Dive Brief:
- Cleveland Clinic and media icon Cox Communications have collaborated to launch Vivre, a new company aimed at creating new solutions for home health and telemedicine, according to a Cox press release.
- As an Internet service provider, Cox will provide the tech backbone for specific healthcare solutions via the Cleveland Clinic, who will bring their clinical expertise to Vivre's telehealth, home health, software and mobile applications, the release stated.
- "Healthcare transformation will be led by organizations that embrace innovation and collaboration," described Dr. Thomas Graham, chief innovation officer, Cleveland Clinic. "This alliance will accelerate the creation, development and delivery of solutions that will improve and extend human life."
Dive Insight:
This partnership makes a lot of sense, and with the FCC solidifying the Internet as a public utility next week—meaning that providers like Cox will be prohibited from charging high-usage customers extra—it means that Vivre may have an honest shot at some new innovations to bring "healthcare into the home," as the release promises. While Cox will need to step up in a big way, it may gain more than it invests over time, while delivering badly-needed health access to isolated homes.
Telehealth and home health services benefit those who live in rural America the most, but many who live in the outskirts still don't have access to broadband. According to the FCC, 17% of all Americans still have no access to broadband service—roughly 55 million people. Moreover, 53% of those who live in rural areas—22 million people—don't have broadband access.
To date cable companies like Cox have been reluctant to send their teams on "truck rolls"—their term for sending out a tech and a truck—to rural areas, which may cost even more than the $300-odd dollars per trip typical of urban service calls. However, if the promise of telehealth and home health solutions is to be kept, Cox needs to start with those who need it most, in rural and less-populated areas, where access to top flight healthcare is often lacking even more than broadband.
Working with the Cleveland Clinic could be a masterstroke, though. Now the "truck rolls" are justified not only by signing up rural clients, but also through telemedicine and home health profits. In fact, it could open up a whole new line of business for Cox and its brethren. If this arrangement meets its potential, Cox and competitors will be seeking similar partnerships nationwide.