1st Group sells MyHeath1st to HealthShare

ASX-listed 1st Group has sold its human health bookings business to digital health firm HealthShare for A$1.25 million ($830,000). 

According to corporate disclosure, 1st Group is divesting its healthcare service search and appointment bookings platform MyHealth1st to plug cash outflows while focusing its capital investments on its other businesses, particularly its telehealth product Visionflex.

"We believe that MyHeath1st’s customers and employees will benefit from HealthShare’s long-term ownership," 1st Group CEO Joshua Mundey said in a statement.

HealthShare runs three digital healthcare platforms: a practitioner directory, a consultation engagement tool, and an online booking portal, which are being used by over 10 million consumers and thousands of healthcare professionals across Australia each year.

"HealthShare aims to digitally connect health stakeholders to drive better health outcomes for patients. By combining HealthShare’s comprehensive health practitioner directory with 1st Group’s online booking technology, HealthShare will offer a seamless end-to end discovery and booking experience for patients, health practitioners and other health stakeholders," HealthShare CEO Charles Solomon said about its acquisition of MyHealth1st. 

The sale is expected to close on 31 May.

New online tool found effective in predicting dementia

A research team from the University of New South Wales and Neuroscience Research Australia has come up with a new online tool for assessing the risk of dementia. 

Called CogDRisk, the risk assessment can be completed within 20 minutes and provides a personalised dementia risk report.

It was recently tested in a study using four different cohort datasets and found effective in predicting dementia. 

The team now plans to translate CogDRisk into different languages, as well as develop a short-form version of it.

Vensa integrates Healthpoint’s online directory

Vensa has now enabled its users to request repeat prescriptions and search for the nearest pharmacy that can dispense them based on their location. 

This became possible through the integration of Healthpoint's online directory via FHIR-compatible API gateway into Vensa's platform. 

Additionally, medical centres using Vensa's portal can now search and nominate a default pharmacy for medication collection when a patient orders a repeat script online.