< + > Cigna-Humana merger rumors swirl

While Cigna has been rebuffed for acquisitions in the past due to antitrust concerns, experts say a potential deal between the two private payers this time has some legs.

< + > Patient portal opens new entry points to care at Lurie Children's Hospital

Today, 91% of patients have logged into their account within three months of an encounter, says its VP of digital health, showing the results that "actively engaging" can accomplish, especially for Medicaid patients.

< + > Getting the Patient Into the Office at Sun Life Health

Sun Life Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) near Phoenix, Arizona, is leveraging their eClinicalWorks EHR platform to persuade patients to get the care they need. By closing these care gaps, not only are they better serving the community, Sun Life Health is also able to secure more federal funding.

Taming the Paper Tiger

In an interview with Healthcare IT Today Trey Davis, Director of Information Systems at Sun Life Health, shared insights into how the healthcare organization has leveraged eClinicalWorks’ technology to enhance patient care and maximize efficiency.

Sun Life Health operates as a FQHC with 14 locations, serving approximately 47,000 patients. When Davis arrived at Sun Life Health he found that many of the processes still involved paper records.

“There was a lot of paper involved,” remembered Davis. “We did not know where a lot of that paper came from or which data on the paper was correct or most up to date.”

Davis and his team knew they would have to tame this paper tiger in order to provide better care to their community AND to reduce the frustration of their staff. Enter Healow Insights.

“Healow Insights has allowed us to have all patient data go directly into our EHR system,” explained Davis. “It allows us to present all the patient information to providers in an organized manner when the patient comes in for their visit. Right from the screen, physicians can see any gaps in the patient’s care and work together to address it.”

Closing Care Gaps Improves Care and Funding

To close the care gaps, Sun Life Health also uses the communication capabilities of eClinicalWorks. Patient now receive calls as well as text messages to remind them to book appointments and to remind them of appointments already scheduled.

By closing care gaps, Sun Life Health improves:

• The overall health of members of their community
• The star rating of their centers
• Incentive payments available to them as an FHQC

During the interview, Davis shared that Sun Life Health generated $2.1 million in incentive payments. This funding enables them to serve their community more effectively.

Significant Portal Adoption

Sun Life Health has also capitalized on eClinicalWorks’ portal, with around 80% of patients using it daily. The portal allows patients to access their health records, visit summaries, and other health information. By educating patients on the portal’s benefits, Sun Life Health has empowered them to take control of their healthcare and reduced the administrative burden on call center staff and clinicians.

Watch the interview with Trey Davis to learn:

• What application of AI Davis is most excited for
• How gift cards are helping to close the care gaps
• Why being seen as a partner in their patient’s care is critical to Sun Life Health

Learn more about Sun Life Health: https://www.sunlifehealth.org/

Learn more about eClinicalWorks: https://www.eclinicalworks.com/

Learn more about Healow Insights: https://www.healowinsights.com/

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 and YouTube.

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.

eClinical Works is a proud sponsor of Healthcare Scene.

< + > Health Catalyst Acquires ERS, Bolsters Tech-Enabled Managed Services Offering with Data Abstraction and Oncology Registry Management Capabilities

Health Catalyst, Inc., a leading provider of data and analytics technology and services to healthcare organizations, today announced that it has acquired Electronic Registry Systems, Inc. (ERS), a market leader in cancer registry software and services.

Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, ERS provides cancer registry compliance and informatics services to enable customers to achieve their cancer center clinical and business objectives with the goal of improving cancer care for every patient. ERS has provided solutions to the cancer registry field since 1989 and is widely recognized for its flagship platform solution, CRStar. Specifically designed for Certified Tumor Registrars, the CRStar platform records and reports vital cancer patient information to oncology registries.

CRStar, in conjunction with ARMUS by Health Catalyst, strengthens Health Catalyst’s comprehensive data abstraction and registry management capabilities and will enhance the company’s Tech-Enabled Managed Services (TEMS) offering within the chart abstraction domain.

“This acquisition brings together two organizations deeply aligned in our belief in the power of data and analytics to drive improved clinical, operational, and financial outcomes,” said Dan Burton, CEO at Health Catalyst. “By combining our strengths, we’re well-positioned to support future TEMS growth in data abstraction and registry management within the cardiology and oncology domains. I’m confident we are better equipped to achieve our mission with ERS employees on our team.”

Commenting on the acquisition, CEO of ERS Rohit Nayak shared, “As a leading cancer registry software and informatics platform, ERS has played a key role right from the early days of the industry. We have remained steadfast in our mission to help cancer centers improve cancer care for every patient, and with Health Catalyst, we know we are best positioned to expand on this vision in new ways. We are excited to be a part of the Health Catalyst family and look forward to continuing to grow our collaboration and partnership with our clients and partners.”

About Health Catalyst

Health Catalyst is a leading provider of data and analytics technology and services to healthcare organizations committed to being the catalyst for massive, measurable, data-informed healthcare improvement. Its customers leverage the cloud-based data platform—powered by data from more than 100 million patient records and encompassing trillions of facts—as well as its analytics software and professional services expertise to make data-informed decisions and realize measurable clinical, financial, and operational improvements. Health Catalyst envisions a future in which all healthcare decisions are data-informed.

Originally announced November 2nd, 2023

< + > Cybersecurity frameworks in APAC don’t support remote care: report

Data security protections also remain weak.

< + > Featured Health IT Job: MACRA MIPS Specialist

We like to regularly feature a healthcare IT job that might be of interest to readers. Today, we’re featuring the MACRA MIPS Specialist position that was recently posted on Healthcare IT Central. This position was posted by Stoltenberg Consulting Inc. and is remote.

Here’s a description of the position:

Now seeking a MACRA MIPS Specialist to assist in the review of a client provider group’s current workflow processes to make best practice recommendations to ensure effective documentation and provide guidance to maximize reimbursement for 2024.

Project Details

• Client provider group consists of five physicians
• Client is utilizing Veradigm (Allscripts Pro) as the primary EHR and documentation platform

Responsibilities

• Consultant is responsible for meeting with the provider group, shadowing current workflows, and documenting a gap analysis for categories that need to be improved for scoring
• Consultant will provide training for the updated workflows based on 2024 requirements

Resource Availability Requirements

• Start Date
  • Mid-January 2024
• Duration
  • Part-time as needed basis
• Location
  • Fully remote role

Looks like a great opportunity for those with experience specializing in MACRA MIPS! If this looks like a position that would interest you, check out the full details for the job and how to apply.

