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October 26, 2017 News No Comments

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President Trump declares a public health emergency to address the country’s opioid crisis. The directive – signed by acting HHS Secretary Eric Hargan – does not provide any new funding. The highlights:

Expanded access to telemedicine services, which will no doubt be well received in rural areas with few physicians and fewer behavioral health resources.
Loosening up red tape involved with appointing HHS officials who will help refocus programs and resources.
Freeing up of resources within HIV/AIDs programs to help give those patients access to substance abuse treatment.
Issuing grants to help workers displaced from the workforce by the opioid crisis – a somewhat nebulous benefit that is subject to available funding.

Webinars

November 8 (Wednesday) 1:00 ET. “How Clinically Integrated Networks Can Overcome the Technical Challenges to Data-Sharing.” Sponsored by: Liaison Technologies. Presenters: Dominick Mack, MD, executive medical director, Georgia Health Information Technology Extension Center and Georgia Health Connect, director, National Center for Primary Care, and associate professor, Morehouse School of Medicine; Gary Palgon, VP of healthcare and life sciences solutions, Liaison Technologies. This webinar will describe how Georgia Heath Connect connects clinically integrated networks to hospitals and small and rural practices, helping providers in medically underserved communities meet MACRA requirements by providing technology, technology support, and education that accelerates regulatory compliance and improves outcomes.

Here is the recording from this week’s webinar with ZappRx on improving care and saving time with streamlined specialty drug prescribing.

Previous webinars are on our YouTube channel. Contact Lorre for information.

Announcements and Implementations

Westmed Medical Group (NY and CT) upgrades its Bridge Patient Portal with enhanced appointment management, online bill pay, and prescription refill request tools. The practice has also launched an app that offers appointment scheduling and secure messaging.

TSYS will add Rectangle Health’s Practice Management Bridge payment processing software to its line of healthcare payment products.

Drchrono develops EHR and PM technology for urgent care practices.

Government and Politics

The Delaware Healthcare Commission awards Health Management Associates a $1.3 million contract to help the state’s department of health and social services integrate behavioral healthcare services into primary care facilities, and support the Health Neighborhoods population health management program.