It makes sense in theory for hospitals and startups to strike deals. Not only would doctors get first dibs on new health care technologies, their organizations would see windfalls if those startups hit it big.
In practice, it often doesn’t work out that way. Doctors and other clinicians have their own way of doing things, and they typically don’t take kindly to an administrator telling them to learn a new product, especially if the goal is financial gain.
Several health system-venture capital arrangements have fallen victim to this dynamic — but VC firm General Catalyst said this week it will buy nonprofit Summa Health, anyway.