News 4/21/21

Top News

The FCC will begin accepting applications for a second half of the COVID-19 Telehealth Program April 29. Nearly $250 million will be available for reimbursement to eligible providers who purchase and/or manage telecommunications services, information services, and connected devices related to telemedicine offerings.   

Webinars

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

People

RCM vendor Getix Health promotes Kevin Lonergan to CEO.

Mitchell Morris, MD (OptumInsight) joins EMed as COO. Former AMA President Patrice Harris, MD founded the app-enabled at-home testing company and is now its CEO.

CareCloud promotes Daniel Masvidal to SVP of client success and Dwight Garvin to SVP of professional services.

Announcements and Implementations

Raintree Systems incorporates Sphere’s payment platform with its practice management software.

Government and Politics

The FQHC Telehealth Consortium in Massachusetts launches the second phase of its telemedicine expansion efforts, The consortium will allocate $4.7 million (some of which came from the FCC’s COVID-19 Telehealth Program) to help FQHCs across the state implement virtual care capabilities.

Other

Ultra-long-distance runner Stan Cottrell will celebrate his 78th birthday by kicking off The Amazing Friendship Run in Los Angeles on May 7. The Guinness World Record holder will raise money for several charities by running back-to-back marathons for 100 days, covering 3,000 miles before finishing in Washington, DC. Remote patient monitoring company 247 Health Solution will make Cottrell’s stats available to supporters in real-time via its YesDoctor platform.

Thirteen year-old Kevin Manshadi raises nearly $10,000 to provide seniors with rides to COVID-19 vaccination appointments. His father, cardiologist Ramin Manshadi, MD helped him set up the GoFundMe campaign and partner with the San Joaquin Public Health to ensure ride-share vouchers get to the seniors that need them.

Sponsor Updates

Blog Posts

• The new 21st Century Cures Act takes effect TODAY (AdvancedMD)
• The ECW Podcast: Getting the Inside Scoop on Everything Healthcare IT (EClinicalWorks)

Contacts

Jenn, Mr. H, Lorre

More news: HIStalk.

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News 4/19/21

Top News

Specialty practice-focused health IT vendor Modernizing Medicine acquires Nemo Health’s TrakNet EHR and billing software for podiatrists.

Nemo Health CEO Ali Safiedine, DPM, MBA has joined Modernizing Medicine during the transition, while EVP John Guiliana, DPM has joined as medical director of podiatry.

It is the company’s second acquisition this year, having acquired orthopedic health IT vendor Exscribe in January.

Webinars

April 20 (Tuesday) noon ET. “The Modern Healthcare CIO: Digital Transformation in a Post-COVID World.” Sponsors: RingCentral, Net Health. Presenters: Dwight Raum, CIO, Johns Hopkins Medicine; Jeff Buda, VP/CIO, Floyd Medical Center. A panel of CIOs from large health systems will discuss how the digital health landscape is changing and what organizations can do now to meet future patient needs. Moderator Jason James, CIO of Net Health, will guide the panelists through topics that include continuum of care and telemedicine, employer-provided care delivery, consumerization of healthcare, and sustainability and workforce management.

April 21 (Wednesday) 1 ET. “Is Gig Work For You?” Sponsor: HIStalk. Presenter: Frank L. Poggio, retired health IT executive and active job search workshop presenter.  This workshop will cover both the advantages and disadvantages of being a gig worker. Attendees will learn how to how to decide if gig work is a good personal fit, find the right company, and protect themselves from unethical ones.

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

Acquisitions, Funding, Business, and Stock

DignifiHealth raises $7 million in a seed financing round. The West Virginia-based company offers telemedicine, chronic care management, remote patient monitoring, and pharmacy benefit management software and services for practices and employers.

California-based Agilon Health raises over $1 billion in its IPO last week, achieving a valuation of $11 billion. The company’s shares opened at $28.25, 23% above its initial $23 pricing. The primary care company serves seniors, primarily Medicare Advantage enrollees, in 11 regions.

Announcements and Implementations

Optum has expanded its virtual care service to all 50 states, adding more specialists and related services. Optum executives say they plan to more tightly integrate virtual care with in-office care, home-based care, and behavioral healthcare.

