Press Release  HPC PARTNERS WITH MASSCHALLENGE HEALTHTECH TO SUPPORT DIGITAL HEALTH STARTUPS

BOSTON — Monday, September 10, 2018 – Today, the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission (HPC) announced its partnership with MassChallenge HealthTech (MCHT) to promote community-based provider access to the digital health “ecosystem” by identifying digital health startups that address challenge areas of high priority, including social determinants of health and avoidable emergency department (ED) use. The HPC and MCHT will support these startups by providing direct resources to implement solutions at community-based provider systems in which the HPC invests through its SHIFT-Care program, and by co-authoring resource guides to promote linkages between digital health startups and community-based providers. Digital health startups interested in applying for the MCHT 2019 cohort can apply here.

The HPC will leverage digital health startups around five challenge areas, which align with HPC policy and investment priorities. They include:

• Enabling health care providers and patients to prevent avoidable ED visits;
• Enabling employers and employees to prevent avoidable emergency department visits;
• Enabling health care providers and patients to prevent avoidable hospital readmissions;
• Enabling health care providers and patients to address health-related social needs; and
• Enabling providers and patients to enhance timely access to behavioral health care.

Through this collaboration, the HPC will align with the Governor’s Digital Health Initiative and support the mission and goals of the Digital Health Council. Additionally, the HPC will inform the strategy and direction of health care innovation and entrepreneurship by representing state government on the MCHT Steering Committee.

 “Digital health plays a vital role in helping solve the important health care challenges the Commonwealth is facing,” said David Seltz, HPC Executive Director. “This new partnership with MassChallenge HealthTech will allow us to support startups and test their innovations in community provider systems, particularly supporting the HPC’s goal of improving care delivery and care coordination, and reducing avoidable ED use. We are excited to be launching these partnerships, and continuing our work to lower health care costs across the Commonwealth.”

Previously known as PULSE@MassChallenge, MassChallenge HealthTech was founded in 2016, and is the Commonwealth’s official digital health hub. MCHT was designed on the pillars of the Massachusetts Digital Health Initiative, a private-public partnership with the goal of making Massachusetts a leading digital health hub nationally and globally. MCHT aligns its program with recommendations from the Massachusetts Digital Health Council. To date, more than 40 partners have engaged with MCHT and 63 startups have participated in MCHT, resulting in more than $4.5 million generated in revenue and $18.8 million generated in funding during the program.

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The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission (HPC), established in 2012, is an independent state agency charged with monitoring health care spending growth in Massachusetts and providing data-driven policy recommendations regarding health care delivery and payment system reform.

Visit us at Mass.gov/HPC. Tweet us @Mass_HPC.

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