< + > AIIMS Delhi restores e-hospital server data

However, it will still take some time before its digital services can get back up and running.

< + > InnovationRx: Under 30 Innovators, Avoiding Covid Brain Fog And Facing A Tripledemic

InnovationRx is your weekly digest of healthcare news. Sign up!

< + > In The Mediterranean Sea, Microfibers Host Bacteria That Cause Food Poisoning

Thanks to plastic pollution, fishing activities, and the textile industry that release huge amounts of microfibers into the Mediterranean Sea, almost 200 species of bacteria are thriving by making these minute pollutants their homes.

< + > NTT, Harvard announce digital twin partnership to engineer the heart

The researchers will explore the structure-function relationships that may be overlooked in cardiovascular physiology through the joint research effort.

< + > Sweetwater Medical reduces patients' blood pressure and weight with AI and RPM

"With AI-enabled remote patient monitoring, we are streamlining our clinical workflow, improving our overhead, and, most important, improving patient outcomes," the practice manager reports.

< + > Ebola Outbreak In Uganda Is Waning, Ministry Of Health Remains Vigilant

The ongoing outbreak of Sudan Ebolavirus in Uganda is showing signs that transmission may now be under control.

< + > Does Ethical AI Development Rely On The “Algorithmically” Underserved? CHAI’s Mission

Building this kind of standardization into the relatively black box nature of AI development is among the priorities of The Coalition for Health AI (CHAI), which launched earlier this year.

< + > CloudWave acquires Sensato Cybersecurity

Real-time network monitoring, intrusion detection and asset fingerprinting along with a 24×7 security operations center designed specifically for healthcare infrastructure and connected devices are available immediately.

< + > Brexit: Thousands Of E.U. Doctors Shunned The U.K. Following Referendum

Some 4,000 doctors might have moved to the country if pre-referendum trends continued.

< + > AIIMS Delhi turns manual following ransomware attack

Around 40 million patients might have been exposed.

< + > Venture Capital Firms Are Partnering With Healthcare Organizations To Improve Digital Health

Healthcare organizations are hoping to better serve their patients and communities using VC resources and expertise.

< + > UnitedHealth Group Revenue To Hit $360 Billion Next Year

UnitedHealth Group revenue will surpass $357 billion next year as the diversified healthcare giant continues to grow its health insurance business along with the provision of medical care.

< + > care.ai Secures $27M from Crescent Cove Advisors to Introduce Ambient Intelligence to Healthcare

The industry’s first Smart Care Facility Platform reimagines AI-powered care delivery models and optimizes the clinical workforce

care.ai, the first and only AI-powered ambient monitoring platform in healthcare, today announced a $27M funding from Crescent Cove Advisors, a multi-asset investment firm focused on technology investments, to accelerate growth and scale deployments of the industry’s first smart care facility platform throughout the U.S.

care.ai’s Smart Care Facility Platform™ transforms healthcare settings, such as hospitals and nursing homes, into responsive care facilities that continuously monitor and streamline clinical and operational workflows. Powered by AI-enabled edge sensors, the platform surfaces real-time inferences and insights to alert and report on activities that help healthcare organizations improve quality, safety, and compliance while optimizing the clinical workforce. Innovative capabilities like Virtual Nursing, Virtual Sitting, and Ambient Monitoring can be easily enabled through care.ai’s Command Center, unlocking a wide array of use cases that improve patient outcomes and power more human care.

The company has already deployed its technology to over 1,500 facilities across the U.S., including hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and assisted living facilities. care.ai plans to use the funding from Crescent Cove Advisors to build on the ongoing success and lead the market in delivering ambient intelligence to healthcare.

“The physical, emotional, and economic burden on our caregivers has never been more challenging. Processes remain manual and time-consuming, and care teams are bogged down with burdensome tasks and documentation – and unfortunately, clinicians and patients suffer the consequences,” said CEO and Founder of care.ai, Chakri Toleti. “Our mission is to enable the transformational promise of a smart care facility, providing a level of care the world has never seen. We’ve spent the last few years expanding our platform while partnering with the nation’s leading health systems and long-term care organizations. I’m thrilled to have the support of Crescent Cove as we continue to scale and execute.”

care.ai’s technology is transforming care settings to help address some of the country’s most pressing healthcare challenges, including the critical nursing shortage and fiscally unsustainable models of care. Reports project that approximately 1.2 million new registered nurses (RNs) will be needed by 2030 to address the current shortage, adding pressure to an already strained system. Additionally, hospital safety and security protocols have evolved drastically without a centralized system to facilitate those changes. care.ai’s platform alleviates these pain points by saving nurses valuable time and easing the burden on care teams, while creating one technology solution that hospitals can rely on to keep patients and care teams safe and effective.

Toleti is a successful entrepreneur and innovator in the healthcare IT industry. Before founding care.ai, Toleti was the President and Co-founder of HealthGrid, an enterprise patient engagement platform designed to connect patients and providers via their smart devices. In 2018, HealthGrid was acquired by Allscripts. Before that, he co-founded Galvanon, the company that first introduced patient self-service kiosk registration to automate patient check-in and intake processes at hospitals. Galvanon was acquired by NCR in 2005.

“We are excited to partner with Chakri and his talented team, who have a proven record of innovating and building successful businesses in healthcare IT,” said Jun Hong Heng, Founder and Chief Investment Officer at Crescent Cove Advisors. “Through AI and smart technology, care.ai improves the lives of both care teams and their patients. We look forward to supporting the company in its critical mission of transforming the way healthcare is delivered.”

About care.ai

care.ai’s transformative innovation enables AI-powered smart care facilities to ambiently monitor clinical and operational workflows and learn from them in real-time to predict, prevent, and protect, optimizing the patient and provider experience and ultimately powering more human care. Deployed in over 1,500 healthcare facilities, care.ai partners with health systems and long-term care facilities to fulfill the company’s mission to deliver on the transformational promise of a smart care facility, providing a level of care the world has never seen. To learn more, visit care.ai.

About Crescent Cove Advisors

Crescent Cove is a multi-asset investment firm focused on technology investments and dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs and founders. Established in 2016, Crescent Cove leverages its global network of relationships and unique insight across markets, emerging industries and technologies to build businesses and accelerate value creation across its portfolios. For more information, visit www.crescentcove.com.

Originally announced November 21st, 2022

< + > Social Connectedness Might Help In Having A Healthier Gut Microbiome

In a recent study, researchers found that social connectedness among monkeys helps in improving the diversity of their gut microbiome that helps in reducing the abundance of bad bacteria that could potentially cause diseases.

< + > Diphtheria: Highly Contagious Disease On The Rise Among U.K. Asylum Seekers

Suspected cases have risen to more than 70, national reports say.

< + > Blockchain Technology May Transform The Future Of Healthcare

This may disrupt information security and data fidelity.

< + > Most ANZ healthcare execs demand standardised data exchange: report

Many healthcare organisations in the region have been underutilising volumes of data due to interoperability issues.

< + > Around 2,500 Australians Pose Naked For Skin Cancer Awareness

Australia leads the world in new skin cancer diagnoses.

