European telehealth firm HealthHero buys MyClinic.ie

European telehealth firm HealthHero has bought MyClinic.ie, a rival based in the Republic of Ireland.

Already a major telehealth player in Europe, HealthHero’s services cover 20 million people and 1,000 businesses across Europe.

The acquisition means HealthHero has a direct-to-consumer offer in Ireland, where it was previously providing services through insurance companies and through businesses to their employees.

It follows HealthHero's acquisition of Doctorlink in December, one of 11 suppliers selected by the UK's NHS to provide video consultations for primary care during the pandemic.

Founded in Dublin by doctors Daniel Clear, James Ryan, and Terry Deeney, MyClinic’s services include online repeat prescriptions, mental health, physiotherapy and wellbeing products, as well as video consultations with healthcare professionals ranging from GPs, therapists, midwives, physiotherapists, and fertility specialists.

Services include remote access to experienced doctors and expert clinicians directly to patients, insurance-policy holders and employees.

HealthHero only launched in August last year with aspirations to become the biggest company of its kind under the leadership of founder, the entrepreneur and investor Ranjan Singh.

It announced its launch with the acquisition of Berlin-based telemedicine company Fernarzt, which was set up in 2017 and is already offering thousands of online consultations each month in Germany.

Since the onset of COVID-19 HealthHero has seen demand for its UK and Republic of Ireland services increase by over 300%, and MyClinic has reported a similar surge, making it very timely that HealthHero add a direct-to-consumer offering to its services.

No financial details of the deal were disclosed.

Singh is also managing director of digital health for London based investment house MARCOL, which bankrolled the Fernarzt acquisition.

Singh serves as CEO of the group alongside his role as chairman of Medical Consultations, a 20-year-old telemedicine company based in the UK that is at the heart of the HealthHero group. He was named CEO of the UK company in February.

Singh said: “Since the onset of Covid-19 HealthHero saw demand for its UK and Republic of Ireland services increase by over 300%, and MyClinic has reported a similar surge in demand. It’s an exciting time for HealthHero to add a direct-to-consumer offering to our services.”