Applied Strategy: Relay Health
RelayHealth www.relayhealth.com, based in Emeryville, CA is the leading provider of doctor-patient web-based communications. The company’s webVisit, a reimbursed, online clinical encounter that occurs in the context of an established doctor-patient relationship, leverages advanced communication technologies to improve the delivery and accessibility of healthcare.
Dr. Giovanni Colella, CEO of RelayHealth asked us to help the company develop a strategy and business model to transform its technical leadership into a thriving business. Our team worked closely with the company’s senior management to develop a series of strategic options, select the best one, and assist with implementation.
Key strategic issues we addressed include:
- Revenue model:
- Sources and structure of reimbursement
- Patient marketing and subscriptions
- Medicare reimbursement
- Geographic focus
- Competitive dynamics
- Sales strategy and salesforce structure
- Role of electronic prescribing and involvement of PBMs
- Financing strategy
We call these services "applied strategy", because we help the client make strategic decisions that are implemented right away, often with our help. During the successful campaign to raise Series E financing, David Williams served as the company’s acting part-time CFO, wrote the business plan, and developed the financial planning model.
Today, the company has reimbursement agreements with leading insurers such as Blue Shield of California and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, and its services are used by thousands of doctors and patients.
"We have been working with David Williams and his team since August, 2001. They have helped us establish and implement our business strategy. They work very effectively with my management team and have helped us create and implement a powerful strategy that has been well received by our board and the marketplace. MedPharma Partners is much more hands on than other consultants I have worked with, which is critical for a start-up company such as ours."
"We have established a partnership that I hope will continue for many years." --Dr. Giovanni Colella, CEO