< + > Bonus Features – November 27, 2022 – 60% of hospitals use 50+ operations systems, CHIME names Theresa Meadows as CIO of the Year, and more

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 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.

News

A survey from symplr and CHIME found that 60% of CIOs are managing more than 50 point solutions to manage healthcare operations, with 24% of organizations using at least 150 such applications. Not surprisingly, 88% of CIOs said this complexity makes it difficult to do their jobs, and 84% said simplifying and streamlining this infrastructure is critical to retaining much-needed clinical talent.

CHIME named Theresa Meadows as CIO of the Year. Meadows, who began her career as a cardiology nurse, is the senior vice president and CIO of Cook Children’s Health Care System. Her initiatives at the health system include Peaks Tech Zone, a technology lounge with an in-person help desk where patients and guests can receive one-on-one assistance from technology advocates.

Partnerships

• MEDITECH announced an integration of Expanse with SeamlessMD, a digital engagement platform based in Canada. The companies also announced Sault Area Hospital in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, as their first integration customer.
• Enterprise imaging software maker Intelerad Medical Systems is supporting the launch of Amazon HealthLake Imaging, a new capability from Amazon Web Services.
• Behavior change platform YourCoach.Health has partnered with Feel Therapeutics, which provides digital therapeutics for mental health.
• Edifecs and Empowered-Home are partnering to provide automated prior authorization to organizations providing senior care.
• Bioinformatics company EMOTIV is collaborating with X-trodes to develop a tool for simultaneous brain and physiological measurement.
• Care coordination vendor Lumeon and NTT DATA announced a partnership to automate the delivery of non-clinical services for hospital-at-home programs.
• Online medical service marketplace MDsave has partnered with PatientGenie to create a care navigation product. MDsave also announced an expanded footprint to four new markets: New York, Philadelphia, Orlando, and Atlanta.

Products

• XIFIN announced HITRUST certification for XIFIN RPM 15, the latest version of its RCM platform.
• Independent practice management software maker AdvancedMD announced its fall 2022 product update, which includes nearly three dozen new features.
• IoT platform vendor Iveda launched IvedaCare, an AI assistant for home-based senior care.
• Oral care company SmileDirectClub launched its SmileMaker Platform in Australia, with a U.S. launch slated for 2023.

Sales

• The Veterans Health Administration selected Riverain Technologies for chest imaging interpretation within the VA’s Lung Precision Oncology Program.
• The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma selected Motient to manage the patient transfer process.
• Hackensack University Medical Center has implemented pCare; the company’s Interactive Patient System will be used in the health system’s new 225-bed, 9-story Helena Theurer Pavilion.
• Qualtrics announced numerous new customers for its patient feedback and experience improvement platform, including Ascension, Covenant Physician Partners, Intermountain Healthcare, and Shannon Medical Center.

People

• Health benefits platform Gravie named Kevin Kickhaefer as president and chief growth officer.
• Chronic condition digital therapeutic Sweetch named Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford as an advisor to the company.
• Pharmacy benefits optimization tool RxBenefits appointed Thad Kwiatkowski as CFO.
• Medical VR company FundamentalVR announced four executive hires: Erin Kullgren as VP of Growth, Michelle Halsne as VP of Sales, Maayan Wenderow as VP of Marketing, and Dottie Barrett as VP of Strategic Data Commercialization.
• Mobile health service provider DocGo appointed Vina Leite to its board of directors and announced several leadership changes.

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.

< + > FDA Warning: Raw Oysters Contaminated With Sapovirus May Be In 13 States

Dai One Food Company, Ltd., has issued a recall of all potentially affected frozen half shell oysters.

< + > Covid-19 Could Make People More Prone To Other Infections By Wreaking Havoc With Gut Bacteria

In a recent study published in the journal Nature Communications, researchers found that even a mild Covid infection can reduce the diversity of gut microbiota and make people more vulnerable to other infections.

< + > J.P. Morgan Is Betting Big On The Future Of Healthcare

The financial institution is attempting to become a catalyst for meaningful disruption.

< + > Claims That RSV Surge Due To Covid-19 Vaccines Take Clinical Trial Data Out Of Context

Here are what passages from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) documents say about RSV and the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 mRNA vaccines.

< + > Weekly Roundup – November 26, 2022

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 this busy Thanksgiving week.

The Top Innovations at HLTH 2022. Colin Hung made the trip to Las Vegas and shared his take on the three most interesting innovations from HLTH 2022: The Wambi app that lets patients give positive feedback directly to providers, the HyIvy Health device that helps patients monitor and improve pelvic health, and the Anura app from NuraLogix that uses smartphone cameras’ selfie mode to assess general wellness. Read more…

Inbound Communication Can Improve Patient Experiences. Colin also spent time at HLTH with Jeff Gartland at Relatient to discuss the company’s latest patient experience survey, which revealed that too many patients still have to make phone calls to schedule appointments. That’s why Relatient has boosted its investment in chat technology. Read more…

Making Sure SDOH Data Doesn’t Get Overlooked. In the latest CIO Podcast, John Lynn talked to Dr. Jennifer Goldman at Memorial Healthcare System. She discussed the value of integrating SDOH data into the EHR so it’s more readily visible to clinical staff, along with the impact of connecting patients to the community resources they need. Read more…

Lessons in Medication Reconciliation Success. Also at HLTH, John attended a session on medication success presented by Franck Tricot at Synapse Medicine. Not surprisingly, cumbersome EHRs and interoperability challenges make medication reconciliation difficult, which is why continuous updates to drug data and actionable insights are so important. Read more…

A Recap of the CHIME Fall Forum. At this year’s event, John spent some time talking about trends in patient experience and remote monitoring with Sarah Brandt at Divurgent and Dr. Joshua Liu at SeamlessMD, respectively. John also spoke to Christian Davis at Seal Shield, which developed software to notify clinical staff that it’s time to clean their keyboards. Read more…

Achieving Optimal Performance in Challenging Times. With practices facing the one-two punch of staffing shortages and increasing expenses, now’s the time to prioritize process improvement. Dr. Matthew Bayley at Conifer Health Solutions recommended taking a closer look at areas such as eligibility verification, self-payment, and claims coding. Read more…

Finding the Right Productivity Balance in Physical Therapy. PT practices risk an audit if they’re billing too many hours. At the same time, patient volumes are increasing as practices look to increase revenue and see more patients. John Wallace at WebPT highlighted the importance of finding the right mix of patients and insurance types for your practice. Read more…

Funding and M&A Activity:

• Maven Health raised $90 million in Series E funding to expand its footprint in virtual care for women’s health and family health.
• Telehealth startup Options MD raised $3.8M in pre-seed funding; the company focuses on care for treatment-resistant depression.
• Mental health provider SonderMind acquired Total Brain, a neuroscience company.

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

< + > Higher CO2 Levels Could Result In Crops Having At Least 20% Less Protein

During the Anthropocene Epoch, human activities from burning fossil fuels are emitting greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide at such an accelerated pace that it is negatively impacting plants’ mechanisms of acquiring nutrients from the soil, according to a recent study.

