In many schools across the United States, chronic absenteeism is a critical barrier to education. This is particularly true for schools with Title I status. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, a staggering one-third of students in such schools were chronically absent—a situation that failed to improve even as the pandemic waned in 2023. At the heart of this issue was a glaring lack of accessible healthcare solutions, which contributed to significant academic disruption and increased health-related burdens on families. 

Before the introduction of telehealth programs, schools struggled not only with high rates of absenteeism, but also with integrating effective healthcare solutions that did not interrupt educational delivery. The traditional model of school-based healthcare failed to meet the needs of students and educators alike, causing health issues to become educational impediments. 

Dr. John Jenkins, Executive Medical Director of School-Based Care at Cone Health, spearheaded a transformative approach to tackle these persistent challenges. Cone Health introduced the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model, which serves as a healthcare initiative and a strategic educational partnership. 

The program was designed with the intention to ensure equitable access to healthcare. It is aimed at returning students to the classroom by addressing and reducing the impact of illness. Here’s a closer look at the strategic partnerships essential to the program’s success: 

This innovative program at Cone Health has set a benchmark for integrating telehealth into school settings, demonstrating significant improvements in student attendance and health outcomes. To learn more about creating successful school health programs through intentional design and strategic partnerships, watch the full School Health Virtual Summit on TytoCare’s webinar platform. 

In February 2024, we hosted our annual School Health Virtual Summit. The speakers, thought leaders in school telehealth, covered a range of topics which focused on improving care in schools by leveraging virtual care and integrating it into existing school health programs. This blog post is a summary of the talk given by Sheila Freed, Director of School Health at Avel eCare.  

Across the US, the challenge of providing comprehensive health services in schools remains substantial, particularly in rural areas. A mere 40% of schools can afford the luxury of a full-time nurse, and 25% have no nurse at all. This gap in school health care delivery presents a critical issue that Avel eCare aims to address using telemedicine technology. 

Sheila Freed, whose journey at Avel eCare attests to the power of telehealth in overcoming the barriers of traditional school health services, runs Avel eCare’s School Health programs. In light of the dual challenges of nurse scarcity and geographical vastness, Freed’s work showcases how telemedicine can be seamlessly integrated into the school environment to enhance student health outcomes. 

At Avel eCare, Freed has led initiatives to bring virtual care to schools, transforming how health services are delivered. By adopting TytoCare’s telehealth solutions, Avel eCare has been able to extend school-based care’s reach beyond physical constraints, ensuring students can access care regardless of their school’s location or resources. This approach not only mitigates nurse shortages, but it also ensures that school care is accessible and efficient. 

TytoCare’s Pro Smart Clinic has been pivotal in this transformation. This solution, placed in schools, enables staff to conduct clinical-quality physical exams remotely under healthcare professionals’ guidance. This has drastically reduced the need for emergency room visits for non-critical issues and ensured students receive timely medical attention. 

Avel eCare’s endeavor illustrates the power of telemedicine as a solution to long-standing challenges in school health services. This initiative has shown that with the right technology and vision, every student can get the care they need, when they need it. 

As we share Sheila Freed and Avel eCare’s journey, we invite healthcare providers, educational administrators, and policymakers to explore the benefits of telemedicine in schools. We encourage you to watch the full School Health Virtual Care Summit to learn more about Avel eCare’s innovative approach to school health services. 

By embracing telehealth solutions like those provided by Avel eCare and TytoCare, schools throughout the country can overcome the hurdle of inadequate health services and provide a healthier future for all children.

Read up on the top trends that will reshape telehealth in the year ahead, according to Dedi Gilad, co-founder and CEO of TytoCare.

In recent years, the healthcare industry has witnessed a transformative shift towards patient-centric care, significantly accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This shift has been marked by the rapid adoption of connected medical technologies, leading to the rise of remote healthcare solutions and virtual care models. These advancements have not only enhanced patient outcomes and experiences, they have also improved workforce satisfaction across the healthcare sector.

In this evolving landscape, IDC’s recognition of innovators in digital health highlights companies that are at the forefront of this transformation. These innovators are acknowledged for their contributions to patient-centric healthcare delivery models and decentralized clinical trials, leveraging cutting-edge technologies like IoT, AI, and mobile platforms.

