News 7/5/23

Top News

Constellation Software’s Harris Computer business acquires the US-based EHR, practice management, and RCM assets of Canadian company CloudMD for $6.3 million. CloudMD sold its Canadian health IT assets last year to Well Health Technologies for $4.3 million. CloudMD is now focused on its Health and Wellness services, particularly in the area of remote patient monitoring.

Webinars

July 12 (Wednesday) 2 ET. “101: National Network Data Exchanges.” Sponsor: Particle Health. Presenter: Troy Bannister, founder and CEO, Particle Health. It’s highly likely that your most recent medical records were indexed by a national Health Information Network (HIN). Network participants can submit basic demographic information into an API and receive full, longitudinal medical records sourced from HINs. Records come in a parsed, standardized format, on demand, with a success rate above 90%. There’s so much more to learn and discover, which is why Troy Bannister is going to provide a 101 on all things HIN. You will learn what HINs are, see how the major HINS compare, and learn how networks will evolve due to TEFCA.

July 27 (Thursday) noon ET. “Why You Shouldn’t Wait to Use Generative AI.” Sponsor: Orbita. Presenter: Bill Rogers, co-founder, president, and chairman, Orbita. The advent of generative AI tools truly represents a paradigm shift. And while some healthcare leaders embrace the transformation, others are hesitant. Invest 20 minutes to learn why you shouldn’t wait. When combined with natural language processing, workflow automation and conversational dialogs, generative AI can help leaders address a raft of challenges: from over-extended staff, to the rising demand for self-service tools, to delivering secure information to key stakeholders. You will learn where AI delivers the greatest value for providers and life sciences, how it can solve critical challenges faced by healthcare leaders, and how Orbita has integrated generative AI into its conversational platform so healthcare leaders can leverage its full capabilities safely and securely.

Previous webinars are on our YouTube channel. Contact Lorre to present or promote your own.

Acquisitions, Funding, Business, and Stock

Virtual obesity management clinic Alfie raises $2.1 million in a pre-seed funding round. The company, which uses AI-powered clinical decision support, is working with a large cardiology group to help it manage the weight loss of a select group of obese patients.

Health IT and cybersecurity business Anatomy IT acquires the MIPS/value-based care business of MarsdenAdvisors. Marsden’s remaining migration services business has been renamed Kyval.

Announcements and Implementations

In Oregon, Marion County Health and Human Services goes live on EnSoftek’s DrCloudEHR.

Northwest Pain Care implements EClinicalWorks and its Prisma health information search tool.

Aesthetix CRM adds an AI chat assistant to its CRM for medical aesthetics practices.

OrthoLoneStar (TX) implements Hatch’s white-label patient intake and care coordination software.

A Loving Heart Youth Services selects Cantata Health’s Arize EHR.

Government and Politics

The State of Hawaii joins the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact, which makes it easier for physicians to become licensed to practice in person and virtually across state lines. The compact is already in effect in 37 other states.

Other

A local Dallas media outlet profiles Sniffle, an AI-powered virtual care app that offers telemedicine to patients, and white-label virtual consult capabilities to physicians. Founder and CEO Rich Blanton says the company, launched in 2017, has signed a revenue-sharing agreement with Athenahealth. The State of Arkansas invested in the company, and its technology is now used by 85 physicians in 10 Arkansas clinics.

Sponsor Updates

• AdvancedMD releases over 25 product enhancements to drive greater productivity for private practices.
• Carson Medical Group (NV) successfully transitions to the EClinicalWorks Cloud EHR
• Nordic releases a new Designing for Health Podcast featuring Memorial Hermann Health System VP of Consumerism Dense Worrell
• EClinicalWorks releases a new podcast, “Redesigned Dashboard: Transforming Safety & Compliance.

• Waystar publishes a report with HFMA featuring research and insights on denials in healthcare.
• FQHC Mountain Park Health Center increases its number of available appointments using health IT solutions from EClinicalWorks.

Blog Posts

• From back office to partners in care: The evolution of hospital information technology departments (Nordic)
• How to Improve Patient Transfers with Better Communication (PerfectServe)
• Health Information Management Budgets: What You Need to Know (HealthMark Group)

Contacts

Jenn, Mr. H, Lorre

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News 6/28/23

Top News

THL Partners considers selling specialty practice-focused health IT vendor Nextech in a deal that could be worth $1.5 billion. THL acquired Nextech from Francisco Partners in 2019 for $500 million.

