AARP Foundation and Rock Health Announce DispatchHealth as Winner of the 2017 Aging in Place $50K Challenge

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Dec 12, 2017, 16:37 ET

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- AARP Foundation and Rock Health have announced DispatchHealth as the winner of the 2017 Aging in Place $50K Challenge, a startup competition for entrepreneurs with solutions that help vulnerable older adults remain in their homes and communities. The challenge is focused on innovations that reduce unnecessary health care services, costs and hospital readmission rates while allowing older adults the opportunity to live independently in their homes. This year's finalists were DispatchHealth, FRND Health, and RoundTrip.

AARP Foundation President Lisa Marsh Ryerson and Rock Health CEO and Managing Director Bill Evans present check to DispatchHealth, the winners of the 2017 Aging in Place $50K Challenge. Photographer Credit: Kara Brodgesell.

DispatchHealth is a provider of mobile and virtual healthcare. They are working to redefine healthcare delivery by providing convenient and affordable on-demand acute care services in the home.

"Healthy housing is essential to fighting senior poverty," said Lisa Marsh Ryerson, AARP Foundation President. "When people can stay in their homes as they age, they stay involved in their communities, which benefits us all. All three finalists demonstrated great ingenuity along with a passion for innovation that can make a positive difference in the lives of vulnerable older adults and society as a whole."

In its second year, the award competition sought applications from companies working on a shared-value business model that helps older adults age in place by providing health care services in the home, with an eye toward reducing unnecessary health care services, costs and hospital readmission rates. In collaboration with Rock Health, AARP Foundation invited startups from across the United States to share their innovative solutions for aging in place, with the winner receiving a $50,000 cash prize to advance its project. DispatchHealth was selected by a panel of judges comprising venture capital, payer, clinical and innovation experts at an event in San Francisco on December 11.

"Efforts to enable healthy, independent, and affordable aging are more important than ever," said Rock Health's Managing Director and CEO Bill Evans. "We're greatly encouraged by the number and caliber of companies who applied this year—and we hope to see a continued focus within the innovation community on creating solutions for this population."

The 2017 Aging in Place $50K Challenge is part of AARP Foundation's Innovation Prize, designed to seek out promising, effective, and scalable solutions and unlock new opportunities to help solve the problems so many low-income older adults face as they age.

To learn more about this year's competition, visit https://aarpinnovation.rockhealth.com/.

About AARP Foundation
AARP Foundation works to ensure that low-income older adults have nutritious food, affordable, livable and healthy housing, a steady income, and strong and sustaining bonds. We collaborate with individuals and organizations who share our commitment to innovation and our passion for problem-solving. Supported by vigorous legal advocacy, we create and advance effective solutions that help struggling older adults transform their lives. AARP Foundation is the affiliated charity of AARP. Learn more at aarpfoundation.org.

About Rock Health
Rock Health is the first venture fund dedicated to digital health. Rock Health partners include Accenture, AbbVie, Blue Shield of California, Boehringer Ingelheim, Boston Children's Hospital, CVS Health, DaVita ,Sanofi, Sutter Health, and Takeda. For more information, visit rockhealth.com.

SOURCE AARP Foundation