K Health raised $132 million in funding, which it plans to use to expand its platform into pediatric patients. The company has built a symptom-checker app and lets patients text a primary care physician for an additional fee.
In a study that tested eight symptom checkers against seven primary care providers, physicians still outperformed the apps. But between them, there was wide variation in the apps’ accuracy and safety, as well as the conditions they could assess.
The Boston-based startup developed a symptom checker that can also help navigate users to care in their insurance network. Optum Ventures is also one of its backers.