Unite Us Acquires SDoH Analytics Company, Staple Health

Staple Health joins Unite Us’ growing data analytics team, as the company leads its sector to combine in-house predictive analytics and comprehensive integrated care in the community.  

NEW YORK, NEW YORK –The founders of Staple Health knew they were on to something. Nick Lovejoy and Chris Eberly founded Staple Health in 2017 as healthcare providers were becoming more interested in social determinants of health (SDoH) data in the move towards value-based care. Staple Health specifically provided detailed and predictive analytics about the impact of social factors on acute care, behavioral health, substance abuse and other health outcomes.

What they soon discovered, however, was the data itself was not enough. Clients would say to them, “Now we have data but what do I do with it? What intervention do we make? What action should I be taking to address the needs?” explains Lovejoy. That was the missing element they could not provide. “Customers need to know what’s driving risk and also what to do about it,” Lovejoy adds.

The team was introduced to Unite Us and realized the possible synergies immediately. “We recognized that the Staple team was taking a unique approach to predictive modeling around the use of social services. Combining that innovation with Unite Us’ nationwide reach was a compelling opportunity for us to better serve the community,” said Esther Farkas, Unite Us’ General Counsel and SVP of Business and Legal Affairs.

In fact, the acquisition of Staple Health was the next logical step for Unite Us. After more than seven years of building coordinated care networks across the country, working deeply with communities and social service partners to meet people’s needs, the company was already strengthening its data team to better analyze outcomes data and its use in communities to address and prevent the factors that negatively impact health, explains Kelly Binder, Chief of Staff for Unite Us. “Staple had the expertise we wanted and also aligned with our mission and vision to build healthier communities–we wanted both their technology, and extensive health analytics experience,” she adds. “There was a natural, cultural fit with our team,” says Binder.

Predictive analytics that leverage Unite Us’ robust outcome data are essential as the company continues to improve supporting communities, addressing needs and providing proactive social care infrastructure. The combined solutions enable payers and providers to not only identify both individualized risk and community needs, but also provide them the immediate ability to address those needs through accountable networks of community partners. The analytics and insights from these integrated products will continue to drive better upstream decision support within Unite Us’ coordination platform while informing stakeholders of opportunities for investments in social care interventions.

Unite Us is already introducing Unite Us Insights and social risk analysis to clients nationally. And in this time of COVID-19, when in-person screenings aren’t possible and care must move from hospitals into communities, having the tools to assess social and clinical risk and a platform to address those needs effectively is critical for providers and social service partners to be proactive.

“Bringing Nick and Chris onboard was exactly what we needed to round out our team and build upon the foundation we’ve already established,” says Dan Brillman, Unite Us Co-Founder and CEO. “We can now accelerate and improve the services we provide, during a time when communities and care providers need them most. We’ve always offered data and insights to our partners, but now we can give them the ability to make more strategic, intentional decisions to help individuals and communities in the most impactful ways. This was the next logical step as we build a national public health infrastructure that truly integrates health and social care,” he adds.