Teladoc Loses $1.5M Contract Amid Intensifying Telehealth Competition; Cardinal Health Completes $1.944B Acquisition of Johnson & Johnson’s Cordis
1、TeladocMissed 150$10,000+ Major OrderThe Competition in Remote Consultations Is Becoming Increasingly Intense
According to The Wall Street Journal, Deutsche Bank analysts revealed that Highmark, Pennsylvania’s largest health insurer, will not renew its contract with Teladoc, meaning Teladoc will lose a major client representing $150 million in revenue.
HighMark will continue to provide Teladoc with some self-insured clients. For the majority of its remaining clients, HighMark will offer American Well and Doctor On Demand as options. Regarding the rationale behind this decision, a HighMark spokesperson stated that it was simply due to contract expiration.
In the field of telemedicine, Teladoc and American Well have been embroiled in a fierce patent dispute, while Doctor On Demand has now entered the market, creating a situation reminiscent of a "Three Kingdoms" rivalry.
2、Investment of 19.44 $100 millionCardinal Health Announces Completion of Acquisition of Johnson & Johnson’s Cordis
On October 9, Cardinal Health announced that it had completed the acquisition of Johnson & Johnson’s Cordis business for $1.944 billion. Cordis is a global leader in cardiovascular and endovascular devices. The acquisition process, which began in March 2015, has now successfully initiated integration efforts with the management team in place globally.
The acquisition of Contis will strengthen Cardinal Health’s product capabilities in physician preference items, including areas such as cardiovascular care, wound management, and orthopedics. The company standardizes medical devices for customers while providing innovative solutions in supply chain management, inventory optimization, and workflow tools and data to support the most effective patient management.
The merged Cardinal Health and Contis will be able to provide high-quality daily necessities, reliable and traceable inventory and logistics, as well as deep analytical capabilities, thereby enhancing the products and services across the entire healthcare continuum. With the emergence of value-based payment models, this multi-layered solution will become increasingly important.
Cardinal Health is a healthcare services company focused on improving the cost-effectiveness of medical care, with total assets amounting to $103 billion.
3. Microsoft Releases Second-Generation BandWristbandHealth Apps Continue to Upgrade
On October 6, Microsoft unveiled the second-generation Microsoft Band at its product launch event. The standout feature is the band’s curved screen. To enhance user experience, Microsoft also rolled out an updated version of the Microsoft Health app.
The update includes monitoring of ultraviolet (UV) radiation, based on enterprise-level monitoring from the second-generation wristband and altitude tracking features. Updates have also been made to sleep assistance functionalities. Two new features—Customized Fitness and Comprehensive Comparison—have been added to the web-based control panel. The former provides an excellent way to create reasonable and comprehensive training plans, while the latter allows users to view fitness regimens of other users with similar characteristics.
The wristband is priced at $249, with pre-orders now being accepted and an expected market launch on October 30.
4. Appointment Registration AppHighly RegardedBeijing’s Grade 3A Hospitals Each Launch Their Own Proprietary Apps
Prior to the holiday, Peking Union Medical College Hospital and China-Japan Friendship Hospital independently launched their respective mobile apps, enabling appointment registration services. Previously, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Guang’anmen Hospital, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, and People’s Hospital had all introduced their own apps, offering services such as appointment scheduling and laboratory result inquiries. Some hospitals have also begun allocating more appointment slots to their self-developed booking platforms.
Compared to using third-party appointment platforms, hospitals launching their own appointment systems not only provide convenience for patients but also serve as an effective promotional platform for the hospitals themselves.
Beijing Children’s Hospital has implemented a “comprehensive appointment-only registration for non-emergency cases” since June 18, meaning that all departments except the Emergency Department require advance appointments. Approximately two-thirds of the daily total appointment slots are available through its mobile app. Similarly, Peking Union Medical College Hospital recently launched its own app, offering around 8,000 appointment slots per day, accounting for approximately 70% of its daily total capacity.
Recently, partnerships have been all the rage across various circles—from Meituan and Dianping to Huang Xiaoming and Angelababy. How could our internet healthcare sector be left out?
5. Shanghai Pharma Partners with DXY
On the eve of National Day, Shanghai Pharmaceuticals announced that it and its pharmaceutical e-commerce subsidiary, SPH Cloud Health, had entered into a Strategic Cooperation Framework Agreement with Guanlan Network (Hangzhou) Co., Ltd. The two parties will establish a comprehensive strategic partnership in the fields of pharmaceutical e-commerce and mobile healthcare, jointly exploring and developing market and business opportunities in the mobile healthcare sector. The agreement is valid for five years.
Under the agreement, both parties will share their respective advantageous resources in medical services, big data, and pharmaceutical supply, including but not limited to the joint strategic layout of offline clinics plus pharmacies, as well as the sharing and integration of relevant medical big data.
Shanghai Pharmaceuticals Cloud Health will become the exclusive pharmaceutical supply partner for DXY Clinic, under DXY (Dingxiang Yuan), providing end-to-end pharmaceutical supply chain management at preferential prices, including drug supply, pharmaceutical care services, and patient medication delivery.
In addition, Shanghai Pharma Cloud Health will provide Dingxiang Doctor Clinic with a drug management information system to fully integrate its electronic prescription data; meanwhile, DXY will provide clinic operation services for Shanghai Pharma Cloud Health’s offline professional pharmacy, the “Yiyao Flagship Store.”
By Wang Yuehan