Enabling Healthy Decisions

I’m always thinking about different ways to blend companies through acquisitions or partnerships.  The announcement by NantHealth the other day at HIMSS got me thinking more about it.  They are an interesting company from what I can tell although I don’t know anyone there.  

I’ve talked about Google and all their health assets although they’re not actively trying to integrate them.  I also think that there are some investment firms like Sandbox Industries that have their fingers in lots of interesting healthcare companies.  

So, what would some other interesting opportunities (M&A, partnership, JV) be (ignoring size, valuation, ownership, and likelihood):

• Eviti and Best Doctors (expanded Oncology footprint) and then perhaps a pharma or specialty PBM
• Ceridian and Ginger.io and Cogito (behavioral health) and then perhaps a outsourced call center company
• Silverlink (or Eliza or Angel) and Voxiva and then AT&T (multi-channel communications)
• Geisinger and Premier and Lumeris (ala Evolent)
• Change Healthcare and RedBrick Health (cost prevention and behavior change)
• HealthMedia and Health Dialog (digital and traditional coaching)
• FICO and IMS (big data)
• Jiff and Keas and Mango Health and then Qualcomm (mobile engagement)
• Cardiocom and Teladoc and Accolade (ER prevention and readmissions)
• MDLive and Telcare and Health Advocate (virtual conceirge)
• Cerner and Allscripts and Phytel (MD solutions) and then a large PBM
• Labcorp and Theranos and then Walgreens (personal health centers)
• Donald Trump and The Villages and Quintiles (health communities)
• Surescripts and Medivo (connectivity)
• Castlight and SoloHealth (digital and physical engagement)
• Quantum Health and Optum (midmarket play)

Of course, I’ve talked about different PBM plays recently, and I think healthcare has become such a front page issue that companies like McKesson, GE, AT&T, Emdeon, Cisco, Apple, and others are waiting to figure out how and when to buy up some technology plays.  I could easily see McKesson jumping in to buy several of the adherence companies that I highlighted a few weeks ago like Proteus.  And, I’m sure there’s more from this list of fastest growing healthcare companies that will get snapped up or create some interesting partnerships.  

I also believe that health reform will drive some consolidation on the provider and payer side.  A friend on Wall Street predicted we’d get to 6 national health insurers.  I still think that’s possible – United, Aetna/Cigna, Wellpoint/BCBS, Kaiser, Humana, and ??