< + > AvaSure Acquires Nurse Disrupted to Advance Clinically-Developed Virtual Nursing Across Care Settings

Strengthening AvaSure’s Commitment to Clinical Excellence with a Nurse-Founded Virtual Nursing Company, Expanding Innovation Across Hospital and Home-Based Care Settings

AvaSure, the leader in AI-powered virtual care solutions, today announced the acquisition of Nurse Disrupted, a nurse-founded virtual nursing platform designed to enhance care delivery across both hospital and home-based settings. This strategic acquisition reinforces AvaSure’s commitment to clinically-driven innovation and marks the company’s second acquisition in nine months, following the purchase of Ouva’s Smart Room AI technology.

“AvaSure is dedicated to delivering clinically led virtual care solutions that empower healthcare providers and improve patient outcomes,” said Adam McMullin, CEO at AvaSure. “Bringing Nurse Disrupted into our portfolio aligns perfectly with our mission, allowing us to expand our support for hospitals and health systems with innovative, scalable virtual nursing capabilities.”

Nurse Disrupted’s platform is designed for rapid deployment, enabling healthcare organizations to quickly implement virtual nursing solutions and achieve measurable ROI through increased efficiency and cost savings in acute care environments. Bre Loughlin, MS, RN, Founder of Nurse Disrupted, will join AvaSure as the Executive Director of Virtual Care Innovation. Her leadership and deep expertise in virtual nursing will play a key role in advancing AvaSure’s mission to innovate for the next era of care, expanding virtual care capabilities, enhancing caregiver support, optimizing workflows, and improving patient safety.

“The synergy between Nurse Disrupted and AvaSure is undeniable,” said Bre Loughlin, MS, RN, Founder of Nurse Disrupted. “Both platforms are built with caregivers in mind, ensuring that virtual nursing is not just a technology solution but a true extension of clinical care. Together, we can bring even more impactful solutions to hospitals.”

As an innovation partner, Tufts Medical Center will collaborate with AvaSure to integrate Nurse Disrupted into AvaSure’s platform, ensuring a seamless, clinically driven solution.

“AvaSure and Nurse Disrupted each bring deep expertise in virtual care, and together, they are creating a solution designed to leverage the impact of our care teams while keeping patients at the center,” said Therese Hudson-Jinks, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, Senior Vice President, Patient Care Services at Tufts Medical Center. “We’re excited to work with them to integrate these innovations and deliver a more intuitive, efficient, and impactful virtual nursing experience — one that truly supports frontline caregivers and enhances patient care.”

With this acquisition, AvaSure continues to expand their capabilities from a trusted provider of virtual safety solutions to a partner supporting healthcare providers’ deployment of advanced, AI-powered virtual care solutions to meet the evolving demands of modern healthcare.

About AvaSure

AvaSure is an intelligent virtual care platform that healthcare providers use to engage with patients, optimize staffing, and seamlessly blend remote and in-person care at scale. The platform deploys AI-powered virtual sitting and virtual nursing solutions, meets the highest enterprise IT standards, and drives measurable outcomes with support from care experts. AvaSure consistently delivers a 6x ROI and has been recognized by KLAS Research as the #1 solution for reducing the cost of care. With a team of 15% nurses, AvaSure is a trusted partner of 1,100+ hospitals with experience in over 5,000 deployments. To learn more, visit avasure.com.

About Nurse Disrupted

Nurse Disrupted is a nurse-founded, nurse-led, and women-owned technology company dedicated to transforming healthcare through innovative virtual nursing solutions. Backed by experts from major healthcare IT vendors and industry advisors, Nurse Disrupted develops technology that enhances patient care, streamlines nursing workflows, and expands access to care. Founded to fill a critical gap – software designed with nurses at the center – the company has facilitated over 42,000 virtual visits with 500+ satisfied nurse providers. To learn more, visit nursedisrupted.com.

Originally announced March 31st, 2025

< + > Teladoc acquires UpLift for $30 million

By adding to its suite of digital tools, coaching, therapy and psychiatry services for employers and health plans, Teladoc said it seeks to reinforce its virtual mental health leadership. 

< + > Implementing this privileged access model is challenging, but worth the effort

Healthcare organizations can stave off ransomware attacks with highly gated permissions that lock out common intrusions, say Intermountain cybersecurity leaders, who have found success with the approach.

