Coinstar Inc. of Bellevue, Wash., is bringing its considerable experience in self-serivce kiosks -- coin-counting and DVD rentals (Redbox) -- to the healthcare field. It's investing an undisclosed amount in SoloHealth, Duluth, Ga., a vendor of self-service vision screenings.
SoloHealth is looking to expand beyond vision screens, however. It has been using a $1.2 million National Institutes of Health grant for the past year to create its SoloHealth Station kiosks, which it plans to place in high-traffic retail spaces, according to company statements. The kiosks will provide vision, blood pressure, weight and other health-related screenings.
But that may only be step one. The company plans to extend the reach of its new service into "online/digital, mobile and emerging platform[s]," officials add.
"We are thrilled to have the support of Coinstar, a leader in automated retail," said Bart Foster, SoloHealth’s chief executive officer and founder, in a statement. "We live in a self-service society, and with the current environment, we believe SoloHealth's platforms will provide a tremendous resource for consumers and the entire healthcare system by reducing healthcare costs, increasing access and empowering people to take action to improve their lives."
For more information:
- see the Healthcare Finance News article
- read the Daily Markets article
Coinstar to Invest in SoloHealth
Portable kiosk takes health monitoring around the hospital, into patient homes