Health IT venture investments up in 2010

Healthcare IT companies garnered $460 million in venture capital in 2010, a 19 percent increase over 2009 when investments totaled nearly $388 million, according to Dow Jones VentureSource, which credits the growth to a growing market for electronic health records and other health IT. Overall investment in healthcare companies fell 7 percent in 2010 to $7.4 billion for 702 deals. The industry's smallest sector, Healthcare Services, saw the strongest growth. Fifty-four healthcare services companies raised $1.2 billion, a 29 percent increase in deal activity and more than triple the capital raised in 2009.