

Medicine’s Answer to Instagram, Figure 1, Raises $2M - bwertz
http://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/2013/12/09/medicines-answer-to-instagram-figure-1-raises-c2m/

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greenyoda
" _Figure 1 currently offers its app free and has not yet generated revenue.
However, Mr. Chabra believes, “If they continue to grow at the [current] pace,
they will have lots of monetization options in the near future,” thanks to
their reach and engagement with the world’s 30 million medical professionals,
and medical students and dentists too.

In the U.S., health-care and pharmaceutical companies will spend $1.18 billion
on digital advertising this year, according to eMarketer research._"

I'm not sure why they're even thinking of advertising as a revenue model.
Unlike Instagram, the number of people who will look at any given image is
very small. Also, it wouldn't inspire patients' confidence to see ads
plastered all over a screen in their doctors' offices; it just doesn't look
professional. (Nor would an ad-supported service seem professional to the
doctors who use it.) It makes much more sense to charge for subscriptions to
this service. Hospitals or large practices could get volume discounts.

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zellyn
While the number of views may be small, the potential payoff could be huge.
Drug companies advertise with doctors, give free samples, etc. for a reason.

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greenyoda
But the average doctor is already inundated with ads from drug companies.
Would there be a big payoff from having yet another place where they're
advertised to?

Also, an ad in a medical journal is less obtrusive than an ad that's shoved in
the doctor's face while she's trying to get a consult on an MRI. Doctors may
find ads in their workstream to be distracting and annoying. I certainly
would.

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jlandy
Hi guys, I'm Josh Landy, one of the founders of Figure 1. As a practicing
physician, I am (very) sensitive to the need for an unobstructed workflow. We
are hoping to build a really strong product, and suggestions like these keep
us on the right track. Thanks for bringing it up.

