Video-based health care facilitator pulls in $5.1M
Austin’s Iris Plans links patients and planners by videoconferencing.
An Austin-based technology startup that provides health care planning to people with serious medical conditions has raised $5.1 million to expand nationally.
Iris Plans received the funding from investors including New Yorkbased Activate Venture Partners and Austin-based LiveOak Venture Partners.
The Iris Plans platform uses videoconferencing to connect specially trained facilitators with patients and their families. The platform customizes the process based on the patient’s medical conditions and circumstances.
The facilitators provide education, facilitate decision-making and assist in completing and distributing advance health-care directives to guide future care from their doctors and medical facilities.
Steve Wardle, co-founder and CEO of Iris Plans, said the process lets patients stay in control of their health care, protect their family from unnecessary stress and reduce unwanted and non-beneficial care that wastes billions of dollars annually.
The company delivers the service through partnerships with large national health care providers and health insurance companies. It cost is covered by health insurers.
“This funding will allow thousands of people to take control of their care, avert family crises and avoid unnecessary care which is not in line with their wishes,” Wardle said. “It’s very rare that these discussions are happening today, and we’re really about using technology to make them happen. It involves educating them on their illness and talking about disease-specific scenarios. We help them get ahead of the learning curve and think through the options. Then we put a plan down on paper.”