Next generation condition management

What you’ll learn

Full stack providers are nimble, tech-enabled companies that provide services at every point along the patient journey connected to a particular condition or medical situation. The term “full stack” comes from the description of a web developer who is able to work across both front and back ends of digital product. It was adapted by entrepreneur and investor Chris Dixon to describe the new startup model in which companies build an entire product or service “end-to-end” so users are no longer reliant on competitors.

In healthcare, full stack providers build a clinic (virtual, bricks and mortar, or both) that delivers care for patients at each step—from education, to appointment booking, to care planning, to symptom tracking. Unlike B2B health startups, which build a single piece of technology to license or sell to existing healthcare organizations, full stack providers bypass these existing organizations entirely and act as a one stop shop.

This paper explores 4 main characteristics of a full stack provider:

1. They focus on patient education to reduce medical literacy barriers
2. They use digital tools to keep patients engaged over time, even in remote areas
3. They personalize treatment interventions and communication based on patient data
4. They work to decrease social and economic barriers to care

We feature interviews with team members from Risalto, Paloma, Tempest, and MyBirthSpace.