Cost Transparency Tools Integrated into ePrescribing
FDB Vela and Photon are partnering to embed medication cost transparency and patient choice options directly into ePrescribing platforms. The collaboration reflects a growing expectation for digital health tools to provide actionable financial and treatment information, empowering users to make more informed decisions about their care.
The FDB Vela network, a cloud-native and HITRUST-certified platform, facilitates the secure exchange of prescription information between prescribers, pharmacies, and payers. The collaboration with Photon's digital marketplace aims to give patients more visibility into their out-of-pocket costs and pharmacy options before they even get to the counter. This integration is part of a larger movement to modernize the e-prescribing infrastructure, which has long been dominated by a single incumbent. High out-of-pocket costs are a major driver of prescription abandonment. Rates of abandonment can jump to 45% when a patient's cost is over $125. Real-time prescription benefit tools have been shown to influence prescriber behavior, with one study noting that doctors chose lower-cost alternatives 33% of the time when presented with cost information. The consumer health app market is experiencing significant growth, with revenue reaching $3.74 billion in 2024. The overall global mobile health app market was estimated at $37.5 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach over $86 billion by 2030. This growth is fueled by the increasing adoption of smartphones and wearables for health tracking. In 2020, over 90,000 new health apps were released, bringing the total available to over 350,000. AI-powered personalization is a key driver of innovation in this space. AI can analyze data from wearables, patient records, and lifestyle inputs to offer tailored recommendations for managing conditions like diabetes or for improving general wellness. This ability to provide predictive insights allows for earlier health interventions. The market for AI in healthcare is projected to grow substantially, indicating strong investor confidence in its potential. For consumer health startups, integrating with wearable device APIs from companies like Apple, Fitbit, and Garmin is crucial for creating a unified user experience. However, navigating health data privacy regulations like HIPAA is a critical consideration. Generally, if a consumer-facing wellness app collects data directly from the user for their own tracking, it may fall outside of HIPAA's scope, but this changes if the app shares that data with a healthcare provider. Digital health saw a funding surge in 2025, with U.S. startups raising $14.2 billion, a 35% increase from 2024. This growth was largely driven by bigger deals and a significant focus on AI-enabled companies, which captured 54% of the total funding. The average deal size also increased from $20.7 million in 2024 to $29.3 million in 2025. Successful user acquisition for health apps often involves a multi-pronged approach. Content marketing that establishes expertise, leveraging user-generated content, and building a strong community are key organic strategies. Paid strategies often involve A/B testing ad creatives and optimizing app store listings, while retention is boosted through personalized onboarding and email marketing. The longevity and biohacking sector is attracting significant investment with startups like Altos Labs, which focuses on cellular rejuvenation, raising substantial capital. Other companies in this space are developing therapies targeting various aging pathways and using AI for drug discovery. This field is moving from niche biohacking to serious biotech with the goal of extending "healthspan."
