News 1/16/23

Top News

Actress Kristen Bell becomes a spokesperson for Hers and its virtual mental healthcare service. Bell joins athletes like Michael Phelps (Talkspace), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Antidote Health), and Simone Biles (Cerebral) as brand ambassadors for direct-to-consumer telehealth startups that have seen their popularity with patients and investors skyrocket, as COVID ushered in relaxed telehealth rules. Talkspace has reportedly caught the eye of Amwell, while Cerebral faces federal scrutiny for its prescribing practices. Biles quietly severed ties with Cerebral (where she was technically chief impact officer) in December as its inner turmoil escalated. Hers, meanwhile, has raised $233 million along with partner online wellness company Hims.

Webinars

January 19 (Thursday) 2 ET. “Supercharge Your Clinical Data Searches.” Sponsor: Particle Health. Presenter: Paul Robbins, MSMBA, VP of product, Particle. Particle’s team will preview the exciting results of Specialty Search, a new condition-specific record locator service. This webinar will review how to collect patient records from top Centers of Excellence across the entire country; how healthcare organizations of all types are benefiting from Specialty Search capabilities, using Particle’s simple API; and why a focused search of chronic condition data — in oncology, cardiology, endocrinology, orthopedics, and more — has an outsized impact on care outcomes.

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

Announcements and Implementations

Highland Rivers Behavioral Health (GA) leverages Findhelp’s social and human services search tool.

Government and Politics

Medical billing company Amvik Solutions will pay $153,000 to settle federal allegations that it improperly billed Medicaid for applied behavior analysis services on behalf of customer Helping Hands Academy.

Research and Innovation

Lone Star Circle of Care Austin (TX) pilots an AI-powered nutritional assessment, guidance, and goal-setting platform developed by researchers at the University of Texas and Dell Medical School. Patients input their nutritional data into the Nutri tool, which processes and compares it to dietary guidelines, and then presents it and corresponding nutritional goals via interface for use during appointments.

Sponsor Updates

• EClinicalWorks releases a new customer success story, “Value-Based Care Achieved Through PCMH and HEDIS.
• Nordic posts a new episode of DocTalk titled “The two sides of digital health.”
• EClinicalWorks customer Children First Pediatrics reports successful process automation, increased patient compliance, and general cost savings using the company’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS).

Blog Posts

• How Bedside Manner Improves Patient Recovery (PerfectServe)
• 2023 Top Healthcare Cybersecurity Threats (TigerConnect)
• How Patient Education Can Increase Compassion in Healthcare (Healthwise)

Contacts

Jenn, Mr. H, Lorre

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News 1/9/23

Top News

Specialty EHR and practice management vendor ModMed acquires allergy testing and immunotherapy software company Xtract Solutions.

Webinars

January 19 (Thursday) 2 ET. “Supercharge Your Clinical Data Searches.” Sponsor: Particle Health. Presenter: Paul Robbins, MSMBA, VP of product, Particle. Particle’s team will preview the exciting results of Specialty Search, a new condition-specific record locator service. This webinar will review how to collect patient records from top Centers of Excellence across the entire country; how healthcare organizations of all types are benefiting from Specialty Search capabilities, using Particle’s simple API; and why a focused search of chronic condition data — in oncology, cardiology, endocrinology, orthopedics, and more — has an outsized impact on care outcomes.

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

Acquisitions, Funding, Business, and Stock

Herself Health launches with $7 million in seed funding. The company offers primary care services to women 65 and older at its clinic in St. Paul, MN. CEO Kristen Helton was formerly general manager of Amazon Care.

Codex IT, a healthcare IT consulting and managed services company focused on eye care practices, acquires Intranet Consulting.

People

David Shelton (MedAssist) joins Aidéo Technologies as CEO.

LifeMD names Jessica Friedeman (Healthgrades) CMO.

UnisLink appoints David Strand (Kenwood Health) executive chairman.

Former Summit Health-CityMD CEO Jeff Le Benger, MD will serve as interim president of Summit Health-CityMD, recently acquired by VillageMD for $7 billion.

Louise Perkowski (PrescribeWellness) joins InStep Health as VP of client solutions and sales.

Announcements and Implementations

Palmetto Counseling & Consulting Services (SC) implements EClinicalWorks.

EHR and practice management vendor Azalea Health selects RevSpring’s PersonaPay patient payments portal, merchant services, and billing software.

Research and Innovation

Samsung debuts telemedicine functionality at CES that makes virtual consults available through its smart TV or Galaxy Watch. The company will also offer a special camera designed to capture heart and respiratory rates, oxygen saturation and stress levels. It hasn’t yet made details available as to who will provide the care and what payment options will be available.

Other

Maternal & Family Health Services (PA) notifies patients of an April 2022 ransomware attack that may have compromised PHI.

Contacts

Jenn, Mr. H, Lorre

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News 1/4/23

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Allscripts rebrands to Veradigm after transitioning many of its products over the last year to the Veradigm name.

