As reported by VNC today, Harry Jacobson, M.D., is helping launch new venture funds and undertaking other initiatives.
Jacobson remains a senior advisor to Vanderbilt University startup Informatics Corporation of America (ICA).
As VNC previously reported, ICA management is cautiously keeping the company's long-term options open for an IPO stock offering.
In an interview Friday with VNC, Jacobson made clear his view of the IPO option is tempered. ICA is "beginning to get traction," he said, and he thinks "ICA should have very nice growth over the next few years," adding that he expects further announcements of new ICA clients, soon.
However, Jacobson said, it remains true that ICA's "challenge is to rise above the noise" being created by so many health IT vendors, particularly during the current Stimulus- and regulatory-driven push for broader and more meaningful use of health IT and informatics.
ICA may be a more likely target for strategic acquisition by a larger company, Jacobson continued. However, he added that he could see an IPO as a reasonable option for ICA, if the company decides to become an acquirer of other companies or to create a multi-product line of tech products and services. "The company hasn't gotten to that fork in the road, yet," he said.
ICA has developed and adapted Vanderbilt-developed technologies, and currently provides an electronic health record that integrates with providers' existing clinical systems. ICA's board includes investors Medcare President Tim Lyles and Voyent Partners principal Fred Goad, among others. ♦