Tuesday, September 29, 2026

< + > What We Heard at the Civitas 2026 Annual Conference

The Civitas Networks for Health Annual Conference brings together leaders from health information exchanges, health collaboratives, government, and across the healthcare ecosystem to discuss the future of health data and interoperability. We caught up with several of these leaders at the conference to get their perspectives on the biggest issues facing healthcare data today, from interoperability and data quality to rural health, Medicaid, AI, and the evolving role of HIEs and other healthcare infrastructure.

Check out the conversations below for a quick look at some of the key topics and ideas coming out of Civitas 2026.

Salim Kizaraly, Co-Founder and Head of Growth at NinePatch

Brad Porter, CEO at Orion Health

Dan Chavez, CEO at Serving Communities HIO (SCHIO)

Jolie Ritzo, CEO at Civitas Networks for Health

Margaret Tiedemann, Consultant at Freedman Healthcare

Martin Cody, SVP Sales and Growth at 4medica

Nick Orser, Senior Director, Solution Consulting at Verato

Norm Thurston, Executive Director at NAHDO

Rachel Warnock, Director of Marketing at J2 Interactive

Thanks to Civitas for having Healthcare IT Today at the event and to everyone who took time to talk with us and share their insights and perspectives.  What do you think of what they shared?



< + > Ascend Learning Acquires M7 Health, Connecting the Full Healthcare Career to Scheduling

M7 Health Joins Ascend brands StaffGarden and Laudio to Create a Connected Workforce Solution Spanning Professional Development, Intelligent Scheduling and Staff Deployment, Engagement, and Retention for the Healthcare Workforce

Ascend Learning, a leading healthcare and learning technology company, today announced the acquisition of M7 Health, an AI-powered platform transforming how health systems schedule, staff, and deploy their clinical workforce. M7 is used by health systems nationwide, from the country’s largest academic medical centers to community and rural hospitals.

M7’s platform forecasts staffing demand, auto-balances schedules, identifies and recruits the right person to fill gaps. Health systems using M7 have reduced administrative burden by over 60%, lowered premium labor spend by 35%, and reduced nurse turnover by 30%.

“As scheduling takes on a highly strategic role in health systems, understanding the people behind it becomes critical,” said Lissy Hu, MD, CEO at Ascend Learning. “Ascend reaches healthcare professionals through their schooling, credentialing, ongoing upskilling, and now their day-to-day work. By acquiring M7, we’re bringing deep workforce insights to scheduling decisions—enriching the who’s available with what someone is qualified to do, what they’re working toward, and what keeps them in the profession.”

The acquisition gives health systems a single partner across the full arc of healthcare careers—from developing talent to deploying it intelligently to keeping staff engaged and retained. Ascend’s foundation is in preparing and credentialing that workforce, supporting more than 60% of nursing schools and 245,000 allied health professionals each year. StaffGarden qualifies and grows that workforce through competency, credentials, and career development. Laudio supports the frontline leaders with applications like digital rounding and tiered huddles. And now, M7 deploys the workforce day-to-day with intelligent scheduling and staffing. Together, Ascend supports the workforce lifecycle from the first day of school to every shift that follows.

“What drew us to Ascend is its unparalleled data and insight across the healthcare workforce journey. Together, we can help health systems build stronger staffing infrastructure, deploy talent more strategically and cost-effectively, and create more fulfilling career experiences for healthcare workers,” said Ilana Borkenstein, MBA, RN, Co-Founder and CEO at M7.

Ascend’s acquisition of M7 follows its acquisition last month of Teaching Assignment Management System (TAMS), which helps colleges and universities manage teaching assignments and workloads—further expanding Ascend’s portfolio of brands that help support the healthcare workforce and the institutions ensuring a sustainable pipeline for tomorrow.

About M7

M7 Health is a dynamic staff scheduling and workforce management platform built by nurses to modernize staffing, scheduling, and communication for frontline healthcare teams. By combining automation, real-time visibility, and staff preference data, M7 helps health systems and healthcare organizations create fairer schedules, reduce administrative burden, and build more sustainable workforce models. Organizations using M7 have reduced administrative time spent on scheduling by more than 60%, lowered premium labor spend by up to 40%, and achieved average staff fairness scores above 94%. M7 complements existing timekeeping and HR systems and delivers measurable operational impact within 90 days. Learn more at m7health.com.

About Ascend Learning

Ascend Learning is a leading healthcare and learning technology company. With products that span the learning continuum, Ascend focuses on high-growth careers in a range of industries, with a special focus on healthcare and other licensure-driven occupations. Ascend Learning products, from testing to certification, are used by physicians, emergency medical professionals, nurses, allied health professionals, certified personal trainers, financial advisors, skilled trades professionals, and insurance brokers.

Originally announced September 21st, 2026



Monday, September 28, 2026

< + > Health IT Fall Conference Pre-Season Preview – Healthcare IT Today Podcast Episode 202

For the 202nd episode of the Healthcare IT Today Podcast, we are doing a preview of the upcoming health IT fall conferences! We kick this preview off by discussing what topics we think will rise to the top of the conferences this fall. Next, we share our ‘dark horse’ topics, the topics that may surprise us. Then, we talk about what topics are overhyped and verging on tired. Lastly, we conclude this episode by debating which of the conferences will have the most impact or which we will be talking about the most this coming season.

