Mass. partnership to launch digital health innovation hub

Massachusetts will launch a public-private partnership designed to accelerate the competitiveness of its digital healthcare industry.

Gov. Charlie Baker, Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh, Speaker Robert A. DeLeo and executives from the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership (MACP) joined leaders from across state government, healthcare and the technology sector at Boston Children’s Hospital to announce the initiative.

“Our administration is committed to making Massachusetts a national leader in digital health by partnering with private industry, convening key stakeholders and addressing market gaps,” said Baker. “This emerging industry cluster has the potential to become a powerful driver of job creation across the Commonwealth, while also unlocking new advances in improving patient care and lowering healthcare costs.”

Massachusetts is poised for the rapid growth of the digital health market, according to officials, because of its world-class healthcare and academic institutions, strong startup culture, significant venture capital investment, a dominant life sciences sector and roughly 250 existing digital health companies.

The initiative will bring public, private, academic and healthcare leaders together to build a stronger and more connected statewide digital health ecosystem. To support digital health startups, the City of Boston, Massachusetts eHealth Institute at MassTech (MeHI) and MACP announced the establishment of a digital health innovation hub. The initiative will provide space, programming and strong industry network for digital health startups and will serve as a Boston “hub” for the industry. Programming through the hub will be managed and operated by MassChallenge.

MACP also announced several private industry-led initiatives that will help accelerate growth in the digital health sector, including innovative approaches to provide private funds for digital healthcare companies that are starting up, located in or planning to re-locate to, Massachusetts. MACP also facilitated the development of standardized software, technology and sponsored research agreements and user guides to make it easier for entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and the private sector to do business with our world-class academic institutions, including the University of Massachusetts system, Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University and Partners HealthCare. MACP will also host a second year of its Mentorship Speaker Series, with a focus on digital health, connecting high-level, experienced industry leaders across the state with entrepreneurs of emerging companies to discuss how to start and grow a successful tech business in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts eHealth Institute at MassTech (MeHI) is designated as the state’s implementing agency. Established in 2008 by the Legislature as a division of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, an economic development agency, MeHI works to promote and accelerate the use of digital healthcare, such as EHRs and health information exchange. Baker said he will file legislation to expand MeHI’s efforts to include digital healthcare cluster development activities.