News 8/31/16

Top News

HHS awards $53 million to six programs designed to help healthcare organizations bolster drug misuse prevention efforts, improve access to opioid use disorder treatment, reduce opioid-related deaths, and improve data tracking of opioid misuse and overdoses (fatal and non-fatal). The 25 states participating in the data-related programs will receive a combined $10 million, which will be distributed via the CDC and SAMHSA. “States are on the frontline of preventing prescription opioid overdoses—it is critical that state health departments have the support they need to combat the epidemic,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, MD. “States can use these funds to develop, implement, and evaluate programs that save lives.”

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Webinars

None scheduled soon. Contact Lorre for webinar services. Past webinars are on our HIStalk webinars YouTube channel.

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Announcements and Implementations

Falcon Physician adds charting capabilities to its Platinum EHR for nephrologists.

The Reconstructive Orthopedic Center of Houston will roll out RCM and patient engagement software and services from Indianapolis-based Zotec Partners at its four facilities.

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Telemedicine

The National Psoriasis Foundation adds the DermatologistOnCall telemedicine service from Iagnosis to its Patient Navigation resource center. The Pittsburgh-based vendor has had a busy month, also signing on United Skin Specialists (MN) and Summa Health (OH).

A JABFM policy brief (based on the somewhat dated findings of an AAFP survey) highlights the likelihood of safety net clinics and health management organizations to use telemedicine in primary care. Family physicians working in PCMHs were evenly split in their use of telemedicine, prompting the authors to suggest “a need for greater evidence of telehealth’s benefits and incentives for its adoption on the road to practice transformation.”

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People

The Global Partnership for Telehealth promotes Sherrie Williams to COO.

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Acquisitions, Funding, Business, and Stock

Bedford, TX-based software, services, and consulting firm Quatris Health secures an undisclosed amount of funding from private equity firm Seaport Capital. The company was formed in 2013 through the merger of Final Support and Alliance Healthcare Solutions, and is now the largest reseller of GE Healthcare’s Centricity software.

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Sponsor Updates

• Gibson Consultants publishes “Independence remains a rewarding choice for doctors” by Aprima CEO Michael Nissenbaum and Chadwick Prodromos, MD.
• KLAS recognizes Nordic as a top performer in optimization services.

Blog Posts

• Attend EVO16 – This Year’s AdvancedMD User Conference (AdvancedMD)
• What it’s really like to help keep a US health system’s vitals in check (GE Healthcare)

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Contacts

Jenn,  Mr. H, Lorre, Dr. Jayne, Dr. Gregg

More news: HIStalk, HIStalk Connect.

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