As always, you can search our Health IT job board for a variety of jobs from leading companies in the industry. You can also register for free and post your resume where recruiters search for job candidates regularly.

< + > Policy, Change, and AI – Oh My!

Dr. Michael Blackman, Chief Medical Officer at Greenway Health always has his finger on the pulse of healthcare. Right now, he is keeping his eye on the HTI-1 rule from the ONC, the pace of change in healthcare, and how AI is deployed.

Healthcare IT Today caught up with Dr. Blackman at the 2023 MGMA Leaders Conference in Nashville. We wanted to get his thoughts on the top challenges facing healthcare right now.

Smaller and More Frequent Policy Changes

One of the things Dr. Blackman is keeping a close eye on is the upcoming changes to the HTI-1 rule by the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC). The HTI-1 proposed rule proposes updates to definitions for the information blocking regulations, and new and revised conditions for certain exceptions.

The proposed rule also clarifies certain definitions like “Offer Health IT” and “Health IT Developer of Certified Health IT”

“This is a big change,” said Dr. Blackman.

Changes Putting Stress on Physicians

Dr. Blackman worries about the pace of change in healthcare and the pressure this is putting on physicians. The rate at which technology, medicine, regulation, and internal procedures are changing is increasing at a time when everyone in healthcare is being asked to do more with less.

“As vendors we need to look at the looming physician shortage and figure out how to make it so that people are efficient as possible while still providing quality care and take away administrative burden,” stated Dr. Blackman.

The Potential for AI

Dr. Blackman would like to see healthcare organizations take a pragmatic and realistic approach to deploying AI: “I think a lot of people see AI as a panacea. I think we need to take a step back and see where AI can be used effectively and safely.”

A few areas where Dr. Blackman sees tremendous potential is decision support, patient communication, billing, and workflow optimization.

Watch the interview with Dr. Michael Blackman:

Learn more about Greenway Health at https://www.greenwayhealth.com/

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 and YouTube.

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.

< + > Optimizing Patient and Physician Experience Improves Access for Axia Women’s Health

Axia Women’s Health is on a mission to provide top-tier care for women. To achieve their goal, they are proactively streamlining internal processes and optimizing their EHR to reduce physician workload. The result is more personalized encounters and improved patient experiences. Here is how they did it.

Women’s Healthcare

With 450 providers spread across five states on the East Coast and in the Midwest, Axia Women’s Health (AxiaWH) are at the forefront of changing the landscape of women’s healthcare. AxiaWH offers OBGYN, fertility, and other ancillary services such as mammograms to patients.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 15.2% of women aged 18 and over are in “fair” or “poor” health in the US. Increasing access to women’s health services is key to improving the health of women across the country. This is part of what drives the team at AxiaWH to provide high quality, personalized care to as many women as possible.

Healthcare IT Today sat down with Eduard de Vries, Chief Information Officer at Axia Women’s Health to learn more about their successful efforts.

Reducing Administrative Burden

The team at AxiaWH is working in close partnership with their EHR provider eClinicalWorks to reduce the administrative burden on physicians. Together they are leaving no stone unturned.

“We are making sure to get all the relevant patient information from hospitals and other providers,” explained de Vries. “Our providers can see that visit in our EHR so they can make the best clinical decision with the most up to date information.”

Reducing Patient Burden

In addition, AxiaWH has invested in digital front door technologies so that patients can fill out intake forms and pre-appointment information while they are still at home. This leads to a more meaningful human connection when patients visit AxiaWH. In this way, AxiaWH ensures that their patients feel seen, heard, and cared for beyond just their clinical needs.

“Patients expect these conveniences,” said de Vries. “If I go to Starbucks, I don’t stand in line anymore. I order my drink before I get there through the app. No compare that with coming into a hospital or a clinic and being asked to fill in a lot of paperwork. That’s just not the way we want it to be. At some point that inefficient process will reflect on how they perceive the quality of care they receive.”

AxiaWH did not just focus on the inbound side of the patient experience, they also invested in improving their payment processes so that it is a seamless as possible for both patients and clinic staff. Through eClinicalWorks, patients can pay with a single click or tap.

Recruiting Advantage

According to de Vries, the positive impact of these changes isn’t just a boost to the patient experience; it is also provides AxiaWH with an advantage in recruiting new physicians. Making doctors’ work more comfortable and patient-focused is a compelling proposition in a competitive healthcare market.

By leveraging technology and streamlining processes, AxiaWH is ensuring that their patients receive high-quality care, both in clinical services and the overall patient experience. Their focus on continuous improvement is a testament to their dedication to women’s health and well-being.

Watch the interview with Eduard de Vries to learn:

• How many more patients a physician is able to see in a day AND still go home for dinner
• What role AI will/should play in women’s health
• Which technologies AxiaWH is keeping their eye on

Learn more about Axia Women’s Health: https://axiawh.com/

Learn more about eClinicalWorks: https://www.eclinicalworks.com/

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 and YouTube.

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.

eClinical Works is a proud sponsor of Healthcare Scene.

< + > Upswing Health combines AI and telehealth to improve MSK care and cut costs

Patients who have used Upswing instead of traditional musculoskeletal approaches have consumed 38% fewer MSK services – 61% fewer injections, 49% less surgery, 46% fewer physical therapy/chiropractic visits, 30% less imaging and 25% fewer ER visits.

< + > Nuance is Setting the Bar for Ambient Clinical Voice

The demand for ambient clinical voice solutions is gaining momentum and the market is quickly filling with vendors. Microsoft Nuance has been providing healthcare voice solutions for over two decades. How is the company leveraging that experience?

Healthcare IT Today caught up with Peter Durlach, Chief Strategy Officer at Microsoft Life Sciences and Health to learn more about their ambient clinical voice solution. Durlach is responsible for developing and advancing Microsoft’s healthcare strategy which includes Nuance Communications which Microsoft acquired in 2022. Durlach was an executive at Nuance for over 15 years.

Ambient Clinical Voice merges artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) to capture and transcribe clinician-patient interactions. The technology allows physicians to focus entirely on their patients during encounters. Ambient Clinical Voice holds the promise of streamlining documentation, reducing physician workload, and enhancing patient care.

A Legacy of Voice Technology

In 1997, Dragon Medical, a voice recognition app, hit the market. It was the first continuous dictation product designed specifically for the healthcare industry. The current iteration of Nuance’s ambient clinical voice solution, now called the Dragon Ambient eXperience (DAX) Copilot solution, draws on this rich legacy of voice technology experience.

