The article about Pediatric Associates in CA has a nugget with a potentially outsized impact: the implication that VFC vaccines…
News 7/24/17
Top News
Private equity firm KKR will acquire WebMD for $2.8 billion. Founded in 1996, WebMD began looking at possible suitors early last year as its revenue from pharmaceutical ads began to dry up. Analysts at the time gave it a $2 billion valuation. Its websites include WebMD.com, Medscape.com, and MedicineNet.com – all of which will now live under the same umbrella as KKR’s DentalPlans.com and AllAboutCounseling.com sites.
Webinars
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Announcements and Implementations
Commonwealth Primary Care ACO taps Sonora Quest Laboratories to be its diagnostic testing provider of choice. (SQL is a joint venture between Banner Health system (AZ) and Quest Diagnostics.) The ACO, made up of 130 independent physicians in Arizona, will use SQL’s population health analytics to better identify high-risk patients and close gaps in care.
In an effort to better assess and improve quality, Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan will use Code Technology’s benchmarking reports to help it develop a patient-reported outcomes program.
Child and family services provider KidsTLC (KS) selects NetSmart’s EHR.
Acquisitions, Funding, Business, and Stock
Portland, ME-based healthcare financial and advisory firms BerryDunn and Compass Health Analytics decide to merge.
People
Primary Care Development Corp., a nonprofit dedicated to investments and policy initiatives around primary care, appoints Altruista Health CMO Munish Khaneja, MD to its development committee.
Casey Liakos (Huron Consulting) joins Carex Consulting as president.
The Vermont Medical Society promotes Jessa Barnard to EVP. She’ll take over leadership of the 2,000 physician organization when current EVP Paul Harrington retires this December.
Telemedicine
Birmingham, AL-based AlternaVisit – best, if not widely, known for its white-label telemedicine solutions – begins offering website development and management services to physician practices. It’s a logical step, according to CEO Tom McDougal, given that a professional, easy-to-navigate website is a practice’s first step in adding telemedicine services.
In a move that I predict will become increasingly common amongst physician practices, Keady Family Practice rolls out virtual consults in an effort to make accessing healthcare easier for their patients, many of whom live in rural areas. “It’s just the convenience of having that face-to-face virtual appointment with your provider,” says Krista Wilson, a KFP medical support staff member. “It’s not that we don’t want our patients to come here, but we want to add benefits for patients without added stress to their schedules.”
New Benefits adds telemedicine services from MDLive to its line of healthcare discount plans for employers.
Other
@Rachel_LEAD and Politico pick up on a new trend in health IT marketing – enticing potential customers with high-tech gadgets that become operational once a demo is scheduled.
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