Other

Y’all know I love a good library story: Several libraries in Delaware have installed soundproof social services kiosks that patrons can reserve for telemedicine appointments, virtual job interviews, and other types of online interactions. The library system eventually plans to install kiosks at branches statewide.

Sponsor Updates

• EClinicalWorks publishes a podcast titled “Strengthening Patient Engagement During a Pandemic.”
• Healthwise partners with accounting and advisory firm Frazier & Deeter in a pilot program that will help HITRUST improve its assessment process.

Blog Posts

• The Truth About the COVID-19 Vaccine: Separating Fact from Fiction (Healthwise)
• HCCs: Caring for At-Risk Patients Can Impact Your Bottom Line (Medicomp Systems)

Contacts

Jenn, Mr. H, Lorre

More news: HIStalk.

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News 4/14/21

Top News

Practice payment and billing software startup Payground raises $4 million in a seed funding round. The Arizona-based company aims to offer a centralized platform from which patients can pay all of their medical bills.

Co-founder and CEO Drew Mercer is no stranger to health IT, having spent time at Experian Health, DaVita, ShareCare, and GE Healthcare.

Webinars

April 20 (Tuesday) noon ET. “The Modern Healthcare CIO: Digital Transformation in a Post-COVID World.” Sponsors: RingCentral, Net Health. Presenters: Dwight Raum, CIO, Johns Hopkins Medicine; Jeff Buda, VP/CIO, Floyd Medical Center. A panel of CIOs from large health systems will discuss how the digital health landscape is changing and what organizations can do now to meet future patient needs. Moderator Jason James, CIO of Net Health, will guide the panelists through topics that include continuum of care and telemedicine, employer-provided care delivery, consumerization of healthcare, and sustainability and workforce management.

April 21 (Wednesday) 1 ET. “Is Gig Work For You?” Sponsor: HIStalk. Presenter: Frank L. Poggio, retired health IT executive and active job search workshop presenter.  This workshop will cover both the advantages and disadvantages of being a gig worker. Attendees will learn how to how to decide if gig work is a good personal fit, find the right company, and protect themselves from unethical ones.

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

Acquisitions, Funding, Business, and Stock

Home blood-drawing startup GetLabs raises $3 million in a seed funding round led by PivotNorth Capital. The 37-employee company will use the financing to officially launch its services in Phoenix, Philadelphia, and Dallas. Its main goal, according to founder and CEO Kyle Michelson, is to eventually partner with telemedicine companies.

OpenLoop raises $3 million in a seed funding round. The company, which launched early last year, has created technology that helps physicians find shifts with telemedicine companies.

People

Cigna promotes Rob Cetti to president of its CareAllies business, which focuses on helping independent physicians transition to and manage value-based care programs.

Okiki Louis, MD (Concentra) joins tech-focused insurance startup Oscar Health as president of its medical group, a network of physician-owned practices offering in-person and virtual care.

Announcements and Implementations

The Mississippi Public Health Institute will offer virtual maternity care from Babyscripts to eligible Ob/Gyn practices across the state.

Already deployed in 29 states, EClinicalWorks announces GA of its Vaccine Administration Management Solution.

Sponsor Updates

• PerfectServe has placed among the top large vendors in a new KLAS report, “Vendor Performance in Response to the COVID-19 Crisis.”

Blog Posts

• A Deep Dive Into Our Vaccine Administration Management Solution (EClinicalWorks)

Contacts

Jenn, Mr. H, Lorre

More news: HIStalk.

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News 4/12/21

Top News

San Francisco-based Canvas Medical raises $17 million and announces a partnership with Anthem and its providers.

The startup has developed EHR, practice management, and telemedicine software to help practices and payer networks share data more effectively.

Former Practice Fusion software engineer Andrew Hines started the company in 2015 after seeing his wife Anna, a nurse practitioner, struggle nightly at home with sub-par charting software.

Webinars

April 20 (Tuesday) noon ET. “The Modern Healthcare CIO: Digital Transformation in a Post-COVID World.” Sponsors: RingCentral, Net Health. Presenters: Dwight Raum, CIO, Johns Hopkins Medicine; Jeff Buda, VP/CIO, Floyd Medical Center. A panel of CIOs from large health systems will discuss how the digital health landscape is changing and what organizations can do now to meet future patient needs. Moderator Jason James, CIO of Net Health, will guide the panelists through topics that include continuum of care and telemedicine, employer-provided care delivery, consumerization of healthcare, and sustainability and workforce management.