“DAX Copilot is built on our Dragon Medical franchise,” explained Durlach. “Back in 2017 we embarked on a journey to build the next generation of capabilities. The goal was to automate note taking so that physicians could go back to looking patients in the eye and have a conversation with them.”

Capabilities of Ambient Clinical Voice

Not all ambient clinical voice solutions are created equal. Some are stand-alone and require users to cut-and-paste the note generated from the physician-patient conversation into the proper back-end system, like an electronic health record (EHR). Some operate in near real-time while others require the conversations to be processed before the text is available.

Healthcare IT Today has been profiling a number of ambient clinical voice solutions (see a full list below), and comparing their capabilities across a common set of criteria, including:

• Is it real-time?
• Is it integrated with the EHR?
• Does it provide a transcript? A summary? Both?
• Can it work for specialists?

DAX Copilot checks all the boxes

DAX Copilot

DAX Copilot integrates seamlessly with various EHRs, including a deep integration with Epic. The solution stands out due to its ability to not just generate a transcript of the physician-patient conversation, but also to create highly accurate semi-structured (aka summary) notes.

“Our voice technology has been used by a majority of healthcare organizations for the past twenty years,” said Durlach. “Through those millions of encounters, across thousands of physicians, we have refined our technology to make it extremely accurate.”

DAX Copilot also have the unique ability to retrieve information from the EHR through voice commands. This is unlike many other solutions which only provide users wit the ability to input data.

“When physicians use DAX Copilot, they follow the same workflow they are used to,” added Durlach. “They don’t need to do anything different than what they do today, except they don’t have to type at a keyboard anymore. However, some physicians are finding new ways to use the technology – like dictating pre-visit notes or doing their own quick set of reminders after the patient leaves the exam room.”

Watch the interview with Peter Durlach to learn:

• What he recommends that physicians do before choosing an ambient clinical voice solution
• How DAX Copilot compares to other ambient clinical voice solutions on the market
• Why capturing an encounter is not the only task that physicians want to do with voice technology

Learn more about DAX Copilot at https://www.nuance.com/healthcare/ambient-clinical-intelligence/explore-dax-for-clinicians.html

Check out other articles on ambient clinical voice:

• A Look at Nabla Copilot’s Automatic Clinical Documentation
• Fully Automated Medical Scribes Using AI
• Oracle Health Goes Beyond Visit Summaries with Its Use of AI in Their EHR
• Augmedix Derives More Value from Automated Generation of Medical Notes
• Real-Time Clinical Note Generation from Mutuo Health Solutions
• The Evolution of Suki’s Ambient Clinical Voice Solution and What Differentiates It in the Market
• Outsourcing Clinical Notes to an Expert-Machine Collaboration Using Ambient Clinical Voice

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 and YouTube.

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.

< + > Health IT Regulatory Roundup – Healthcare IT Today Podcast Episode 128

For the 128th episode of the Healthcare IT Podcast, we are doing a roundup focused on health IT regulatory news! For those familiar with our weekly roundup article, this is the podcast version. For those unfamiliar with our weekly roundup article, we are gathering up some hot topics and news in the world of health IT regulations to share them with you while we dive a little deeper into the topic. So tune in as we discuss some hot topics and have some fun along the way!

Here’s a preview of the topics we rounded up to discuss in this episode:

• TEFCA will include FHIR in 2024
• Telehealth doctors don’t have to give their home address as their practice location
• Disincentives (Penalties) for Information Blocking
• HHS being sued by AHA and other parties to use tracking technologies like the Facebook pixel

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:

• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Stitcher Podcast Radio
• TuneIn
• Spotify
• iHeartRadio
• Pandora

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:

< + > Health Data Exchange Moves to the Cloud – Rolling Out and Supporting OSS Mirth Connect on AWS

For those not familiar with the healthcare interoperability space, you may not know that a major portion of health data exchange happens on open source software called OSS Mirth Connect.  For many organizations, OSS Mirth Connect is like the “Intel Inside” of their healthcare interoperability efforts.  OSS Mirth Connect was acquired a number of years ago by NextGen who continues to update and maintain the open source code.  While there’s some uncertainty about what NextGen will do with OSS Mirth Connect post acquisition by Thoma Bravo, one thing that will likely continue is OSS Mirth Connect’s move to the cloud.

This shouldn’t come as any surprise given that everything in healthcare is moving to the cloud.  OSS Mirth Connect and interoperability are no different.  The good news for OSS Mirth Connect users is that it is quite simple to roll out OSS Mirth Connect on cloud services like Amazon’s AWS Marketplace.  Innovar Healthcare has an easy OSS Mirth Connect one click install option available on the AWS Marketplace that makes it easy to leverage the templates that are maintained and updated by Innovar Healthcare.  Of course, while it’s easy to install, there are some important things to consider as you move OSS Mirth Connect to the cloud.

First, it’s one thing to roll out OSS Mirth Connect in the cloud and it’s another thing to migrate 10 large OSS Mirth Connect instances to the cloud.  There’s a lot of nuance involved in moving multiple OSS Mirth Connect instances to the cloud.  This is a situation where you’re going to want to have a OSS Mirth Connect expert helping you ensure that everything gets migrated to the cloud properly and there’s no issues with the various instances.

Another thing to consider when it comes to moving OSS Mirth Connect to the cloud is ensuring that all of your OSS Mirth Connect plugins work properly.  When you move to the cloud, it’s the perfect time to evaluate those plugins to know if they will work properly in the cloud.  Plus, just like when you move homes in your personal life, it’s a great time to clean out your house and evaluate if you’re using the best options available.  The beauty of open source is there are often multiple options available that do basically the same thing.  As you move to the cloud, take a look at your plugins and see if there are other options out there that better suit your needs and may save you money.

One of the biggest challenges people have when moving to the cloud is security.  Certainly many appropriately make the argument that public cloud options like AWS are more secure than on-premise solutions IF they’re configured properly.  They are correct that public cloud can be more secure, but that’s a big “IF” in that statement.  The good news for OSS Mirth Connect users is that AWS has well configured templates that include appropriate AWS security built into the one click install of OSS Mirth Connect.  However, that’s just the install.  Making sure you have a qualified team of OSS Mirth Connect experts that are ensuring OSS Mirth Connect is configured securely is key to avoiding security issues with your Mirth install on AWS.

Another advantage of OSS Mirth Connect in a cloud like AWS is that you can easily move OSS Mirth Connect from one place to the next.  For example, in the cloud OSS Mirth Connect can easily auto scale to whatever interoperability demands your users require.  When it comes to interoperability, we often see spikes in usage that need to be managed effectively.  OSS Mirth Connect on AWS can easily scale to meet any of those needs unlike most on premise solutions.