< + > HIMSSCast: Blockchain in healthcare – sifting hype from reality

Maria Palombini, healthcare and life sciences practice lead at the IEEE Standards Association and a blockchain expert, offers a frank assessment of where distributed ledger technology is making progress, and where it's lagging.

< + > ADHD Medication Might Help In Treating Amphetamine Addiction

A recent JAMA Psychiatry study found that an ADHD medicine called lisdexamfetamine reduced the risk of hospitalization due to amphetamine or methamphetamine addiciton by 18% and 14% for deaths caused by substance abuse disorders.

< + > Brazil’s Neymar Suffers Ankle Injury, May Miss Next 2 World Cup Matches

According to the Brazilian team doctor, “The tests showed a lateral ligament injury on Neymar's right ankle, along with a small bone edema."

< + > 3 Standout Innovators at #HLTH2022

The annual HLTH conference is a smorgasbord of healthcare innovation. There are startups offering cutting-edge solutions alongside well-established health IT companies introducing their latest transformational products. Standing out amongst from all these incredible technologies is difficult, but there were three companies that did just that: Wambi, HyIvy Health, and NuraLogix.

Patient Voices to Uplift & Inspire

Wambi is a recognition and culture transformation platform that elevates the voice of patients as well as peers and provides their positive feedback directly to staff. Getting a “Wambi” means receiving gratitude, acknowledgement and/or a thank you for a job well done. The company is well positioned as healthcare organizations are looking for ways to retain and energize their staff.

Wambi was cofounded by Alexandra Coren and Rebecca Coren. Both are big believers in the power of feedback. In their eyes, it has the power to inspire individuals to reach higher and to lift others up.

Healthcare IT Today sat down with Alexandra Coren at #HLTH2022 to learn about the company’s journey and what drove them to create their platform.

Learn more about Wambi at https://wambi.org/

Upending the Status Quo for Women’s Pelvic Health

Rachel Bartholomew was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2019. She learned that her treatment would affect her pelvic health going forward and that she would need rehabilitation. To her shock and dismay, she discovered that the standard device given to women in her situation was a dilator invented in 1938. She made the decision to invent something better while waiting in her hospital bed for cancer surgery.

Today, Bartholomew leads the team at HyIvy Health and they recently completed development on their clinical-trial-ready prototype. HyIvy’s device has a warming feature, an array of sensors that monitor vaginal health, and easy to reach controls. Patients have been involved throughout the design process and the resulting prototype is winning over clinicians.

Healthcare IT Today got a preview of HyIvy’s device at #HLTH2022.

Learn more about HyIvy at https://hyivy.com/

A Selfie to See if You are Healthy

Anura, an app from NuraLogix, uses the selfie camera on tablets and mobile phones to assess the general wellness of an individual. With a 30-second selfie, the app provides information on heart rate, breathing, systolic blood pressure, mental stress, facial skin age, and various metabolic risks.

Company representatives were quick to point out that Anura is not a diagnostic replacement. It is only meant for “investigational use” and to improve awareness of general wellness.

The technology was impressive and performed well during an impromptu demonstration by Lindsay Brennan, Sr Marketing Specialist at NuraLogix. I compared the heart rate from their app to my FitBit and the readings were within 5 BPM of each other.

Learn more about NuraLogix at https://www.nuralogix.ai/

The author of this article is a non-paid advisor to HyIvy Health through ventureLAB in Canada.

< + > The Role of RCM in Health Equity

The following is a guest article by Leigh Poland RHIA, CCS, VP of Coding Services at AGS Health.

A strong business case exists for addressing the financial impacts of social determinants of health (SDoH) and new reimbursement models designed to emphasize health equity. Involving revenue cycle management (RCM) is necessary for any comprehensive SDoH/health equity strategy.

This is because health disparities contribute more than $93 billion in unnecessary medical care costs and more than $42 billion annually in lost productivity. Additional economic losses are a result of premature deaths. Further, according to the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, eliminating these inequities by 2050 may erase more than $150 billion in unnecessary medical care.

Reimbursement is also closely linked to quality because of the use of outcome measures by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to determine a hospital’s overall quality, including:

• Mortality
• Safety of care
• Readmission rate
• Excess stay
• Patient experience
• Effectiveness of care

SDoH Factors Impacting Patients and Revenue

In particular, readmission rates, utilization, and excess inpatient stays all point back to SDoH. Additionally, low literacy is linked to poor health outcomes and less frequent receipt of wellness services — leading to more frequent extended hospital stays for these individuals.

Lack of access to reliable transportation for essential health needs results in 41% more excess days in the hospital. In addition, unemployment is linked to a rise in self-reported declining health status and increased mortality rates for males and females ages 16 through 64. Additionally, drug and substance abuse and dependence quadruple for these same populations, and diagnosis for depression or general anxiety disorder doubles within this segment of the patient population.

These metrics are a vital part of a patient’s SDoH story when this information is documented in the patient’s chart. Thoughtful documentation allows coders to assign appropriate codes for tracking and trending SDoH patterns, enabling healthcare organizations to understand their patient populations better.

A Health and Revenue Driver

CMS is clear in its telegraphing of the critical efforts to improve health outcomes by establishing quality metrics.

Its priorities inform efforts for the next decade and how the agency will operationalize each to achieve health equity and eliminate care disparities. Each priority area reflects a key place where CMS stakeholders from underserved and disadvantaged communities express that CMS action is needed to advance health equity.

One of CMS’ most important SDoH tenets is data collection and reporting. “CMS strives to improve our collection and use of comprehensive, interoperable, standardized individual-level demographic and SDoH data, including race, ethnicity, language, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, and SDoH. By increasing our understanding of the needs of those we serve, including social risk factors and changes in communities’ needs over time, CMS can leverage quality improvement and other tools to ensure all individuals have access to equitable care and coverage.”

RCM professionals constantly interact with data that is valuable to informing health equity strategies – particularly since the transition to the ICD-10 code set that created an environment rich with data detailing SDoH.

Code sets and coding guidelines have expanded over the years to capture SDoH information at a level not possible with other data sources. ICD-10-CM Z codes, for example, capture detailed SDoH information directly into the patient’s record for deeper insights into factors impacting health.

 Closing the Gap

SDoH insights can help caregivers recognize the need for additional services for individuals to access healthy food and reliable housing and drive better health and wellness outcomes.

The challenge for many providers is their inability to manually sift through mountains of data to discover valuable health equity insights. Effectively leveraging SDoH information to achieve goals requires a carefully designed and implemented strategy, starting with forming a governance committee that designs policies and procedures so that SDoH needs are assessed and patients are connected to the community services needed to address them.

Despite the critical role this information plays in care outcomes, most healthcare organizations that collect this information still need a governance committee to oversee its use. For example, of the 56% of organizations reporting in an AHIMA survey that they collect SDoH data, 73% said they had no formal oversight committee. This is a critical gap, as governance of these policies helps determine who within the organization conducts patient assessments and how to gather the data without creating an administrative burden.