Among the innovators recognized by IDC, TytoCare stands out for its exceptional virtual care solutions. TytoCare’s innovative approach in leveraging connected medical-grade devices has revolutionized the way remote examinations and diagnostics are conducted. This has been particularly impactful in primary care, offering significant benefits to healthcare providers and payers.

IDC have stated that TytoCare’s focus on patient engagement is what really sets it apart. The Tyto Engagement Labs™️ are a testament to the company’s commitment to improving care experiences and ensuring the success of virtual care initiatives. These services have led to notable improvements in primary care uptake and reductions in acute care utilization and costs.

TytoCare’s selection as an IDC Innovator is a recognition of its pioneering role in transforming healthcare delivery. By seamlessly integrating technology with patient care, TytoCare is not just shaping the future of healthcare – it is ensuring that this future is more accessible, efficient, and patient-centric. For the full report, click here. You can also read IDC’s take on the report over on their blog. 

As summer camp season comes to an end, a new partnership with a meaningful impact has been formed. Kesem, a remarkable non-profit that provides support to children impacted by a parent’s cancer diagnosis, has partnered with TytoCare, a leading telehealth technology company, to address a critical issue: the shortage of medical professionals to serve remote and underserved campsites. TytoCare has donated 20 devices and services to the organization’s flagship program Camp Kesem, to increase access to quality primary care, expand the medical professional volunteer base, and prevent avoidable and costly urgent and emergency room visits for families at camp. Camp Kesem is a beneficiary of this year’s “TytoCareS” program. 

Medical professional shortages have been a longstanding challenge in the industry. Student leaders who recruit and organize volunteers for Camp Kesem have shared that this shortage becomes particularly pronounced at camp, where access to a medically trained volunteer base is limited. As the scale of Camp Kesem has grown, so has the need for multiple on-site nurses to serve participants’ needs. 

To address this need, TytoCare has donated 20 devices to Camp Kesem to enable telehealth and remote physical exam services at remote campsites. Each TytoCare handheld device contains a high-definition camera and various examination tools. Equipped with a TytoCare device, on-site staff can perform basic medical assessments on campers and counselors. This information is then transmitted to remote healthcare professionals volunteers who can provide diagnoses, treatment recommendations, and peace of mind to both campers and their families. 

The integration of TytoCare technology enhances Camp Kesem’s ability to deliver timely and appropriate medical attention to campers, enables a flexible, remote staffing model to more efficiently serve camps across the country. This care model enables medical volunteers to provide care from the comfort of their home and support camp populations through a shift-based approach. 

“We could not be more thrilled about the partnership with Kesem and Tytocare,” said Alexandra Baldwin, VP of Operations at Kesem. “The gift of their services allows our campers and staff to access expert support without ever having to leave camp. We are so grateful for the opportunity it brings and the relief families will feel knowing medical care is so accessible, even in a remote environment. This partnership symbolizes the unity of compassionate care and transformative experiences through innovation and technology, and Kesem is honored to be a part of that.”

This August, the initial pilot program targeted Kesem camp sites facing challenges with staffing medical professionals, and access to wifi. Kesem will leverage medical professional volunteers in their network to staff the incoming virtual visits. Lessons learned from the initial launch will inform next year’s programming. 

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with an organization like Kesem,” said Dedi Gilad, CEO and co-founder of TytoCare. “They are making a massive difference to children who are going through incredibly hard times, and we’re proud to be able to help facilitate and shine a light on their activities. TytoCare was founded 12 years ago with the aim to bring better healthcare to everyone – no matter where they are or what their circumstances are – and our TytoCareS program allows us to go above and beyond the programs that our partners run around the world and do just that.”

The partnership between Kesem and TytoCare shines a light on the transformative potential of technology in healthcare. By addressing medical professional shortages and providing access to timely medical care, this collaboration showcases the power of combining empathy with innovation. As we look to the future, partnerships like these remind us that technology has the potential to bridge gaps, transform lives, and provide a brighter future for those who need it the most.