Webinars

July 12 (Wednesday) 2 ET. “101: National Network Data Exchanges.” Sponsor: Particle Health. Presenter: Troy Bannister, founder and CEO, Particle Health. It’s highly likely that your most recent medical records were indexed by a national Health Information Network (HIN). Network participants can submit basic demographic information into an API and receive full, longitudinal medical records sourced from HINs. Records come in a parsed, standardized format, on demand, with a success rate above 90%. There’s so much more to learn and discover, which is why Troy Bannister is going to provide a 101 on all things HIN. You will learn what HINs are, see how the major HINS compare, and learn how networks will evolve due to TEFCA.

July 27 (Thursday) noon ET. “Why You Shouldn’t Wait to Use Generative AI.” Sponsor: Orbita. Presenter: Bill Rogers, co-founder, president, and chairman, Orbita. The advent of generative AI tools truly represents a paradigm shift. And while some healthcare leaders embrace the transformation, others are hesitant. Invest 20 minutes to learn why you shouldn’t wait. When combined with natural language processing, workflow automation and conversational dialogs, generative AI can help leaders address a raft of challenges: from over-extended staff, to the rising demand for self-service tools, to delivering secure information to key stakeholders. You will learn where AI delivers the greatest value for providers and life sciences, how it can solve critical challenges faced by healthcare leaders, and how Orbita has integrated generative AI into its conversational platform so healthcare leaders can leverage its full capabilities safely and securely.

Previous webinars are on our YouTube channel. Contact Lorre to present or promote your own.

Acquisitions, Funding, Business, and Stock

RCM and population health management company UnisLink acquires RCM vendor Healthcare Support Technologies, which supports FQHCs, behavioral health clinics, and rural health clinics.

Blueprint raises $9 million in a Series A funding round. The company offers mental health providers patient tracking and outcomes assessment technologies, as well as a collaborative care app for patients.

In Canada, Shoppers Drug Mart will invest $75 million to gain a minority stake in telemedicine company Maple, whose services are available at 160 of the retail chain’s locations in British Columbia.

Author Health launches with $115 million in funding. The company specializes in offering Medicare Advantage members a team-based, primary care-integrated approach to behavioral healthcare via in-person and virtual visits.

People

William “Bill” Bettermann (Optum) joins P3 Health Partners as EVP and COO.

Tebra names Jon Pexton (UserTesting) CFO.

CentralReach promotes Matt Ward to principal data scientist.

Announcements and Implementations

Heart of Ohio Family Health, an FQHC with six locations in the central part of the state, selects Medicus IT’s MCare managed services.

Community Health Northwest Florida rolls out EClinicalWorks across its 19 locations.

Navina develops a generative AI assistant to help improve the workflows of primary care physicians.

Government and Politics

The US Attorney’s Office charges two former employees of a nonprofit mental healthcare provider in Massachusetts with conspiring to access a protected computer network, plus other charges related to wire fraud. During a two-month period in 2021, the men allegedly attempted to access employee records, listen to and view employee conversations, and develop and deploy a computer program designed to impede an executive’s use of the network. Their efforts shut down the provider’s network, including its EHR.

Research and Innovation

Half of 1,000 surveyed healthcare consumers say they are using more digital health tools than they previously have to communicate with providers and payers. Sixty-two percent expect their online interactions with providers to be just as relevant and consistent as their in-person interactions. Top reasons for changing providers include digital tools that are hard to use, inconsistent experiences across communication channels, and impersonal patient engagement. Not surprisingly, a majority of survey-takers believe AI has the potential to enhance communication between patients, providers, and payers, though not at the expense of patient privacy.

Contacts

Jenn, Mr. H, Lorre

More news: HIStalk.

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News 6/26/23

Top News

Independent primary care practice management company Aledade raises $260 million in a Series F round of funding, with which it will improve and acquire services and technology. It has raised $678 million since former National Coordinator Farzad Mostashari, MD launched the company in 2014.

Aledade, now valued at $3.5 billion, supports more than 1,500 practices in value-based care arrangements across the country.

Additionally, Efrem Castillo, MD (Optum) joins the company as SVP for Medicare Advantage.