Top Priority

Health equity is a top priority in the coming years. As stewards and centralized life-saving hubs of their communities, healthcare providers can address more than basic catch-and-patch healthcare by exploring opportunities to eliminate disparities and improve care among underserved communities.

The data aggregated daily by coders and RCM professionals, mainly using the detail-rich Z codes, can play a pivotal role in understanding population needs and aligning patients with necessary resources to address SDoH issues and close the health equity gap.

< + > Surgery admission now takes 12 minutes in this regional health network

It has also brought back 40 hours per week of staff time back to nursing care.

< + > Roundup: IIT Madras develops IT tool to improve rural health and more briefs

Also, AIIMS New Delhi is set to go all digital for payments next year.

< + > At least 76% Of People Who Have Long Covid Face Stigma

In a recent UK-based study published in the journal PLOS One, researchers found that among people with long Covid, the prevalence of them facing stigma on a frequent basis was 95% and 76% for those who always experienced stigma.

< + > #MaskUp #BringBackMasks Trend As Covid-19, RSV, Flu Cases Increase

Health professionals, scientists, and others are asking why recommendations about Covid-19 and respiratory illness precautions have not been including face mask wearing.

< + > Can ADHD Medications Increase The Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease?

Despite the fact that there is sufficient evidence that proves ADHD medications can help in reducing the neurodevelopmental condition’s core symptoms, researchers have raised concerns about both stimulants and nonstimulant medications’ cardiovascular safety.

< + > Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

We hope that you’ve all had a great day and have had a chance to sit back and give thanks for all of the blessings you have in your life.

We want to take a minute to thank each of you for supporting Healthcare IT Today.  We have one of the best communities in the world and we appreciate everyone who reads an article, listens to our podcasts, and watches our videos.  Our hope is that you find great value in the content we create.  We appreciate all of you and your support.

We’ll be back again tomorrow with more great health IT content.  Until then, enjoy the holiday and thanks!

< + > ACT to switch off COVID-19 contact tracing app

The app will no longer be in use starting in December.

< + > InnovationRx: Avian Flu Hits Thanksgiving, Boosting Boosters, And Antibiotic Resistance Rises In U.K.

InnovationRx is your weekly digest of healthcare news. Sign up!

< + > Do You Have The “Thin” Gene?

Happy Thanksgiving! As you dig into your Thanksgiving dinner, a time when many of us overeat, you may well ask: Will I regret it tomorrow when I check my weight? Will it be ok?

< + > Ransomware attacks trend up on holidays, weekends

While healthcare cybersecurity experts indicated longer response times to cyberattacks during these times, the new report cited hospital emergency rooms as models for SOC staffing.

< + > Antioxidant-Rich Foods—Like Kale, Tea, Broccoli—Could Slow Rate Of Memory Decline, Study Suggests

A group of over 950 people was followed and tested for an average of seven years.

< + > A Look at Patient Experience, A New Infection Control Feature, and RPM 2.0 at the CHIME Fall Forum

At the CHIME Fall Forum conference, we had a chance to sit down with a number of great health IT vendors to learn more about what they’re doing in health IT, what they’d heard at the show, and a new product announcement.  Check out these short video interviews to learn more.

First up is Sarah Brandt, Associate Principal at Divurgent, who shared with us what she was hearing about patient experience at the conference.  Plus, she shares a few ideas on what healthcare organizations should be doing now when it comes to improving the experience of patients at their organization.

Learn more about Divurgent: https://www.divurgent.com/

One of the interesting announcements I learned about at the CHIME Fall Forum was a new cleaning notification and tracking feature from Seal Shield who sells waterproof and washable keyboards.  Christian Davis, CTO at Seal Shield, demoed the feature in the video below which he says came as a result of user feedback that they wanted to have a reminder that the keyboard needed to be cleaned and be able to track when the keyboards are cleaned for infection control.  Check out the new light up feature that notifies users when the keyboard needs to be cleaned.

Learn more about Seal Shield: https://sealshield.com/

We all know that healthcare organizations are combatting financial headwinds, staffing challenges, and healthcare consumerism.  In this video with Dr. Joshua Liu, CEO and Co-Founder at SeamlessMD, he shares how patient-driven care management solutions can help address these challenges.  Plus, we talk about his perspective on what Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) 2.0 is and why healthcare organizations should be embracing it.

Learn more about SeamlessMD: https://seamless.md/

Listen and subscribe to the Healthcare IT Today Interviews Podcast to hear all the latest insights from experts in healthcare IT.

And for an exclusive look at our top stories, subscribe to our newsletter.

Tell us what you think. Contact us here or on Twitter at @hcitoday. And if you’re interested in advertising with us, check out our various advertising packages and request our Media Kit.

Divurgent is a sponsor of Healthcare Scene.

< + > Telehealth Startup Options MD Raised $3.8M in Pre-Seed Funding to Expand Mental Health Platform

Fresh funding, led by Bread & Butter Ventures, enables the telehealth service provider to offer solutions to patients with severe and treatment-resistant mental illnesses

Options MD, a telehealth startup providing high-quality care for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), today announced $2.35M in funding, bringing their total pre-seed funding to nearly $4M. The round was led by Bread & Butter Ventures, alongside participation from M13, Bright Ventures and Collab Capital. MedMountain Ventures and Techstars also reinvested in the company. In addition, Options MD received $100K from the Google for Startups Latino Founders Fund. The funding will enable Options MD to increase patient access to critical care and treatments that address severe and treatment-resistant mental illnesses.

With a team of medical researchers and clinical experts specializing in TRD, Options MD offers a unique personalized care model, including proprietary treatment-matching software, allowing patients unparalleled access to innovative treatments. Highly specialized clinicians curate research-backed treatment plans focused on higher quality care, including over 200 treatments that range from pharmacological protocols and evidence-based behavioral treatments to non-pharmaceutical methodologies and lifestyle changes.

Co-Founders of Options MD, Morgan Hewett and Kyle Pierce, are on a mission to prevent thousands of deaths from suicide by addressing the $64B whitespace that is treatment-resistant mental illnesses.  Having watched firsthand as their family and friends struggled with mental health, Options MD was launched as a resource to deliver personalized care to mental health patients deemed “treatment resistant” by physicians. With backgrounds in healthcare marketing, technology, data privacy and health-tech law, Hewett and Pierce are Black, queer, and Latinx co-founders who have broken barriers to be a part of the only 2.4% of founders like them who have received VC funding.

Kyle Pierce, Co-Founder Options MD, said: “Options MD is addressing the white space that exists for the estimated thirty-two million patients who are most challenging to the mental health system – those struggling with severe and treatment-resistant mental illnesses. Unlike the host of mental health platforms that focus only on patients suffering from milder mental health issues, Options MD has committed to supporting patients diagnosed with the most severe and chronic cases of mental illness. These patients have not responded to two or more medications of adequate dosage or duration.”

Morgan Hewett, Co-Founder Options MD, said: “Instead of being incentivized to only offer one or two treatments, at Options MD, we believe care should be comprehensive and personalized. Through our virtual platform, we are nurturing one of the country’s largest communities for treatment-resistant depression. We are focused on providing high-touch, high-quality care for this historically difficult-to-treat patient population.”