About Kesem:

Kesem is the leading national nonprofit supporting children facing a parent’s cancer. Founded in 2000, Kesem’s community consists of more than 4,000 volunteer college student leaders at over 120 college chapters across the country, providing year-round programs and services for these children ages 6-18 at no cost to families. Its flagship program, Camp Kesem, is a week-long, sleep-away summer camp. Kesem also provides a continuum of touchpoints for campers and their families. Kesem is funded entirely by generous donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations. For more information, visit kesem.org, Facebook.com/CampKesem, and @CampKesem on Twitter & Instagram.

The TytoCare team was thrilled to join the Fierce Healthcare Payer Summit in Austin, Texas, at the beginning of November. The event brought together thought leaders and executives in the healthcare sector and was a great opportunity to meet new leaders in the field and catch up with existing partners and friends. Elizabeth Hyatt, Director of Payer Solutions at TytoCare, delivered an insightful talk on the Return on Investment (ROI) in Virtual Care. Her presentation provided a deep dive into the current state of the healthcare industry, especially in the wake of the pandemic, and the critical role of ROI in shaping future investments in virtual healthcare.

Hyatt began by painting a picture of the healthcare landscape, acknowledging both the challenges and opportunities that have emerged post-pandemic. She highlighted the increased strain on the industry due to rising labor costs, layoffs, and market consolidation, which have led to increased medical costs. In particular, she noted the projection of a significant rise in medical expenditures for employers by 2024, with the usual rise of 5% being swamped by a projected rise of 9-10%.

Despite these challenges, Hyatt pointed out the growing opportunities for virtual care. A McKinsey & Co study concluded that approximately 50 million U.S. visits could potentially transition to virtual settings. The pandemic has also fostered greater consumer trust and education in virtual care, alongside more favorable regulations and reimbursement policies. Pre-COVID, only nine states in the U.S. had payment parity for virtual care services. Now, 21 states have adopted this, which is a positive sign for provider adoption and motivation. The positive, but also challenging, growth in virtual care services has led to nearly 13,000 companies in the U.S. alone with virtual care offerings. This saturation makes it imperative for healthcare payers and providers to focus on ROI when evaluating virtual care solutions.

Hyatt emphasized that understanding and calculating ROI is crucial for strategic decision-making in healthcare investments. She outlined TytoCare’s approach, which involves assessing the value a virtual care solution brings to an organization in five key areas: reducing total cost of care, improving member and provider experience, increasing access to care, improving clinical outcomes, and considering staff and operational costs.

Hyatt shared TytoCare’s methodology for evaluating ROI, which includes understanding the goals of a virtual care program, identifying target cohorts, leveraging outcomes data, designing the program, and measuring outcomes. This comprehensive approach ensures that the value brought by a virtual care solution outweighs its costs.

Elizabeth Hyatt’s presentation at the Fierce Healthcare Payer Summit provided valuable insights into the importance of ROI in the evolving landscape of virtual healthcare. Her analysis of the current challenges and opportunities in the industry, along with TytoCare’s structured approach to evaluating virtual care solutions, offered a roadmap for healthcare payers and providers looking to navigate this complex and rapidly changing field.

Access to high-quality healthcare is a daunting challenge in rural areas due to geographic constraints, limited resources, and social determinants of health. Moreover, while 20% of Americans live in rural areas, fewer than 10% of America’s physicians practice in these areas.

Sanford Health, the largest rural healthcare system in the US, recognized this critical issue and embarked on a mission to improve healthcare access for its rural members. Through a strategic partnership with TytoCare, Sanford Health has revolutionized healthcare delivery in rural communities, bringing high-quality virtual care to patients’ doorsteps. 

Sanford Health encompasses an extensive network of medical centers, clinics, health plan members, and healthcare professionals. Each year, Sanford Health serves millions of patients, offering outpatient visits, surgeries, and emergency care. Sanford Health’s steadfast commitment to enhancing rural healthcare access has propelled the health system to seek innovative solutions to reach underserved communities.

