News 9/2/10

HIE vendor Availity acquires RCM service-provider RealMed. No terms were disclosed, though Availity says RealMed’s operations will remain in Indianapolis.

Allscripts-Misys and Eclipsys are now Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, as the merger is finalized. To celebrate, Glen Tullman, Phil Pead, and a dozen others rang the opening bell on NASDAQ. Familiar name, but new logo, new color, and a  new leadership team, with Allscripts-Misys alums taking most of the top spots.

Southwest Kidney Institute (AZ) selects athenaCollector, athenaClinicals, and athenaCommunicator for its 50-provider practice.

Speaking of athenahealth, I see they have added an amusing 2-minute video to their site called “Tame the Beast.” Jonathan Bush’s larger-than-life personality is one of the company’s best assets, in my opinion, and this clip highlights JB’s ability to effectively deliver his message with deadpan humor. It’s worth a look, even just to see the cameo of his beautiful daughter.

Jonathan Bush’s cross-town competitor, Girish Kumar Navani of eClinicalWorks, is named as one of 16 recipients of a Mass High Tech 2010 All-Stars Award. The award recognizes “dynamic and influential leaders of New England’s innovation economy.” He took top honors in the Health IT category.

The number of readers tuning into HIStalk Practice continues to grow. In August, we once again exceeded 10,000 visits, which is up 52% from a year ago. Thanks for stopping by and telling your friends. Of course, thanks to our sponsors, especially those very first ones a year and a half ago who took a gamble that HIStalk Practice would make it past the first couple of slow months! Their love helps fund my shoe budget, which in turn contributes to world beautification.

The local business journal says the 281-provider Austin Regional Clinic (TX) is shopping for its first EMR. Austin-based e-MDs is said to be in the running, though the clinic is working to create its short list of just three or four vendors.

More evidence that text messaging is effective way to help kids follow their doctors’ orders: the Pediatric Health Transplant Program at NY-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital reports that its two-way texting program significantly decreases the likelihood of organ rejection due to medication non-adherence.

Weno Healthcare applies to be an EHR authorized certification and testing body (ATCB). Weno, which already has an EHR testing and certification program, also offers a free SaaS-model EMR (or $1,000 for a "government certified version”) and an e-health community to connect providers. A quick tour about Weno’s Web site left me with the impression that the company runs a much smaller operation than CCHIT or Drummond Group.

The ambulatory EHR market will double from $1.3 billion in 2009 to an estimated $2.6 billion in 2012, according to a new Frost & Sullivan study. By 2013, the market will peak at $3 billion and fall to $1.4 billion by 2016. More details here.

E-mail Inga.