Future Now
The IFTF Blog
Revolution Health's health?
Just as I was starting to look for something to blog about today, I got an e-mail from a client asking what I know about whether Revolution Health is going under or merging or otherwise transforming itself. Launched officially in April 2007, Revolution Health was intended by its chairman/CEO, AOL co-founder Steve Case, to . . .well, revolutionize health care by providing health-related online tools and content from a variety of trusted sources and enabling individuals to take greater control of their health management.
But recent reports in Valley Wag (I offer no opinion on whether this should be considered a trusted source) suggest that Revolution Health is not doing well (for example, see here and here). The Washington Post has also picked up on the story, reporting that the company planned to lay off more than 50 employees (about 20% of its workforce) in mid-June as part of a reorganization resulting from the acquisition of two websites in late 2007. This would be the second downsizing in less than a year; 60 employees were laid off last October.
Of course, we don't predict the future here at IFTF, and I have no information that Revolution Health is going belly up. The world of Health 2.0 is a relatively new and rapidly evolving phenomenon. I don't expect all of the big players to survive, even those with deep pockets (like Steve Case's). Nor would I be surprised if Revolution Health morphs into something other than what it originally started out to be. Stay tuned. And please share your insights!