News 8/10/22

Top News

Health information network management company Availity will acquire Diameter Health, which specializes in data optimization and interoperability, marking its second acquisition of the year.

I interviewed Availity CEO Russ Thomas in January, and Diameter Health CEO Eric Rosow shortly thereafter.

Reader Comments

From Prime Mover: “Re: API fees. Here’s what I have seen in the industry.” Thanks for sending me this list in response to a previous reader’s comment:

• EHR vendors. API fees are common, pricing models vary, and per-transaction fees are often assessed. Some vendors take a cut of revenue for publishing apps on their marketplace and this is usually on top of an annual membership fee. Vendors are more likely to make USCDI-compliant APIs available at little or no charge so as to not invite scrutiny over information blocking, but these come with a limited support.
• Integration platforms, such as Redox, Ellkay, and self-service options like Jitterbit and MuleSoft. Their business model is exchanging data on behalf of a customer, so they charge for this, most often a fixed amount per connection (pulling demographics and appointment data from System A to System B is two connections). Per-user pricing is uncommon and volume-based pricing is quite rare. Some charge upfront platform fees.
• Health data exchanges, such as Datavant, Moxe Health, and 1upHealth. Companies use APIs to digitize and automate manual workflows, with much of the focus on provider-to-payer connections such as Medicare risk adjustment and release of information. Usually the interoperability piece is included in the overall service provided.

HIStalk Announcements and Requests

HIMSS pulled out of Chicago years ago over customer-indifferent McCormick Place union members strong-arming exhibitors who dared plug in their own power strips or empty their own trash cans. I guess it got so bad that the convention center now provides a list of what exhibitors can do themselves, at least by full-time employees who have been on the job for six months (exhibiting company newbies and contractors apparently can’t be trusted). Exhibitor employees are allowed to set up and tear down booths, install signs and decorative items on the booth’s drapery and exhibitor table skirting, and to plug in and turn on AV equipment. HIMSS-specific exhibit hall rules include the usual prohibition on clowns, strolling through the hall wearing a sandwich board, and working a booth naked.

Webinars

None scheduled in the coming weeks. Previous webinars are on our YouTube channel. Contact Lorre to present your own.

Acquisitions, Funding, Business, and Stock

Netsmart acquires Zimmet Healthcare’s Core claims data analytics offering for skilled nursing facilities. Netsmart will add Core to its CareFabric platform for post-acute care providers looking to improve their value-based care performance.

CPSI announces Q2 results: revenue up 21%, EPS $0.21 versus $0.42. Shares are down 15% in the past 12 months versus the Nasdaq’s 16% drop, valuing the company at $447 million.

People

Erik Johnson (Verato) joins PatientIQ as VP of marketing.

Lehigh Valley Health Network (PA) names Maulik Purohit, MD (University Hospitals) chief health information officer.

Arcadia hires Chris D’Arcy (Liaison International) as chief human resources officer.

Advata promotes Corinne Stroum to SVP / head of product and Jamie Snell to chief customer success officer.

Health Catalyst names Melissa Welch, MD (InnovAge) chief medical officer and Edward Sheen, MD (Lumeris) SVP/ chief population health officer.

Randy Fusco (TEKsystems) joins Clearsense as CTO.

Sales

• Magnolia Regional Health Center (MS) selects AMC Health’s remote patient monitoring and virtual care technology and services for its RPM program focused on congestive heart failure patients.

Announcements and Implementations

Adventist HealthCare (MD) implements Innovaccer’s cloud-based population health management technology.

Atrium Health (NC) wraps up its system-wide conversion from Cerner to Epic.

MarinHealth (CA) goes live on Epic through a partnership with University of California, San Francisco Health.

Government and Politics

An audit of the Veterans Health Administration’s video connect program finds that 51% of the 41,000 patients who were loaned tablets for telehealth appointments in 2021 never used them for that purpose. VHA staff failed to collect 11,000 devices from patients who never scheduled a virtual appointment despite a requirement that devices be given back if appointments weren’t scheduled within 90 days of receipt. Auditors concluded that the program’s $14.5 million budget could have been used more effectively through better device monitoring, collection controls, and oversight.

Sponsor Updates

• Clinical Architecture supports the ALS Association Indiana at the 10^th Annual Bob Kravitz Golf Outing to Defeat ALS.
• EClinicalWorks releases a new customer success story, “Transforming Care for Two Practices with Healow Insights.”
• Wolters Kluwer Health and the American Journal of Nursing welcome Carl Kirton, DNP, RN as incoming editor-in-chief.
• Sonifi Health will integrate Vitalchat’s telehealth software with its bedside patient engagement smart TV technology at a new pediatric hospital being built in Texas.
• Ascom Americas expands its channel partner network in Canada with Canem Systems – National Technology and Services Group.
• Azara Healthcare publishes a new customer success story, “MPCA Drives Clinical Quality Improvement Through DRVS Mapping & Data Validation Project.”
• CarePort partners with The Hospital and Health system Association of Pennsylvania’s HAPevolve subsidiary to offer members access to its care coordination technology.
• CHIME releases a new podcast, “CHIME 30^th Anniversary Podcast: Change with Bill Spooner, 2006 Board Chair.”
• Clearwater names Henry Gyambiby (KP Global IT Consulting) a consultant on its cybersecurity and risk consulting team.
• Experity names Amy Amick (SPH Analytics) to its Board of Directors.
• Wolters Kluwer Health publishes a new handbook, “Navigating the ICU: A Guide for Patients and Families.”

Blog Posts

• 3 ways technology can optimize your billing services (Ability Network)
• Streamline the Prior-Authorization Process in 2022 (AdvancedMD)
• Reducing implicit bias in predictive healthcare analytics (Arcadia)
• Technology Can Help Marginalized Communities Gain Access to Behavioral Healthcare (Bamboo Health)
• The Chronic Care Model (ChartSpan)

Contacts

Mr. H, Lorre, Jenn, Dr. Jayne.
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