In a Fortune commentary, Zocdoc founder and CEO Oliver Kharraz argues that Walmart's shuttered clinic network and IBM's sold-off Watson Health division both collapsed because they treated healthcare as a technology problem rather than a tangle of misaligned incentives and regulations. Walmart closed 51 clinics and its virtual care unit in 2024 after reimbursement and cost pressures made the business unsustainable, while IBM sold most of Watson Health in 2022 after sinking roughly $4 billion into it.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-09-18
A Guardian investigation found ICE documented 18 miscarriages among detained women in the first nine months of Trump's second term, but stopped keeping records after October 2025, leaving an unknown number of subsequent losses uncounted. One detainee, an asylum seeker named Anabell, described being denied prenatal care and a doctor's visit for weeks despite bleeding, before finally being taken to an emergency room shackled to a bed, where she learned she had lost her pregnancy.
futurism.com
· 2026-09-18
A healthcare industry veteran with 26 years of experience contends that despite waves of apps, algorithms, platforms and payment reforms, core access problems persist: millions still struggle to get timely doctor appointments, emergency rooms remain a default care option, and provider shortages keep worsening. The argument frames these as symptoms of deep structural failure rather than something a single new tool can resolve.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-18
At a Fast Company-moderated discussion, executives from cannabis brand Cann, telehealth provider Folx Health, and biotech firm Daré Bioscience described how they built profitable companies in sectors long considered taboo—cannabis, gender-affirming care, and sexual wellness. The panelists, including Cann cofounder Jake Bullock, Folx CEO Liana Guzmán, and Daré CEO Sabrina Martucci Johnson, discussed operating amid funding gaps, regulatory hurdles, and public backlash.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-17
WSJ readers shared mixed reactions to patient portals, the online systems that give patients direct access to their medical records, test results and doctor communications. Supporters praised the convenience of having health information readily available, while critics said the same immediate access can cause confusion, anxiety or information overload.
wsj.com
· 2026-09-17
Zocdoc is expanding its Care Access Network, letting the scheduling technology that runs its own marketplace be embedded into other services such as insurers and search platforms. This means patients could soon book doctor appointments directly through third-party sites rather than only through Zocdoc itself.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-16
Health benefits startup Thatch has raised $108 million in new funding at a $1 billion valuation, backed by existing investors including Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst, Index Ventures, and The General Partnership. The round comes just 17 months after Thatch was valued at $410 million, with CEO Chris Ellis saying annual recurring revenue grew roughly sevenfold in that span.
techcrunch.com
· 2026-09-15
Industry analysis argues that healthcare's administrative problems stem from fragmented information, workflows and accountability across disconnected systems like EHRs, billing platforms and payer portals, rather than a shortage of data. The revenue cycle—covering scheduling, coding, billing and payer follow-up—is identified as an ideal proving ground for AI because it combines high transaction volume, complex reasoning needs and measurable outcomes, but traditional rule-based automation struggles due to constantly shifting payer rules and frequent exceptions.
technologyreview.com
· 2026-09-10
Fast Company released its Best Workplaces for Innovators 2026 list for the biotech, healthcare, and life sciences category, naming 10 companies as top honorees. Five of those winning companies are based in the Boston area, underscoring the region's concentration of biotech talent and innovation.
fastcompany.com
· 2026-09-08
Opalite Health, a physician-led startup building real-time medical interpretation technology, is hiring its first go-to-market employee to lead enterprise sales into hospitals and health systems. The company, founded by veterans of Apple, Meta, and Codex, wants someone to build its sales motion from scratch, covering everything from outbound strategy to contracting.
ycombinator.com
· 2026-09-06
Ryan Ali, a former healthcare marketing VP, launched a side hustle as a travel advisor on Fora's platform in April 2025 with a goal of $500,000 in bookings by year's end. He more than doubled that target, reaching $1.3 million in sales within a year, and has since left his corporate role to work as a full-time advisor, now totaling $2.6 million in booked travel.
entrepreneur.com
· 2026-09-01
Aesto LLC, which runs Aesto Health's data migration and archiving service for healthcare providers, revealed that an unauthorized actor accessed its AWS infrastructure between December 2 and 18, 2025. The breach, confirmed internally on May 26 after forensic review, exposed sensitive records for over 9.5 million people including Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, and medical information tied to 29 healthcare clients such as VillageMD and Together Women's Health.
bleepingcomputer.com
· 2026-09-01
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