< + > Artificial neural networks date back to the 1950s – now they are ready to transform healthcare

These networks started impacting healthcare in the last 20 years, but it's only today that reliable prospective studies are convincing clinicians to use these artificial intelligence tools in their daily work. A Mayo Clinic researcher offers some insights into their applications and use.

< + > Itay&Beyond – Brain on a Chip – Life Sciences Today Podcast Episode 7

We’re excited to be back for another episode of the Life Sciences Today Podcast by Healthcare IT Today. My guests today are Dr. Nisim Peretz, Co-Founder and CEO, and Dr. Nir Waiskopf, CTO, at Itay&Beyond.

They are building what sounds like science fiction: a brain on a chip. Itay&Beyond is developing a drug discovery platform for autism spectrum disorders and neurological pathologies.

Nisim’s background spans neurobiology, hardware systems, and deep-tech innovation. His team is taking on one of the most profound challenges in science: replicating brain function outside the body to transform how we model psychiatric disorders, discover, and predict if new innovative compounds will work in the brain.

This one’s about the edge of what’s possible—and the founders who are bold enough to build there.

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

• What’s your backstory, Nisim? Every founder has a twist in the road. What was the trigger for starting the company? Where did the name come from?
• A brain on a chip sounds like science fiction—how did this idea first take hold?
• You’re bridging biology and hardware—what makes your platform unique? How is this a breakthrough?
• Who are your customers, and how do you create value for them?
• How will you capture value?
• Where will the company be 5 years from now?

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

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

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• iHeartRadio
• Amazon Music
• Pandora
• YouTube

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

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

Thanks so much for listening!

< + > Regulatory Picture May be Blurry – But Missing Deadlines Could Cost You – Regulatory Talk Series

The following is a guest article by Nick Barger, PharmD, Vice President, Product at DrFirst.  This article is the sixth in the Healthcare Regulatory Talk series.

As the new administration continues to make big moves across all federal agencies, the full impact of changes at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)—and their impact on healthcare technology regulations—are not yet known.

In times of uncertainty, it’s natural to default to a wait-and-see approach. However, in regulatory matters, EHR and health IT vendors must keep in mind that the new regulations are about delivering better care—not just fulfilling legal requirements to avoid penalties.

Upcoming Compliance Deadlines

Even though the regulatory picture might feel a little uncertain, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy and Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ASTP/ONC) had already finalized rules with clear compliance deadlines ahead of the administration change.

EHR and health IT vendors have a lot to consider as they plot out their development roadmaps and decide whether to build compliance solutions in-house or work with a trusted partner. Here is a rundown of the rules and deadlines to help you stay focused:

Prior Authorization Updates

The CMS Interoperability and Prior Authorization Final Rule (CMS-0057-F) emphasizes the need to improve health information exchange to achieve appropriate and necessary access to health records for patients, healthcare providers, and payers. The rule applies to medical benefit PAs, but its scope does not include medications.

Deadlines: Impacted payers have until January 1, 2026, to implement certain provisions. In response to stakeholder comments on the proposed rule, the final rule gives them until January 1, 2027, to implement an ePA-specific application programming interface (API) that will automate the process for providers.

SCRIPT Standards

The National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP) SCRIPT Standard Version 2023011 is used for e-prescribing transactions specifically for Medicare Part D. It includes improved extensibility, adds support for dental procedure codes, and provides more flexibility for reporting patient gender. It covers new prescriptions, refill requests, prescription change requests, and prescription cancellations.

Deadlines: The CMS published the final rule on June 17, 2024, and it goes into effect on January 1, 2028.

Following a transition period, starting January 1, 2027, use of NCPDP Formulary and Benefit (F&B) standard version 60 and the NCPDP Real-Time Prescription Benefit (RTPB) standard version 13, will be required.

ASTP/ONC’s HTI-2 and HTI-3

Parts of the second Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability rule (HTI-2), which pushes for significant upgrades in e-prescribing processes, went into effect January 15, 2025. It builds on the  HTI-1 rule, which laid the framework for interoperability.

Other parts of HTI-2 were moved into a third final rule (HTI-3) that enhances information-blocking regulations. It omits mention of the medication management provisions previously included in the rule.