Here’s a preview of the topics and questions we discuss in this episode:

  • What topic is your pick to rise to the top of the conference this fall?
  • What are your picks for the “dark horse” topics this fall – the topic that may surprise us?
  • What topics this fall do you consider to be overhyped – verging on tired?
  • Which conferences will be the ones that have the most impact or that we will be talking about the most this coming season?

Now, without further ado, we’re excited to share with you the next episode of the Healthcare IT Today podcast.

We publish a new Healthcare IT Today podcast every ~2 weeks. Thanks to our friends at Healthcare Now Radio, you’ll be able to listen to the latest episodes of Healthcare IT Today on their radio station for the first two weeks. Then, we’ll be publishing each episode as a podcast and YouTube video here after it finishes on the radio.

You can also subscribe to the Healthcare IT Today podcast on any of the following platforms:

Thanks for listening to Healthcare IT Today and if you enjoy the content we’re sharing, please rate the podcast on your favorite podcasting platform.

Along with the popular podcasting platforms above, you can Subscribe to Healthcare IT Today on YouTube. Plus, all of the audio and video versions will be made available to stream on HealthcareITToday.com.

If you work in Healthcare IT, we’d love to hear where you agree and/or disagree with the perspectives we shared. Feel free to share your thoughts and perspectives in the comments of this post, in the YouTube comments, with @Colin_Hung or @techguy on Twitter, or privately on our Contact Us page. Let us know what you think of the podcast and if you have any ideas for future episodes.

Thanks so much for listening!

Listen to Our Latest Episodes:



< + > MRO Expands Enterprise Clinical Data Management Platform with Acquisition of Vyne Medical

MRO, the leading clinical data management platform, announces the acquisition of Vyne Medical, a provider of data intake and intelligent document processing solutions for over 800 hospitals nationwide. Vyne specializes in transforming unstructured information from paper, voice, fax, and images into discrete, digital, and intelligent data to power downstream clinical and financial workflows.

The addition of Vyne Medical expands MRO’s Enterprise Clinical Data Management platform across the clinical data lifecycle. Together, the organizations combine intelligent automation with human expertise to help healthcare organizations manage high-volume clinical information more efficiently. The automation classifies, extracts, and routes information at scale while experienced teams provide oversight where judgement is required to improve accuracy and turnaround times without increasing demands on a provider’s staff.

“Some of the most valuable data in a health system is often trapped in a fax, a phone call, or a scanned document outside the EMR, invisible to the teams who need it, and regularly rekeyed by hand to inform another workflow,” said Jason Brown, CEO at MRO. “By adding Vyne Medical’s capabilities, we can capture that information at the “front door” when it enters a provider’s workflow, curate it into discrete, structured clinical data, and exchange it wherever it needs to go, making that data accessible and intelligent so they can take the appropriate action.”

The combined organization will serve more than 2,500 hospitals and 35,000 clinics, helping them close the gaps between disparate information sources and build a more complete, actionable view of every patient.

“For over 25 years, Vyne Medical has sought to connect disconnected data across documents, faxes, images, voice, and unstructured data. By joining MRO, we further that mission together, delivering a more complete patient record for the clients who trust us today and those who will tomorrow,” said Caleb Manscill, President at Vyne Medical.

Vyne Medical will operate as “Vyne Medical, an MRO Company” during the transition period.

Vyne Dental, Vyne Medical’s former sister company, is not part of the transaction and remains a portfolio company of TJC, L.P. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Lincoln International served as exclusive financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as legal counsel to Vyne Medical and TJC.

About MRO 

MRO unlocks clinical data and puts it to work. MRO helps providers, payers, and other healthcare stakeholders securely exchange, curate, and activate clinical information across critical healthcare workflows. Through technology, automation, clinical expertise, and commitment to security and compliance, MRO helps make clinical data accessible, usable, and ready for action. For more information, visit mrocorp.com.

About Vyne Medical 

Vyne Medical provides health information exchange and electronic healthcare communication management solutions that help healthcare organizations capture, manage, and exchange clinical and administrative information throughout the continuum of care. Its portfolio includes capabilities supporting document and communication workflows, clinical data intake, discrete data extraction, and selected revenue-cycle processes for Patient Access and HIM teams. For more information, visit vynemedical.com.

Originally announced September 16th, 2026



Sunday, September 27, 2026

< + > Bonus Features – September 27, 2026 – Only 32% of senior care teams say tech supports their work, 70% of health workers say AI makes care feel less human for patients, plus 29 more stories

Welcome to the weekly edition of Healthcare IT Today Bonus Features. This article will be a weekly roundup of interesting stories, product announcements, new hires, partnerships, research studies, awards, sales, and more. Because there’s so much happening out there in healthcare IT that we aren’t able to cover in our full articles, we still want to make sure you’re informed of all the latest news, announcements, and stories happening to help you better do your job.

