How to Spend the Windfall? Six mHealth Stars Prioritize Enhancing User Experience

The year 2015, which has just passed, was a landmark year for mobile health companies dedicated to enhancing user experience. According to Startup Health’s annual review report, there were a total of 111 financing transactions in the digital health sector in 2015. The highest transaction amount reached $130 million, with an average exceeding $12 million.



The following five companies are all impressive corporate winners:

Practo, an Indian company, provides healthcare appointment scheduling services. In August, it secured a $90 million Series C funding round to support its physician scheduling and clinical management operations. The round was led by Tencent, with participation from Sofina, Google Capital, Sequoia Capital India, Altimeter Capital, Matrix Partners China, Sequoia Global Capital, and Yuri Milner.

Practo stated that it plans to use the funding to expand its market presence from 35 to 65 cities. Additionally, the company has integrated Uber functionality this year. This financing will enable users in India, the Philippines, Singapore, and Indonesia to view nearby Uber vehicles in real time when booking appointments or receiving medical reminders through the app. The application will display the estimated cost and travel time for Uber rides, along with the precise destination.

Omada HealthThis approach has garnered significant attention, particularly given its priority in clinical validation. In 2015, the company secured $48 million in Series C funding to support its platform, which enables web- and mobile-based management and provides consultation services aligned with the CMS-run National Diabetes Prevention Program and guidelines for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes. New investors joined in 2015, including Norwest Venture Partners, GE Ventures, and dRX Capital. This year, the company plans to introduce new features in its application to monitor patients’ cardiovascular disease risk and continue providing medical solutions for patients.

ZocDocIt secured the largest funding round in 2015, amounting to $130 million. Future plans include expanding its appointment scheduling capabilities and focusing on improving patient experience. Currently, making appointments easier is gradually becoming a reality in the United States and BRICS nations such as India and China, with mobile health tools already adopted by many consumers and physicians. ZocDoc has recognized the need to add more services to attract additional customers and differentiate itself from competitors. Notably, ZocDoc is poised to become the next company in the digital health sector to go public via an IPO.

Doctor on DemandThis year, the company has continuously adjusted its telemedicine business and its partnerships with retailers Wegmans and CVS. It secured $50 million in financing this year and plans to allocate a portion of the funds to expand non-clinical operations, including technology, operations, and marketing. CEO Adam Jackson stated that the company will also focus on expanding its chronic disease management services and has already identified several medical device manufacturers specializing in otoscopes, wireless thermometers, blood glucose meters, and blood pressure monitors as promising partners.

PagerIt is an emerging primary care services company (operating under the model known as Concierge Care, or Direct Primary Care, where physicians contract directly with patients rather than through insurance companies), dedicated to introducing new healthcare service concepts to patients and ultimately enhancing user experience. The business secured $10 million in funding in early 2015. It also addresses the biggest challenge in current Concierge Care services—namely, how to promote and establish services on a national scale—by partnering with Evolution Health.



Medical MemoryA feature designed for specialists has been developed to digitally record the entire consultation process, enabling patients to review all aspects of their care, including MRI scans, X-ray images, and other relevant information. This platform aims to help patients share these interactive data and insights with their families. The company is a prominent representative in this field, providing a reference tool that captures the full clinical encounter to empower patients in making critical healthcare decisions, formulating new questions, and identifying next steps for treatment. This year, the company secured $2.1 million in funding to support product development and nationwide sales promotion in China.

Compiled by: Li Ying

Editor: Zhang Nan