Recent reports show the U.S. telehealth market size was valued at US$ 23.8 billion in 2021 and is expected to hit US$ 309.9 billion by 2030. The global COVID-19 pandemic saw increased demand for accessible healthcare solutions for patients when they need it most. Answering the call for solutions that provide accessible quality care, Options MD launched its virtual platform to ensure those with mental illness have a space to connect to clinicians and treatments tailored to their needs.

Dr. Carl Marci, Medical Advisor, Options MD, said: “The average patient in Options MD’s community has suffered from chronic depression for 10 years, has already tried seven medications and is in a state of hopelessness by the time they access Options MD. By combining digital assessments with human interactions and advanced care planning, Options MD is in a unique position to make an impact on one of the most critical populations within mental health.”

Mary Grove, Managing Partner at Bread & Butter Ventures, said: “Options MD’s mission resonates through its transformative approach to bringing together care navigation, clinical treatment, and community support for those experiencing treatment resistant depression. Bread & Butter Ventures’ investment in Options MD underscores our confidence in its leadership team to succeed in the mission to democratize access to quality care for patients who are painfully lacking effective options in today’s market and to drive disruption and innovation in the behavioral health industry.”

The pre-seed funding will enable the expansion of clinical operations and medical research in addition to enhancements to Options MD’s proprietary clinical protocols.

To learn more about Options MD, visit www.optionsmd.com.

Options MD™ is a telehealth company enabling patients to access mental health care and treatment options that address severe and treatment-resistant mental illnesses. Our bold mission is to help patients and clinicians access industry-leading solutions to inform the treatment of a disproportionately affected but under-served patient population. With highly-specialized clinicians and medical researchers paired with unparalleled treatment matching software, patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression can access over 200 treatment possibilities, including pharmaceuticals, intensive behavioral therapies, non-pharmaceutical methodologies, and lifestyle changes. Learn more at Options MD.com.

< + > Bill Gates’ Foundation Pledges $7 Billion To Support Africa Health And Agriculture

Gates and his former wife, Melina French Gates, are the biggest philanthropists of all time.

< + > Avoiding Red Flags: Finding the Right Productivity Balance

The following is a guest article by John Wallace, PT, OCS, Senior Vice President of RCM at WebPT.

When it comes to the number of patients providers can see in a day, some might think that more is more. After all, more patients should generate more billable services—and thus, more payments. But as organizations balance productivity goals with payer policies, sometimes their version of “enough” patient volume is actually too much.

The number of Medicare TPEs and commercial payer take-back audits alone is skyrocketing. Providers who have timed codes for billing may be putting themselves at risk if they do not optimize their treatment schedules. Payers have vastly improved data intelligence on therapists and practices, and OIG even has a dedicated section on issues in outpatient rehab. It’s important to know what types of audits exist, what to be aware of, and how productivity goals can affect clinics and culture.  

Understand the Different Types of Audits

Not all audits are created equally. Since forewarned is forearmed, it’s best to have a general understanding of what types of audits might apply to your clinic.

Medicare’s Targeted Probe and Educate audits use data analysis to identify clinics who have high claim error rates or unusual billing practices. They also look to flag “items and services that have high national error rates and are a financial risk to Medicare.” If clinics aren’t found to be compliant, they are selected for TPE participation to increase the accuracy of their claims. If, after three rounds of education sessions, there isn’t enough improvement, they are referred to CMS for next steps. 

Meanwhile, Medicare also has a Fee for Service Recovery Audit Program. According to their site, their mission is to “identify and correct Medicare improper payments through the efficient detection and collection of overpayments made on claims of health care services provided to Medicare beneficiaries, and the identification of underpayments to providers so that the CMS can implement actions that will prevent future improper payments in all 50 states.”

Finally, payers of all stripes may send documentation requests. For example, medical record reviews can be initiated by an auditor, which typically state the reason for the audit, what will be reviewed, the relevant timeframes, and what available appeal options. An Advanced Document Request (ADR) is then followed by a list of beneficiaries and dates of service to be reviewed. Auditors may also perform technical audit reviews, medical necessity compliance reviews, and medical policy reviews.

What Triggers Audits? 

There are only so many hours in the day. So the fastest way to trigger an audit is billing more hours than what is available for timed-codes. Let’s take an eight-hour day as a physical therapist as an example. If you saw 100% Medicare patients, you could bill 32 units (480/15). If you saw CPT patients exclusively, you could bill 60 units (480 min/8). In reality, of course, most practices have a mix of financial classes: Medicare, commercial, casualty, Workers’ Compensation, and possibly other unique local payer contracts. A good rule of thumb: if you average more than four times units or five total units per visit for a payer, you can probably expect a review. 

Another surefire way to trigger an audit is the improper use of assistants. Again, there are varying rules across medicare, private payers, and company rules that determine if assistants can provide one-on-one care. Licensed assistants in all 50 states can see patients—with varying degrees of supervision determined by state. Keep in mind that payers can require higher levels of performance than the law (e.g., Tricare and Medicare). It’s therefore crucial to stay abreast of the rules that apply to your practice. 

What are the Consequences of Audits?

What if an auditor finds overbilling in your clinic? In a best-case scenario, they can deny payment or ask to be repaid for the visits they found were overbilled during the audit. The payer could also take a valid statistical sample and ask for a percentage repayment on all visits within the last three years. The payer could also recoup the overpayments from future visits. 

If overbilling happens with a commercial biller, the clinic could get a letter sent to the licensing board and be put on probation. In an absolute worst-case scenario, overbilling can end in criminal prosecution if it involves Medicare, Tricare, or the Department of Labor, and the amount is over a million dollars and a settlement cannot be reached. Thankfully, this is a very rare outcome. 

Finding the Right Balance

Despite the real risk involved tied to potential overbilling, nearly 35% of rehab therapy organizations saw an increase in patient volume over the past year as compared to years past. “While patient visits per therapist per day does have a ceiling,” John Brickley, Vice President, Ambulatory Operations and Network Development at MedStar Health Physical Therapy, commented in the 2022 State of Rehab Therapy Report, “Unfortunately, payer restrictions, limits to reimbursement and other factors limiting net revenue per visit does not seem to have a limited basement. Relying on ever-escalating per-therapist patient volume per day will negatively impact patient satisfaction, therapist satisfaction, and outcomes.”

Juggling patient volume, productivity goals, and profit can be very challenging—especially as high patient volumes and intense productivity goals can contribute to burnout. The average number of patients seen per therapist/per day is 12.9. This number rises to 17 patients in organizations with more than 50 providers. According to WebPT’s 2022 State of Rehab Therapy report, “Educational institutions and inpatient hospitals top the patient volume charts, with each of its providers seeing approximately 20 patients per day.” 

Start by creating a culture with realistic productivity goals. A practice that establishes a universal productivity goal invariably fails to account for the individual differences between clinicians, which can lead to frustration and misinterpretation. By contrast, variable compensation models allow a provider to set his or her own productivity goal and to be paid according to their relative contribution to the company. Doing so helps company culture and safeguards from overbilling.