Finally, you need to really ensure that you have OSS Mirth Connect experts available to support your install who understand all the problems that could occur.  Support from qualified experts ensures that you have as little downtime as possible and if issues do happen, they’re resolved quickly.  It’s not uncommon for a system like OSS Mirth Connect to have database corruption, unresponsive interfaces, Heap memory exhaustion, or run out of disk space.  Not to mention issues from various configuration and settings that need to be understood and tweaked.  Plus, OSS Mirth Connect can have tricky logic that may be written in the custom interfaces that needs expert help to be debugged.  We all know how valuable fresh eyes can be when debugging issues.  Make sure you have the right support to address any of these issues that come up.

There are a number of options to consider when it comes to support for OSS Mirth Connect.  While some organizations are able to support OSS Mirth Connect in house, most OSS Mirth Connect users are also doing a dozen other things as part of their job.  This makes it tough to stay up on the latest details on OSS Mirth Connect and how AWS works with OSS Mirth Connect and so they often have to look to outside experts for help.  That’s why Innovar recently started offering OSS Mirth Connect Support on the AWS Marketplace.  Innovar has three different plans available for organizations to get the expert help they need from people who spend their entire day supporting OSS Mirth Connect.

As interoperability moves to the cloud, make sure you understand all the intricacies of the choice.  There are a lot of inherent advantages to moving OSS Mirth Connect to the cloud, but it also comes with its challenges.  As you move to the cloud, make sure you’ve crossed all your t’s and dotted all your i’s in a way that you can enjoy the benefits of the cloud.  Plus, make sure you have experts in your corner that can help when support is needed.

Want to learn more about what it takes to manage OSS Mirth Connect in the cloud on AWS effectively, check out the OSS Mirth Connect cloud services and support from Innovar Healthcare.

Innovar Healthcare is a proud sponsor of Healthcare Scene.  Mirth is a registered trademark of Nextgen Healthcare and Innovar Healthcare is not affiliated with Nextgen Healthcare.

< + > SEMCAP Health Continues Strategic Investment in SafeRide Health and Secures Memorial Hermann Health System Co-Investment

Recent Series C Financing of Leading Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Platform Fuels Rapid National Expansion

SEMCAP Health announces its continued support of portfolio company, SafeRide Health, with participation in the company’s recently announced Series C funding. This follows SEMCAP Health’s November 2021 initial investment in SafeRide Health, the leading network optimization platform for Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT). SafeRide Health’s ability to improve member experience and reduce costs for Medicaid and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries also attracted a strategic investment from Memorial Hermann Health System in this latest round. Memorial Hermann is one of the largest not-for-profit health systems in Texas.

“We invited Memorial Hermann to co-invest alongside us as we recognize the strategic value of SafeRide Health’s technology for health systems and payors who wish to seamlessly integrate transportation into the patient journey while improving efficiency,” said Vic Kats, Managing Partner of SEMCAP Health. “Health Plans and Health Systems are partnering with SafeRide Health to deliver more than just rides; the Company’s platform yields rich member insights and empowers customers to optimize its NEMT network to deliver a better experience for patients, while lowering cost and improving health equity.”

“As a leading community-based health system, we’re continually seeking transformational technologies that enable us to better support the patient journey, deliver quality care and further streamline operations,” said Feby Abraham, PhD, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for Memorial Hermann Health System. “SafeRide is pioneering a new category of tech-enabled non-emergency medical transportation enabling patients to access the right care at the right time which fully aligns with our vision of creating healthier communities now and for generations to come.”

“SafeRide was built on the belief that every patient, everywhere, should have access to critical and life-sustaining care,” said Robbins Schrader, Co-Founder and CEO at SafeRide Health. “We’re incredibly appreciative of the continued support from the SEMCAP Health team and we look forward to working with Memorial Hermann in the Texas market.”

Proceeds from the round will support SafeRide Health’s continued platform development and fuel rapid expansion with Medicaid and Medicare Advantage health plan customers. “SafeRide’s technology-first approach enables its customers to bring greater personalization and efficiency to the transportation benefit, both of which are critical when you consider that Medicaid expenditures represent nearly 30% of state budgets on average, making it the largest category of state spending,” says Ralph Muller, Executive Chairman and Partner at SEMCAP Health. 

Muller continues “As our nation grapples with ways to improve access to healthcare for the most vulnerable populations, while also reducing costs, we believe that SafeRide Health will continue to play a crucial role. SafeRide Health is the epitome of a company that is tangibly advancing the country towards the Quintuple Aim: reducing costs, enabling better outcomes, improving patient and clinician experience, while also advancing health equity.”

About SafeRide Health

SafeRide Health is a technology and services company dedicated to reducing barriers to care by improving the delivery of non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) to people nationwide. SafeRide Health leverages proprietary technology and a nationwide network of vetted transportation providers to elevate human dimensions of care and close the gap between need and access for the nation’s most vulnerable populations. SafeRide’s scalable and intuitive platform gives payers and health systems a more intelligent way to deliver cost-effective, on-demand transportation that connects health plan members to critical healthcare services. SafeRide serves the country’s largest Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and provider programs.

About Memorial Hermann

Charting a better future. A future that’s built upon the HEALTH of our community. This is the driving force for Memorial Hermann, redefining health care for the individuals and many diverse populations we serve. Our 6,600 affiliated physicians and more than 33,000 employees practice the highest standards of safe, evidence-based, quality care to provide a personalized and outcome-oriented experience across our more than 250 care delivery sites. As one of the largest not-for-profit health systems in Southeast Texas, Memorial Hermann has an award-winning and nationally acclaimed Accountable Care Organization, 17* hospitals, and numerous specialty programs and services conveniently located throughout the Greater Houston area. Now and for generations to come, the health of our community will be at the center of what we do – charting a better future for all.

*Memorial Hermann Health System owns and operates 14 hospitals and has joint ventures with three other hospital facilities, including Memorial Hermann Surgical Hospital First Colony, Memorial Hermann Surgical Hospital Kingwood, and Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation Hospital-Katy.

About SEMCAP and SEMCAP Health

SEMCAP is a growth equity impact investor built to identify and invest in seminal trends that have the greatest impact on humanity – Healthcare, Education, and Food & Nutrition. SEMCAP Health is a distinctive investment platform within SEMCAP. Fueled by a leading investment team and a network of Senior Operating Advisors with deep operating and investing experience, SEMCAP Health makes growth equity investments in next-generation healthcare technology and tech-enabled services businesses. SEMCAP Health invests with the intention to generate outsized financial returns while advancing healthcare quality, affordability, experience, and health equity. For more information about SEMCAP Health, please visit semcap.com/seminalhealthcare.

