Bupa strikes digital health partnership with HealthTap

Health insurance firm Bupa has signed a strategic partnership with HealthTap to provide a combination of digital and in-person healthcare.

The companies said that the services on offer will be “game-changing”, backed by HealthTap’s 'Health Operating System', powered by a network of interactive doctors and artificial intelligence.

Health insurance companies are catching on to the opportunities offered by digital health; last week a large US health insurer, CareFirst, signed a four-year contract with tech firm ShareCare to provide members with disease management services.

Bupa and HealthTap hope the applications on offer through the partnership will enhance the speed, convenience and quality of care for Bupa customers.

No financial details of the partnership were revealed, but the companies said that over the past year they have been working towards a number of solutions for day-to-day customer needs.

These include easily finding doctors covered by Bupa insurance, scheduling physiotherapy, immunisations and doctor visits with local clinics.

Bupa has 16.5 million health insurance customers, and provides healthcare for 10.6 million people in clinics and hospitals, and looks after around 22,000 aged care residents.

It employs more than 80,000 people in Australia, the UK, Spain, Hong Kong, Chile, Brazil, Poland, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, India and the US.

Health insurance accounts for around 70% of its business, although it also runs clinics, dental centres, hospitals and care homes in certain countries.

Bupa’s CEO, Evelyn Bourke, said: “We have decided to partner with HealthTap because of the combination of industry-leading technology, execution, and understanding of healthcare that HealthTap brings.”

HealthTap Founder and CEO, Ron Gutman, said: "By joining together one of the world's most respected leaders in healthcare with one of the world's most innovative health tech companies, the Bupa/HealthTap partnership is uniquely positioned to launch a new era of interoperable, smart, and engaging healthcare. Together our two companies will transform healthcare around the world, and help millions everywhere live healthier, happier, longer lives."