April 21 (Wednesday) 1 ET. “Is Gig Work For You?” Sponsor: HIStalk. Presenter: Frank L. Poggio, retired health IT executive and active job search workshop presenter.  This workshop will cover both the advantages and disadvantages of being a gig worker. Attendees will learn how to how to decide if gig work is a good personal fit, find the right company, and protect themselves from unethical ones.

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

Acquisitions, Funding, Business, and Stock

In Canada, ambulatory health IT company CloudMD acquires workplace healthcare provider Oncidium for $80 million.

AMA commercialization subsidiary Health2047 spins out Emergence Healthcare Group, a turnkey practice management and health IT company focused on independent practices. It will begin offering its services in California’s Bay Area later this year.

People

Kaiser Permanente promotes Diane Comer to chief information technology officer.

Announcements and Implementations

Central Coast Visiting Nurses Association (CA) implements COVID-19 vaccine management software from CharmHealth and an accompanying data-collection app from Countermind.

The EHR division of Canadian Well Health Technologies, which also manages 20 clinics, adopts FHIR standards for third-party app developers.

Sponsor Updates

• PerfectServe publishes the complete guide to “Clinical Collaboration Systems for Hospitals.”

Blog Posts

• ONC 2021 Annual Meeting: Moving towards meaningful communication (Nordic)

Contacts

Jenn, Mr. H, Lorre

More news: HIStalk.

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Contact us online.
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News 4/7/21

Top News

Firefly Health raises $40 million in a Series B round of funding led by Andreessen Horowitz. The company has developed a virtual-first model for primary care enhanced by partnerships with urgent, home, and specialty care providers.

Its internal billing technology has helped to ensure that providers get paid quickly, which has no doubt helped it attract partners in the four states it currently serves. It will expand its services to another five by the end of the year.

Led by Executive Chairman Jonathan Bush and CEO Fay Rotenberg, Firefly Health will use the new financing to expand its services beyond payers to employers.

Webinars

April 21 (Wednesday) 1 ET. “Is Gig Work For You?” Sponsor: HIStalk. Presenter: Frank L. Poggio, retired health IT executive and active job search workshop presenter.  This workshop will cover both the advantages and disadvantages of being a gig worker. Attendees will learn how to how to decide if gig work is a good personal fit, find the right company, and protect themselves from unethical ones.

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

Acquisitions, Funding, Business, and Stock

Senior-focused primary care company Agilon Health hopes to raise nearly $1 billion in its forthcoming IPO. The California-based company operates in 11 regions.

Practice management company Privia Health files paperwork with the SEC for an IPO. The company has raised over $400 million since launching in 2007.

As Inchoate mentioned in yesterday’s HIStalk post, investment firm KKR has acquired a majority interest in Therapy Brands, parent company of 19 behavioral health IT businesses.

EBlu Solutions raises $11.4 million in a Series A funding round. The company has developed prior authorization verification software for practices that offer in-office infusion and injection treatments.

People

Ellen Donahue-Dalton (Medecision) joins VillageMD as its first chief marketing officer.

Announcements and Implementations

Cardinal Health’s Specialty Solutions business develops a software suite for community-based oncology practices that includes analytics; cloud-based EHR, practice management, RCM, telemedicine, and patient portal solutions; Jvion’s Core clinical decision tool; and clinical trials matching capabilities.

WebMD announces GA of PracticePro software that includes patient engagement and intake, and practice marketing and CRM capabilities.

Welkin Health launches a care management platform physicians can customize to meet their virtual, in-person, or hybrid care model needs.

Tucson Gastroenterology (AZ) and Midland Cardiac Clinic (TX) select RCM software and services from Greenway Health.

Other

Zoom fatigue is real, y’all: Just over half of 1,800 surveyed drivers say they have trouble concentrating behind the wheel after video chatting. Perhaps physicians should start recommending that patients complete a set or two of jumping jacks after every video call.

Contacts

Jenn, Mr. H, Lorre

More news: HIStalk.

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Contact us online.
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