News 7/8/20

Top News

Walgreens will invest $1 billion to open primary care clinics run by VillageMD in 500 to 700 of its stores over the next five years. The bulk of the investment will be used by VillageMD to open the clinics and integrate its technology, which includes a proprietary operating system, analytics, and telemedicine.

The new clinics will be between 3,300 and 9,000 square feet, and will have a minimum of nine exam rooms, one waiting area, and a physician-led staff of four. They will also offer home and virtual visits.

The decision comes after the two companies opened five clinics at Walgreens stores in Houston last fall. The retail pharmacy chain will own nearly a third of VillageMD once the investment is concluded.

HIStalk Practice Musings

I’ve seen this book mentioned a time or two over the last six months, and so I think it’s about time I add it to my must-read list. I’d love to share reviews from HIStalk Practice readers who’ve already read it.

I enjoy learning what industry executives are reading in their spare time. SailPoint’s latest book club blog post lists the favorite titles of SVP of Strategic Innovation Dave Hendrix: “Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit” by Daniel Quinn, “The Art of Happiness” by The Dalai Lama, “Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking,” by Malcom Gladwell, and “Subscribed” by Tien Tzuo.

Speaking of book clubs, this article makes the case for why now is the perfect time to start a corporate one: “Starting the book club has been immensely impactful on our team during this time,” says one Zappos book club lead. “I think as we transitioned to working from home, it helped with keeping a sense of normalcy, and also helps us keep our core values and connections alive, even if we can’t physically be together.”

Webinars

None scheduled in the coming weeks. Previous webinars are on our YouTube channel. Contact Lorre to present your own.

Acquisitions, Funding, Business, and Stock

Doctor on Demand raises $75 million in a Series D investment round that brings its total funding to just under $236 million.

In Canada, EHR vendor Medfar Clinical Solutions acquires competitor Plexia for an undisclosed amount.

People

Virtual chronic care management company Orb Health hires Tyler Downs (MedeAnalytics) as VP of engineering.

Announcements and Implementations

California-based primary care practice Lifestyle Medical implements Carium’s care coordination and patient engagement and relationship management software.

Innovaccer adds RubiconMD’s e-consult capabilities to its Data Activation Platform, which aggregates data from multiple health IT systems.

OpenDoctor integrates ImagineSoftware’s patient payment technologies with its patient portal.

Sponsor Updates

Blog Posts

• Hitchhiker’s Guide to Managing a Sustainable Patient Mix (AdvancedMD)
• How to Digitize Your Front Office (EClinicalWorks)

Contacts

Mr. H, Lorre, Jenn, Dr. Jayne.
Get HIStalk updates.
Send news or rumors.
Contact us.

News 7/6/20

Top News

Chronic care management company ChartSpan decides to relocate its headquarters in Greenville, SC to a smaller space after an overwhelming majority of its employees vote to continue working from home. Its call center will be staffed by nearly 200 employees now working remotely. CEO Jon-Michial Carter says the decision “is a blessing in disguise because frankly If I can remove the cost burden of occupancy, which includes rent, parking, and office furniture, then that improves our margins.”

Webinars

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

Acquisitions, Funding, Business, and Stock

The local paper profiles Litiscape, a Phoenix-based risk-screening software startup founded by med student Michael Kamalu that helps providers identify patients who may be likely to sue them.

Announcements and Implementations

ClearChoiceMD Urgent Care (NH) will offer patients access to telemedicine from PursueCare as part of a behavioral health pilot program that will include medication-assisted treatment and app-based counseling and care sessions.

MTBC makes available robotic process automation tools through its Force outsourcing RCM service. The health IT company acquired the workflow capabilities through its purchase of Meridian Medical Management last month.

Government and Politics

Missouri Governor Mike Parson announces a $50 million program for broadband expansion across the state, including $5.25 million for telemedicine services for 29 FQHCs and 26 community mental health centers.

A federal team in Seattle take Eric Shibley, MD into custody for allegedly submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications for a dozen different businesses, including a construction company. Shibley supposedly submitted fake tax documents and listed fake employees in an effort to quality for $3 million.

Other

Google Maps users in select areas can receive alerts as they approach COVID-19 border checkpoints and areas that mandate virus protections such as masks and social distancing, as well as public transit alerts related to virus precautions, and guidelines from facilities that offer testing.

