Morning Headlines 9/28/21

Walmart Selects Epic To Help Customers Simplify Their Health Care

Walmart will implement Epic across all of its health and wellness business lines, beginning early next year with four new Health centers in Florida.

Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Buddies Tried to Get the VA to Sell Access to Veterans’ Medical Records

Congressional investigators determine that President Trump’s trio of Mar-a-Lago business associates attempted to monetize VA patient data.

Former Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Launches a New Healthcare Consulting Firm

Former HHS Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan launches a firm offering healthcare stakeholders advisory services, policy and legislative consulting, and investor guidance.

Med-Metrix Secures Capital Investments From A&M Capital Partners, Hackensack Meridian Health and Existing Management in Support of Growth Initiatives Including a Merger with Miller & Milone

RCM and business intelligence company Med-Metrix secures an undisclosed amount of funding and merges with RCM-focused law firm Miller & Milone.

Morning Headlines 9/27/21

Morgan Stanley Expansion Capital and Ally Bridge Group Lead $135 Million Investment in Elligo

Clinical research network vendor Elligo Health Research raises $135 million in a Series E funding round.

New health record data standard adoption remains stagnant, ONC finds

ONC has found that third-party apps have been slow to adopt the HL7 FHIR standard as mandated by the Cures Act, with adoption remaining close to 20% between 2019 and 2020.

Epic Systems develops tech to verify COVID-19 vaccine status, test results

Through its work with the Vaccination Credential Initiative, Epic has developed technology that enables organizations to verify COVID-19 test results and vaccination status.

Morning Headlines 9/24/21

Veritas, Elliott Consider $20 Billion-Plus Athenahealth Sale

Bloomberg reports that Veritas Capital and Elliott Management are considering a sale or IPO of Athenahealth at a $20 billion valuation.

Astarte Medical raises $7.6M to advance technology platform that aids premature infants

NICU clinical decision support software vendor Astarte Medical raises $7.6 million in a Series A funding round.

Toward a smarter electronic health record

Researchers at MIT and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center develop MedKnowts, a problem-oriented EHR side panel that displays a patient information card and offers a note-taking editor with auto-complete for clinical terms.

Alphabet life-sciences unit Verily is pursuing a secret plan to untangle itself from Google as it readies for a potential IPO

Verily, the life sciences unit of Alphabet, is reportedly planning to separate from Google’s technology in preparation for an eventual IPO.

Morning Headlines 9/23/21

Clearsense Acquires Plug-and-Play AI Analytics Firm

Health data management and analytics vendor Clearsense acquires AI-powered predictive modeling company Compellon.

Unite Us acquires NowPow to address health and social needs nationwide

Care coordination and social services referral company Unite Us acquires NowPow, which offers similar community care and services referral technology.

Defense Logistics Agency Is Building an EHR to Track Occupational Health

The Defense Logistics Agency prepares an RFP to fulfill its need for enterprise occupational health services and corresponding EHR software.

A new cybersecurity center wants to protect medical devices against hacks

The University of Minnesota launches the Center for Medical Device Cybersecurity to help organizations involved with medical devices understand and manage their cybersecurity risks.

Morning Headlines 9/22/21

AGS Health acquires AI-based clinical documentation and medical coding technology provider, EZDI

RCM vendor AGS Health acquires EZDI, a clinical documentation improvement, computer-assisted coding, and auditing business based in Louisville, KY.

What Our Latest Fundraise Means to the eVisit Team

Enterprise virtual care vendor EVisit raises $45 million in a Series B funding round.

Pager Secures $70M in Funding to Drive Expansion of Virtual Care in United States, Latin America and Worldwide

Virtual care navigation and collaboration software vendor Pager raises $70 million in a Series C funding round.

Morning Headlines 9/21/21

NextGen Healthcare Appoints David Sides President and Chief Executive Officer

NextGen Healthcare names David Sides (Teladoc Health) president and CEO.

Oncology Analytics Announces Rebrand to OncoHealth

Oncology analytics and benefits management vendor Oncology Analytics changes its name to OncoHealth.

iOS 15 will give doctors a window into Apple Health app data

Apple’s latest operating system gives Iphone users the ability to share health data with their providers via EHRs.

Morning Headlines 9/20/21

Feds charge 138, including doctors, with $1.4 billion in health-care fraud involving telemedicine, Covid, opioids

The Department of Justice files criminal charges against 138 defendants for their alleged participation in healthcare fraud schemes that generated $1.4 billion, the bulk of which involved telemedicine.

Cyberattackers Target Missouri Hospital At Epicenter Of COVID Outbreak, Post Patient Data

Hackers post stolen patient data online after launching a ransomware attack on Missouri Delta Medical Center.

Hinge Health Acquires the Most Advanced Computer Vision Technology for Tracking Human Motion

Digital physical therapy company Hinge Health acquires Wrnch, which has developed 3-D motion-tracking technology to capture full body movement.

Morning Headlines 9/17/21

Cured Raises $10M Series A; Launches Next Generation Healthcare Digital Marketing & CRM Solutions

Health system digital marketing and CRM vendor Cured raises $10 million in a Series A funding round.

Digital health startup Commure just hit a $3.5 billion valuation as it raises fresh cash to unlock healthcare data

Healthcare data exchange technology vendor Commure has reportedly raised $500 million in funding through a Series D round, valuing the company at $3.5 billion.

Statement of the Commission On Breaches by Health Apps and Other Connected Devices

The Federal Trade Commission issues a notification that health app vendors must notify consumers if their health information is exposed.