Allscripts sold off its Hospitals and Large Physician Practices business segment to Canada-based Harris for up to $700 million in cash in Q2 of last year. The company notes that all remaining EHR, practice management, and patient communication products are now part of the Veradigm Network.

Hints of the rebrand came during an early 2022 investor call, which included slides copyrighted and footnoted as Veradigm. The name first came on the scene in 2018, when Allscripts rebranded its Payer & Life Sciences Division.

For those keeping score, a HIStalk reader bet that the rebrand would happen before HIMSS23.

Webinars

January 19 (Thursday) 2 ET. “Supercharge Your Clinical Data Searches.” Sponsor: Particle Health. Presenter: Paul Robbins, MSMBA, VP of product, Particle. Particle’s team will preview the exciting results of Specialty Search, a new condition-specific record locator service. This webinar will review how to collect patient records from top Centers of Excellence across the entire country; how healthcare organizations of all types are benefiting from Specialty Search capabilities, using Particle’s simple API; and why a focused search of chronic condition data — in oncology, cardiology, endocrinology, orthopedics, and more — has an outsized impact on care outcomes.

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

Acquisitions, Funding, Business, and Stock

Healthcare feedback, engagement, and relationship management software vendor Well IQ raises an undisclosed amount of Series A funding.

People

Experity promotes Brian Berning to CFO.

First Stop Health promotes Teira Gunlock to CEO.

Announcements and Implementations

The Minnesota Department of Health selects Cue Health’s Cue Care diagnostic platform to power its new COVID-19 telehealth to treatment program. Minnesota residents who self-test positive for the illness will be able to access virtual consults and prescriptions free of charge through the program.

Alpine Ear Nose and Throat implements RCM software and services from CareCloud’s Meridian division across its three offices in Colorado.

Community oncology provider network OPN Healthcare selects Kaid Health’s Whole Chart Analysis and Natural Language Insight & Term Extraction (NLITE) technologies.

Research and Innovation

A survey of 7,246 clinicians who use telemedicine to care for seniors finds that nearly 60% believe it’s “dangerous” to provide virtual visits to older adults with medical complexities, and that a similar percentage think the technology is an unrealistic option for seniors with cognitive or physical challenges. Researchers say the findings point to a need for clinician support, education, and specialized guidelines on providing effective care to older patients via telehealth.

Other

A presumably disgruntled patient trashes the waiting room at Wilson Street Surgery in England. Physician Shehla Imtiaz-Umer attributes the incident to “negative media narrative, anti-GP rhetoric, unrelenting demand, and unrealistic expectations.” No details seem to be available as to what specifically caused the patient’s violent outburst.

PeaceHealth staff open the “Eugene Clinic 1992 Time Capsule” to commemorate the clinic’s 100th anniversary. The clinic merged with PeaceHealth Medical Group in 1995 in an effort to keep up with escalating technological demands, according to retired Eugene Clinic doctor Dick Loescher. The capsule included “vintage” medical gear, a globe, newspaper articles, a shirt, and a banner with signatures of former staff.

Sponsor Updates

• AdvancedMD employees deliver gifts to three local schools and help 14 families and 35 children this holiday season as part of the Sub for Santa program.
• EClinicalWorks releases a new podcast, “Clinical Testing Hackathon for V12 Release.”
• Nordic publishes a technical paper titled “Healthcare Modernization Through Cloud-Enhanced Application Accessibility.”

Blog Posts

• Will new entrants slim healthcare by trimming the “waste”? (Nordic)

Contacts

Jenn, Mr. H, Lorre

More news: HIStalk.

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News 1/2/23

Top News

Online allergy care company Nectar raises an additional $16. million, bringing its Series A round to $24 million. It plans to open its first physical location this year.

Founder and CEO Ken Chahine was formerly a founding executive at AncestryDNA and Ancestry Health.

Webinars

January 19 (Thursday) 2 ET. “Supercharge Your Clinical Data Searches.” Sponsor: Particle Health. Presenter: Paul Robbins, MSMBA, VP of product, Particle. Particle’s team will preview the exciting results of Specialty Search, a new condition-specific record locator service. This webinar will review how to collect patient records from top Centers of Excellence across the entire country; how healthcare organizations of all types are benefiting from Specialty Search capabilities, using Particle’s simple API; and why a focused search of chronic condition data — in oncology, cardiology, endocrinology, orthopedics, and more — has an outsized impact on care outcomes.

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

Acquisitions, Funding, Business, and Stock

Behavioral health IT vendor Telemynd raises $6 million. The Massachusetts-based startup offers virtual care with tailored patient-provider matching and predictive diagnostic services.

People

Aptihealth hires Tim Koehler (Bluestone Physician Services) as president and COO.

Ananya Banerjee (ChenMed) joins Aledade as chief commercial officer.