With declining reimbursements, providers are doing everything they can to make up the difference. But therapists must be mindful as they navigate the productivity versus payment-per-visit dilemma. The goal? Optimize billing while navigating payer rules and maximizing payments. Stay audit-ready with good documentation and a watchful eye on units of treatment bill in a day. 

About John Wallace

John Wallace, PT, MS, has more than 35 years of experience in private practice orthopedics as well as acute hospital, acute rehab, home health care, skilled nursing, sub-acute care, and sports medicine. He currently serves as the Senior Vice President, Revenue Cycle Management at WebPT. He has been invited to speak at numerous national healthcare events on the topics of payment policy, compliance, practice management, and rehabilitation economics.

< + > New Pfizer-BioNTech Covid Vaccine Is More Effective Than The Original, Study Shows

An estimated 68% of Americans are fully vaccinated.

< + > New ‘Died Suddenly’ Film Pushes Unfounded Depopulation Claims About Covid-19 Vaccine

The film which premiered on Twitter Monday spends much of its hour and eight minute run time suggesting that many people have been dying suddenly after getting Covid-19 vaccines.

< + > Third-party vendor risk guidance from Renown Health's CISO

Steven Ramirez previews his HIMSS Healthcare Cybersecurity Forum session, explaining how provider organizations can best avoid security problems that stem from associates outside their four walls.

< + > DOJ charges 10 individuals for allegedly spoofing emails, defrauding healthcare payers, hospitals

The agency's first coordinated action against individuals using business email compromise and money laundering schemes to target healthcare payers uncovered $11.1 million diverted from Medicare, Medicaid programs, private health insurers and others.

< + > A Novel Alternative To The Plastic Waste Associated With Pill Bottles

It is increasingly apparent that recycling is an imperfect solution for plastic waste and that microplastics are an environmental problem. There is a new, more eco-friendly approach for the waste associated with the medicines category.

< + > CIO Podcast – Episode 44: Social Determinants of Health with Dr. Jennifer Goldman, DO

For the 44th episode of the CIO podcast hosted by Healthcare IT Today, we sat down with Dr. Jennifer Goldman, DO, Chief of Primary Care at Memorial Healthcare System. In this episode we’re discussing Dr. Goldman’s work in Social Determinants of Health (SDoH). First we dive into what she’s done to integrate SDoH data into the EMR and how she’s kept people from over looking it. Next we talk about how to help clinical teams connect patients to the resources that they need. Dr. Goldman shares some stories to tell us the impact these efforts have made. Then, we look at what areas SDoH still needs to improve in. Lastly, Dr. Goldman passes along the best advice that she’s gotten in her career.

Here’s a look at the questions and topics we discuss on this episode:

• What’s been done at your organization to integrate SDoH data into the EMR?
• Information is one thing, what has your organization done to make it so SDoH data can’t be overlooked?
• How do you help clinical teams, case managers, etc. connect patients to the right community resources?
• What’s been the impact of these efforts? Any stories you can share?
• Where else do you see holes in what’s being done from an SDoH perspective that still needs to be filled?
• What’s the best career advice you’ve ever gotten?

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

We release a new CIO Podcast every ~2 weeks. You can also subscribe to the Healthcare IT Today podcast on any of the following platforms:

NOTE: We’ll be updating the links below as the various podcasting platforms approve the new podcast.  Check back soon to be able to subscribe on your favorite podcast application.

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

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We’d love to hear what you think of the podcast and if there are other healthcare CIO you’d like to see us have on the program. Feel free to share your thoughts and perspectives in the comments of this post with @techguy on Twitter, or privately on our Contact Us page.

We appreciate you listening!

Listen to the Latest Episodes

< + > Learning About Medication Success at #HLTH2022 from Synapse Medicine

One of the great things about the HLTH 2022 conference is you get a wide range of topics across every part of healthcare.  For example, I attended a session on Medication Success that was presented by Franck Tricot, VP, Strategic Partnerships at Synapse Medicine.  Tricot gave us a really interesting view into what it takes to do medications properly in healthcare.  I live tweeted what was shared.  Check out my summary below to learn how you can better manage medications in your organization.

Let’s get this party started. Time to learn about Medication Success with @SynapseMed at the #HLTH2022 tech talk stage. pic.twitter.com/3fLXChSzXO

— John Lynn (@techguy) November 15, 2022

If you’re not sure why it’s important to handle medications properly, check out this crazy list of prescribing risks and the damage it causes to patients and healthcare in general.

Crazy list of prescribing risks. #hlth2022 @SynapseMed pic.twitter.com/DLv2PPfE9M

— John Lynn (@techguy) November 15, 2022

The list of medication challenges in healthcare is long. However, this one about cumbersome EHR really stood out to me. Reminds me of the EHR user conference recently where they said that simplicity is safety in healthcare. There’s something to that and it applies well to medication success as well.

One of the challenges with drug data is cumbersome EHR…not going to explain that since you all know. @SynapseMed

This is true. Lots of other challenges like lack of interoperability too. #HLTH2022

— John Lynn (@techguy) November 15, 2022

Of course, solving medication challenges isn’t easy. Synapse Medicine knows this first hand because they have implemented their solution across all of France. Here’s a look at what it takes to thoroughly address medications in your organization.

Thorough approach by @SynapseMed to address the medication reconciliation and prescribing challenges. #HLTH2022 #hitsm pic.twitter.com/bTz9iHrj4k

— John Lynn (@techguy) November 15, 2022

Here’s an even deeper look into what it takes to ensure medication success in your organization.

Is your software doing all of this to address medication challenges?

Great to see this working in France. I’d love to see it applied in the US. @SynapseMed #HLTH2022 pic.twitter.com/h32cROVngQ

— John Lynn (@techguy) November 15, 2022

More simply put, here’s a look at the 3 pillars of medication success according to Synapse Medicine.

3pillars of medication success:
* Prescription assistance
* Oral chemotherapy
* Medication reconciliation@SynapseMed #HLTH2022

— John Lynn (@techguy) November 15, 2022

It was great to learn about some of the details it takes to be able to manage medications in your organization. Thanks for bringing all these insights and perspectives across the pond.

Cool look at what it takes to obtain medication success. Good learnings brought over from France. @SynapseMed #HLTH2022 pic.twitter.com/nCMsRryO1V

— John Lynn (@techguy) November 15, 2022

What’s been your experience with medication success? Do you have issues with medication reconciliation?

Synapse Medicine is a proud sponsor of Healthcare Scene.

< + > A New Plan Brings Clarity To Healthcare Price Transparency–Finally

By fostering competition, price transparency has delivered higher quality, lower prices, and better value in just about every sector of our economy. Health care has been an exception for decades—thanks largely to government policies.

