Sharecare

{{Infobox company

| logo = Sharecare logo.svg

| logo_caption =

| name = Sharecare, Inc.

| type = Public

| traded_as = {{NASDAQ|SHCR}}

| founded = {{start date and age|2010|10|07}}

| founders = {{ubl|Jeff Arnold|Dr. Mehmet Oz}}

| location = Atlanta, Georgia, United States

| key_people = Jeff Arnold (CEO){{cite news |title=Sharecare leadership |last1=Staff |first1= |url=https://about.sharecare.com/leadership/ |work=Sharecare corporate site |date= |accessdate=January 26, 2021}}

| industry = Digital health

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| owner = {{ubl|Altaris {{smaller|(2024–present)}}}}

| num_employees = 2,400{{Cite news |title= Sharecare Company Profile|work= Craft |url= https://craft.co/sharecare|accessdate=2020-11-20}}

| parent =

| divisions = Enterprise, Provider, Consumer Solutions{{cite web|title=Form 425 (2021)|url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1816233/000121390021008661/ea135097ex99-2_falcon.htm|website=www.sec.gov}}

| website = {{URL|https://www.sharecare.com }}

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}}

Sharecare, Inc. is an Atlanta, Georgia-based health and wellness company that provides consumers with personalized health-related information, programs, and resources. It provides personalized information to the site's users based on their responses to the RealAge Test, the company's health risk assessment tool, and offers a clinical decision support tool, AskMD.

History

Headquartered in Atlanta, Sharecare was founded in 2010 by Jeff Arnold (founder of WebMD) and Dr. Mehmet Oz, in partnership with Remark Media, Harpo Studios, Sony Pictures Television and Discovery Communications.{{cite news|url=http://ir.remarkmedia.com/static-files/cc290ebf-c459-4ec0-9423-6a2b04ddd833|title=Quarterly Report on Remark Holdings |publisher=SEC |date=2019-11-12 |accessdate=2020-04-30}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/business/media/07adco.html |title=Web Site to Offer Health Advice, Some of It From Marketers |work=New York Times |date=2010-10-06 |accessdate=2011-04-02 |first=Stuart |last=Elliott}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=conewsstory&tkr=HSWI:US&sid=ac9dCGVDwxLU|title=Dr. Mehmet Oz and Internet Entrepreneur, Jeff Arnold, Announce Sharecare Inc., a Web 3.0 Platform, Organizing and Answering the Questions of Health|date=November 2, 2009|publisher=Bloomberg|accessdate=2011-04-02}}

Sharecare began as an interactive question-and-answer (Q&A) platform about health{{cite web|url=http://mobihealthnews.com/9257/sharecare-aims-to-be-humble-host-for-health-apps/ |title=Sharecare aims to be humble host for health apps |publisher=MobiHealthNews |date=2010-10-21 |accessdate=2011-04-02}} and then expanded its products and services through internal development and strategic acquisitions of companies including DailyStrength, dotFit, The Little Blue Book, WisePatient, RealAge, PKC Corporation, BACTES Imaging Solutions, QualityHealth, Feingold Technologies, BioLucid and Healthways.{{cite news|url=https://www.sharecare.com/static/sharecare-announces-14-million-dollar-growth-equity-financing |title=Sharecare Announces $14 Million Growth Equity Financing Led by Galen Partners, the Acquisition of The Little Blue Book Physician Reference and Jeff Arnold to be CEO |publisher=Sharecare |date=2012-01-17}}{{cite news|url=https://www.sharecare.com/static/sharecare-announces-the-acquisition-of-realage |title=Sharecare Announces the Acquisition of RealAge |publisher=Sharecare |date=2012-03-12}}{{cite news|url=https://www.sharecare.com/static/sharecare-announces-the-acquisition-of-pkc-corporation |title=Sharecare Announces the Acquisition of PKC Corporation |publisher=Sharecare |date=2012-06-18}}{{cite news|url=https://www.sharecare.com/static/sharecare-announces-acquisition-of-bactes |title=Sharecare Announces Acquisition of BACTES |publisher=Sharecare |date=2013-07-01}}{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-healthways-m-a-sharecare-idUSKCN1072L9 |title=Wellness platform Sharecare to buy health business from Healthways |publisher=Reuters |date=2016-07-27}}{{Excessive citations inline|date=July 2022}}

