Bonus Features – April 14, 2024 – Less than 6 in 10 docs satisfied with electronic access to external immunization info, 68% of nurses are feeling overwhelmed, plus 38 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
The biggest story of the week was that Epic turned off access to certain medical record requests from Particle Health users on the Carequality exchange. “We believe strongly that this unilateral action is a violation of Carequality’s terms and conditions and is sufficiently important to the treatment of patients to address this matter publicly,” Particle Health said in a statement.
Subsequent statements and social media posts, summarized nicely here by Brendan Keeler, indicate the shut-off occurred in response to Particle Health users requesting data without having a legitimate Treatment use case as defined by HIPAA. Entities defined as Business Associates under HIPAA may have been doing this, Keeler said, because Treatment is the only use case for which a response is required. Epic argued the unauthorized requests could compromise the exchange of PHI.
Epic and Particle Health are working on a resolution. The bigger issue seems to be how regulators and HIE entities are going to address other data use cases as defined by HIPAA, such as Payment, Operations, Research, or Patient Request.
Studies
- The latest ONC data brief indicated 58% of PCPs are satisfied with their ability to access external immunization information via their EHR and/or portal.
- A PayZen survey found 36% of Americans had skipped or postponed medical care in the last 12 months because of the high cost.
- A Nurse.com and Relias report found 54% of nurses are experiencing prolonged stress, and 68% are feeling overwhelmed.
Partnerships
- Google Cloud and Bayer are collaborating to develop AI products for radiology.
- Greenway Health is integrating Nabla, an ambient clinical documentation tool, into its Prime Suite and Intergy EHR solutions. The new solution is called Greenway Clinical Assist.
- Cancer care company VieCure is integrating DrFirst‘s e-prescribing and medication management tools into its clinical decision support system.
- CloudWave renewed its partnership with the FDA to share threat intelligence data for medical device security.
- Apixio is partnering with Vim to capture and analyze patient data at the point of care.
- EHR vendor ModMed and Medtronic are partnering to enhance the documentation of polyp detection.
- PerfectServe is partnering with TeamBuilder, a workforce management software vendor, to optimize staff scheduling.
- Ricoh USA and SimBioSys are collaborating to produce patient-specific 3-D breast cancer models.
Product News
- Virtual nursing vendor AvaSure updated its analytics platform with Microsoft PowerBI tools.
- Ambient documentation tool DeepScribe is now available on AWS Marketplace.
- Innovaccer launched a quality management solution for MSSP ACOs to track electronic Clinical Quality Measures in light of new CMS reporting requirements that go into effect next year.
- Collette Health released new monitoring hardware that includes a “follow feature” to help virtual observers maintain contact with a patient remotely.
- RPM vendor Tenovi launched a cellular-connected smart pillbox.
- Cybersecurity vendor Anatomy IT released the HEALTHIT Framework that assesses technology infrastructure and provides recommendations for improving cyber readiness.
- CRM vendor Trella Health updated its Marketplace Insights platform to include assisted living and long-term care facility data.
- Osso VR launched Osso Health, a medical training app for Apple Vision Pro.
- Customer engagement and billing vendor Everyware launched its Identity Verification Solutions suite.
- Inovalon launched SDOH Market Insights for life sciences organizations.
- Clinical Trial Media launched a platform for expediting the pre-screening of potential clinical study participants.
Company News
- A study from OM1 and Medtronic found implantable monitoring devices for patients who undergo endoscopic sinus surgery reduce utilization in the 24 months following the procedure.
- A CHEST Journal paper found CLEW Medical’s models for predicting patient deterioration are more accurate than those from general-purpose telemedicine systems.
Sales
- Oregon-based on-demand care provider ZoomCare is implementing athenaOne from athenahealth.
- National post-acute care provider PAM Health selected Luna to support its in-home physical therapy program.
- Galveston’s University of Texas Medical Branch chose Tendo for enhanced analysis of inpatient quality measures.
- New Jersey-based Atlantic Health System chose FeelBetter for medication management for patients within its ACO taking multiple medications.
- FQHC HealthCare Choices NY selected eClinicalWorks EHR and healow to reduce no-show rates. In addition, Baltimore-based Goodtime Family Care integrated eClinicalWorks and Sunoh.ai for automated clinical documentation.
- Philadelphia-area Tower Health chose Ensemble Health for revenue cycle operations.
- Houston Methodist will implement Prolucent for managing its flexible workforce.
- Outpatient imaging provider SimonMed Imaging selected Infervision for AI-enhanced readings of CT lung and chest scans.
- National dental practice Tend selected Cedar for managing the post-visit billing experience.
- Massachusetts-based health plan Health New England selected Wellth‘s digital behavioral health product for its Medicaid ACO members.
- Life insurer MassMutual expanded its relationship with Genomics plc, making genetic testing available to more policyholders.
- MoonLake Immunotherapeutics is using Komodo Health‘s Healthcare Map to support development of treatment options for patients with inflammatory skin and joint diseases.
People
- Complex chronic care management company Parsley Health appointed Chris Ricaurte as co-CEO.
- Clinical communications organization I-PASS appointed Patricia McGaffigan to its Board of Directors.
- Investment firm HealthQuest Capital welcomed Ashley McEvoy to its Advisory Board.
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.
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