Stats

Partnerships

Products

Implementations

Company News

If you have news that you’d like us to consider for a future edition of Healthcare IT Today Bonus Features, please submit them on this page. Please include any relevant links and let us know if news is under embargo. Note that submissions received after the close of business on Thursday may not be included in Bonus Features until the following week.



Saturday, September 26, 2026

< + > Weekly Roundup – September 26, 2026

Welcome to our Healthcare IT Today Weekly Roundup. Each week, we’ll be providing a look back at the articles we posted and why they’re important to the healthcare IT community. We hope this gives you a chance to catch up on anything you may have missed during the week.

Key Takeaways from the Oracle Health & Life Sciences Summit. Reporting from Orlando, Colin Hung summarized several notable announcements from Seema Verma and other Oracle executives, including its push to apply what works in other regulated industries to create a secure, compliant cloud foundation in healthcare. Read more…

How to Retain Consumers and Provide Personalized Experiences Using Analytics and Engagement Tools. Recommendations from the Healthcare IT Today community included reducing friction, optimizing content, measuring engagement, and reinforcing clinical relationships. Read more…

Using AI to Transform Healthcare Workflow Orchestration. Guillaume Caste at PerfectServe sat down with John Lynn to outline the company’s transition to AI-native products that relieve busy staff of tasks that don’t need attention from a human to be resolved. Read more…

Life Sciences Today Podcast: Enabling Stroke Survivors. Danny Lieberman caught up with Jennifer Ernst at Reach Neuro, which is developing solutions that help stroke survivors regain hand, arm, and shoulder movement within days. Read more…

CIO Podcast: Executive Roles. Saad Chaudhry at Evergreen Healthcare Partners joined John to talk about why more CIOs don’t transition to the CEO role, along with the differences between being a business leader and a tech leader. Read more…

An EHR Access Governance Checklist for External RCM and Billing Teams. Arun Anandhan at InfoHub Consultancy Services outlined how to set boundaries with RCM support partners about user access, data flow, reporting requirements, and operating models. Read more…

The Cost of Convenience: Why Healthcare Payments Need Intelligent Protection. Legacy fraud detection tools were not built for a constantly changing payment environment. AI-powered fraud prevention can make the experience feel seamless and secure, according to Saurabh Joshi at CSG Forte. Read more…

Beyond Data Connectivity: Orchestration Is the Future of Data Optimization. While connectivity asks whether the message arrived, Gurpreet (G.P.) Singh at ELLKAY said orchestration determines whether the right thing happened once the data was delivered. That makes coordinated care possible. Read more…

AI Governance Represents the New Digital Divide. Dr. Katherine W. Eisenberg at EBSCO noted that the health systems least likely to catch errors in AI models often serve the patients most likely to be affected. External oversight and standards are the most effective remedies. Read more…

What Healthcare AI Needs Before It Learns From Yesterday’s Data. Heather Fricke at Frick-E Energy described how AI system can faithfully learn patterns while completely misunderstanding the reason, such as why certain patient populations aren’t seeing specialists or getting follow-ups. Read more…

This Week’s Health IT Jobs for September 23, 2026: Stanford University School of Medicine seeks a CIO. Read more…

Bonus Features for September 20, 2026: New executives at Cotiviti, Notable, and Zelis. Read more…

Funding and M&A Activity:

Thanks for reading and be sure to check out our latest Healthcare IT Today Weekly Roundups.



Friday, September 25, 2026

< + > Enabling Stroke Survivors – Life Sciences Today Podcast Episode 80

We’re excited to be back for another episode of the Life Sciences Today Podcast by Healthcare IT Today. My guest today is Jennifer Ernst, CEO at Reach Neuro. In this episode, we talk about enabling stroke survivors to regain hand, arm, and shoulder movement within days.

Check out the main topics of discussion for this episode of the Life Sciences Today podcast:

  • Tell us all about Reach Neuro and what you guys are up to.
  • Where are you in clinical trials right now? Are you up to a pivotal trial yet?
  • Why has no one done this before?
  • What’s on your to-do list for the next twelve months?
  • What are three things you want to do in the next twelve months?
  • When are you planning for the pivotal trial to start?

Subscribe to Danny’s newsletter to get strategic patterns for life science leaders building a defensible business.

Be sure to subscribe to the Life Sciences Today Podcast on your favorite podcasting platform:

Along with the popular podcasting platforms above, you can Subscribe to Healthcare IT Today on YouTube.  Plus, all of the audio and video versions will be made available to stream on Healthcare IT Today. As a former pharma-tech founder who bootstrapped to exit, I now help TechBio and digital health CEOs grow revenue—by solving the tech, team, and go-to-market problems that stall your progress. If you want a warrior by your side, connect with me on LinkedIn.

If you work in Life Sciences IT, we’d love to hear where you agree and/or disagree with our takes on health IT innovation in life sciences. Feel free to share your thoughts and perspectives in the comments of this post, in the YouTube comments, or privately on our Contact Us page. Let us know what you think of the podcast and if you have any ideas for future episodes.

Thanks so much for listening!



< + > What We Heard at the Civitas 2026 Annual Conference

The Civitas Networks for Health Annual Conference brings together leaders from health information exchanges, health collaboratives, governm...