Rural Americans often face significant healthcare disparities. Limited access to medical facilities, combined with the need to travel long distances for healthcare, results in delayed treatments and poorer health outcomes. The dwindling number of clinicians who practice medicine in rural areas further exacerbates the problem, creating healthcare deserts across the country.

As Bill Gassen, Sanford Health’s CEO and President, explained, “While the issues that Sanford Health is facing are not unique to rural healthcare, they are more pronounced in rural communities. The top challenges that we see, day in and day out, are around sustainability, health equity, and access.”

Sanford Health set out to address these challenges by identifying key objectives for its virtual care solution:

A Convenient and High-Quality Healthcare Experience 

Sanford Health aims to provide a seamless, convenient, and high-quality healthcare experience for both patients and providers.

Overcoming Infrastructure Limitations 

Recognizing the unique challenges posed by rural infrastructure, Sanford Health sought a solution that could operate effectively despite these limitations.

Broad Geographical Coverage

Sanford Health is committed to extending healthcare access to rural areas, regardless of zip code.

Enhanced Diagnostic Capabilities

The health system sought to empower its clinicians to perform data-driven and robust physical exams for virtual care patients, enabling primary and specialist care without the need for extensive travel.

Sanford Health’s partnership with TytoCare proved to be a game-changer. By integrating TytoCare’s innovative technology into its virtual care offering, Sanford Health has expanded its reach into rural communities. Sanford Health implemented a hub-and-spoke model, with TytoCare devices deployed across over 80 rural clinics and critical access hospitals in multiple states. 

This setup allowed patients to connect remotely with healthcare providers, who could then perform live remote physical exams using TytoCare’s technology. The results were shared in real-time, enabling more accurate diagnoses and specialized care without difficult travel to urban centers.

Working with TytoCare has yielded remarkable results for Sanford Health. TytoCare facilitated the standardization of remote care equipment for the health system. Sanford Health ensured that every supported location had access to TytoCare devices, enhancing the capabilities of virtual clinicians and improving access to primary and specialist care.

With approximately 180 TytoCare devices in clinics, Sanford Health has conducted around 65,000 remote visits, saving an astonishing 25.3 million miles in patient travel. This translates into 1-3 hours of saved travel time each way, offering convenience without compromising on quality of care.

The collaboration with TytoCare has not only allowed Sanford Health to meet its program objectives, it has exceeded them. Patients who once faced the challenge of traveling for hours to receive care can now connect with clinicians in real-time, enabling comprehensive exams without leaving their communities. Specialty care has become more accessible, providing patients with second opinions and consultations with specialists without the need to travel to distant centers. 

This partnership has empowered patients to seek medical care when necessary, while providers can make informed diagnoses and treatment decisions. Bill Gassen reiterated that using the right virtual tools has the potential to elevate the care experience, strengthening the connection between patients and providers and increasing the potential to improve health outcomes. These solutions can better ensure health continuity across different care settings with greater convenience and affordability. 

Sanford Health’s partnership with TytoCare has not only improved access to care for rural Americans; it has set a precedent for the future of healthcare delivery. With innovative technology, dedicated professionals, and strategic planning, Sanford Health has successfully bridged the healthcare access gap in rural America. 

As Sanford Health continues to invest in virtual care, the future holds the promise of convenient, high-quality healthcare for all, right in the places we call home. Sanford Health remains steadfast in its mission to be Here for All and Here for Good, ensuring that healthcare disparities in rural America become a thing of the past.

The escalation of healthcare costs has created a significant strain on budgets. The need for innovative solutions has become increasingly apparent. Virtual care has been gaining traction as a way to improve member outcomes while alleviating healthcare’s financial burden. In this blog post, we’ll explore the economic implications of virtual care and how it’s redefining today’s healthcare landscape. 

Virtual care has the potential to alleviate healthcare burdens while having a significant economic impact for payers. Virtual care, when done right, can reduce avoidable care costs by diverting unnecessary ED and urgent care visits and lowering hospital readmissions. Virtual care can also ensure members have timely access to care, improving health outcomes and lowering healthcare costs in the long run. 

Many members have expressed interest in virtual care, thanks to its convenience. Offering an effective virtual care solution can help payers gain and retain more members, thanks to improved member experience.  