< + > Football Is Corrupting Our Universities More Than Ever

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< + > Computer Forecasts, Expert Judgment, And “Chimeric Forecasting” Of Infectious Diseases

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< + > BQ.1.1 Covid-19 Variant Resistant To All Monoclonal Antibody Treatments

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< + > Elon Musk’s Twitter Poll About Donald Trump: 5 Reasons It Was Unscientific

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< + > Thanksgiving Turkey Shortage, Prices Up 20% With Avian Flu, Inflation

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< + > Bonus Features – November 20, 2022 – 90% of healthcare buyers prioritize virtual care but want a clear roadmap, wearable data helped predict COVID-19 infections 12 days before the CDC, and more

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 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.

News and Studies

A joint study by Omada Health, Rock Health, and the Digital Medicine Society, based on a survey of employers, payers and benefit consultants, found that 90% of purchasers view virtual care as a high priority, and the majority are willing to adopt innovative approaches, but few have a real understanding of what virtual care is. The water is muddy, according to the report, because few vendors distinguish between telemedicine – a replacement for an in-person appointment – and virtual care – a broader set of services. As a result, 95% of buyers who offer virtual care want to expand but need a roadmap to help them determine their next steps.

Another joint study, this one involving CareEvolution, Scripps Research, and The Rockefeller Foundation, concluded that data from wearable devices could forecast COVID-19 infection rates as many as 12 days earlier than CDC data alone. Such prediction was possible through the combination of resting heart rate and step count data, along with patient self-reported data such as test results and symptoms. Authors note that the use of wearable data provides an early signal for changes in disease prevalence and should be used alongside other methods for tracking viral illnesses, including wastewater data and medical records.

ONC published a blog post highlighting how to meet the 2015 Edition Cures Update requirements for ONC certification. Specifically, certified health IT developers have a Dec. 31 deadline for meeting requirements for FHIR-based API standardization. The key takeaway: If vendors haven’t talked to their ONC Authorized Certification Body to schedule test with an ONC Authorized Testing Lab, they probably should.

Partnerships

• Firefly Health and Sprinter Health are integrating Firefly’s in-home clinical services with Sprinter’s virtual primary care.
• Mobile engagement platform Gozio Health expanded its integration with Artera, a patient outreach tool.
• Primary care EHR Elation Health has integrated with Ribbon Health, a provider data management platform.
• Patient-owned research platform Savvy Cooperative has partnered with ProofPilot, maker of an automated digital protocol platform for clinical trials.
• Insurer K&B Underwriters has teamed up with VirtuSense Technologies to offer fall risk analysis and prevention tools to post-acute care organizations.

Products

• Precision analytics vendor hc1 released Sendout Management, which consolidates lab performance data to inform operational decision-making.
• Digital health and safety platform Connect America announced its platform for continuous at-home monitoring, along with an alert service built in partnership with data platform HealthShare Exchange.
• Diagnostic tool provider Everly Health released Spotwell for iPhone-based blood sample sufficiency validation.
• Care coordination company Quantum Health released a care navigation tool for self-insured employers.
• Data integration and analytics company Qlik added enhanced encryption to Qlik Cloud and announced that the product received SOC2 Type 2 + HITRUST Attestation.
• Engagement platform Twilio released a customer data platform for health and life sciences.
• KAID Health published a case study demonstrating the effectiveness of analyzing structural and textual data for The Villages Health, identifying previously undiscovered clinical attributes for 15% of patients.
• Kahun demonstrated better overall performance compared to other symptoms checkers, as reported in the International Journal of Medical Informatics.
• Heart ultrasound diagnostics provider Caption Health received regulatory approval to sell its technology in Australia and Canada.
• CareCloud earned ONC certification for two EHRs, VertexDR and talkEHR, for compliance with 21st Century Cures Act interoperability requirements.
• Change Healthcare announced that its hospital customers have moved more than 10% of their imaging data to the cloud.
• ModMed received a patent for its adaptive logic software, which is used to automat documentation.
• Spatial released Spatial Space Kit and announced WellStar Hospitals as a customer using immersive sound to help patients and clinical staff relieve stress.

Sales

• Ascension is using Qualtrics for gathering patient experience feedback.
• Northern Ohio’s NOMS Healthcare selected Axuall for workforce management optimization.
• The South Dakota Department of Health selected Avel eCare to connect EMS agencies in the state to emergency physicians and registered nurses via telemedicine.
• LabCorp opted for Oracle Cerner to manage its hospital-based laboratories in 10 states.

Awards

• The Biotech Breakthrough Awards Program announced its 2022 award winners. Winners in healthcare categories include Helio Genomics (overall genomics company of the year), CelerisTx (therapeutics platform of the year), and Abbott (medtech solution of the year).
• Healthcare learning and training startup EmpiricaLab was selected to the Techstars Workforce Development Accelerator.

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.

< + > Does France’s 2024 Olympic, Paralympic Mascot Resemble A Clitoris?

France has unveiled its mascot for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic games. It's supposed to resemble a Phrygian cap, otherwise known as a liberty cap. But is that the first thing that comes to mind?

< + > New Lawsuit Aims To Revoke FDA Approval Of Abortion Drug

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< + > New Pfizer-BioNTech Covid Vaccine Is More Effective Than The Original, Study Shows

Pfizer-BioNTech’s new bivalent Covid-19 vaccine—which targets the original strain and some Omicron subvariants—provides more protection against the virus and its omicron variants than its initial vaccine, according to a study released Friday.

< + > Michigan vendors collaborate on HIE-enabled SDOH interoperability

The new partnership, focused on social determinants of health, aims to create a statewide mechanism for sharing data referrals, interventions and outcomes among providers and social care agencies.

< + > Hackensack Meridian to migrate Epic workloads to Google Cloud

The move will make it "simpler for our IT and developers, and will allow them to focus more on uncovering creative ways to improve patient care," said the health system's chief digital information officer.

< + > HIMSS22 in Riyadh: Ensuring digital innovation in healthcare is a cure for all

During this morning keynote at the 2022 HIMSS Middle East Health Conference & Exhibition, experts will share insights on their initiatives for health justice – with a spotlight on the Middle East.

< + > How To Reduce Allergens And Improve Air Quality In Your Home This Winter

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< + > Hiding In Plain Sight: Survivors Of Suicide Loss

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< + > DirectTrust and EHNAC announce merger agreement

The merged capabilities will create a more robust nonprofit compliance and risk-management partner focused on increasing trust in and accreditation programs for healthcare organizations.

< + > Bonus Features, HLTH Edition – November 17, 2022 – News from Amazon, Fitbit, Google, and Verizon, plus innovation awards from UCSF and Fierce Healthcare

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 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.

This edition is our second special dispatch from HLTH 2022. There have been a lot of new research reports, new products, and news partnerships announced at the event. We wanted to try and cover as many announcements for the Healthcare IT Today community as we could. And in case you missed it, here’s the November 15 HLTH edition of Bonus Features

Partnerships

• Babylon and Fitbit are partnering to offer wearable devices and services to members eligible for proactive care management programs.
• CertifyOS and Mocingbird integrated their platforms to streamline data sharing for clinician licensure and continuing medical education.
• Highmark Health, Google Cloud, and League built a digital front door for Highmark’s member portal and mobile app.
• Verizon and Babylon subsidiary Higi announced plans to increase access to home monitoring and virtual care over Verizon 4G and 5G networks, with a specific focus on rural and senior populations.
• Low-code development platform Awell is integrated with Healthie, a platform for virtual-first care delivery.