Webinars

July 12 (Wednesday) 2 ET. “101: National Network Data Exchanges.” Sponsor: Particle Health. Presenter: Troy Bannister, founder and CEO, Particle Health. It’s highly likely that your most recent medical records were indexed by a national Health Information Network (HIN). Network participants can submit basic demographic information into an API and receive full, longitudinal medical records sourced from HINs. Records come in a parsed, standardized format, on demand, with a success rate above 90%. There’s so much more to learn and discover, which is why Troy Bannister is going to provide a 101 on all things HIN. You will learn what HINs are, see how the major HINS compare, and learn how networks will evolve due to TEFCA.

July 27 (Thursday) noon ET. “Why You Shouldn’t Wait to Use Generative AI.” Sponsor: Orbita. Presenter: Bill Rogers, co-founder, president, and chairman, Orbita. The advent of generative AI tools truly represents a paradigm shift. And while some healthcare leaders embrace the transformation, others are hesitant. Invest 20 minutes to learn why you shouldn’t wait. When combined with natural language processing, workflow automation and conversational dialogs, generative AI can help leaders address a raft of challenges: from over-extended staff, to the rising demand for self-service tools, to delivering secure information to key stakeholders. You will learn where AI delivers the greatest value for providers and life sciences, how it can solve critical challenges faced by healthcare leaders, and how Orbita has integrated generative AI into its conversational platform so healthcare leaders can leverage its full capabilities safely and securely.

Previous webinars are on our YouTube channel. Contact Lorre to present or promote your own.

Acquisitions, Funding, Business, and Stock

Hybrid behavioral healthcare provider Octave raises $52 million in a Series C round of funding, bringing its total raised to $86 million.

Well Health Technologies subsidiary CRH Medical invests in Graphium Health, a billing and patient management software vendor serving anesthesia practices in the US. CRH implemented Graphium’s technology at two of its anesthesia sites as part of a pilot in 2022, and plans to expand the implementation to at least 54 ASCs over the next three years.

46VC makes a strategic investment in patient intake and referral technology startup Titan Intake. 

People

Modern Health names Neha Chaudhary, MD (BeMe Health) chief medical officer.

Holly McCann (Teleperformance) joins Carenet Health as EVP of sales.

On Belay Health Solutions names Bob LoNigro (HealthCare Partners), SVP, clinical affairs and Kate Casaday (Optum) chief of staff and executive director of program management.

Announcements and Implementations

South Community (OH) implements Cantata Health’s Arize EHR.

Haymarket Center (IL) selects NextGen Healthcare’s EHR and practice management software.

Government and Politics

CRH Healthcare and Peachtree Immediate Care will pay $1.6 million to resolve claims that they upcoded Evaluation and Management claims to Medicare. The Atlanta-based urgent care chain’s coding improprieties were brought to light by several whistleblowers.

Contacts

Jenn, Mr. H, Lorre

More news: HIStalk.

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News 6/14/23

Top News

Virtual digestive care provider Oshi Health announces investments from the American College of Gastroenterology and the American Gastroenterological Association’s GI Opportunity Fund. The company, which launched three years ago, announced the closing of a $30 million Series B funding round in April.

Webinars

June 22 (Thursday) 2 ET. “The End of COVID Public Health Emergency is Here. Is Your Rev Cycle Ready?” Sponsor: Waystar. Presenter: Vanessa L. Moldovan, commercial enablement + insights program manager, Waystar. This webinar will describe the proactive steps that are needed to avoid increased rejections and denials. It will cover regulatory waivers and flexibilities, major shifts in telehealth, changes to reimbursement, and the impact of the end of the PHE on Medicaid coverage.

July 12 (Wednesday) 2 ET. “101: National Network Data Exchanges.” Sponsor: Particle Health. Presenter: Troy Bannister, founder and CEO, Particle Health. It’s highly likely that your most recent medical records were indexed by a national Health Information Network (HIN). Network participants can submit basic demographic information into an API and receive full, longitudinal medical records sourced from HINs. Records come in a parsed, standardized format, on demand, with a success rate above 90%. There’s so much more to learn and discover, which is why Troy Bannister is going to provide a 101 on all things HIN. You will learn what HINs are, see how the major HINS compare, and learn how networks will evolve due to TEFCA.

Previous webinars are on our YouTube channel. Contact Lorre to present or promote your own.

People

Breastfeeding and infant nutrition telemedicine provider SimpliFed names Mary Hardy (Impathiq) chief commercialization officer.