Not all virtual care solutions are created equally. TytoCare’s virtual care solution goes beyond traditional telehealth by providing clinical-quality remote physical exams from home or other convenient locations. This alleviates costs for payers and providers, reduces pressure on providers, and adds convenience for members, while maintaining high-quality care. 

Will Renda, a Baptist Health member from Kentucky, shared, “I can’t underestimate the value of not having to go drive to an urgent care center, sit in a waiting room with other sick people, and wait to see the physician. It’s much more efficient and reduces our exposure to any infectious disease that might be out there.” 

Will went on to say, “TytoCare has really enhanced our relationship with Baptist Health. It’s unique in the marketplace that we can get a telehealth visit using this type of device that allows for the physical exam elements to be captured in a way that improves the quality of the telehealth visit itself. I think the kids would say they prefer the Tyto visit over a visit to the pediatrician’s office!”  

Brittney Fitzpatrick, a nurse practitioner at Baptist Health explained, “TytoCare closes the gap of being virtual. It lets patients feel like they’re in the clinic and lets us get as close as we can without being there in person. It provides a more accurate diagnosis, better healthcare access without the hassle, and peace of mind.”

The Journal of Health Economics recently published a paper by researchers from Stanford University and Tel Aviv University based on three years of data from a large HMO, analyzing the extent of TytoCare’s business impact.

The study found that TytoCare directs members to the right site of care. As a result, TytoCare reduced ED use by over 24%. It also cut total cost of care by 9% in adults and 7% across all age groups. 

Accuracy and visit resolution are vital measures of the effectiveness of virtual care. Additional TytoCare research has shown that it resolves 98% of visits fully remotely, without the need for additional, in-person follow-up care. 59% more conditions were accurately diagnosed with TytoCare.

When it comes to engagement and satisfaction, TytoCare scored high as well. TytoCare’s average NPS is 83, indicating exceptionally high member satisfaction. Members utilize TytoCare up to 10 times more than traditional telehealth. 67% of members said that having TytoCare makes them more likely to stay with their insurer long-term. 

TytoCare adoption can enhance the financial performance of healthcare institutions, improve member health outcomes, and unlock new streams of revenue. TytoCare minimizes unnecessary ED utilization and lowers hospital readmissions through more proactive remote monitoring. By helping prevent disease progression, TytoCare reduces the long-term costs associated with managing advanced conditions. 

Streamlining the healthcare delivery process enables providers to see more members in a day, resulting in higher revenues for healthcare facilities. TytoCare also lowers the costs associated with in-person visits, such as high co-payments, transportation costs, time off work, and facility expenses. These savings are particularly critical for members with chronic conditions, who require frequent regular check-ups. Families and people who live in rural areas also benefit greatly from TytoCare. 

TytoCare enables timely interventions that lead to improved member health outcomes. The potential for early diagnosis and treatment reduces the risk of complications and hospitalizations. TytoCare promotes better adherence to treatment plans, such as diabetes care and asthma monitoring. This enhances members’ quality of life, while also reducing the economic burden on the healthcare system. 

TytoCare helps address healthcare gaps for rural and underserved populations. Residents of these regions often lack access to healthcare services, leading to poor health, particularly for those in rural and underserved areas. By providing better access to care with TytoCare, payers are able to enhance health equity and improve healthcare outcomes. 

TytoCare reinforces the trust relationship between members and primary care providers, which enhances member satisfaction. This is particularly beneficial for payers who are transitioning into value-based care models. Healthcare payers can leverage TytoCare to acquire and retain more members.  

TytoCare has been shown to enhance remote primary care utilization, which brings about numerous economic and health benefits. TytoCare saves time and money while contributing to better health outcomes. Remote primary care reduces the financial burden on payers, eases the strain on healthcare infrastructure, and enables equitable, timely access to healthcare, even in rural and underserved areas. 

To fully realize these benefits, healthcare providers and policymakers must invest in remote primary care as a cost-effective, viable solution. All stakeholders should be encouraged to adopt and utilize virtual care. Doing so helps ensure that healthcare is more affordable, efficient, and accessible for all. 

