GetWellNetwork, a digital patient engagement platform, acquired patient-messaging app Docent Health for an undisclosed sum.
The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
The Boston-based Docent Health is backed by $15 million funding. Backers include Bessemer Venture Partners, New Enterprise Associates (NEA), and Maverick Ventures.
Venture-backed Docent Health offers a real-time text messaging app. The app lets healthcare providers triage patients and guide them to the next steps in their care.
Docent Health leverages real-time text messaging to improve patient outcomes by guiding patients to the “next best step” in their care across episodes. According to the company, the app helps during critical times when patients often do not know what additional services they need or are at risk of seeking care outside of their home network.
As part of the acquisition, Royal Tuthill, co-founder and president of Docent Health, will become GetWellNetwork’s general manager for Docent Health and lead product and commercial strategy.
“The combination of GetWellNetwork and Docent Health – two mission-driven, innovative companies – offers health systems a human-centered, end-to-end solution solving one of the biggest challenges in healthcare today: fragmentation of services and relationships,” said Tuthill.
“Our ability to engage populations at-scale with personalized support, across all points of care, ensures we will be able to further the mission and business results of our partners while continuing to drive meaningful outcomes for communities most in need.”
A total of 184 digital health companies were acquired in 2020, compared to 169 in 2019, a 9% increase in M&A activity year-over-year.
To date, GetWellNetwork has acquired four digital health companies, including HealthLoop, provider of a cloud-based interactive patient engagement platform that enables care teams to engage patients before and after admission through automated, daily check-ins.
