18 leading healthcare providers have agreed to participate in the program:

• Albany Medical Center
• Catholic Health System
• Community Healthcare Network
• Continuum Health Partners
• Ellis Medicine
• FEGS Health and Human Services System
• Finger Lakes Community Health
• Hometown Health Centers
• Hudson Valley Initiative   
• Institute for Family Health
• Maimonides Medical Center
• NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation
• New York-Presbyterian Hospital
• North Shore LIJ Health System
• NYU Langone Medical Center
• Stony Brook University Medical Center
• Visiting Nurse Service of Schenectady and Saratoga Counties
• Winthrop University Hospital

Investors, providers weigh in:

"Aetna is strongly committed to advancing healthcare information technology that will connect the healthcare system to help improve quality and outcomes," said Lonny Reisman, MD, Aetna's chief medical officer and a member of board of the NYeC. "The convergence of health IT and healthcare expertise will be extremely critical and powerful in making healthcare more effective, convenient and affordable for everyone. Aetna has been actively involved in NYeC since its inception, and we are pleased to support this important initiative."

"Albany Medical Center welcomes this important initiative that will help develop innovative approaches to improving patient outcomes at lower costs while helping to attract healthcare entrepreneurs to New York State," said James J. Barba, president and CEO. "Albany Med has long recognized that the type of collaboration this project is building between healthcare providers, government and the private sector will be the key to reforming our healthcare system."

"Entrepreneurs require access to potential customers as much as they require access to capital," said Todd Pietri, co-founder and general partner of Milestone Venture Partners. "The New York Digital Health Accelerator is the first accelerator program we have seen which provides direct access to key decision makers at potential customers."

"New York City is the place for the creation of next generation digital health companies,” said Philippe Chambon, managing director of New Leaf Venture Partners. “The combination of the digital alley talent, the deep healthcare infrastructure of the state and the availability of venture funding is truly unique.”

“New York is leading the way in healthcare innovation by bringing together hospitals, medical providers, payers, and investors with its rapidly growing Silicon Alley," said Adele C. Oliva, partner at Quaker Partners. "Quaker believes that this integrated approach will catalyze entrepreneurship and deliver the revolutionary technology the healthcare system requires to improve care and reduce costs."

"We are looking forward to becoming a part of the New York Digital Health Accelerator," said Gary J. Kurtzman, MD, managing director at Safeguard Scientifics. "New York is forging an unprecedented path by pulling together investors, hospitals, and other healthcare advisers to collaborate and offer healthcare IT start-ups access to capital, mentorship and expert insights to help them effectively grow their business."

"Innovation is a key driver in helping make the health system work better for everyone," said Tom Vanderheyden, vice president, emerging businesses group at UnitedHealth Group. "We believe the New York Digital Health Accelerator model will help bring practical solutions to market in a significantly shorter timeframe."

"New health information technologies will help people get better care," said Joseph Twardy, president and CEO, Visiting Nurse Service of Schenectady and Saratoga Counties. "Here in the capital region, the Visiting Nurse Service of Schenectady and Saratoga Counties, Ellis Medicine and Hometown Health Center are already working with other healthcare and social service organizations and physicians to ensure that we provide each person with the right care at the right time-and having the right information will help us do that."