On October 22, 2024, the firm announced that it had been acquired by Altaris.{{Cite web|url=https://about.sharecare.com/press-releases/altaris-completes-acquisition-of-sharecare/|title=Altaris completes acquisition of Sharecare|work=Sharecare|access-date=2024-11-05|language=en}}

Services

Much of its content is contributed by organizations like AARP, the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, the National Academy of Sports Medicine, and medical professionals.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/business/media/07adco.html |title= Web Site to Offer Health Advice, Some of It From Marketers |publisher=’’The New York Times’’ |date=2010-10-06 |first=Stuart |last=Elliott}} Questions are also answered by medical centers such as the Cleveland Clinic.{{cite news|url=https://blogs.forbes.com/zinamoukheiber/2010/11/16/names-you-need-to-know-in-2011-sharecare/ |title= Names You Need To Know In 2011: Sharecare |work=Forbes|date=2010-11-16|first=Zina|last=Moukheiber}} The platform allows them to answer questions and engage in conversations about health.{{cite web|url=http://healthin30.com/2010/10/dr-mehmet-oz-and-jeff-arnold-launch-sharecare-com-where-experts-share-their-knowledge-with-consumers/ |title= Dr. Mehmet Oz and Jeff Arnold launch Sharecare.com, where experts share their knowledge with consumers |publisher=Health in 30 |date=2010-10-08 |accessdate=2011-03-28}}

AskMD, launched in December 2013, is a web-based application, (also a mobile application), that collects information about symptoms, provides information about causes, and locates physicians.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}} AskMD guides users through a personalized questionnaire that takes into account symptoms and other factors, like medications and known conditions, and matches answers against available clinical research.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}} AskMD's clinical knowledge management system was developed through Sharecare's acquisition of PKC Corporation.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}} It was named Best Medical App at the 4th Annual Appy Awards, and was named an official 2014 Webby Award honoree in Mobile & Apps: Health & Fitness.{{cite news|url=https://venturebeat.com/2014/05/23/sharecares-askmd-wins-appy-award-for-best-medical-app/ |title=Sharecare's AskMD Wins Appy Award for Best Medical App |publisher=VentureBeat |date=2014-05-23}}{{cite news|url=http://medcitynews.com/2014/04/mobile-health-apps-ehr-diabetes-picked-webby-award-honorees/ |title=Mobile health apps from EHR to diabetes picked as Webby award honorees |publisher=MedCityNews |date=2014-04-18}}

Sharecare expanded into population health in 2016 when the company acquired a division of business from Healthways including its Blue Zones Project.{{Clarify|date=July 2022}} Part of the deal also included the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.{{cite news |title=Healthways to sell division, brand to Sharecare in major corporate shake-up |last1=Fletcher |first1=Holly |url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/money/industries/health-care/2016/07/27/healthways-sells-population-health-division-brand-to-sharecare/87631186/ |work=Tennessean |date=July 27, 2016 |accessdate=December 15, 2020}} In July 2019, a five-year partnership was announced between Sharecare and The Boston University School of Public Health, collaborating on a "Community Well-Being Index" based on analysis of environmental factors affecting patient health.{{cite news |title=New Community Index Will Mine Social Determinants of Health Data |last1=Kent |first1=Jessica |url=https://healthitanalytics.com/news/new-community-index-will-mine-social-determinants-of-health-data |work=Health IT Analytics |date=July 16, 2019 |accessdate=November 19, 2020}}{{cite news |title=50 states ranked from healthiest to unhealthiest |last1=Gooch |first1=Kelly |url=https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/rankings-and-ratings/50-states-ranked-from-healthiest-to-unhealthiest.html |work=Becker's Hospital Review |date=September 3, 2020 |accessdate=November 19, 2020}}{{cite news |title=Boston University SPH and Sharecare launch well-being index looking at impact of environment on health |last1=Morse |first1=Susan |url=https://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/boston-university-sph-and-sharecare-launch-well-being-index-looking-impact-environment-health |work=Healthcare Finance |date=September 2, 2019 |accessdate=December 10, 2020}}