Originally announced November 2nd, 2023

< + > Bonus Features – November 26, 2023 – 85% of healthcare orgs boosting IT spending in 2024, 70% of orgs actively considering generative AI, plus 18 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 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

• The latest Hospital Vitals report from Syntellis and the AHA found that hospitals have seen a 28% decline in cash reserves over the last 19 months. This is due in large part to increased expenses (from 25$ for labor to 90% for maintenance) and revenue reductions from denials (more than 20% from commercial plans and nearly 60% from Medicare Advantage plans).
• More than 85% of health systems are increasing IT and digital budgets for 2024, a Guidehouse analysis found. Cybersecurity tops the list of investment priorities, followed by EHR modernization, virtual / digital care, and AI.
• More than 70% of healthcare organizations are actively considering generative AI, according to an AKASA report. RCM is by far the most popular potential use case, with 58% of all considering the use of generative AI there.
• Virtual sitting technology can be tied to reduction in nurse burnout, according to a recent AvaSure study. On the other hand, one-on-one, in-person sitting is regarded as a resource drain.
• The EHR Association is worried about USCDI modeling, noting in a letter to ONC that HL7 has specific requirements while USCDI standards are ambiguous and decrease the effectiveness of those standards.

Partnerships

• Period tracking and reproductive health app Clue deepened its integration with Oura, the smart ring, to sync body temperature data.
• Risk assurance firm First Health Advisory is partnering with Intrusion to deliver device security and cyber threat intelligence to healthcare organizations.
• Cancer detection software maker iCAD is partnering with CancerIQ, a cancer prevention platform, to improve prediction of breast cancer risk.
• Precision medicine firm SinguLab is partnering with PharMerica to provide pharmacogenomics insights, resources, and diagnostics support.
• Automated coding vendor CodaMetrix’s CMX Automate product is now available to GE HealthCare customers.

Product and Company News

• Imaging vendor Medweb launched MedwebX to support sharing of imaging, studies, reports, and other medical data.
• Carestream Health launched its HORIZON X-ray System, a floor-mounted product designed for smaller health systems.
• eHealth Exchange announced incentives to accelerate HL7 FHIR adoption, waiving annual fees for the first entities to exchange information via Da Vinci Project guidelines.

Sales

• NYU Langone Health selected Philips for digital pathology, clinical informatics, and AI-enabled diagnostics in an 8-year deal. In addition, Norway’s Vestre Viken Health Trust is deploying Philips AI Manager in a 4-year term.
• South Carolina’s Prisma Health chose Artera and Gozio Health to provide location-aware mobile patient communications.

Certifications and Recognitions

• Dental and vision benefits third-party administrator SKYGEN achieved HITRUST CSF v9.3 Risk-Based, 2-year (r2) Certification.
• Healthcare organizations recognized in the 2023 Stevie Awards for Women in Business include BrightSpring Health Services, symplr, and Teladoc Health.

People

• Care collaboration software maker PointClickCare made two executive appointments: James Yersh as Chief Revenue Officer for Senior Care and Travis Palmquist as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Emerging Markets.
• Ear, nose, and throat treatment provider Aerin Medical appointed Derrick Sung as Chief Financial Officer.
• Medical device cybersecurity vendor Medcrypt appointed Naomi Schwartz as Vice President of Services.

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.

< + > Weekly Roundup – November 25, 2023

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.

Looking at the Latest in Real-Time Clinical Note Generation. John Lynn spoke to Dr. Noah Crampton at Mutuo Health Solutions about the importance of integrating the consent process into the user experience for ambient clinical voice, along with the company’s larger focus on privacy and data governance. Read more…

Deriving More Value from Automated Generation of Medical Notes. Meanwhile, John also talked to Manny Krakaris at Augmedix about going beyond the clinical note to extract metadata such as medications and family history to help clinical staff get the most out of automatically generated notes. Read more…

Toward Wider Adoption of Digital Insurance Cards. Like most of us, Andy Oram has a health insurance card in his wallet. Here’s what he learned about SMART Health, FHIR, registries, EHR integrations, and other technology that could support digital insurance cards in the not-too-distant future. Read more…

Making the Patient Portal More Relevant. Colin Hung spoke with Carlos Aros at Community Health Alliance to learn how the Nevada-based FQHC boosted portal adoption through ongoing conversations and sent post-visit surveys via text message. Read more…

Improving Patient Engagement Through Communication Platforms. We asked the Healthcare IT Today community to weigh in on how to best communicate with today’s patients. The biggest theme was integrating communication tools with the portals and platforms patients already use. Read more…

Why the Future is Bright for Health Information Management. At AHIMA’s annual conference, Colin sat down with AHIMA President Jennifer Mueller and discussed the role of health information management professionals as data stewards, especially in the era of TEFCA. Read more…

MGMA Takes an Innovative Approach to Tackling Healthcare Challenges. At the organization’s Leader Conference, Colin tracked down MGMA COO Ron Holder to talk about the role of AI and wearables in medical practices, along with policy efforts to simplify the business of medicine. Read more…

Innovating Radiology Workstations with User-Centric Design. In an onsite interview, Colin learned that Redrick Technologies doesn’t have a catalog of radiology workstations, since each new product is based on the lessons the company learned from its previous implementations. Read more…

CIO Podcast: Cost Optimization. Muhammad Siddiqui at Reid Health talked to John about managing digital and IT budgets amid financial uncertainty and making the most of IT investments that do get approved. Read more…

Know What to Look For in a Software Partner for Your Healthcare Business. Every potential partner will tell you they’re the best, according to Marcin Wudarczyk at GoSolve. The right partner will have healthcare expertise, well motivated engineers, and a willingness to cooperate with its clients. Read more…

Poor Connectivity Impacts Patient Outcomes. 5G is pervasive but not always well suited for the hospital setting, where walls and furniture can easily disrupt signals. That means hospitals are likely to need upgrades to distributed antenna system (DAS) platforms, said Doug Bierbower at SOLiD Americas. Read more…

Bonus Features for November 19, 2023: Critical access hospitals 16% less likely to participate in data exchange, while two-thirds of orgs plan to increase AI spending by 25% in the next three years. Read more…

Funding and M&A Activity:

• AI-enabled diagnostic company Covera Health announced up to $50 million in additional Series C funding.
• Care enablement vendor IKS Health purchased AQuity Solutions, which makes clinical documentation and medical coding software.
• Care coordination platform Rx.Health is now part of Commure, which provides clinical and financial solutions for care coordination.
• TT Capital Partners announced an investment in Cantata Health Solutions, which makes EHR and RCH software for post-acute care and behavioral health.

