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platform

portal

Platform Terminology Explains Why Today’s Patient Portals CAN NOT Work

This entry is part 1 of 4 in the series Patient Portal #FAIL

“…the patient portal, as currently architected, is a complete dead-end.”

John Moore, Founder and Managing Partner, Chilmark Research

Patient portals have tremendous potential — but that potential has not been realized and *CAN NOT* be realized as portals are currently configured.

An understanding of platform business models and strategy explains why today’s patient portals are inherently suboptimal.

This essay is the first in an occasional series that will look at patient portals through the lenses of platform business models and strategy. Today’s post will introduce and explain platform terminology of multihoming and single homing. Future posts will look more deeply into “why” current patient portals can’t work and will propose options for portals that could work for patients.

Briefly Characterizing Today’s Patient Portals

platform envelopment

Amazon is Uniquely Positioned to Deploy Platform Envelopment Strategies in Healthcare: 7 Leverage Points (Part II)

This entry is part 2 of 2 in the series Amazon Platform Envelopment Strategies

In Part I of this series, we defined platform “envelopment” strategies. In short, platform companies can leverage an existing user base and existing capabilities into new markets. We then documented seven of Amazon’s leverage points in potentially deploying envelopment strategies in healthcare:

  1. A Huge User Base
  2. A Loyal User Base
  3. Provision of Hybrid Clinical Care
  4. Deep Pockets
  5. A National and International Footprint
  6. One-Stop-Shopping for Employers?
  7. Digital Front Door for Healthcare?

In Part II of this series, we take these seven leverage points and compare Amazon’s ability to deploy envelopment strategies with companies in five other sectors of healthcare:

  • Virtual care platforms
  • Other Big Tech
  • Retail Pharmacy
  • Other Big Retail
  • Regional health systems

As we noted in Part I, “envelopment” originally refers to a military flanking maneuver — an attack to the side or rear that avoids the enemy’s frontal strengths. Our intent is to illustrate the power of platform envelopment strategies and to specify some of Amazon’s potent options. We’re not forecasting Amazon’s success, and we’re not suggesting competitors are defenseless — they have many other strategic options.

Amazon’s Leverage Points to Deploy Envelopment Strategies: A Comparison

The graphic below summarizes our perspectives of Amazon’s leverage points and how these leverage points line up against major competitors. We set a 5 year time horizon.

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Amazon is Uniquely Positioned to Deploy Platform Envelopment Strategies in Healthcare: 7 Leverage Points (Part I)

This entry is part 1 of 2 in the series Amazon Platform Envelopment Strategies

by Vince Kuraitis, JD/MBA and Randy Williams, MD

Last week Amazon announced that “Amazon Care’s virtual health services are now available nationwide—and in-person services will be rolled out in more than 20 new cities this year.” We observe Amazon methodically developing services initially for its own employees and other employers, and potentially positioning itself to serve mass consumer markets.

How is Amazon doing this? Platform “envelopment” is one of the most powerful tactics in the platform strategy playbook. In Part I of this series, we define the term, briefly describe Amazon’s expansion into healthcare, and describe seven of Amazon’s leverage points for employing envelopment strategies. In Part II, we’ll compare Amazon’s ability to leverage these envelopment strategies with companies in five other healthcare sectors.

We’re not privy to Amazon’s long-term healthcare strategy. We want to be clear that what we’re describing is our view of Amazon potential, based on our understanding of what we read and hear.

What is Platform “Envelopment”

The term “envelopment” derives from military strategy. It’s a flanking maneuver — an attack to the side or rear that avoids the enemy’s frontal strengths.

The term “platform envelopment” describes how one digital platform attacks an adjacent market. In plain English, platform companies can leverage an existing user base and existing capabilities into new markets.

Podcast Series: Toward a Platform Future

Gist Healthcare Podcast: Toward a Platform Future

Randy Williams, MD and I were interviewed about platform business models and strategy by Alexandra Olvin of Gist Healthcare. This is the first podcast in a four-part series: “Toward a Platform Future.”

We discuss the growing popularity of platform business model in healthcare, and what it might mean for the industry:

  • “Platform thinking” for healthcare
  • Defining a platform
  • Companies best positioned for platform business models
  • Threats and opportunities for incumbent health systems
  • The rise of virtual care platforms

Available on Apple, Spotify and Gist’s website.

