Patient engagement platform GetWellNetwork announced it has acquired patient-messaging company Docent Health for an undisclosed sum.

As part of the deal, GetWellNetwork will be able to offer Docent Health’s tool as a combined offering with its other services. The messaging service uses artificial intelligence to message patients about their care. Additionally, its platform is able to collect patient data and, in turn, triage patients and find them the right place of care to seek.

Boston-based Docent Health has a bit of funding behind it as well. In 2016 it announced a $15 million funding round led by Bessemer Venture Partners, New Enterprise Associates (NEA) and Maverick Ventures. The startup grew out of the healthcare investment firm Oxeon Holdings.

WHY IT MATTERS

In a blog posting, GetWellHealth’s CEO Michael O’Neil said the merger is expected to boost the company’s offerings in regards to providing more communication methods to patients, helping to bring patients back to their provider network and bringing in more information about patients.

“With GetWellNetwork’s expressed goal of helping patients better engage with their own healthcare journeys, the acquisition and integration of Docent Health’s game-changing technology puts us all a step further along the path to helping patients and healthcare organizations thrive,” O’Neil said.

Docent Health boasts of 1.7 million patient interactions, over 13 clinical programs and more than 90 clinical sites, according to the news release. 

On the workforce side of the acquisition, Docent’s team will join GetWellNetwork, and Docent president Royal Tuthill will come onboard as the General Manager of Docent Health.

THE LARGER TREND

This isn’t GetWellNetwork’s first acquisition. In 2018 the company acquired HealthLoop, a fellow digital engagement platform. At the time, the company said the M&A was to build its engagement platform.

Patient engagement is a big topic in healthcare. In fact, we’ve even seen some of the big tech giant take a closer look at the space. In December, Google Health teamed up with HHS Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ) to pilot and online tool that helps patients create a plan for upcoming doctors' appointments.