Emily Transue, MD (Washington State Health Care Authority) joins Comagine Health as chief clinical officer.

Announcements and Implementations

Behavioral healthcare clinic Life is a Journey (TX) implements EClinicalWorks.

Lybbie adds virtual lactation consults from Nest Collaborative to its breastfeeding support app.

360 Medical Billing Solutions enhances its medical billing dashboards for urgent care centers and emergency rooms with business intelligence software from InetSoft Technology.

ACO Reach model participant Ilumed will leverage Spatially Health’s social determinants of health screening and decision support software.

Other

SMH: The SafetyDetectives research team determines that the top three most used (and hacked) passwords in the world are “123456,” “password,” and “123456789.” Americans especially love “password.”

Sponsor Updates

• AssociatesMD (FL) increases patient engagement after implementing Healow technology from EClinicalWorks.
• Nordic releases an episode of its In Network podcast titled “Making Rounds: Turning data into insights with managed services.”
• Nordic will exhibit at HFMA June 25-28 in Nashville.

Blog Posts

• We Surveyed Our Customers on Mental Health Issues. Here’s What We Learned. (AdvancedMD)
• Getting to grips with chronic disease management (Nordic)

Contacts

Jenn, Mr. H, Lorre

More news: HIStalk.

Get HIStalk Practice updates.
Contact us online.
Become a sponsor.

News 6/12/23

Top News

Pomelo Care, a virtual clinic specializing in pregnancy and newborn care, announces $33 million in funding. Founder and CEO Marta Kerns launched the company in 2021 after spending seven years at Flatiron Health.

Webinars

June 22 (Thursday) 2 ET. “The End of COVID Public Health Emergency is Here. Is Your Rev Cycle Ready?” Sponsor: Waystar. Presenter: Vanessa L. Moldovan, commercial enablement + insights program manager, Waystar. This webinar will describe the proactive steps that are needed to avoid increased rejections and denials. It will cover regulatory waivers and flexibilities, major shifts in telehealth, changes to reimbursement, and the impact of the end of the PHE on Medicaid coverage.

July 12 (Wednesday) 2 ET. “101: National Network Data Exchanges.” Sponsor: Particle Health. Presenter: Troy Bannister, founder and CEO, Particle Health. It’s highly likely that your most recent medical records were indexed by a national Health Information Network (HIN). Network participants can submit basic demographic information into an API and receive full, longitudinal medical records sourced from HINs. Records come in a parsed, standardized format, on demand, with a success rate above 90%. There’s so much more to learn and discover, which is why Troy Bannister is going to provide a 101 on all things HIN. You will learn what HINs are, see how the major HINS compare, and learn how networks will evolve due to TEFCA.

Previous webinars are on our YouTube channel. Contact Lorre to present or promote your own.

Acquisitions, Funding, Business, and Stock

Cityblock Health, a tech-enabled primary and behavioral healthcare provider serving Medicaid and Medicare patients, will lay off 155 employees as part of an organizational restructuring plan. The company launched six years ago, and operates 12 clinics in five states and Washington, DC. It also offers home-based urgent care and virtual appointments.

People

Daymon Smith (Verily) joins Interwell Health as chief product and technology officer.

PracticeNow names Bethany Little (Community Brands) CEO.

Announcements and Implementations

Chicago Stem Cell Therapy & Pain Management Institute transitions from paper-based documentation to EClinicalWorks.

Government and Politics

CMS will launch a new primary care model – Making Care Primary – across eight states beginning July 1, 2024. The model will offer participating providers resources to:

• provide patients with primary care that is coordinated, integrated, and accountable;
• enter into value-based care arrangements; and
• improve care quality and outcomes while decreasing costs.

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services announces $1.5 million in grant funding for providers interested in participating in its Centers for Excellence model. Qualifying providers, particularly those serving rural populations, can use the funding to attract specialty care providers, invest in new technology, and remodel physical spaces.

Sponsor Updates

• EClinicalWorks releases a new podcast, “Prisma: Enhancements & Benefits for Clinicians.”
• AdvancedMD publishes a new e-book, “The Private Equity M&A Playbook: A Guide for Private Practices.”

Blog Posts

• Nurses of Note 2023: The Interim Director and Nurse Development Leader (PerfectServe)

Contacts

Jenn, Mr. H, Lorre

More news: HIStalk.

Get HIStalk Practice updates.
Contact us online.
Become a sponsor.