Patient engagement platform Relatient is merging with Radix Health, maker of patient access and engagement tools. The announcement coincides with Relatient’s news of a  $100 million growth equity capital from Brighton Park Capital and its affiliates. 

As part of the deal, Radix Health will add Relatient’s patient access tools to its current offerings. Radix Health developed tools that are able to help patients find providers in their area, schedule in-office or virtual visits, collect copays, give appointment reminders, and ping patients when an earlier appointment opens up and register for the visit. 

During the visit, the tech was designed to help with check-ins and patient-reported outcomes. After the visit, the tool is able to send a patient satisfaction survey and gather longitudinal clinical data. 

Meanwhile, Relatient has also been working in the patient engagement space. The company provides appointment reminders and e-registration. The company also developed two-way broadcast messaging, a function to launch health campaigns and self-scheduling tools. 

“Radix Health has built an innovative product and strong customer base, far beyond what else we have seen in the market for patient access and schedule optimization,” said Michele Perry, CEO of Relatient. “Together, we have a robust platform solution for a market looking to move beyond first-generation patient communication systems to drive greater value through interactions and ease of access to healthcare.”

WHY IT MATTERS 

This represents yet another M&A in the digital health world. In 2020, MobiHealthNews reported on a whopping 64 digital health M&As. 

That trend is holding strong in 2021. In fact, Rock Health recently reported that in the first half of 2021 there were 131 digital health M&A deals with an average of 22 deals each month. The Rock Health report said 2021 is “on pace to set a 1.8x year-over-year increase in M&A deals relative to 2020.” 

THE LARGER TREND 

Radix Health made headlines recently when it launched a new product aimed at helping physician practices and hospitals bolster communication and scheduling as they roll out the COVID-19 vaccines at multiple locations. 

In general, patient engagement initiatives are becoming more digital in recent years. In fact, in 2020 Google teamed up with the HHS Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to pilot an online tool that helps patients build a visit plan for their upcoming healthcare visit. 

Notable names in health including the Cleveland Clinic and the National Institute on Aging have developed tools to help patients prepare for visits.