How to Spot HealthTech Startups
That Prevent Costly Readmissions
Discover what separates HealthTech startups that scale from those that stall. Learn how reducing readmissions signals stronger ROI and better outcomes for your healthcare investment portfolio.
When evaluating your portfolio, the numbers might look great on paper. Revenue is growing. Adoption is rising. But what if behind those charts and dashboards, patients are still ending up back in the ER?
For investors backing healthcare startups, preventing readmissions isn’t just a clinical metric—it’s a clear proxy for ROI, care quality, and long-term product viability.
In this piece, we unpack the insights from our interview with Dr. Colin Banas, Chief Medical Officer at DrFirst, and explore what makes some startups outperform the rest where it matters most: in outcomes.
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Live Interview
Why Readmissions Are the Canary in the Coal Mine for HealthTech Investments
Every investor wants scalable growth and measurable impact. But in HealthTech, outcomes are everything. A brilliant tool that fails to reduce patient harm is not only ineffective—it's a liability.
Dr. Banas shared:
"Every handoff in care is a risk for what we call a voltage drop—where something crucial gets lost, and the patient suffers."
Whether it’s medication non-adherence, missed follow-ups, or incomplete provider communication, these voltage drops cost lives—and dollars. They lead to higher readmissions, damaged provider trust, and poor patient satisfaction. In short, they undermine your portfolio's promise.
What High-Performing Startups Do Differently
Startups that truly move the needle on readmissions don’t just build great tech. They build integrated workflows that solve real problems at every stage of the patient journey.
Take DrFirst as a model:
- 270+ EHR integrations allow their tools to operate seamlessly within clinical environments.
- Their end-to-end medication management ensures every prescription is tracked from intake to adherence.
- Real-time, patient-specific SMS engagement boosts medication compliance by up to 10%.
Why does this matter for you as an investor? Because these integrations mean fewer barriers to adoption, stronger provider relationships, and most importantly, better clinical outcomes.
"When we engage patients at the exact moment of decision, and give them info, savings, and support—they act. That’s how behavior change happens," — Dr. Banas.
The Hidden ROI of HealthTech That Prevents Readmissions
Reducing readmissions isn’t just about helping health systems meet value-based care targets. It’s a signal that a company:
- Understands system-wide impact
- Solves for workflow friction (not just patient-facing UX)
- Collects the right data to prove downstream value
- Supports behavior change at both provider and patient levels
These are the companies that win RFPs, get renewals, and scale in competitive B2B healthcare environments.
And when they show an odds ratio improvement in hospital readmissions, as DrFirst has done in partnered systems, the business case for expansion writes itself.
What to Look For in Your Next Investment
When evaluating a potential HealthTech investment, ask:
- Does the startup fit into workflows, or create new ones?
- Is their data operationalized, or just ornamental?
- Can they prove adherence, engagement, or clinical improvement?
- Do their systems communicate with others, or create silos?
These aren’t product questions. These are scale questions. And answering them early can save you from costly pivots post-investment.
My best advice from 15+ years in health and business?
"Most startups solve problems from a one-dimensional view—focused on what’s in front of them, not what truly drives scalable results. Investors need to ask if the company is building an Empowered Ecosystem that aligns leadership, workflows, and impact. That’s the difference between traction and 10x growth."
It’s not just about the tech.
It’s about the outcomes the tech makes possible.
And the smartest investors I know are laser-focused on solutions that prove their value after the pilot ends.
Our Takeaway for Investors
The next time a HealthTech startup says they’re patient-focused, ask for the readmission data. Look for evidence of system integration. And always, always question how the solution moves beyond the product to become part of the provider's workflow.
Because in healthcare, the tech is only as strong as the outcomes it protects.
If you’re looking to spot scalable companies before the rest of the market does—or want to get your founders aligned for sustainable growth—we can help:
- Leadership Maximizer: Improve executive team cohesion, reduce friction, and find the right strategic hires who actually fit your growth stage.
- Pathfinder: Go beyond surface-level SWOTs to help founders focus on the right business strategies based on true capability alignment.
- Capital Readiness Scorecard: Ensure your startups aren’t burning cash too fast—while organizing their internal ops and financial story for actual investor-ready clarity.
- HealthTech Showdown: Spotlight your high-performing portfolio companies in front of aligned investors and health system decision-makers. Winners receive $5,000+ in media exposure.
These are not just “programs”—they’re precision tools designed to increase speed to scale, reduce capital waste, and de-risk your investments.
About Sabrina Runbeck
Sabrina Runbeck, MPH, MHS, PA-C helps healthcare technology companies scale sustainably—without burning out their teams or running out of cash.
She does this by elevating their human capital using a proven system that avoids the trap of one-dimensional problem solving. Instead, she builds an Empowered Ecosystem that aligns resilient leadership, team dynamics, and operational systems for companies ready to go from traction to 10x success.
She is the Co-Founder of PulsePoint Path and works alongside her 12-integrated board of advisors to support founders in making strategic decisions that multiply impact and optimize capital efficiency.
Sabrina is also a TEDx speaker with over 15 years of experience in public health, neuroscience, and business acceleration.
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