Hi there,
I did not caution re: a telehealth bubble - i mentioned that many telehealth companies are going public now in light of the increase popularity. I think there is plenty of upside left in the telehealth sector, but investors will need to be choosy. Not EVERY telehealth stock that claims to be so is a telehealth stock. It is a catchy term that is being used to describe any health company recently and many are not true telehealth companies - so investors must beware.
There are 2 good examples of this - JNH and VHI. JNH billed itself as a telehealth company when it listed a couple of months ago - its not (at least in IMO). It has a series of clinics within Walmart that just happens to offer telehealth services. This does not make it a telehealth company. In fact, its clinics in Canada use third-party telehealth apps like Tia which is a subsidiary of Bull List pick Well Health Technologies. It has proprietary software in Mexico, but from what I've researched it is simply a booking system to do a telephone consultation. That is NOT telehealth or virtual health (which is what I prefer to call it) and it is an important distinction to make.
In terms of VHI, although it does have an e-record system, it's main operations are centered around streamlining the patient experience. Their proprietary technology improves patient flow at hospitals, and other major health centers. It operates in a completely different space than WELL and JNH and other virtual health companies. IMO, this is a tech company that happens to have a product that benefits the health industry. It is NOT a virtual health company.
That being said, I do like what the company has to offer (which is why I am long the company) as it addresses a significant need in health care. The entry system is usually bogged down in bureaucracy and patient flow is atrocious. If their systems, can streamline the acute and long-term care systems to ensure more timely access to care, less waiting and more efficient operations, then it will go a long way to improving healthcare. Think of this as applying LEAN and six sigman quality improvement principles using a software as a service platform. This is why Ilike it but I would not classify it as a teleheath stock.
Mat