A wholly owned subsidiary of The Cigna Group (NYSE: CI) is acquiring Portland-based Bright.md, a health technology provider, for an undisclosed sum, the insurer announced Tuesday.
Bright.md makes patient screening software called SmartExam that reduces the time clinicians spend triaging and gathering information prior to a patient visit. Health systems across the country use the software.
Cigna’s Evernorth Health Services, the insurance giant’s pharmacy, care and benefits solution, is the entity acquiring Bright.md. Cigna, based on Bloomfield, Conn., said Bright.md’s health care navigation services will enhance its MDLIVE virtual care.
“Ultimately, this will help patients get care faster and facilitate more meaningful patient-provider interactions that improve health,” Dr. Eric Weil, chief medical officer at MDLIVE, said in a written statement.
Bright.md’s platform delivers asynchronous care, reducing the need for real-time interaction between patients and clinicians, Cigna’s announcement says.
“By investing in digital, virtual-led care capabilities and diversifying the way our patients can access health care, we are creating a simpler, more personalized experience that can drive better outcomes,” MDLIVE President Jon Salon said.
Patients are guided through a digital clinical interview that’s converted into a chart note, which a licensed clinician then reviews and uses to make care decisions. The technology is helpful in treating common conditions that make up more than half of urgent and primary care visits, Bright.md CEO Steve Giannini said.
Bright.md was co-founded in 2014 by Dr. Ray Costantini, a physician and former head of digital services at Providence. The company raised several funding rounds from investors including Seven Peaks Ventures, Oregon Venture Fund and Pritzker Group Venture Capital.
