Digital health provider HealthHero has entered the French market with its acquisition of Paris-based telehealth startup Qare.

Backed by health tech venture builder Kamet Ventures, the acquisition strengthens HealthHero's telehealth position in Europe and now covers 22 million people, with plans to provide just under three million consultations this year.

WHY IT MATTERS

Qare combines medical expertise with digital innovation and has aimed to improve the quality of health services for patients and practitioners since its launch in 2016.

The company will add to HealthHero's offerings, which include clinical services such as GP support, prescription services, mental health consultations and musculoskeletal specialists.

HealthHero aims to grow its offerings already established with businesses and governments in the UK through Doctorlink, in Germany through Fernarzt, and in Ireland through MyClinic.

The acquisition is part of HealthHero's strategy to expand across Europe, where telehealth is experiencing exponential growth during the pandemic.

Ranjan Singh, HealthHero CEO and co-founder, said: “This is the most significant telehealth acquisition in Europe in recent times, and firmly secures HealthHero’s dominance in the growing telehealth sector, in the largest healthcare market in the world.

"While we now provide 3 million consultations a year - the most any company will have achieved in Europe – with up to 70-80% of all GP consultations across Europe able to be delivered remotely, this is just the beginning of HealthHero’s growth potential. By working with the best in each market, we are aiming to deliver the best patient outcomes across the continent for each and every one of these consultations."

THE LARGER CONTEXT

In December, HealthHero acquired digital triage platform Doctorlink to incorporate its assests which include online triage, urgent care triage, risk assessment tools and video-consultations.

Earlier in 2020, HealthHero closed a deal to acquire German medical consultation platform Fernarzt.

Also widening its portoflio, last year, Qare acquired French digital mental health provider Doctopsy.

ON THE RECORD

Olivier Thierry, CEO of Qare, who will join the senior management group of HealthHero said, "Europe is seeing an explosion of telehealth businesses. We are convinced that tomorrow's healthtech champions will be European. We share with HealthHero a common European vision for quality and innovative care accessible to all, powered by technology."

Stephane Guinet, CEO of Kamet Ventures, said, "We created Qare in order to empower patients by offering them access to a holistic set of personalised medical services that were previously only available in-person. Following its tremendous growth, we are delighted to see it join forces with HealthHero to set the gold standard of what patient-centric telemedicine can look like."