MaxMD

What MaxMD does

MaxMD is a privately held healthcare IT interoperability company founded in 2010 and headquartered in Fort Lee, New Jersey. The company operates as one of the first three organizations accredited as a Health Information Service Provider (HISP), Certificate Authority (CA), and Registration Authority (RA) by EHNAC and DirectTrust, with continuous renewals through 2023. MaxMD delivers the COHiESION Solution Suite, anchored by Direct Secure Messaging and extending into event notifications (MaxAlerts), data transformation (MaxIntegration), digital signatures (MaxSignatures), enterprise data exchange (Clinical Gateway), care coordination (Clinical Information Exchange), consumer mobile access (MaxMD App), and FHIR API testing services.

The platform is built on Direct Protocol, HL7 FHIR, HL7 C-CDA, and PKI-based digital signatures, with ONC HIT certification and 100% interoperability across the DirectTrust Accredited Trust Bundle. MaxMD serves a diversified customer base including hospitals, integrated delivery networks, payers, health information exchanges, registries, state Medicaid/Medicare programs, healthcare IT vendors, medical device developers, and individual patients and caregivers. Notable enterprise and government relationships include preferred HISP selections by the States of Tennessee and Pennsylvania, sole HISP selection for New Jersey and Connecticut Regional Extension Centers, ONC selection for CDA testing tool services, and AT&T/State of Tennessee partnerships.

MaxMD generates revenue through subscription-based pricing across multiple streams: enterprise HISP services for healthcare organizations (quote-based), patient and caregiver Direct addresses at $8/month or $60/year, web-based care coordination subscriptions (Clinical Information Exchange), and integration/transformation services. The company operates a multi-channel go-to-market combining direct enterprise field sales for large organizations, API-first integration for EHR vendors requiring ONC certification, self-serve web registration for small practices and individual providers, and mobile app stores for consumer-facing access. MaxMD is founder-led by CEO Scott A. Finlay, with no disclosed institutional funding, parent company, or M&A activity, and a small employee base of 11-50.

Name

MaxMD

Legal name

MaxMD

Website

https://directmdemail.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MaxMD provides HIPAA-compliant healthcare interoperability solutions via its EHNAC/DirectTrust-accredited HISP, CA, and RA infrastructure, offering Direct Secure Messaging, FHIR-based data exchange, event notifications, and consumer mobile access to hospitals, payers, HIEs, registries, and government agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Interoperability Software

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Interoperability Standards, Profiles & Implementation (HL7/FHIR/IHE) (HLACABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

EHR/EMR Integration & Interoperability Middleware (HL7/FHIR) (HLALAKAD)

Keywords

• Healthcare interoperability software
• Direct Secure Messaging
• HISP services
• HL7 FHIR exchange
• Clinical data exchange

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Lee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Patient Direct Address Subscription: Monthly or annual subscription for patient and caregiver Direct addresses enabling secure communication with care providers. Includes identity proofing, DirectTrust network access, and optional MaxMD app integration.
2. Clinical Information Exchange Web App: Subscription-based web app for ADT notifications and care coordination with subscription management and dashboard features.
3. Enterprise HISP Services: Direct Secure Messaging services for hospitals, IDNs, payers, HIEs, and registries including Hosted Direct mdEmail, Encryption as a Service, and integration services.
4. MaxIntegration Services: Data transformation and integration engine for translating between formats including C-CDA documents, PDF, HTML, and custom formats.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

MaxMD is an EHNAC/DirectTrust accredited Health Information Service Provider (HISP), Certificate Authority (CA), and Registration Authority (RA) that delivers HIPAA-compliant healthcare interoperability solutions based on the Direct Protocol. The COHiESION Solution Suite includes Direct Secure Messaging (Hosted Direct mdEmail standalone and via API, plus Encryption as a Service), MaxAlerts event notifications, MaxIntegration transformation engine, MaxSignatures PKI digital signatures, Clinical Gateway Solution, Clinical Information Exchange web app, Third Party FHIR API Testing, the MaxMD consumer mobile app, Patient and Caregiver Direct Addresses, and Certificate Authority services.