Sponsor Updates

Blog Posts

• 2021 E/M code documentation: It’s the end of the world, and I feel fine (Nordic)
• Thinking Small: 5 Things I’ve Learned About Writing Health Content for Kids (Healthwise)

Contacts

Jenn, Mr. H, Lorre

More news: HIStalk.

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

News 7/1/20

Top News

Ambulatory-focused remote patient monitoring startup Optimize.health announces a $3.5 million pre-pandemic seed round led by Bonfire Ventures.

The Seattle-based company offers turn-key RPM programs that include software, devices, and support. It got its start several years ago as Pillsy, which offered an Internet-connected medication adherence device and accompanying software before co-founder and CEO Jeff LeBrun pivoted the product to remote patient monitoring.

Webinars

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

Acquisitions, Funding, Business, and Stock

Simply Speak raises $1.1 million in seed funding to further develop its AI-powered virtual scribe software for telemedicine encounters.

Announcements and Implementations

Nevada Eye Physicians implements NextGen Virtual Visits.

San Antonio Orthopaedic Specialists selects AMP Recover’s remote patient monitoring software to help post-op patients recover at home.

Premom adds telemedicine capabilities to its ovulation-tracking app.

People

Tabatha Erck (Amplifon) joins Austin-based care company Remedy as COO.

Care coordination, management, and remote monitoring vendor Noteworth names Jennifer Haas (Oracle) EVP of sales and marketing.

Other

The Taskforce on Telehealth Policy, recently convened by the American Telemedicine Association, Alliance for Connected Care, and National Committee for Quality Assurance, seeks public comment on topics related to cost, program integrity, and quality. Comments are due July 9, and will help the taskforce work with policymakers on the safe, effective, and efficient adoption of telehealth.

Sponsor Updates

Blog Posts

• Simple Efficiency Strategies & Tools that Allow You to See More Patients (AdvancedMD)
• Overview of Nordic’s Upgrades and Ticket Backlog Solution (Nordic)
• How Advocare Put Healow TeleVisits to Work (EClinicalWorks)

Contacts

Jenn, Mr. H, Lorre

More news: HIStalk.

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

News 6/29/20

Top News

Senior-focused primary care company ChenMed announces plans to open 15 new medical centers over the next several months. It attributes its ability to stay viable during the pandemic to its flexibility: It transitioned its proprietary EHR to the cloud in January, and nearly all of its in-person appointments to virtual visits in just one week.

Webinars

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

Acquisitions, Funding, Business, and Stock

Online health and wellness company Ro sees record revenue in the first half of 2020 as homebound patients take advantage of its telemedicine and prescription delivery services, which have seen a 130% jump since launching in March. The three year-old company offers digital health clinics for men’s health, women’s health, and smoking cessation.

People

Provation promotes Linda Buan to CTO.

Announcements and Implementations

United Skin Specialists (MN) selects Encoda’s ECM workflow and analytics software.

Safety Net Connect adds e-referral, e-consult, and virtual visit capabilities to its clinical and administrative Converge software.

Virtual care practice HubMD leverages telemedicine training and support from Wise Healthcare to assist over 500 PCPs in 88 affiliated clinics.

The State of Idaho will link its PDMP with provider EHRs and pharmacy systems using Appriss Health’s PMP Gateway technology.

Telemedicine and testing company MyCOVIDMD selects compliance startup Posture to help it implement a HIPAA security and privacy program.

Research and Innovation

New data from Phreesia customers shows that in-person visits to physician practices are still well below where they were a year ago, though they are rebounding a bit from earlier in the pandemic. The biggest declines are seen in pediatrics, pulmonology, and surgical specialties. Conversely, virtual visits are beginning to decline, though they are still well above annual averages. Smaller practices have been hit hardest, with declines being steeper and rebounds fewer in groups with one to five physicians.

Other

Health Affairs authors posit several financial scenarios for primary care practices in light of COVID-19, estimating that they will lose over $65,000 per FTE from fee-for-service payments without any efforts to change their business models. They then point out that, “under relatively optimistic assumptions,” primary care practitioners will suffer a net loss of $15 billion.

As a journalism major who emphasized in magazines, I am saddened but not surprised by the fact that magazines are seeing yet another blow to circulation, this time thanks to COVID-19. Bloomberg reports that medical offices and airlines are ditching print publications over fears they’ll transmit the virus to readers, despite the fact that health experts say the chance of infection in this way is highly unlikely. Still, as one South Carolina physician told the local news, “We’ve thrown out all the magazines. I mean, I wouldn’t touch one. It just seems like that’s a bad idea.”

