Kyruus announced this week it will purchase patient engagement company Epion Health for an undisclosed sum, marking the provider search and scheduling firm's second acquisition.

Kyruus offers tools for patients to help them find providers and schedule appointments, as well as a platform for health systems to match and maintain information about their providers. Epion's services include online check-in, a telehealth platform and tools for connecting with patients, such as reminders to schedule preventive care or explaining pre-surgery instructions.

The companies said the combined entity will work with more than 500 health systems and medical groups. 

"Epion Health is a trusted partner to hundreds of health systems and medical practices," Kyruus CEO and founder Dr. Graham Gardner said in a statement. "By bringing our solutions together, we are uniquely positioned to deliver an end-to-end offering that makes it easy for patients to find and schedule care, complete pre-visit tasks, and meaningfully engage with their providers regardless of where they begin their search."

THE LARGER TREND

In late 2020, Kyruus announced plans to acquire patient navigation and price transparency company HealthSparq from Cambia Health Solutions. That deal closed in spring 2021. 

Kyruus announced it had raised $30 million in funding in June 2020, not long after a $42 million Series D round of funding. According to Crunchbase, Epion has a total funding pot of more than $10 million. 

There are a number of competitors in the patient engagement and communication space. UpFront recently announced a $10.5 million Series C round of funding, not long after the company announced it had acquired fellow engagement company PatientBond. 

Luma Health, which offers scheduling, messaging and provider referral tools, announced a $130 million Series C round in November last year, boosting its total raise to $160 million. 

ON THE RECORD

"This is a win for our customers who will now have a broader offering of solutions for their patients, including scheduling, while receiving the same high level of care and service Epion has provided over the years," Joe Blewitt, Epion's CEO, said in a statement. "The powerful combination of our platforms will make connecting with patients easier for providers and healthcare organizations of all sizes, in all markets, driving engagement in high-quality care that is convenient, accessible and efficient."