Leveraging remote care sites enables providers to deliver care that is more effective and efficient. TytoCare recently held a webinar on meeting patients wherever they are through remote care sites. Our panelists were Dr. John Jenkins, Medical Director of School-based Care at Cone Health, and Dr. Nick Patel, Digital Health and Strategic Advisor, and the discussion was moderated by Barbara Spruck, AVP of Customer Success at TytoCare. The panelists shared their insights into the challenges and benefits of implementing these programs, and the impacts they have on student health, attendance, and the wider community. 

Virtual care is a powerful tool for improving healthcare access and equity, particularly in areas where resources are scarce or non-existent. Remote clinics and telehealth services allow healthcare professionals to reach patients in remote or marginalized communities, providing a cost-effective and efficient way to deliver essential healthcare services.

Dr. Jenkins explained, “Digital health technology is really a doorway to healthcare access. We work in Title 1 Attendance Zones. The federal government defines Title 1 Attendance Zones as ones in which there is a high rate of poverty, about 65%. In North Carolina, specifically in Guilford County, we find that in our Title 1 Attendance Zones, the average family has a total household income of less than $40,000, with many much lower than that.” 

At Cone Health, certified medical assistants are being trained to administer medical care in remote settings such as schools. The area also has a large immigrant population, for whom English is not their primary language. A lack of broadband infrastructure compounds the issue of accessibility. Schools are a trusted, accessible location for virtual care delivery. In a school setting, remote care can bring together the child, their parent, an interpreter, and a provider so a child can be examined in a convenient, accessible way.. 

Dr. Patel shared the challenges families must overcome when even basic primary care access is 50 miles away or more. Digital healthcare can help overcome healthcare gaps by seeing patients where they live or already spend their time. Without it, for example, parents may have to come to school to pick up their child in the middle of the day. They must then leave that child at home and go back to work to preserve the family’s income. That family will then often show up to the emergency room that same night for routine care. Scenarios such as this one could be avoided with remote care delivery at the child’s school. 

Despite the challenges of staff shortages and limited internet connectivity, it is crucial to maintain continuity of care in remote clinics. The panelists reiterated the need to ensure patients receive continuous, uninterrupted care, particularly in schools and other community settings. This is particularly important when it comes to primary care, where the shortage of providers has reached record proportions and continues to rise. Virtual care programs can help manage staff shortages by enabling care delivery with fewer personnel.

A shortage of school nurses means they are often stretched thin, dividing their time between several school locations. Virtual care facilitates chronic care management, easing school nurses’ load by tracking chronic conditions such as asthma. Asynchronous tools, such as chatbots and auto-scheduling tools can ease health staff workloads. Regular virtual check-ins can be used to ensure patients are taking their medications and to determine when an in-person visit is necessary. 

Trust and convenience are essential for patient engagement in virtual care. Virtual health technology must be easy to use, cost-effective, and accessible for all, including those with low tech literacy.  As Dr. Patel put it, “We need to think about our riskiest population in rural areas. And how do we give them technologies that just work and are easy to use?”  

Data is essential for tracking the impact of virtual care programs, from reducing absenteeism to improving health outcomes. Both panelists discussed the importance of data in guiding the implementation and management of virtual care remote sites. Collecting and analyzing data helps in understanding the needs of patients, tracking their progress, and assessing the real impact of the services provided. Data insights can also help providers prioritize patients who need care most. Integrating digital systems into the electronic medical record ensures continuity of care and keeps the patient’s primary care provider in the loop. 

Dr. Jenkins explained that any initiative should begin with an understanding of the needs of customers – children, their schools, their parents, and the communities being served. These needs determine the metric of success, such as keeping children in their classrooms whenever possible. Cone Health’s school-based virtual care solution had overwhelmingly positive results, according to Dr. Jenkins. “We found out that 95% of the students in our program here at Cone Health returned to the classroom the same day because of our intervention,” he shared. Cone Health also reduced 30% of chronic absenteeism. 

Dr. Patel stressed the need for a holistic approach in healthcare delivery, stating, “We have to start thinking about the longitudinal health care that we need to provide a child, and potentially even partner outside of the school, outside of pediatrics, to also [provide] adult medicine for the family. Because if the parents aren’t doing well, then most likely, the kids aren’t doing well, and vice versa.”

