Morning Headlines 9/27/24

Graybill to separate from Palomar Medical group, citing cyber attack

Graybill, a California-based primary care group, will split from Palomar Health Medical Group, citing that organization’s inadequate support following an April 2024 cyberattack that took systems offline for months.

Dimer Health raises $2.95M to cut down hospital readmissions

Dimer Health, a startup that specializes in healthcare facility discharge and post-acute care coordination, raises $3 million in a seed funding round.

VA makes tele-emergency care available nationwide, offering Veterans more virtual care options

After a successful pilot, the VA expands its tele-emergency virtual triage service to veterans nationwide through its VA Health Connect program.

Wyden and Warner Introduce Bill to Set Strong Cybersecurity Standards for American Health Care System

Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Mark Warner (D-VA) introduce cybersecurity legislation that, if passed, would mandate the development and enforcement of tougher minimum cybersecurity standards for healthcare organizations, remove the current cap on HIPAA fines, and provide cybersecurity funding for select hospitals.

Lubbock UMC experiences ransomware attack, diverts patients to other hospitals

University Medical Center (TX) diverts patients and enacts downtime procedures as it deals with a ransomware attack.

Morning Headlines 9/26/24

Global healthcare AI innovator Qure.ai completes $65 million Series D funding round led by Lightspeed and 360One Asset

Global healthcare AI company Qure.ai raises $65 million in a Series D funding round.

Pomelo Care Acquires The Doula Network, Becoming The Only National Maternity Care Model to Offer Virtual & In-Person Care, Greatly Expanding Access Across the United States

Pomelo Care acquires The Doula Network to add wrap-around doula services to its virtual and now in-person maternity care offerings.

UAB Health System to invest in new EHR platform

UAB Health System will spend $380 million over the next seven years to implement and operate Epic.

Morning Headlines 9/25/24

VA’s new EHR saw 826 ‘major’ incidents since its launch

A new report from the VA OIG finds that the VA’s Oracle Health-based EHR that has been implemented at six facilities experienced 826 major performance incidents between October 2020 and March 2024.

Indian Health Service aims to avoid VA’s pitfalls while adopting computer system that has hampered Northwest veterans’ care

The Indian Health Service outlines the ways in which it will avoid the VA’s mistakes with its own Oracle Health project, including requiring implementation only at those clinics that it manages directly.

Introducing the 2024 Draft Federal FHIR Action Plan

ASTP publishes a draft of the 2024 Federal FHIR Action Plan.

Morning Headlines 9/24/24

Epic Systems’ ‘Stranglehold’ on U.S. Medical Records Harms Patient Care: Lawsuit

Particle Health files a federal antitrust lawsuit against Epic that alleges the Wisconsin-based company is using its dominance in the EHR market to edge Particle out of the payer platform market.

Hancock Health transitioning nearly 50 employees to work for third-party vendor

Forty-nine Hancock Health (IN) employees will transition to working for Revology, the hospital’s RCM vendor, in November.

Women Leaders Across Tech, Entertainment, Sports, Media, and Fashion Come Together to Invest in Midi Health

Women’s virtual care company Midi Health adds $5 million to its now $63 million round of Series B of funding, bringing its total raised to over $88 million.

Morning Headlines 9/23/24

Hippocratic AI Receives Investment From NVentures to Build Generative AI Healthcare Agents

Healthcare AI call agent developer Hippocratic AI adds $17 million to its Series A funding round, increasing its total raised to $137 million.

In Historic Step, HRSA Makes First Ever Multi-Vendor Awards to Modernize the Nation’s Organ Transplant System and End the Current Contract Monopoly

HRSA awards contracts to Arbor Research Collaborative for Health, General Dynamic Information Technology, Maximus Federal, Deloitte, and Guidehouse Digital to overhaul the national Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.

Cardinal Health to acquire Integrated Oncology Network, a physician-led independent community oncology network

Cardinal Health will acquire Integrated Oncology Network for $1 billion and incorporate its member practices and practice management and growth services into Cardinal’s Navista oncology practice alliance.

Morning Headlines 9/20/24

Microsoft: Vanilla Tempest hackers hit healthcare with INC ransomware

Microsoft warns that a ransomware-as-a-service hacker group called Vanilla Tempest is using a new ransomware strain to target the healthcare sector.

Ferrum Health nabs $16M to get FDA-cleared AI into hospitals

Radiology-focused healthcare AI integration startup Ferrum Health raises $16 million in a Series A funding round.

CorroHealth Finalizes Acquisition of Healthcare Revenue Cycle Management Business from Navient

CorroHealth, parent brand of TrustHCS, T-System, RevCycle+, Visionary RCM, and Versalus Health, acquires Navient’s Xtend RCM business.

TribalNet 2024: Indian Health Service Announces PATH EHR Pilots

The Indian Health Service will begin piloting its new, Oracle Health-based EHR at three facilities in Oklahoma next year.

Morning Headlines 9/19/24

RLDatix Acquires SocialClimb, Empowering Healthcare Organizations with Enhanced Provider Reputation Management and Patient Experience Data Insights

Healthcare governance, risk, and compliance solutions company RLDatix acquires SocialClimb, which specializes in provider reputation management and patient satisfaction data.

Fabric Makes Fourth Acquisition in 18 Months, Now Covers Over 100 Million Lives

Care enablement vendor Fabric acquires TeamHealth’s virtual care service less than three months after acquiring virtual care provider MeMD from Walmart Health.

