Long Beach-based company is taking on Peloton building "hardware," presumably stationary bicycles, to go along with its 3-D generated worlds where users can compete from their living room. Another L.A.-based company Presence Fit <a href="https://dot.la/presence-fit-2648121173/particle-2" target="_self">raised $1 million</a> in October for its two-way live interval training classes. And then there's FightCamp, which promises to capture the feeling of a boxing gym in your home.
</p>
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