Dr. Patel explained the need to think creatively and practically. Health systems need to adapt and offer virtual care options as consumer preferences shift towards digital health solutions. “We need to stop thinking that patients don’t want [virtual care]. Consumers do want this. And I think health systems and medical groups need to get on board, or what they’re going to find out is they’re going to lose a lot of their commercial-paying patients to those organizations who will provide the service.” 

Remote sites of care are being leveraged to engage and support communities through more efficient and effective care to rural and disenfranchised populations. These care sites can help overcome disparities in school performance due to poor attendance, and even life expectancy. Patients who take ownership over their own health journey can stay on top of life-threatening conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. When seen through this lens, it becomes clear that offering remote care is no mere convenience. For many people, access to remote care is clearly a necessity. 

Watch the webinar

Written by Dedi Giladi

Eleven years ago, I helped found TytoCare because I knew that traditional telehealth, despite all of the promise, despite all the hype, was a weak imitation of a real doctor’s visit. Traditional telehealth simply didn’t fulfill the needs of my family — and usually resulted in us having to go into a doctor’s office anyways. 

I know that’s an experience that too many people share, and it has big consequences for the healthcare industry as a whole. When people do not trust traditional telehealth solutions, they don’t use them. Ultimately, that means these “solutions” aren’t generating ROI, aren’t improving outcomes, and there is real value being missed. 

We set out to launch the Home Smart Clinic to change that expectation.

With the Home Smart Clinic, we are witnessing that change every day. The Home Smart Clinic is an all-in-one solution that families can use to replicate a doctor’s visit at home — and it’s FDA-cleared to perform heart exams, lung exams, throat, ear, and body temperature helped restore confidence in health care at home. 

The Home Smart Clinic has started a profound shift in where and how care gets delivered, and today, we’re excited to announce a new step for TytoCare. We have raised $49 million in additional growth funding. In total, this means that our latest extension brings TytoCare’s funding to $205 million to date.

We’re incredibly grateful for our funding partners, who believe in our mission and see our momentum. Led by Insight Partners, other major investors in this round include strategic partner MemorialCare and two large pension funds, HOOPP and Clal. 

With this excellent round of funding, I know that many might be wondering “what’s next” for TytoCare? There is so much more to come — but I can promise you that this funding is going to power exciting projects at the heart of the next generation of virtual healthcare. 

To start: we’re expanding our support for longitudinal conditions and healthcare needs. Going back to our key focus – helping families access excellent healthcare from home – we know that there are gaps in how this currently works. Families around the world are struggling with the need to go into clinics for checkups for longitudinal care that could be managed remotely with better virtual care – asthma, COPD, post-discharge, and more. Managing these remotely will give people better access to care and to clinicians, and improve healthcare results with more regular and hands-on checkups. 

As the first step in this expansion, we are releasing TytoHome for Asthma. Asthma-related issues lead to 439,000 hospitalizations, as well as 1.7 million emergency department (ED) visits per year in the United States alone. That translates into 13.8 million missed school days and costs the American healthcare system more than $50 billion per year. Building on this year’s FDA clearance for AI-powered Tyto Insights™ for Wheeze Detection, our TytoHome for Asthma program is an additional layer of the Home Smart Clinic and will support individuals with asthma with ongoing condition management. This means that when someone experiences an asthma attack, they can immediately use a remote physical exam to assess their condition and receive an urgent consultation with a doctor. Those managing their condition can engage in routine care and stay on top of their condition with self-management tools, including questionnaires, reminders, and medication adherence. 

This is just the start of longitudinal care to come from TytoCare. Our new funding will help us expand and deepen our offerings both in the places we already serve and across new markets. We’re also going to keep proving our value too. One example includes a new, peer-reviewed study in the Journal of Health Economics, that found that TytoCare reduced the total cost of care by 7% in a large commercial health plan.

As we continue our work — I’m grateful for the support of the incredible teams, partners, and funders that have continued to make TytoCare great… and we’re looking forward to all that comes next.