Newswise — LOS ANGELES — Oct. 11, 2018 — The eight health-tech companies that completed Cedars-Sinai Accelerator's fourth class have announced new contracts and partnerships to bring their leading-edge technologies to health systems and their patients. 

The companies, chosen from more than 400 applicants to participate in the Cedars-Sinai Accelerator, were selected for the intensive three-month program after a rigorous international search. In addition to training from Cedars-Sinai physicians and executives and exposure to a global entrepreneurial network through Techstars, an organization that works with entrepreneurs to cultivate their ideas, the companies also received an initial investment of $120,000.

Companies in the program are developing technologies to address a variety of healthcare industry needs, including health system efficiency and patient care, through artificial intelligence applications, hardware innovation and other digital platforms. Startups in the three previous classes to come through the Cedars-Sinai Accelerator have raised nearly $100 million in investment funds and hired around 200 people post-program. 

Several of the companies from this latest class have already secured commercial contracts with health systems and companies.

Digital Medical Tech, an asset tracking company using Bluetooth technology to help healthcare organizations monitor the real-time location of medical equipment, announced that the company was beginning a pilot program with Cedars-Sinai. The pilot is aimed at helping nursing staff locate frequently used equipment, such as infusion pumps, more quickly. Digital Medical Tech’s technology is already being used to track more than 3,000 pieces of equipment in a pilot at the University of Southern California, and they hope to track an additional 1,000 items at Cedars-Sinai by the end of the year.

KelaHealth announced a contract with Duke University. KelaHealth uses patient-specific information, along with machine learning capabilities, to identify potential surgical complications and offer specific recommendations to surgeons about steps to reduce risk and minimize potential complications.

Nicolette, a company that helps guide parents of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit in comprehending and following the care plan for their newborn, announced contracts with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Children’s Hospital of Orange County. Nicolette’s application provides up-to-date clinical information and education about patients in a clear, easy-to-understand format.

"The companies in this Accelerator class are working at the forefront of technologies that can improve the delivery of care," said Bruce L. Gewertz, MD, chair of the Department of Surgery, vice dean for Academic Affairs and vice president of Interventional Services at Cedars-Sinai. "Beyond their passion for the work, what most impressed me were the innovations—particularly in the area of machine learning—that offer physicians an opportunity to increase their focus on patient care and reduce the potential for risk."

Anne Wellington, managing director of the Cedars-Sinai Accelerator, said she had been impressed by the latest cohort to go through the program.

"It's exciting for us to accelerate the work being done by smart and ambitious entrepreneurs from around the United States and the world," she said. "The success of the companies in this program reflects Cedars-Sinai's position as a leader in innovation and of Los Angeles as an emerging hub for digital health development."

Other companies in the class include:

ALIS Health ALIS Health supports physicians by providing guidance in ordering appropriate diagnostic testing for patients. Using information about an individual patient, ALIS Health offers recommendations for appropriate testing and connects providers to certified laboratories to complete the tests. Its initial focus is on genetic testing and women's health.

CardioCube CardioCube provides at-home support to patients with chronic heart disease through a voice-enabled, interactive platform to allow patients to track symptoms and receive guidance and education. The platform also shares patient-reported symptoms with the patient’s cardiologist, resulting in more effective home monitoring. CardioCube announced contracts with John Hopkins and Cedars-Sinai.

MedPilot MedPilot supports health system billing departments by using data science and behavioral targeting to recommend patient engagement methods, personalize communications and resolve outstanding balances.

Relatable Relatable's cloud-based software solution streamlines how clinicians and healthcare administrators research, compare and acquire medical devices in order to safely and effectively optimize their supply budgets.

Sopris Sopris uses voice recognition, natural language processing and machine learning to automatically translate doctor-patient interactions into clinical notes. The Sopris app allows clinicians to focus more fully on their patients. The app listens to the conversation during an exam and automatically summarizes relevant clinical information, reducing the amount of time required for physician documentation and data entry.

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