Sunday, April 11, 2010

Health 2.0 business models

Health 2.0 is about re-envisioning every aspect of health and health care. New business models are starting to develop to support this innovation ecology. First, accompanying the new paradigm of community research (peer cohort studies à la Patients Like Me (lithium) and DIYgenomics (MTHFR mutation/Vitamin B-12 deficiency), could be social venture finance, corporate sponsorship from supplement companies and other remedy vendors, crowdsourced finance (i.e.; Kickstarter), and philanthropist contributions. Second, the traditional venture capital model is already being applied to health 2.o startup companies, including through organizations such as the Health 2.0 Accelerator. Third, whole new industries may sprout from the nascent efforts of health advisors and wellness coaches. The health advisor is the analog to the financial advisor or mortgage broker, able to integrate a client's health data streams, needs, and interests with available offerings, across a spectrum of economic models: insurance reimbursable, HSA dollars, and direct out-of-pocket spending.

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