Deadlines: The multi-year deadlines are:

• ASTP/ONC HTI-1: December 31, 2025
• CMS-0057-F: January 1, 2027
• NCPDP Formulary and Benefit 60: January 1, 2027
• NCPDP Real-Time Prescription Benefit: January 1, 2027
• NCPDP SCRIPT 2023011: January 1, 2028
• ASTP/ONC HTI-2: January 1, 2028

Don’t Just Check the Box

Waiting for more clarity before building these deadlines into your product roadmap will result in a last-minute scramble that could result in poorly architected solutions that will not optimize the value of the regulations or the experience for their users. For providers, health IT that just checks the box can make workflows worse instead of better.

In addition to fulfilling legal requirements to avoid penalties, regulations that push for better prescribing workflows, improved data access, and stronger safety measures benefit patients and the healthcare industry at large.

DEA Rules Delayed

Last month, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and HHS announced they are delaying two final rules originally scheduled to go into effect on March 21. These rules, which were first introduced on January 17, 2025, are postponed until December 31, 2025, to allow more time for the agencies to review public feedback.

The delayed rules include expansion of buprenorphine treatment via telemedicine encounter, allowing virtual care providers to prescribe a six-month supply of buprenorphine for opioid use disorder but then requiring an in-person visit beyond that. Additionally, there is a clause aimed at continuity of care via telemedicine for Veterans Affairs patients.

As part of the DEA’s effort to fulfill its obligation under the 2018 SUPPORT Act to establish telehealth prescribing registries, the proposed rules introduced in January 2025 have the stated goal of striking a balance between patient access and guardrails to prevent misuse.

The proposed rules would require:

• Nationwide Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) checks before prescribing controlled substances.
• Electronic prescribing for controlled substances (EPCS) system updates to accommodate special DEA registration numbers.

As the deadlines for these requirements get closer, you are going to want a trusted partner with proven experience in nationwide PDMP and EPCS on your side.

Are You Prepared?

Compliance isn’t a switch you can flip—it’s a process that requires time and preparation, along with the expertise needed to get it done right. For EHR and HIT vendors with full development queues, being prepared has never been more important.

There could be changes, but in the meantime, the deadlines are the deadlines. Healthcare IT vendors and EHRs that plan for compliance now will be in the best position to adapt, without a bunch of scrambling.

DrFirst is here to help. As a leader in e-prescribing, medication management, and compliance, we offer turnkey solutions and keep you ahead of shifting regulations so you’re ready for anything. To speak with one of our experts, click here.

About Nick Barger, PharmD 

Nick is Vice President of Product at DrFirst, where he leads design and development of intelligent medication management solutions for the e-prescribing pioneer and the 300 EHRs and health information systems they partner with, providing clinical, regulatory, and digital workflow solutions that make healthcare more efficient and effective. Check out all the articles in the Healthcare Regulatory Talk series.

DrFirst is a proud sponsor of Healthcare Scene.

< + > Marit Health Launches Groundbreaking Community-Powered Platform for Salary Transparency in Medicine, Secures $3.2M Seed Round

Purpose-Built for Physicians and Advanced Practice Providers (APPs), Marit Offers Anonymous Yet Verified Salary Data with Detailed Insights on Salaries, Bonuses, Benefits, Shifts, and More—Offering Clinicians a Level of Transparency that has Never been Available Before

With One of the Largest and Fastest-Growing Compensation Datasets in Medicine, Marit Already Provides Deep Insights into 7,000 Verified Salaries and Serves a Thriving Community of 12,000 Physicians, APPs, Residents & Fellows, and Medical Students Across 157 Specialties & Sub-Specialties and all 50 States

Founded by Physicians and the Team that Built Glassdoor, Marit Forges a New Path of Salary Transparency, Empowering Clinicians with the Data and Tools They Need to Make More Informed Career Decisions

Marit Health today announced the launch of its community-powered, anonymous, and verified salary-sharing platform for physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs). Built by physicians and led by former Glassdoor and Transcarent executives, Marit offers free and real-time access to comprehensive compensation information, alongside schedule, shifts, and benefits details, empowering clinicians to make more informed career decisions. Marit’s launch is supported by an initial $3.2M seed funding round, led by Define Ventures, with participation from a number of leading physicians and technology entrepreneurs, including Rich Barton, Co-Founder of Zillow, Glassdoor, and Expedia, Tim Besse, Co-Founder of Glassdoor, Jay Desai, Founder of PatientPing, and Aneesh Chopra, Co-Founder of CareJourney and former Chief Technology Officer of the US.

