By Heather Caliendo and Brian Brus
The Journal Record Legislative Report
OKLAHOMA CITY — Noah Roberts was expecting a big rollout of Docvia’s new invisibleBracelet.org online medical emergency information system, but it’s still a surprise to see the numbers increase so quickly, he said.
“From launching this service in April to making it a benefit available to such a large number of state employees in such a short time is a real boost of confidence,” said Roberts, chief executive of Tulsa-based Docvia.
Roberts is expecting Docvia’s first deluge of participants Oct. 5, when 37,000 Oklahoma state government employees will be able to select benefits during their open enrollment period through the Employees Benefits Council. One of the new options will be Docvia’s online personal data service, invisibleBracelet.org.
The service enables registered participants to provide vital information about their health history and emergency contacts with a growing list of licensed emergency medical services providers, so that in case of an emergency, medics can immediately access the data for treatment and make necessary personal contacts.
The iB service is Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant, Roberts said, and it is as secure as online banking.
State employees will be directed by the state’s Benefits Administration System to another secure Web site in order to provide basic information such as allergies, medications, health conditions and insurance, Council Executive Director Philip K. Kraft said. Each person will receive an iB personal identification number that can be placed on the back of a driver’s license and carried on a key chain fob, two locations trained medics can easily locate.
“Many times, medics have no way of knowing anything about you, your health or your emergency contacts,” Kraft said. “As a state employee, it means a great deal that iB is able to speak for me - especially if I’m unconscious or incapacitated after a medical incident or auto accident. We hope many state employees and their families take advantage of this service. “
Docvia is also recruiting EMS providers in all 77 Oklahoma counties, with an emphasis on those that surround every mile of the Oklahoma Turnpike System. In mid-October, at least 14 Oklahoma EMS providers will begin supporting the iB service, officials said. In addition to companies that offer the option of Invisible Bracelet for their employees, more than 1,000 people have registered for the service on their own, Roberts said.
“It’s much like Facebook as it spreads through word-of-mouth,” Roberts said. “When the largest organizations sign up, it helps create a ripple effect. “
The short-term goal is to have 200,000 users registered by the end of the year, he said. Landing the Oklahoma employee account is a good start in that direction.
“For any new start-up or early-stage venture company to do business with a state government isn’t very common, so we had to be taken through a pretty extensive vetting process,” Roberts said. “It’s definitely worth the effort. To be awarded this contract does a lot of things for us - makes a statement about our credibility, obviously, but it’s a great population to serve and it sets a precedent for our plans to build a national registry. “
But to reach that potential, Roberts said the company is going to need additional capital. So far the company has been self-funded, with $3.5 million going to research and development alone, he said.
“Our strategy has been to stay debt-free with a positive cash flow this year ... and in this economy, it proved to be a really smart strategy,” he said. “There’s a lot of really great companies out of business now because they bet on raising lots of equity and that market has dried up.
“To go national we’ve got to structure a major series-A round to grow the company now,” he said. Roberts would not identify his target figure for funding. “Our goal is to close that by the end of the year. “
Copyright 2009 Dolan Media Newswires