HealthTap, an interactive medical community, has raised $11.5 million in Series A Funding led by Mayfield Fund, Mohr Davidow Ventures, and Eric Schmidt’s Innovation Endeavors. This brings HealthTap’s total funding to $14 million.
Founded by Ron Gutman, who previously founded health information portal Wellsphere, HealthTap is an online medical community where anyone can ask any health question online or via a mobile app and quickly receive answers from top U.S. physicians across 100 specialties, for free.
All physicians who participate on HealthTap undergo rigorous background checks verifying their medical licenses and good standing. Gutman explains that this process helps the credibility of content on the site, especially in an age where there is plenty of false and unsubstantiated medical information on the web.
Approved physicians receive a free Virtual Practice from which they can lead the online health conversation, and the creation of quality health content. Through their Virtual Practices, physicians answer user questions, endorse answers written by other physicians, and help people find the best health information, while creating connections for in-person care.
Already HealthTap, which launched its new mobile and online services just two months ago, has attracted 6,000 physicians and 500 healthcare institutions currently to participate in the service. Participants include renown medical institutions such as Cleveland Clinic and The Mount Sinai Hospital.
HealthTap’s new funding will be used for growth, hiring and to engage more physicians and patients in the community.
Previous angel investors in HealthTap include Esther Dyson, Stanford professor and former CEO of Veritas Software Mark Leslie and Aaron Patzer, founder and former CEO of Mint.com.