Good question. I think there are a number of hurdles perhaps for both companies. RAP would need TGA and FDA approvals in place in order for RMD to start to entertain any sort of partnership.
RMD sell CPAP machines and accessories mostly. They also have clinician services as well. Their machines are world class and the process for getting one is clearly defined in both the Govt sector and the private health sector across the globe.
As @Red bar has pointed out, the process in Australia is long and laborious and in need of streamlining....so RAP can help with that. But it will take time to convince the governing bodies that RMD and RAP can vertically integrate and remove parts of the existing process across so many jurisdictions worldwide. It is not impossible...but it will be time consuming because all jurisdictions would need to be looked at and then aligned to a new process. Lots of rubber stamping would need to be done.
A more likely scenario may be that RMD license the tech and put it into their own app....which they currently have and which pretty much lacks everything.....its pretty lame actually. But a license agreement with RMD would certainly be a great thing for RAP.
There are already a few OSA app's in the app stores, some are pretty good but none are a diagnostic tool or approved as such....so they also may come calling and looking to get on board.
I think it would be silly to say that RMD, Phillips and Fisher and Paykel are not watching RAP carefully right now, because all of them have a gaping hole in their business model which they could easily fill by getting into bed with RAP.....even just licensing the tech and paying the fee is better for them than not having the tech to use.
From a Telehealth perspective , when you think about OSA, you don't really think Telehealth as such because of the need to attend a clinic or doctor face to face.
Well with our upcoming approvals that barrier will be gone.
Use Case #1 You consult your telehealth provider, they clear you to download the app and you follow the process for a few nights. You get a diagnosis through the RAP app and the provider can make a suggestion on next steps....ie which CPAP machine to buy and from who. That is the big part. CPAP makers rely on doctors prescribing them or word of mouth...the CPAP makers have to make sure they are in league with the Telehealth providers going forward because this is a new segment to their business model which currently does not exist.
As you can see, plenty of use cases here and also plenty more new onesto come that the big boys will want to stay in front of.
It is a wait and see game but I believe one of them has to become a RAP customer.
RAP Price at posting:
24.5¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held
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