Platforming virtual mental healthcare

Platforming Mental Healthcare: Investors Create New “Mental Models”

by Randy Williams, MD and Vince Kuraitis, JD

One sector at this year’s JP Morgan Health Care Private Equity Conference caught our attention: the virtual mental health market. Six months ago, market leader Headspace Health announced a $6 billion merger with Ginger to create perhaps the largest mental health platform business to date. Headspace announced yet another acquisition, this time with the Y Combinator incubated start up, Sayana. The combined companies support the mental health and wellness needs of over 100 million individuals.

Many others are joining the investment opportunity of tech enabled mental health. This past year alone, investors poured $5.5 billion into the space, up over 130% from 2020 according to CB Insights.

“Mental Models” Shape Our Thinking

The Headspace/Sayana merger announcement has us thinking…is it time for a broader “mental” model reset in healthcare? (Pun definitely intended).

As in any industry, healthcare leaders use mental models to frame their thinking about the current state and how to envision tomorrow. Mental models are useful tools that help us understand and act within complex systems. They not only shape what we think and how we understand but they shape the connections and opportunities that we see.

JAMIA study

JAMIA Study Reports 22-68% Interoperability Across EHR Platforms: 7 Implications

by Vince Kuraitis, JD and Ian McNicoll, MD

A recent study of EHR interoperability found that 68% of data was “understood” when exchanged across different sites using the same vendor, but only 22% was “understood” when exchanged across different EHR vendors.

The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA). In this post, we will:

  • Summarize the JAMIA study and its findings
  • Interpret the findings
  • Discuss possible solutions
  • Describe seven implications

While we mostly agree on the study’s findings, we’ll offer some nuanced interpretations. Vince is a U.S. based healthcare consultant focusing on platform strategy and business models. Ian brings a European perspective – he is a former Scottish GP turned medical informatics expert.

Teladoc Investor Day 2021

Six Takeaways From Teladoc’s Investor Day Presentations

What if you tried to impress investors through a series of presentations by company execs — and your stock tanked by nearly 15% over the next two days? That’s what happened to virtual care platform (VCP) company Teladoc last week. I’ll share six takeaways from Teladoc’s investor day presentations:

  1. Teladoc’s Vision as a Virtual Care Platform is Broad — VERY Broad
  2. “Whole-Person” Care Takes Center Stage
  3. Teladoc is Walking a Tightrope: Trying to Be Complementary vs. Competitive With Customers
  4. What Wasn’t Discussed — Uncertainties of “The Telemedicine Cliff”
  5. What Wasn’t Discussed — An App Store for the Teladoc Platform?
  6. Investors Weren’t Pleased

Here’s a link to Teladoc’s 121 slide deck presented to investors. My POV here is that of a strategic advisor with over 30 years diverse healthcare experience across 150+ companies — with a unique focus on platform strategy and business models.

Let’s take a look at each of the six points.

image

Will Virtual Care Platforms (VCPs) Become Healthcare’s Mega-Platforms?

by Vince Kuraitis and Seth Joseph

Let’s start with a pop quiz. Take 15 seconds to look at the list below, asking yourself the question “What do all these have in common?”

address booksvideo cameraspagerswristwatchesmapsbookstravelgamesflashlightshome telephonescash registersMP3 playersDay timers

alarm clocksanswering machinesThe Yellow Pageswalletskeystransistor radiospersonal digital assistantsdashboard navigation systemsnewspapers and magazinesdirectory assistancetravel and insurance agentsrestaurant guidespocket calculators

The commonality is that all of these were disrupted by smartphones and their operating system (OS) platforms — Google Android and Apple iOS.

Let’s […]

HBS-Boston-600x300

The Second Annual Healthcare Blockchain Summit, Boston, June 11-12

Click here for more info. Use discount code 68 to receive $100 off.

Hope to see you there!

Vince

Healthcare’s Transformation into the “Pinnacle” Platform Industry

A “Platform Revolution” is sweeping America. Platforms like Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, and Airbnb are turning existing industries inside-out and creating new landscapes never yet dreamed of.

…but healthcare hasn’t been affected much…yet. Below, I’ll briefly explain:

Why healthcare has been slow to adopt platforms
What’s changing
Why in the long-run healthcare promises to become the pinnacle platform industry.

Read the rest of this story on Tincture…