Contacts

Jenn, Mr. H, Lorre

More news: HIStalk.

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

News 6/24/20

Top News

Kidney care company Somatus raises $64 million in a Series C funding round, bringing its total raised to $105 million. The Virginia-based company offers providers and payers clinical and administrative tools, including analytics, to assist them with value-based care. 

HIStalk Practice Musings

I’ve always been a stickler for a nicely made bed first thing in the morning, and so I’ll have to check out “Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life … and Maybe the World” by Admiral William H. McRaven – one of four books recommended in SailPoint’s latest Executive Book Club update. Chief Revenue Officer Matt Mills also recommends:

• “When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing” by Daniel Pink.
• “Principles: Life and Work” by Ray Dalio.
• “21 Lessons for the 21st Century,” by Yuval Noah Harari.

Email me with your book club’s latest picks. I’d love to share what offices, practices, and friends are reading this summer.

This puts my library’s curbside pick-up option to shame: A middle school librarian in Virginia sends her students books via drone to ensure they have access to literature while schools and libraries are closed.

Webinars

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

Acquisitions, Funding, Business, and Stock. 

Membership-based primary care company One Medical makes its Southeastern debut with the opening of an office in Atlanta. (I’d love to know what the company will offer in the way of its “own brand of authentic Atlanta hospitality,” as promised by a company rep.) It raised $245 million in its IPO at the beginning of the year. Shares are now trading around $32, up from their $14 debut.

Bloomberg publishes a great profile of Walmart’s healthcare ambitions, focusing on the impact its full-fledged health clinics have had on its employees, customers, and bottom line. Several things stood out:

• SVP Sean Slovenski leads the endeavor as president of health and wellness, having gained experience at Humana and a home health joint venture between Intel and GE Healthcare.
• Slovenski says Walmart’s model lowers the cost of service delivery about 40% by reducing “all that administrative baloney.”
• A physician at the clinic in Calhoun, Georgia, says she spends 25% less time on paperwork than she did while working at the local hospital.
• The company operates 19 of its smaller Care Clinics in just three states. It hasn’t yet disclosed how many health clinics it plans to open.
• Scheduling and billing software and services are handled by Zotec. (I learned during my visit to the clinic in Dallas, Georgia, last year that Athenahealth supplies their EHR.)

Announcements and Implementations

New Brunswick Counseling Center, The Lennard Clinics, and Somerset Treatment Services implement TenEleven Group’s EHR with medication assisted treatment. The implementation was made possible through the State of New Jersey’s Promoting Interoperability Project, which helps substance use disorder providers finance and manage health IT projects.

DrChrono announces new capabilities that enable users to automatically scan patient IDs, medical documentation, and EOBs into its tablet-based EHR and practice management software using Smart Integration technology from Ricoh.

Caremindr launches RPM Connect, an outsourcing service that assists practices with setting up and managing mobile remote patient monitoring programs.

The State of Delaware implements Appriss Health’s PMP Gateway technology, giving prescribers the ability to integrate their EHRs with the state’s prescription monitoring program.

The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics (MD) selects EHR, practice management, analytics, and payment technology from Modernizing Medicine.

The State of Maine will implement NIC’s RxGov PDMP this fall.

CVS Health announces GA of Return Ready, a COVID-19 screening, testing, and analytics program that also offers digital tools for symptom monitoring and contact tracing.

Research and Innovation

A survey of 500 consumers finds that their telemedicine visits increased from 14% to 33% between March and June. Just 11% of respondents had engaged in a virtual visit before the pandemic was declared. Familiarity breeds receptiveness to telemedicine, as 26% say they’d be more likely to opt for virtual visits moving forward if they are with their regular physician. Only 11% would opt for a visit with a new provider.

Other

It’s refreshing and a bit strange to come across news of a medical group expanding, rather than furloughing employees or shutting down altogether: Mayfield Brain & Spine seems to have weathered the COVID-19 storm, investing more than $1 million in its move to a larger office in Cincinnati.

Sponsor Updates

• Capita Healthcare Decisions adds Healthwise’s evidence-based information to its Salus Universal patient engagement and relationship software.
• Healthwise receives five Digital Health Awards during the Health Information Resource Center’s 2020 spring competition.

Blog Posts

• 3 Ways You’re Wasting Time in Your Medical Practice (AdvancedMD)
• Using TCM to Improve Care & Capture Revenue (EClinicalWorks)

Contacts

Jenn, Mr. H, Lorre

More news: HIStalk.

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