Strained by a growing demand for healthcare, a shrinking workforce, and mounting administrative burdens, the clinician workforce is nearing a breaking point. Meanwhile, compensation has remained stagnant and failed to keep pace with inflation. Without access to clear and transparent data, clinicians struggle to navigate the complex business and financial inputs that directly impact their pay. The result? Growing frustration and an exodus from the profession at a time when healthcare needs them most.

“Most of us entered medicine driven by a deep commitment to helping others, yet over time, the demands of the job — long hours, growing patient loads, administrative burdens — take a toll,” said Dr. Rob Anderson, Co-Founder of Marit Health. “With today’s launch, we’re bringing much-needed transparency to clinician compensation and their overall work structure, giving them the information they need to advocate for themselves. When clinicians feel valued and supported, they’re able to provide better care — ultimately strengthening the healthcare system as a whole.”

Clinician compensation is uniquely complex and nuanced, with each contract differing in structure, incentives, workload, and benefits. Unlike existing solutions that rely on broad averages and sit behind paywalls, Marit is community-powered—built by and for clinicians—and always free to use. Marit’s innovative “give-to-get” model allows it to collect compensation data directly from clinicians themselves, and offers an unprecedented level of transparency, giving clinicians access to real, anonymized salaries with all the details that matter:

• Compensation Structure & Breakdown – including compensation model, base salary, RVUs & collection rates, bonuses, additional incentives, etc.
• New Hire Benefits – including signing and relocation bonuses, loan forgiveness, etc.
• Work Structure & Responsibilities – including practice setting, clinical vs. non-clinical breakdown, census, etc.
• Shift & Call Schedules – with call rates, overtime rate, pay differentials for nights, weekends, etc.
• Benefits & Perks – CME allowances, PTO, malpractice coverage, retirement plans, and other special benefits
• Clinician Satisfaction – with total compensation and overall work structure and benefits

This level of transparency and access has never been available to the clinician community. 12,000 members have joined Marit, contributing more than 7,000 verified salaries, helping build one of the largest and fastest-growing community-powered datasets of its kind. All contributions are anonymous and secure, with clinicians retaining full control over their data.

“Improving U.S. healthcare at scale means investing not just in novel care models or promising therapeutics, but also in the well-being of the highly-trained professionals delivering care,” said Lynne Chou O’Keefe, Founder and Managing Partner at Define Ventures. “The clinician shortage and exodus from medicine is a pressing challenge that demands a fresh, novel approach. Marit’s founding team brings not only the right blend of clinical and technical expertise, but also proven playbooks. We’ve been incredibly impressed by Marit’s remarkable growth in just a few months, reaching clinicians across all specialties and geographies, entirely driven through word of mouth. As more clinicians adopt Marit, it not only helps them make better career decisions, but also enables healthcare employers to retain talent by fostering a more satisfied and supported workforce.”

Marit is powered by the collective trust of thousands of clinicians coming together to bring transparency and shared knowledge to the profession, helping each other navigate the business of medicine, advocate for fair compensation, and ultimately build fulfilling careers.

“This funding enables us to accelerate the growth of this community and create modern tools and resources needed to support clinicians at every stage of their careers—all while keeping Marit free for its members,” said Vikas Sabnani, Co-Founder and CEO at Marit. “Empowering clinicians with the information they need isn’t just about individual success—it’s about strengthening the core of our healthcare system. I saw this firsthand at Glassdoor—when candidates are well-informed and equipped to make better career decisions, it leads to higher retention, stronger engagement, and a more sustainable workforce for forward-thinking employers. This is even more critical in medicine, where career decisions are often longer-lasting.”

About Marit Health

Marit Health is a community-powered anonymous salary sharing platform built for medicine – by clinicians and for clinicians, and always free. Marit goes beyond the industry averages, helping clinicians understand individual compensation by specialty and location, including all the workload, schedule, and benefits details that matter. The rapidly growing Marit community is supported by thousands of Physicians and APPs sharing their salaries anonymously, contributing to the world’s largest, freshest, and most comprehensive clinician compensation dataset. For more information, visit marithealth.com.

Originally announced March 27th, 2025