Thanks to a newly formed partnership, PatientsLikeMe community health network members will have access to at-home diagnostics company LetsGetChecked's offerings and receive discounts on screening tests.

Massachusetts-based PatientsLikeMe is a personalized health network that includes a patient support community, health management and a real-world data platform. It emerged in 2004 as one of the early players in the digital health space. 

Founded in 2015, LetsGetChecked offers at-home tests, including ones for sexual health, diabetes, thyroid, cholesterol and COVID-19.

"Healthcare consumers today are expecting increased engagement and access when it comes to their care services, and testing is no exception. With the partnership between PatientsLikeMe and LetsGetChecked, our members can now expect enhanced capabilities with convenient access to at-home testing solutions, ensuring individuals can receive the care and support they need, when they need it," Chris-Renfo Wallace, chief operating officer of PatientsLikeMe, told MobiHealthNews in an email. 

THE LARGER TREND

In 2017, PatientsLikeMe secured $100 million in funding, mainly from a partnership with health data and genomics company iCarbonX, a business founded by scientist Jun Wang and heavily backed by Chinese mega-conglomerate Tencent.

In 2019, iCarbonX, the Chinese firm holding the majority stake in the company, was ordered by the Treasury Department’s Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to divest its shares due to concerns about foreign investment and influence, forcing PatientsLikeMe to seek a new buyer for its stake in the online network.

In 2019, PatientsLikeMe announced it had signed a deal with UnitedHealth Group to become part of the managed healthcare and insurance company's research branch, which sparked concerns about privacy and data sharing among the public, particularly visible on social media.

Last year, the company announced it received $26 million in funding.

To date, the company has raised $153 million, according to Crunchbase, and in October launched a rare disease study focused on Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency with healthcare technology company SEQSTER. 

LetsGetChecked has also garnered a substantial amount of funding. In September, JP Morgan Chase's healthcare business unit, Morgan Health, announced a $20 million strategic investment in LetsGetChecked.

A year before, the remote diagnostics company closed a $150 million Series D funding round, building on raises in 2018, 2019 and 2020.