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

< + > Finding a Great Software Partner for Your Healthcare Business Isn’t Hard If You Know What to Look For

The following is a guest article by Marcin Wudarczyk, PhD, Software Architect and CEO of GoSolve

In today’s fast-paced healthcare industry, having the right software can make all the difference in your organization’s success. However, the cost and conundrum of hiring dedicated IT talents is often daunting, which is why 76% of executives surveyed by Deloitte indicate they outsource IT services. But with so many vendors and partners promising the very best solutions, it can be challenging to navigate the crowded tech landscape and find the right partner to fit your business needs.

In this article, we’ll explore the key factors you need to consider when looking for a software partner or vendor for your healthcare company. From evaluating a technological fit and industry expertise to understanding pricing models, we’ll help you cut through the noise and make a confident, informed decision about your next software partnership.

Everyone says they’re the best. Learn what to look for.

When searching for a software partner or vendor, it’s important to be critical and discerning. While every company will claim to be the best, you need to dig deeper to separate the true industry veterans from the rest. Here are a few steps to help you evaluate potential partners.

Look for proven track records and case studies in healthcare space

Any reputable software partner should have a portfolio with successful implementations and positive client testimonials. Many established vendors claim to have healthcare software experience so never hesitate to ask for references. Do they have the necessary technical expertise and domain knowledge in the healthcare industry? Although technology might be similar to other projects from other industries, healthcare industry needs are rather specific, especially in context of data security and user safety.

Assess their expertise and qualifications

Technical excellence is crucial in any software project, and even more so for healthcare solutions.  Explore the skills and experience of their team members and ask for the skills of their staff. Many companies utilize developers of lower seniority and while the price of such developer might be enticing it often translates to a software solution of a poor quality or one that is very expensive to maintain.

From my own experience at GoSolve, working with senior software engineers pays off in almost every scenario. Besides very good technical expertise, they much more often take ownership of the work they deliver, show proactivity in proposing solutions, and try to really understand your business goals. Although the last part might seem trivial now, in the long run it often is the difference between a successful product and a failed one.

Evaluate their communication and work culture

Effective communication is a must-have for any successful partnership. During the selection process, pay attention to how responsive and transparent the potential vendor is in addressing your queries and concerns.

Likewise, the work culture your potential partner has is extremely important, as a badly motivated team of passive developers might do more harm than good. Ideally, you should be looking for proactive software engineers that have a deeply ingrained culture of adding value to the project.

A good partner should fill in the gaps in your technological competence which often comes down to challenging your solution ideas and proposing better ways to reach your business goals. After all, this is why you hired them in the first place, right?

Typical models of cooperation

There are several models of cooperation to consider. Each model has its own strengths and weaknesses, and it’s essential to choose the right one for your healthcare organization’s software needs and structure. Here are the most common models of cooperation.

• End-to-end: This model refers to a partnership in which the software partner handles the entire process of software development, from conception to delivery. The healthcare organization provides input and feedback throughout the process, but the software partner takes care of everything else. In this case the cost of the project might be fixed which helps to stay within the budget, and the vendor takes full ownership and responsibility for the delivered solution.
• Team augmentation: In this model, the partner provides additional staff to augment the healthcare organization’s in-house development team. This model is used primarily for initiatives in which the organization’s team needs additional resources on a temporary basis, but I know from experience that fruitful long-term partnerships can be born from this model.
• Nearshore/Offshore: This model involves partnering with a software development company in a different country, usually because of cost-saving benefits. The healthcare organization works with the partner company remotely to develop a software solution.
• Consulting: A consulting partnership involves experienced software experts working with the healthcare organization’s team to help solve specific software-related problems. This model focuses more on a specific project or challenge instead of longer-term software development.

Each of these models has its benefits and drawbacks depending on the specific project, resources, and the goals of your healthcare organization. To choose the right model, you need to take the time to evaluate your specific needs.

Convey your needs in a way they will understand

For a software partner to be able to develop solutions that meet your needs, it is essential to communicate your requirements accurately. There are several strategies to help you convey your needs effectively.

First, it is best to clearly define your business goals before approaching software partners. This can help you effectively communicate your objectives and lay the foundation for a successful partnership. In such a scenario, the initial project scope and tech requirements will be a product of joint workshops with your chosen vendor dedicated to better understanding the challenges and finding the best solutions before the project starts.

Another useful strategy is to provide detailed documentation that outlines your requirements, including any specific integrations or systems that need to be supported. This documentation will help the potential partners to fully understand your needs, which will increase the chances of successful integration. It often takes the form of an RFI document in which you describe the situation and your business needs and situation. However, all the technical issues take the form of questions that the potential software partner has to answer and propose technological solutions.

Alternatively, if you are not sure what you need exactly there are companies that offer discovery workshops or sprints, during which the tech and product team would meet with your organization representatives to explore the ideas, brainstorm, and come up with detailed documentation that can serve as a foundation for the product roadmap and product development time and material evaluation.

Finally, don’t hesitate to seek clarity and ask questions. A good software partner should be willing to provide clear and detailed explanations to address your concerns. As mentioned before, effective communication is crucial for a successful partnership, and it can help you find a software partner that fully understands your needs.

The matter of choice: what to verify before committing

When weighing the price and quality of potential software partners, it’s important to find a balance. Avoid basing your decision solely on cost, as cheaper options may come with unexpected issues and much more costs down the line. Instead, it is usually best to prioritize partners who offer high-quality.

To ensure a good fit, choose a software partner that aligns with your organization’s technology stack and needs. Evaluate whether they have experience with the necessary technologies and can provide scalable solutions for future needs.

Moreover, flexibility is essential in a software partner. Seek out partners who can adapt to your organization’s evolving needs. Can they scale their solutions as your healthcare organization grows and changes? Ensure they can provide ongoing support, maintenance, and customization to your software solution.

Security and compliance are another critical consideration in the healthcare industry. Verify that the software partner follows best practices in data security and compliance, such as HIPAA, to protect your organization from potential data breaches and ensure compliance with regulations.

A responsive support and maintenance team is vital for the long-term success of your software solution. Check if the software partner has a dedicated team in place to address any issues or bugs that may arise post-implementation, e.g., a senior DevOps team ready to help with any stability or infrastructure issues. Timely and reliable support is essential for the smooth operation of your software product.

