VCs look to palliative, long-term care plays

Venture capital investors have their eyes on long-term and palliative care as well as behavioral health, and told the Health Datapalooza audience last week it’s not all about the tech.

The panel came at the tail end of a week that saw two multi-billion dollar deals in the home health and long-term care arena. Real estate company Welltower and nonprofit health system ProMedica Health entered into a joint venture to acquire HCR ManorCare, a large provider of post-acute care and long-term care, and nursing home chain Arden Courts to create a $7 billion system.

Humana, along with private equity firms TPG Capital and Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe, earlier last week announced an acquisition of hospice operator Curo for...