Product overview

MaxMD is a comprehensive health IT interoperability platform organized around Direct Secure Messaging as its core transport layer, with multiple configuration options (Hosted Direct mdEmail standalone, API-accessible, and Encryption as a Service) serving different organizational needs. The COHiESION Solution Suite extends the core platform with complementary modules: MaxAlerts provides event-driven ADT notifications; MaxIntegration handles data transformation and format conversion; MaxSignatures enables PKI-based digital signatures; Clinical Gateway Solution offers enterprise data exchange infrastructure for payers, registries, and providers; and Clinical Information Exchange Web App delivers lightweight care coordination tools. The company also provides a consumer-facing MaxMD Mobile App and patient/caregiver Direct Addresses for consumer-directed exchange. MaxMD operates as an EHNAC/DirectTrust accredited HISP, CA, and RA, offering ONC-certified solutions supporting HL7 C-CDA, FHIR, and Direct Protocol standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• mdEmail: Hosted Direct mdEmail is MaxMD's secure messaging platform for healthcare organizations.
• MaxAlerts
• MaxIntegration
• MaxSignatures
• DirecText
• Encryption as a Service (EaaS)

Products and services

• Direct Secure Messaging (DSM) Core HISP platform providing secure health information exchange via the Direct Protocol, supporting SMTP, SOAP+XDR, and Direct+XDM edge protocols and offering configuration options including Hosted Direct mdEmail (standalone and API) and Encryption as a Service. Targets hospitals, IDNs, payers, HIEs, and government agencies needing compliant transport for transitions of care and value-based care data sharing.
• Hosted Direct mdEmail (Standalone) Standalone Direct Secure Messaging solution accessible via mobile, desktop clients (Thunderbird, Outlook), or branded webmail client, requiring no EHR or dedicated mail server. Aimed at small practices, individual providers, government agencies, and insurance companies.
• Hosted Direct mdEmail (via API) API-accessible Direct Secure Messaging solution for EHR vendors and HIT applications requiring ONC certification, with all features callable via SOAP or RESTful APIs. Intended for EHR vendors and HIT applications requiring ONC certification.
• Encryption as a Service (EaaS) Configuration for hospitals, ambulatory EHR vendors with native mail capabilities, long-term care hospitals, patient portal vendors, and legacy HIT applications or SMTP endpoints, enabling senders to meet Meaningful Use Stage 2 summary of care measure.
• MaxAlerts Event Notification Intelligent event notification service delivering real-time ADT (Admission, Discharge, Transfer) notifications to care team members via the Direct Protocol, with customizable rule sets that mimic HIE functions without one-to-one interface overhead. Designed for hospitals, IDNs, and care teams needing timely notifications.
• MaxIntegration Transformation engine running on an EHNAC/DirectTrust accredited HISP that reformats message payloads in transit based on client requirements, converting non-standard data to C-CDA documents and standard C-CDA documents to human-readable formats in real time. Aimed at healthcare organizations needing payload interoperability across heterogeneous systems.
• MaxSignatures Digital signature solution based on PKI technology providing signer authenticity, data integrity, and non-repudiation, FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certified and compliant with ESIGN, EU Directives, FDA 21 CFR Part 11, HIPAA, and SOX. For healthcare organizations and partners needing compliant document signing.
• Clinical Gateway Solution (CGS) Modern data exchange enabler deployed privately by organizations to control and manage the exchange and reuse of clinical health information, with Registry/Repository, Transformation Engine, Data Validation Engine, Transaction Log, and Communication Request Task Engine capabilities. Targeted at payers, HIEs, and registries managing large-scale data flows.
• Clinical Information Exchange Web App (CIE) Lightweight, flexible web application for care coordination and transitions of care featuring ADT Notification Viewer and Notifications Dashboard, with SMART on FHIR EHR launch sequence support. Designed for practices and community organizations not currently using Direct.
• Third Party FHIR API Testing Testing service for organizations implementing HL7 FHIR APIs supporting 21st Century Cures Act compliance, with Professional (free), Business, and Enterprise plans covering profile validation, load testing, beta app access, conformance testing, and rendering/payload validation. Targeted at payers and healthcare organizations implementing FHIR APIs.
• MaxMD Mobile App Patient-facing mobile application for Android and iOS combining FHIR and Direct exchange with DirecText messaging, record retrieval via API, and CARIN-compliant data exchange. CMS Blue Button 2.0 approved and intended for individual patients managing their health information.
• Patient and Caregiver Direct Addresses Trusted digital identity for patients and caregivers to securely communicate with care providers via the DirectTrust network, including online identity proofing via ID.me, one-click C-CDA viewer, Outlook integration, and MaxMD app support at $8/month or $60/year. For patients and caregivers needing a single secure channel to providers.
• Certificate Authority / Registration Authority EHNAC and DirectTrust accredited Certificate Authority and Registration Authority services that issue and manage X.509 Public Key Certificates for Direct exchange participants, including Domain-Bound, Address-Bound, and Device certificates. For healthcare organizations needing DirectTrust-compliant identity infrastructure.