Announcements and Implementations

Mental Health Resources implements Cantata Health’s Arize EHR at its five offices in New Mexico.

Family Health Center (MS) selects the EClinicalWorks V12 EHR.

Government and Politics

The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Service, the Virginia Telehealth Network, and the Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics partner to launch the Virginia Telemental Health Initiative, which will offer free, virtual mental health services to eligible patients. The initiative will be staffed by volunteer mental healthcare providers.

Primary care provider Health Specialists of Central Florida will pay $20,000 to settle a potential HIPAA violation concerning the privacy rule’s right of access provision. The practice failed in 2019 to make a patient’s medical records available in the mandated 30-day timeframe, finally providing them five months after the initial request.

Other

NasonCare owner and Medical Director Baron Nason, MD will provide free healthcare services for three months to the employees of 10 local small businesses in an effort to help combat the rising cost of care, which has forced some of his patients to have to choose between paying mortgages or seeking treatment. The North Charleston, SC-based practice offers primary, urgent, and employee-based care.

Maine State Library’s Libraries Health Connect rural telemedicine program will soon expand with additional sites and/or more advanced technology. The program launched at 10 pilot libraries in the spring to offer patrons private areas equipped with hardware and software for virtual appointments.

Authorities charge the former office manager of a dermatology practice in Rhode Island and her son, a former data clerk at the practice after they discover the pair swindled nearly $500,000 from the practice by giving themselves unauthorized pay increases, adding friends and family to the pay roll, failing to deposit patient payments, issuing and cashing checks made out to themselves and others, and using practice funds and credit cards to pay for personal expenses, among other allegations.

Sponsor Updates

• Medicomp Systems features National Coordinator Micky Tripathi, PhD, MPP in its “Tell Me Where IT Hurts” podcast.

Blog Posts

• Unduly noted: Why EHR documentation is creating an informational quagmire (Nordic)
• Nurses of Note Awards 2022: The Manager of Ambulatory Nursing (PerfectServe)
• 4 Tips for Patient Education Governance (Healthwise)
• A Different Point of View: DOJ Suit Against Cigna – It’s Just the Beginning (Medicomp Systems)

Contacts

Jenn, Mr. H, Lorre

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News 12/14/22

Top News

Researchers find that primary care telehealth patients enrolled in a telehealth patient navigator pilot program were more likely to attend their virtual consults than patients not in the program. Navigators were tasked with calling patients the day before appointments to remind them of their consult, offer technical assistance, and answer questions. The 12-week program saw a return on investment of $11,387.

HIStalk Practice Musings

While Dr. Jayne contemplates her 2023 conference travel schedule, I am looking ahead to what the new year will offer in terms of must-read books. BookBub.com, my favorite recommendation site, has plenty of lists based on a reader’s selected preferences. While not necessarily new year releases, I’m looking forward to checking out Jim Gaffigan’s “Food: A Love Story,” “The Darling Girl: A Novel of Peter Pan” by Liz Michalski, and “Tolkien and the Great War: The Threshold of Middle-Earth” by John Garth. (I’m still on a Tolkien kick, deep in the second book of the Fionavar Tapestry trilogy, a mid-80s fantasy series written by Tolkien editor Guy Gavriel Kay.)

Tufts Medical Director Peter Neumann’s list of best books read in 2022 also has me looking back to some of my favorite reads from the past year. His include “Breath from Salt” Bijal P. Trivedi: “The next time I am asked my views on how health technology assessments might consider ‘patient-centered’ metrics,” he writes, ‘I will suggest that the inquirer read Bijal Trivedi’s book about the development of therapies for cystic fibrosis.’

Mine include “Burning Bright” by Tracey Chevalier, “Katherine” by Anya Seton, and “Russian Winter” by Daphne Kalotay. I’d love to hear what readers have loved and are looking forward to reading. Email me with your suggestions. Happy holidays and see you next year!

Webinars

None scheduled soon. Previous webinars are on our YouTube channel. Contact Lorre to present your own.

Announcements and Implementations

Leyden Family Service & Mental Health Center (IL) selects EnSoftek’s DrCloudEHR.

American Endovascular & Amputation Prevention implements EClinicalWorks across its facilities in Ohio, New York, and New Jersey.

Research and Innovation

After analyzing 35 million specialty telemedicine visits conducted over a two-year period, Epic researchers determine that the majority did not require an in-person follow-up visit within the next three months. Of those that did, the appointments typically focused on additional, rather than duplicative, care.

Other

A cow smashes through the glass doors of Orange Family Physicians (VA) after jumping (escaping?) off a trailer en route to a local cattle company. Local cow catchers were able to lasso the animal inside the office and bring it safely outside.

Pediatrics West and Allergy West notify patients of an October 17 data breach that impacted some of their IT systems and may have exposed patient data.

Contacts

Jenn, Mr. H, Lorre

More news: HIStalk.

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Contact us online.
Become a sponsor.