Newark Tech Startups Become Crucial Tools for Hospitals During Coronavirus Pandemic

A group of healthtech startups with roots in Newark, New Jersey have become vital tools for New York/New Jersey hospitals and healthcare facilities managing the coronavirus pandemic.  The companies, which include Wellsheet, CircleLink Health, 1Huddle, PadInMotion and DocDelta are being deployed to help integrate care for isolation rooms, manage emergency room intake, train and educate staff, and reduce physician burnout.

Joanne Lin, NVP Principal said, “Right now all that matters is how we get beyond the coronavirus. At NVP, we are proud to be part of a community where so many founders have stepped in to be part of the solution.  It’s been a reminder of how innovation can and should serve to move us forward – especially in times of crisis.”

Three of the solutions currently being used by local New Jersey hospitals are Wellsheet, CircleLink Health and 1Huddle. WellSheet offers a more physician-friendly view of key clinical content directly within the electronic health record system, reducing the burden on healthcare providers and saving them up to 2 hours a day. CircleLink’s tele-nursing team (100% Registered Nurses) helps health systems in northern New Jersey and nationwide, care for the worried well and sick at home, answering questions, coordinating care and referring patients to appropriate care settings before patients physically visit practices or take up staff time with calls (key relief for practices during COVID-19).

Craig Limoli, CEO and founder of Wellsheet said, “The need for clinician well-being and reducing physician burnout have been magnified exponentially as Coronavirus cases continue to grow. WellSheet is being used by physicians on the front lines battling COVID-19 around the country, and in New Jersey, to provide a real-time snapshot of the key data they need on every potential Coronavirus patient. Physicians have the data they need in one place, enabling them to quickly make the right clinical decisions and  better allocate limited resources. Wellsheet on iPads, phones and computers can also be used in field hospitals.”

“We’re honored to help vulnerable patients stay cared for at home while supporting our courageous physician customers. Patient enrollment rates are at all-time highs in this crisis,” said Raphael Ansety, Co-founder & CEO at CircleLink Health.

1Huddle, a platform that gamifies workforce training, released a new COVID-19 “Game Pack” which is being deployed to 33k healthcare employees in New Jersey on facts, updates and best practices from the CDC & WHO.

“Now is the time to lean-in to your workforce,” said Sam Caucci, Founder & CEO at 1Huddle.

PadInMotion and DocDelta are also working with area hospitals to increase connection and communication with patients and potential patients. PadInMotion is operating in coronavirus isolation rooms across New York City, where it is enabling multidisciplinary clinical teams to maintain a connection with patients in isolation, allows for language translation, connection to concerned loved ones who might otherwise be cut off from communication, empowers the patients to give feedback and make requests, and can help with mental wellness – an obvious concern for those placed in isolation. DocDelta is providing a temporary or permanent hiring solution for frontline telehealth clinicians to help tackle the COVID-19 epidemic, including critical care doctors, emergency medicine, nurses, and respiratory therapists.

Other Newark based startups that are active within the public health crisis include: MindRight Health, now offering their mental health coaching services for free to students who are without classrooms, and may be experiencing increased anxiety, or those who were reliant on schools for a range of different social or emotional supports; as well as Speak2 Software, which is offering its voicetech engagement platform for free to seniors in isolation – allowing them to more quickly and efficiently communicate with their caretakers and loved ones.

Each of the companies have been through NVP Labs, the Newark Venture Partners accelerator program for early stage startups. NVP uses an inside out approach to their investments, leaning on corporate partners like RWJ Barnabas to validate pain points and opportunities prior to acceptance.  The model aims to capture problem solving founders and elevate real world solutions for today’s industries.

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