Ex-Dialogic CEO in health care emergency communications venture

Following angel funding, company inks strategic partnership with HealthStream

Email | Print By Walker Duncan

Gene Kirby

In the wake of September 11 and Hurricane Katrina, renewed focus and government mandates have been placed on hospitals’ disaster readiness. A new local company is offering training products to help in that endeavor.

Cool Springs-based DisasterNet recently launched after receiving a round of angel funding and putting together a Web-based emergency management systems it plans to initially market to hospitals. According to the company, hospitals using the systems will be able to conduct training exercises and manage real-time emergencies.

The product is designed to fit in with the federal Incident Command System, which has been strongly emphasized in recent years by the Joint Commission and the federal government following 9/11.

At the outset of the New Year, DisasterNet entered into a strategic partnership with fellow Web-based health care educator HealthStream. Through the three-year deal, HealthStream will offer DisasterNet’s Disaster Incident Management System as a tool to its client base, which includes about 2,400 hospitals.

Behind the company are entrepreneur Gene Kirby, whose last venture Dialogic sold back in 2006, Chris Riddle, former chief safety officer with Ascension Health, and Bryant Tow, who was most recently director of security services for Unisys.

Much of the development and other operations are outsourced and handled by independent contractors.

Kirby would not divulge the identity of the local angel investor or the size of the investment. But speaking with NashvillePost.com this morning, he said the investor has committed to helping with later funding rounds.