Products

• Amazon introduced the Amazon Clinic, a virtual care clinic that will treat more than 20 common chronic conditions and operate in 32 states. Clinics will be cash pay and don’t yet accept insurance, according to Fierce Healthcare.
• BioIntelliSense announced its BioButton medical grade wearable device will be used in space during the upcoming five-day Polaris Dawn mission, due to launch after March 2023.
• Centivo announced that its Virtual Primary Care practice received Patient-Centered Medical Home designation from NCQA.
• Google released the Health Connect Android app in beta to the Play Store.
• Hello Heart announced Dot-to-Dot, a feature that combines clinical research and AI to help people connect lifestyle choices to heart health.
• Included Health released All-Included Care, a care navigation and guidance tool for in-person and virtual care.
• OnSky Health launched DreamBe, a contact-free baby health and safety monitoring pad for bassinets and cribs.
• Primary care provider Parsley Health expanded to the enterprise market.
• Sesame released Sesame @ Work, an employer version of its direct-to-consumer health care marketplace that focuses on high-deductible health plans.

Awards

• UCSF announced its fourth annual Health Hub Digital Health Awards. The organization announced one winner and four rising stars in 11 categories. The UCSF Health Hub also inducted two well-known founders into its hall of fame: Dr. Rushika Fernandopulle of One Medical (formerly Iora Health) and Kate Ryder of Maven.
• Fierce Healthcare announced its annual Innovation Award Winners. Five companies were recognized: Capital Rx, Codoxo, Propellor Health, TruTag Technologies, and Wildflower Health.
• Censinet and KLAS Research recognized four new recipients of the Cybersecurity Transparent designation: Findhelp, Carium, Ciox Health, and DrFirst.
• BrainCheck announced a $1.5M grant from the Small Business Innovation Research program to study the effectiveness of the digital workflow tool BrainCheck CARE in treating diverse patient populations.

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.

< + > AI helps Stanford researchers show link between first opioid Rx and dependency

The critical study was enabled by applying machine learning algorithms to a unique database of millions of de-identified claims.

< + > Address “Plane-Crash Level” Patient Harm, HHS Tells Hospitals, As Political Currents Swirl

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< + > DirectTrust and EHNAC Announce Merger Agreement

EHNAC to merge with and into DirectTrust; EHNAC Commission will remain intact

DirectTrust and the Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC) today announced an agreement to merge EHNAC with and into DirectTrust, effective January 4, 2023. DirectTrust is a non-profit healthcare industry alliance created to support secure, identity-verified electronic exchanges of protected health information. EHNAC is a non-profit standards development organization and accrediting body for organizations that electronically exchange healthcare data.

With EHNAC’s incorporation into DirectTrust, DirectTrust anticipates bringing to fruition new accreditation programs, with a program focused on Credential Service Providers related to consumer access and use of health data as an early target.

EHNAC’s senior leaders, Executive Director and CEO Lee Barrett and COO Debra Hopkinson are long-standing pillars of the health IT trust and accreditation communities and will continue to work for and consult with DirectTrust. EHNAC staff members and assessors will also join DirectTrust.

The EHNAC Commission will remain intact and be designated as Commissioners overseeing accreditation-specific matters. The DirectTrust Board of Directors will continue as is.

“We’re thrilled the long-standing relationship between EHNAC and DirectTrust is reaching its full potential with this merger,” said Scott Stuewe, DirectTrust President and CEO. “This unequivocal demonstration of our mutual dedication to facilitating trust will enable both parties to optimize their complementary strengths to create new opportunities for trust and assurance in the healthcare industry, especially in the age of TEFCA. It’s exciting to bring together our accreditation and standards development focus areas, while also enhancing opportunities for DirectTrust’s membership. Our goal is to be the nation’s premier healthcare-focused accreditation, standards development, and technical trust partner.”

“This merger of expertise, resources, and technology leverages EHNAC’s accreditation programs as a ‘recognized security framework’ and is an inevitable culmination of the years our organizations have spent ensuring stakeholder trust,” said Barrett. “By combining with the membership, standards development, technical trust, and accreditation capabilities of DirectTrust, we’ll be able to further support DirectTrust members, EHNAC-accredited organizations, and the industry as a whole to navigate the privacy and security hurdles that continue to afflict healthcare. Additionally, we’ll be able to continue our combined focus on interoperability initiatives to assist the healthcare ecosystem meet industry initiative timelines.”

DirectTrust members can expect a continuation of the same membership benefits and experience. Additionally, DirectTrust anticipates its members that pursue and achieve accreditation will experience an improved and streamlined accreditation process upon completion of the merger.

Existing DirectTrust and EHNAC accreditations will continue to be valid and recognized after the merger. Accreditations and accreditation renewals will occur within the newly expanded DirectTrust organization.

Membership in DirectTrust will continue to remain separate from accreditation. EHNAC Accredited Organizations not currently members of DirectTrust are invited to join DirectTrust membership; DirectTrust membership is not required for accreditation.

DirectTrust and EHNAC will hold a Public Information Session about the merger on Friday, December 9, 2022, at 12:00pm EST. This session is open to all interested parties. To register, visit https://bit.ly/DTEHNACinfo.

Additional information, including FAQs, about the DirectTrust-EHNAC merger may be found at https://bit.ly/DTEHNAC.

About DirectTrust

DirectTrust™ is a non-profit, vendor-neutral alliance initially created by and for participants in the healthcare and technology communities, including Health Information Service Providers (HISPs), Certificate Authorities (CAs), Registration Authorities (RAs), healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, consumers/patients, and health IT vendors. DirectTrust serves as a governance forum, trust community, standards organization, and accreditation body for persons and entities engaged in exchange utilizing PKI mechanisms for trusted, secure information exchange like Direct Secure Messaging and trusted, compliant document submission. The goal of DirectTrust is to develop, promote, and, as necessary, help enforce the rules and best practices necessary to maintain security and trust within its trust community. DirectTrust is committed to fostering widespread public confidence in the interoperable exchange of health information. To learn more, visit: https://directtrust.org.

About EHNAC

The Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC) is a voluntary, self-governing standards development organization (SDO) established to develop standard criteria and accredit organizations that electronically exchange healthcare data. These entities include accountable care organizations, data registries, electronic health networks, EPCS vendors, e-prescribing solution providers, financial services firms, health information exchanges, health information service providers, management service organizations, medical billers, outsourced service providers, payers, practice management system vendors, third-party administrators, and trusted networks. The Commission is an authorized HITRUST CSF Assessor, making it the only organization with the ability to provide both EHNAC accreditation and HITRUST CSF certification.

EHNAC was founded in 1993 and is a tax-exempt 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization. Guided by peer evaluation, the EHNAC accreditation process promotes quality service, innovation, cooperation, and open competition in healthcare. To learn more, visit www.ehnac.org.