By evaluating these factors and selecting a software partner that aligns with your organization’s specific needs and goals, you can set the stage for a successful software implementation.

About Marcin Wudarczyk

Marcin Wudarczyk, PhD, is a software architect, engineering manager and CEO of GoSolve, a company specializing in cloud applications and large-scale Golang-based systems for Healthcare, Fintech, and Martech industries.

< + > Covera Health Announces Up to $50M in Additional Series C Funding to Redefine the Role of Radiology Nationwide

Company Expands Industry’s Most Sophisticated AI-Enabled Radiology Performance Platform with Acquisition of CoRead

Covera Health, the leading AI-enabled diagnostic technology company focused on radiology performance measurement and impact, today announced up to $50 million in additional Series C funding led by Insight Partners, of which $25 million is committed today. The company also finalized the acquisition of CoRead, a leading AI quality assurance company currently being used by more than 2,000 hospital sites nationwide. CoRead stands at the forefront of generative AI focused on performance improvement in radiology, and its capabilities will be integrated into Covera Health’s existing best-in-class quality platform.

For more than 10 years, Covera Health has been advancing excellence in radiology, elevating the critical role it plays in healthcare. This additional funding, combined with the acquisition, will empower Covera Health to rapidly augment and scale its two-sided marketplace between payers and providers. Providers will gain access to comprehensive quality insights across a broader range of radiological studies and pathologies, enhancing their quality improvement and peer learning activities. Simultaneously, employers and their health plans will leverage these insights to enhance their network and care management programs, ensuring improved patient care and outcomes while mitigating the costs and harms associated with misdiagnosis.

“There are over 1,300 imaging exams performed every minute in the U.S. These studies serve as the backbone of our healthcare system and are central to a patient’s diagnosis, but their impact is often underestimated,” said Ron Vianu, Founder and CEO at Covera Health. “Enhancing the field’s ability to quantify and improve diagnostic quality is essential to both improve patient outcomes and ensure providers are compensated for the value they provide.”

Insight Partners led Covera Health’s two prior funding rounds.

“We are continually impressed by Covera Health’s dedication to improving quality of care and decreasing costs by applying AI to radiology. They stand out as a company with the potential to revolutionize how healthcare is measured, rewarded, and delivered at scale,” said Jeff Horing, Co-Founder and Managing Director at Insight Partners.

As a result of the acquisition, Lawrence Ngo, former CEO at CoRead, will join Covera Health as Senior Vice President, Quality Assurance Platform, reporting to President Aaron Friedkin.

“Joining Covera Health presents an exciting opportunity to reshape how we apply AI in radiology,” said Ngo. “As a radiologist, I recognize the immense potential of our capabilities for quality improvement. Together, we aim to develop faster and more intricate models, ensuring large-scale quality improvements that benefit patients nationwide.”

To learn more about Covera Health: coverahealth.com.

About Covera Health

Covera Health is the leading AI-enabled diagnostic technology company focused on radiology performance measurement and impact. Working with some of the nation’s largest payers and health systems, Covera Health serves as the industry’s first two-sided marketplace to drive quality performance and ensure patients receive the highest quality radiology care. By unlocking AI-powered insights and value to support the broader healthcare ecosystem, Covera Health enables payers, providers, and other stakeholders to leverage diagnostic imaging in new ways to transform patient care. For more information, visit coverahealth.com.

Originally announced November 1st, 2023

< + > InterSystems cloud integration service comes to NZ and more briefs

Also, WA Health has extended its cloud contract with Atos.

< + > Happy Thanksgiving!

We hope that all of you are having an amazing Thanksgiving.  This picture captured pretty well the feast that I’ll be enjoying with my family.  I hope you get to celebrate a great day as well with family and friends.

Thanksgiving is always a time for me to slow down for a minute and recognize all the amazing people and things that have happened throughout the year.  At Healthcare IT Today, we’re so appreciative of all of you in the Healthcare IT Today community.  Whether you’re someone who reads daily, reads casually, or your a company that supports the work we do, we are deeply grateful for your support.

To all those healthcare workers that are working today, we thank you for your sacrifice and service to patients.

Thanks to all of you and we’ll be back tomorrow with more great health IT content.

< + > One aged care provider’s solution to meet rural service demand amid staff shortage

McLean Care has launched what could be the first virtual on-demand service for aged care in Australia.

< + > A Yonkers hospital to pay $80K for leaking COVID-19 patient data

OCR investigated Saint Joseph’s Medical Center for alleged violations of HIPAA when it disclosed three patients’ PHI to the Associated Press without written authorization. 

< + > Augmedix Derives More Value from Automated Generation of Medical Notes

According to Manny Krakaris, CEO of Augmedix, this company has led the field of medical notes over the past 11 years from human scribes to full automation. To heighten accuracy, they use a combination of the most modern technologies.

The transcript of the conversation is fed into a typical large language model (LLM) used by generative AI. But Augmedix has also analyzed more than 500 medical complaints brought by patients to create other data models. They apply both the LLM and the structured data model from their analysis to each transcript in their Augmedix Go service. The use of both modles produces more accuracy and eliminates most oddities (known as “hallucinations” in the AI field). If the two models disagree on an interpretation. the user interface flags the conflict so the doctor can check them.

Augmedix Go also compares the note it generated to the edited version saved by the doctor, thus enabling continuous learning.

Augmedix Go goes beyond the note to extract the various topics and create a separate organized display of metadata, such as medications and family history. Through this interface, a doctor can ask questions with a high chance of getting accurate answers.

As Krakaris says, “Automation is table stakes. You need it just to get in the game.” They are constantly working on new ways to “get the most” out of the doctor’s note. They not only take in information, but feed ideas to doctors in real time, such as suggesting the next step in a standard protocol. They are also now entering the billing space.

Watch this extended video to learn more about the uses for automation in medical notes and check out our previous ambient clinical voice interviews with: Nuance’s Copilot (Previously DAX Express), Ambience Healthcare, Nabla, Suki, Oracle Health, OnPoint Healthcare Partners, and AWS HealthScribe with 3M.

Learn more about Augmedix: https://augmedix.com/

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 and YouTube.

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.

< + > IKS Health Purchases AQuity Solutions to Create the Most Comprehensive Provider of Administrative, Clinical and Financial Services for Healthcare Organizations in the U.S.