Morning Headlines 9/16/21

Healthcare Industry Leader Zane Burke Joins Quantum Health as CEO

Former Cerner president and Livongo CEO Zane Burke joins consumer-focused care coordination and navigation company Quantum Health as CEO.

This Startup Raised $100 Million To Turbocharge Women’s Health

Women’s healthcare provider Tia raises $100 million in a Series B funding round led by Lone Pine Capital.

Definitive Healthcare stock soars out of the gate, opening 38% above IPO price

Healthcare market intelligence company Definitive Healthcare raises $420 million in its IPO.

Morning Headlines 9/15/21

Symplr to acquire Halo Health

Healthcare governance systems vendor Symplr will acquire clinician digital communications vendor Halo Health.

SymphonyRM Becomes Actium Health

Patient engagement and activation company SymphonyRM rebrands to Actium Health.

Zelis to Acquire Healthcare Transparency Leader Sapphire Digital

Healthcare payments platform vendor Zelis will acquire provider search and transparency website Sapphire Digital.

Indy-based Future Health ESG Corp. goes public, the latest in a flurry of SPACs to hit Wall Street

HC1 founder, chairman, and CEO Brad Bostic launches a $200 million SPAC that hopes to merge with a healthcare data science company.

Morning Headlines 9/14/21

After layoffs and pivot, Austin health care startup reemerges as CareHive

App-based house call and telemedicine company Remedy pivots and rebrands as CareHive, a digital health company that offers telemedicine, digital front door services, analytics, and clinical navigation.

Babyscripts secures $12M to roll out its virtual maternity care model

Digital maternity care software vendor Babyscripts raises $12 million in a Series B funding round led by MemorialCare Innovation Fund.

Edifecs Announces Acquisition of Talix

Edifecs acquires Talix, which has developed a natural language processing-enabled risk adjustment coding, retrieval, and analytics platform.

Morning Headlines 9/13/21

Policies to Promote Shared Responsibility for Safer Electronic Health Records

Researchers call for additional EHR safety actions beyond CMS’s recent mandate that hospitals self-assess annually using the SAFER Guides framework.

Spok Holdings Announces it is Conducting a Strategic Alternatives Review

Spok’s board is reviewing strategic alternatives for the company, including a potential sale, following unsolicited interest in acquiring some or all of its shares.

Cerner to Continue VA EHR System Deployment Under $134M Task Order

The VA awards Cerner an 18-month, $134 million task order for its EHR rollout.

Morning Headlines 9/10/21

Leading UK Enterprise Imaging Provider, Insignia Medical Systems, Secures Investment from Intelerad

Canada-based Intelerad acquires enterprise imaging provider Insignia Medical Systems.

New gift to Sanford Health will fund virtual care center

Sanford Health (SD) will develop a virtual care center using a $350 million gift from donor Denny Sanford.

Flo Announces $50 Million Series B Funding Round; Bringing Company to $800M Valuation

Period- and ovulation-tracking app developer Flo raises $50 million in a Series B funding round.

Morning Headlines 9/9/21

Azalea Health Acquires Data Analytics Vendor dashboardMD to Deliver EHR-Based Business Intelligence

EHR and practice management vendor Azalea Health acquires DashboardMD, a healthcare analytics company based in Miami Lakes, FL

Vyne Medical Acquires Ahana Health and its Connected Care Solution to Support Collaboration in Patient Care Planning and Delivery

Health data exchange and communication management company Vyne Medical acquires Ahana Health and its connected care technology.

TransUnion seeks buyer for healthcare business

Credit reporting company TransUnion has reportedly begun fielding offers for its healthcare RCM business, with several bids coming in as high as $1.6 billion.

Morning Headlines 9/8/21

Invitae to Acquire Ciitizen to Strengthen its Patient-Consented Health Data Platform to Improve Personal Outcomes and Global Research

Invitae will acquire Ciitizen, a consumer-focused health data startup, for $325 million.

Amazon has ambitious plans to bring in-person medical care to 20 more US cities

Amazon will reportedly offer in-home medical visits in 20 US cities later this year via its Amazon Care business.

Cityblock Health raises another mega-round of funding, tipping its valuation over $5 billion

Cityblock Health, which partners with payers to offer tech-enabled primary care to Medicaid patients, has raised $400 million, bringing its total raised to nearly $500 million.

Morning Headlines 9/7/21

HSE cyber-attack: Irish health service still recovering months after hack

Though Ireland’s health service has recovered almost completely from the May ransomware attack that hindered services across the country, its facilities are still dealing with cancelled appointments and lack of employee email access.

WELL Health Continues US Expansion with Proposed Acquisition of Majority Stake in WISP, a Rapidly Growing National Telehealth Leader Specializing in Women’s Health

Canadian Well Health Technologies will acquire US-based Wisp, a women’s telehealth and e-pharmacy company, for $41 million.

Solv raises $45 million for same-day medical appointments

Medical appointment-booking software vendor Solv raises $45 million in a Series C funding round, bringing its total raised to $95 million.

Morning Headlines 9/6/21

Use of artificial intelligence for image analysis in breast cancer screening programmes: systematic review of test accuracy

A BMJ-published review of using AI for breast cancer screening finds that 34 of 36 reviewed systems were less accurate than a single radiologist and all performed more poorly than two radiologists.

Achieve Partners Buys Cybersecurity Service Provider Metmox

Achieve Partners acquires cybersecurity services vendor Metmox to develop a training and mentorship program, the same reason it acquired Optimum Healthcare IT in July.

CliniComp and Veterans Health Administration Renew Clinical Information System Contract

The VA renews its CliniComp contract for another five years.