Corner Health has announced $32.5 million in seed and Series A financing to accelerate the expansion of its AI-powered platform designed to help nurse practitioners establish and operate independent primary care practices. The company plans to use the funding to grow its workforce, enhance its artificial intelligence capabilities and extend its platform into additional U.S. states.
The Series A round was led by Oak HC/FT, with participation from existing investors First Round Capital and Zigg Capital.
Corner Health currently supports nurse practitioners in Arizona and Washington, two states where full practice authority enables qualified clinicians to independently evaluate patients, diagnose conditions, prescribe medications, manage treatment plans and order diagnostic tests. Through its platform, the company aims to simplify the operational requirements associated with running an independent practice.
Its technology, known as Cora, serves as an AI-enabled operating system that automates a range of administrative and operational tasks, including billing, laboratory orders, patient scheduling, referrals, prior authorizations and patient communications. By reducing administrative burden, the platform is intended to allow clinicians to devote more time to direct patient care while maintaining financially sustainable practices.
"The dominant use of AI in healthcare today is helping clinicians move faster and see more patients," Anne Gifford, cofounder and COO of Corner Health, said. "We're using AI to create the opposite outcome. Our providers can see fewer patients, spend 2–3x more time with each one, and still build thriving independent practices."
The company is entering the market as healthcare organisations continue to seek approaches to address workforce shortages and improve access to primary care. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, there are more than 461,000 nurse practitioners in the United States, while more than half of U.S. states and territories have adopted full practice authority legislation.
The Association of American Medical Colleges has projected that the United States could face a shortage of up to 86,000 physicians by 2036. As demand for primary care services continues to grow, nurse practitioners are increasingly assuming leadership and ownership roles, particularly in underserved communities where access to healthcare remains limited.
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