The Combined Company, which will Operate as IKS Health, will have Annual Revenues of $330+ Million and a Global Workforce of over 14,000 Employees Serving an Install Base of 150,000+ Clinicians

IKS Health, the premier global solution that revitalizes the clinician-patient relationship while empowering healthcare organizations to thrive, today announced the acquisition of AQuity Solutions, a Best in KLAS industry leader in tech-enabled clinical documentation, medical coding, and revenue integrity solutions for healthcare, as a wholly-owned subsidiary for $200 million.

IKS Health’s market leadership in the ambulatory market will be coupled with AQuity’s market leadership in the acute care market to create an entity that enables Clinicians and their Enterprises to deliver better, safer, more efficient care across the continuum of care delivery. The combined company, which will operate as IKS Health, will have annual revenues of $330+ million, as well as a global workforce of over 14,000 employees serving over 150,000 clinicians in many of the largest hospitals, health systems, and specialty groups in the United States.

This acquisition advances IKS Health’s Care Enablement Platform, consisting of technology and service offerings that span revenue optimization, clinical support, value-based care, and digital health solutions. Specifically, AQuity’s rich datasets enable IKS to rapidly mature and scale its proprietary AI solutions with critical expertise and guidance from Reinforced Learning Through Human Feedback (RLHF). This purchase follows recent strategic technology investments in Abridge, a Generative AI platform to reduce administrative burden, and Sift Healthcare, a predictive analytics solution for revenue cycle management. IKS’s cloud-based, HIPAA-compliant platform integrates with all EHR and Enterprise Practice Management systems.

By alleviating these administrative, clinical, and financial burdens, IKS empowers clinicians to focus on their core purpose: delivering exceptional care. As margin pressures increase, IKS also helps healthcare enterprises meet the moment with advanced, proactive solutions that reduce costs and increase top-line growth. IKS’s ability to enable financially sustainable healthcare enterprises is critical in the current environment of resource scarcity.

The combined company’s 14,000+ employees include 1,500 clinicians, over 350 technology experts, medical coders, revenue integrity specialists, and clinical documentation specialists.

“Healthcare is in crisis, one that is deepening from all sides. Financial instability, large-scale staffing challenges, and the precarious health status of so many Americans all call for deeper, more comprehensive solutions that address these root issues,” said Sachin K. Gupta, Founder and CEO at IKS Health. “Delivering better, safer care is everyone’s top priority—but too often, the ‘chores’ of healthcare get in the way of that core purpose. To help turn the tide amidst this state of crisis, we firmly believe that revitalizing the clinician-patient relationship and helping our partners thrive financially are both fundamental.”

For the past 17 years, IKS has built pragmatic technology and service solutions in partnership with its delivery partners. AQuity is also a rapidly growing company with a 40-year track record of bringing meaningful solutions that enable clinicians and healthcare enterprises to succeed. Together, the combined entity will help providers realize financial value through revenue growth, cost reduction, and bottom-line improvements.

“We’re excited to join forces with a like-minded industry leader in IKS,” said Kashyap Joshi, CEO at AQuity. “Our award-winning solutions have been recognized by KLAS and Black Book as market-leading, highlighting our ability to drive superior outcomes for our clients. By combining our capabilities, we will accelerate our commitment to delivering meaningful, pragmatic, and proven solutions for the entire continuum of care, so that patients have a better experience and practices, groups, and hospitals can thrive.”

About IKS Health

IKS Health takes on the chores of healthcare—spanning administrative, clinical, and operational burdens—so that clinicians can focus on their core purpose: delivering great care. Combining pragmatic technology and dedicated experts, IKS enables stronger, financially sustainable enterprises. IKS’s Care Enablement Platform delivers data-driven value and expertise across the care journey, and IKS is a partner for clinician enterprises looking to effectively scale, improve quality, and achieve cost savings through forward-thinking solutions. Founded in 2006, IKS’s global workforce supports large health systems across the United States. For more information, visit ikshealth.com.

About AQuity Solutions

AQuity Solutions delivers superior clinical and financial results to healthcare provider clients through outsourced services. Headquartered in Cary, NC, AQuity employs over 7,000 clinical documentation specialists throughout the U.S., India, Australia, Canada, and the U.K. for physician office services, provider documentation solutions, coding and revenue cycle management, and additional documentation services. With over 40 years of experience, the company is recognized by KLAS and Black Book as a leading vendor in multiple disciplines. AQuity is a privately held company.

Originally announced October 31st, 2023

< + > Prisma Health saves $4M, and counting, with patient engagement tech

The large health system says it has deepened connections with patients by improving their access and care experiences – and with a new integrated app, the staff is "overjoyed" by reductions in call volume.

< + > Making the Patient Portal Relevant at Community Health Alliance

Patient portals and digital patient engagement stymie many healthcare providers, especially small ones with few resources. Community Health Alliance (CHA) a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) serving 27,000+ patients in Reno, Nevada, is using an old-school way to encourage use of its online patient portal – by having in-person conversations about it.

Healthcare IT Today sat down with Carlos Aros, Director of Operations at Community Health Alliance to find out how they are driving the adoption of and engagement their patient portal.

Adoption Though Conversation

CHA uses eClinicalWorks as their EHR. In 2021 they rolled out the eClinicalWorks online patient portal to allow patients to securely access their medical records and communicate with their care team. The CHA team worked hard to “make the portal relevant” to patients, but as adoption slowly ramped up, the CHA team realized that they needed to put in more effort to get patients to enroll and use the portal.

“Our patients responded when we talked to them about enrolling them,” explained Aros. “We made the portal relevant to the conversation with them. For example, we would explain to them that if they can’t make it to their appointment, you can just send us a message through the portal and we can reschedule it or cancel it. Same thing if you need to get an important message to your doctor.”

CHA has trained their staff to “talk up” the portal with patients, where appropriate. They remind patients to enroll and use the portal whenever they visit. These brief conversations help ensure that the portal stays on the patient’s radar. Everyone at CHA is bought in, because they know that every patient that uses the portal is one less who will call into their contact center which means better service for those who do not have Internet access. It’s a win for everyone involved.

Text Surveys

CHA is also leveraging eClinicalWorks to push surveys to their patients via text.

“We send out around 6,700 text message each month with a link to a post-visit survey,” shared Aros. “Through that, we get quantitative and actionable feedback. In fact, when patients tell us through those surveys that they had a negative experience, we follow up with them and do service recovery.”

The surveys are available in English and in Spanish.

Watch the interview with Carlos Aros, for more about portals, surveys, and advice for federally qualified health centers.

Learn more about Community Health Alliance: https://www.chanevada.org/

Learn more about eClinicalWorks: https://www.eclinicalworks.com/

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.

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