Quantifiable outcome

• Typical implementations completed in less than 10 days; fastest implementation achieved in 2 hours
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DirectTrustcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012MaxMD is interoperable with 100% of HISPs in the DirectTrust Accredited Trust Bundle. DirectTrust is a not-for-profit trade association launched in 2012 to support trusted health information exchange. MaxMD was among the first companies accepted into the DirectTrust Anchor Trust Bundle and operates under DirectTrust Certificate Policy.
• ID.mecoreTechnology or IntegrationID.me serves as MaxMD's federally-certified identity provider for patient identity proofing. Patients complete ID.me verification including government ID, Social Security Number, and optional video call to meet NIST 800-63-2 Level of Assurance 3 requirements.
• ONC (Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected by ONC in 2016 to provide Direct Services to CDA testing tool. MaxMD contributed to Direct Protocol development established as part of Nationwide Health Information Network in 2010.
• Electronic Health Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEHNAC performs comprehensive review of MaxMD's technical infrastructure, policies, and procedures on alternating years for HISP, CA, and RA accreditation. MaxMD was one of first three companies accredited in 2013.
• HL7 InternationalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaxMD became HL7 Gold Member in 2018. Participated in FHIR Connectathons demonstrating Direct to FHIR End Points and co-authored white paper on Direct to FHIR with Grahame Grieve and DirectTrust.
• Strategic Health Information Exchange Community (SHIEC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoined SHIEC in 2021 as strategic, business and technology member supporting HIE community collaboration.
• CARIN AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaxMD signed CARIN Alliance Code of Conduct in 2020, pledging to uphold principles for consumer-directed health information exchange and privacy/security framework.
• New Jersey Innovation Institute (NJII)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaxMD joined NJII in 2015 to create solutions for Medicaid reimbursement using Direct Protocol, MaxIntegration, and MaxSignatures to exchange information with State Registry. Joint venture between NJII and JP Morgan Chase.
• AT&TminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSelected by AT&T and State of Tennessee in 2015 to provide Direct Services to Tennessee government agencies.
• Pennsylvania eHealth Partnership AuthorityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAwarded grant in 2014 to collect, translate, and re-format raw data from Laboratory Information System and transport via Direct to various EMRs.
• Minnesota Department of HealthminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAwarded Certificate of Authority in 2014 to operate as Health Data Intermediary in Minnesota.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Particle Health: Particle Health operates a healthcare API for clinical record retrieval, payer-provider data exchange, and TEFCA-aligned connectivity. It is comparable to MaxMD's payer-focused Clinical Gateway and consumer record-retrieval mobility capabilities.
• Health Gorilla: Health Gorilla is a healthcare interoperability platform offering clinical data exchange, HIE connectivity, and FHIR-based record retrieval to providers, payers, and developers. It overlaps with MaxMD's Clinical Gateway, MaxAlerts, and FHIR record-retrieval capabilities in serving similar enterprise healthcare buyers.
• Redox: Redox provides API infrastructure for healthcare data exchange, enabling EHRs and digital health apps to integrate clinical data via HL7 FHIR. Both MaxMD and Redox sell integration/interoperability middleware to enterprise healthcare organizations and EHR vendors, with similar developer-focused GTM.
• 1upHealth: 1upHealth is a FHIR-based interoperability platform for payer-provider data exchange and CMS interoperability rule compliance. Comparable to MaxMD in addressing 21st Century Cures Act mandates via FHIR APIs and patient access.

Emerging players

• Zus Health: Zus Health offers a shared clinical data infrastructure with provider directories, identity, and record retrieval APIs for digital health builders. Comparable to MaxMD's patient identity proofing, certificate authority, and FHIR-based record retrieval modules.
• Datavant: Datavant is a health data connectivity and de-identification platform with payer-provider and life sciences data exchange. Partial overlap with MaxMD's payer and registry connectivity use cases, though Datavant focuses more on analytics-grade data exchange.
• eClinicalWorks: eClinicalWorks is an EHR vendor that integrates Direct Secure Messaging and FHIR interoperability directly into its platform for ambulatory customers. It competes in overlapping ambulatory interoperability workflows where MaxMD also serves primary care and community organizations via its Hosted Direct mdEmail standalone offering.

Broad incumbents

• Surescripts: Surescripts operates the dominant health information network for clinical messaging between providers, pharmacies, and payers. It is comparable to MaxMD because both operate trusted clinical messaging infrastructure as HISPs on the DirectTrust backbone, although Surescripts is far larger and spans e-prescribing.
• Orion Health: Orion Health provides an HIE platform with clinical data integration, terminology services, and population health tools. Comparable to MaxMD's HIE-targeted Clinical Gateway and MaxIntegration transformation engine for connecting diverse clinical systems.
• Change Healthcare (now Optum): Change Healthcare, now part of Optum, is a broad healthcare data exchange and clinical messaging incumbent covering payer-provider connectivity at massive scale. Comparable to MaxMD's clinical data exchange offerings, though Optum operates at a fundamentally larger scope and scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/maxdotmd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/max-md

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MaxMD