In February 2020, Sharecare announced the acquisition of Visualize Health, a platform that develops health quality measures.{{Cite web|url=https://hypepotamus.com/feature/sharecare-acquires-visualize-health/|title=Sharecare Acquires Tennessee-Based Healthcare Company Visualize Health|last=Lee|first=Chanel|date=2020-02-25|website=Hypepotamus|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-03}}

RealAge

RealAge is a division of Sharecare that provides health information to consumers. It was founded by Michael Roizen, currently the chief wellness officer at The Cleveland Clinic. In the RealAge Test, users typically fill out a questionnaire about their health history, which is then used to generate personalized content, including highly targeted advertisements. Most revenue comes from pharmaceutical companies paying to advertise their drugs to individuals who have taken the website test and become members.{{cite news |first=Stephanie |last=Clifford |title=Online Age Quiz Is a Window for Drug Makers |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/26/technology/internet/26privacy.html?ref=todayspaper |work=The New York Times |date=25 March 2009 |access-date=26 March 2009}}{{cite web |title=What Happened to Realage? |url=https://www.medicalalertbuyersguide.org/articles/what-happened-to-realage-com/ |website=Medical Alert Buyers Guide |date=3 April 2019 |access-date=25 March 2021}}

RealAge was owned by Hearst Magazines, which purchased it for an estimated $60 million to $70 million in 2007, when the company had $20 million in revenue. In 2009, the company was profitable, making its money from pharmaceutical companies for which it compiled test results of RealAge members and sending them highly targeted marketing messages by e-mail. On March 8, 2012, Sharecare acquired RealAge for an undisclosed amount.

Criticisms

=Paid sponsors=

Concerns have been raised regarding the bias of answers provided on Sharecare.com by “knowledge partners," or paid sponsors.{{cite news|url=https://www.forbes.com/2009/11/10/sharecare-webmd-social-cmo-network-sharecare.html |title= WebMD Founder Matches Marketers With Consumers Who Have Health Concerns |work=Forbes |date=2009-11-19 |first=Laurie |last=Burkitt}} Such knowledge partners include (among others): Colgate-Palmolive; Pfizer; Unilever (Dove skin-care products); health insurer UnitedHealthcare; and Walgreens drug stores.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/07/business/media/07adco.html |title= Web Site to Offer Health Advice, Some of It From Marketers |work=The New York Times |date=2010-10-06 |first=Stuart |last=Elliott}}

=Dental amalgam=

In June 2013, the American Dental Association (ADA) withdrew as a knowledge partner in response to what it considered an irresponsible attack by co-owner Mehmet Oz's "Dr. Oz Show" on the use of dental amalgam. ADA President Dr. Robert A Faiella summed up the group's reaction by stating: "As a science-based organization, we should always welcome inquiry, but we should not be seen as supporting the promotion of misleading information unsupported by the best science."{{cite news|url=http://www.ada.org/news/8697.aspx |title= ADA and Sharecare part ways |publisher=ADA News |date=2013-06-10 |first=Kelly |last=Soderland}}

=Delayed reporting of data breach=

A data breach that occurred with Sharecare Health Data Services (SHDS) as early as May 2018 was not reported to users until February 2019. No explanation was given for the delayed reporting.{{Cite web|last=Garrity|first=Mackenzie|date=April 29, 2019|title=AltaMed alerts 5,500 patients of data breach|url=https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/cybersecurity/altamed-alerts-5-500-patients-of-data-breach.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=Becker Hospital Review}} HIPAA, the federal law governing healthcare data privacy, requires that data breaches be reported within 60 days. The breach included the personal information of at least 18,416 Blue Shield of California and at least 5,500 AltaMed members. Patients affected were offered 12 months of free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services.