Kipu Health, a company that provides technology solutions for behavioral health announced it acquired Hatch Compliance, a cloud-based compliance management and software provider focused on behavioral health companies. 

The acquisition is expected to augment Kipu’s suite of offerings by adding “robust governance, risk and compliance” abilities.

Kipu interacts with patients via customer relationship management (CRM) tools, aims to optimize care delivery through electronic medical records (EMR) and assists with  financial stability with revenue cycle management (RCM) solutions.

“At Kipu, we are always seeking new ways to support our customers in delivering exceptional care,” Carina Edwards, chief executive officer, said in a statement.

“The acquisition of Hatch Compliance is a significant step forward in our mission to empower behavioral health organizations. By adding Hatch’s compliance expertise with our existing technology platform, we are providing our customers with the most comprehensive solution available, ensuring they can meet the highest standards of regulatory compliance while focusing on what truly matters—patient care.” 

Mike Lifshotz, chief executive officer of Hatch Compliance, noted that joining the Kipu family marks a new chapter for the company. 

“We have always been dedicated to helping behavioral health providers navigate the complexities of compliance,” Lifshotz said in a statement.

“With Kipu’s resources and shared vision, we are now positioned to offer even greater value to our customers. Together, we will continue to innovate and provide the tools and support that behavioral health organizations need to thrive in an increasingly regulated environment.”

THE LARGER TREND

Recently, Kipu announced its updated medication assisted treatment (MAT) solution that aims to simplify the treatment process for opioid treatment programs (OTPs). 

In 2023, Kipu earned certified status by HITRUST for information security. HITRUST Risk-based, 2-year (r2) certified status shows the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system has met demanding regulatory compliance, industry-defined requirements and is appropriately managing risk.

A year before, Kipu launched Kipu Patient Portal, which delivers patients access to information aimed at improving the quality of care for behavioral health patients. The patient portal delivers treatment and care information in real-time to patients and their authorized contacts.

In 2019, Kipu Health was awarded nearly $20 million by a federal jury in Florida after it ruled one of the company’s former customers, ZenCharts, cloned its software in order to become a competitor. 

The jury ruled the action taken by ZenCharts violated the terms of the user agreement and ruled the defendants had worked to duplicate a product initially offered by Kipu by conspiring to gain access to the company’s electronic health record platform.