Attor­ney Gen­er­al Ken Pax­ton Reach­es Set­tle­ment in First-of-its-Kind Health­care Gen­er­a­tive AI Investigation

Pieces Technologies will take corrective action to settle allegations by the Office of the Texas Attorney General that it misrepresented the accuracy of its healthcare AI products to gain the business of four Texas hospitals.

Morning Headlines 9/18/24

Vyne Medical Acquires Extract Systems to Bring the Most Comprehensive Document and Clinical Automation Solution to Healthcare

Healthcare automation vendor Vyne Medical acquires Extract Systems, which specializes in automated data classification and indexing, extraction, and redaction.

DirectTrust Announces Launch of New Cybersecurity Workgroup

DirectTrust launches a cybersecurity workgroup that will address healthcare cybersecurity challenges, shaping accreditation standards, identifying advocacy priorities, and promoting industry-wide best practices through collaboration and advocacy.

Oracle Supports the Veteran Interoperability Pledge

Oracle Health releases a free framework that allows VA and community providers to securely share patient health information in support of the Veteran Interoperability Pledge.

Morning Headlines 9/17/24

Great Plains Regional Medical Center Victim of Ransomware Attack

The local news reports that Great Plains Regional Medical Center (OK) has experienced a ransomware attack that has curtailed its operations.

Scriptology Acquires RxLive to Enhance Medication Management Solutions and Expand Telehealth Capabilities

Medication management vendor Scriptology acquires RxLive, which offers medication management, virtual care, and analytics.

Jack Nathan Health Signs Letter of Intent

Jack Nathan Health, which operates 240 virtual and in-person clinics in Walmart Supercenters in Canada and Mexico, will sell itself to an undisclosed buyer.

Morning Headlines 9/16/24

Ozempic Is Selling So Well An Insurer Wants $1 Million In Payments Back

Elevance Health’s Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield accuses physicians of falsifying patient medical records with the intention of getting the insurer to pay for improper prescribing of the diabetes drug Ozempic for weight loss, a use that is not approved by the FDA.

Phishing Email May Have Impacted Personal Information

Atrium Health notifies patients that an unauthorized third party gained access to multiple employee email accounts in a two-day phishing attack.

Nirvana Raises $24.2M Series A to Revolutionize Health Insurance Verification

Nirvana, a New York City-based startup specializing in AI-powered health insurance verification software, raises $24.2 million.

23andMe settles data breach lawsuit for $30 million

23andMe will pay $30 million to settle a lawsuit that accused the company of failing to protect the records of 6.9 million of its users whose information was exposed in a 2023 breach.

Morning Headlines 9/13/24

MPulse Acquires Zipari, A Leader in Healthcare CX and Engagement Technology

MPulse acquires insurer consumer engagement technology vendor Zipari.

LVHN reaches $65 million settlement over patient data breach. Here’s what you need to do.

Lehigh Valley Health Network will pay a $65 million settlement for a Russian hacker group’s cyberattack that exposed patient information and images of nude cancer patients on the dark web.

PathPresenter Raises $7.5 Million to Accelerate Adoption of Digital Pathology Workflows

PathPresenter, which offers image-sharing technology for pathology, raises $7.5 million in a Series A funding round.

Morning Headlines 9/12/24

Circadian Health Garners HC9 Ventures’ Investment to Accelerate Value-Based Specialty Care

Virtual specialty care provider Circadian Health announces $7.5 million in new funding led by HC9 Ventures.

Salesforce Launches Industries AI: 100+ Out-of-the-Box AI Capabilities that Tackle Industry-Specific Pain Points Across 15 Industries

Salesforce announces out-of-the-box AI services for 15 industries, including patient services and benefits verification for healthcare.

Candid Health Announces $29 Million Series B Led by 8VC to Transform Revenue Cycle Automation

Revenue cycle automation company Candid Health raises $29 million in a Series B funding round, bringing its total raised to $47 million.

Concentra Adds Advanced Primary Care to Close Health and Wellness Gap in the Workplace

Occupational healthcare provider Concentra, which went public in July, will invest in Epic to accommodate new advanced primary care services offered through its workplace-based Onsite Health division.

Morning Headlines 9/11/24

Oracle shares jump 13% on earnings and revenue beat

Oracle reports Q1 results: revenue up 7%, adjusted EPS $1.39 versus $1.19, beating Wall Street expectations for both and sending ORCL shares to an all-time high.

Pieces Technologies Raises $25M Growth Round to Expand Leading Suite of Generative AI Solutions

Clinical generative AI company Pieces Technologies announces $25 million in new growth funding from investors that include OSF HealthCare (IL) and Children’s Health (TX).

Highlander Health Launches to Modernize Clinical Research and Patient Care

Amy Abernethy, MD, PhD (Verily) and Brad Hirsch, MD (Verily) launch Highlander Health, which will focus on evidence generation and related investment.

NeoPrediX Secures Investment From Springhood Ventures to Advance Neonatal Health Innovations

NeoPrediX, a predictive analytics business focused on neonatal and maternal care, announces new funding from Springhood Ventures.

Morning Headlines 9/10/24

EQT to acquire GeBBS Healthcare Solutions, a leading healthcare technology solutions provider

Global investment firm EQT will acquire revenue cycle and health information management company Gebbs Healthcare Solutions from ChrysCapital.

Aledade Launches Recruiting Service to Connect Primary Care Practices to Talent

Primary care network management company Aledade launches a physician recruiting service.

Cyberattack recovery costs hit $8.9M for SW Ontario hospitals — so far

Five hospitals in Ontario and Transform Shared Service Organization, their shared services provider, are on track to spend $6.6 million on recovery efforts stemming from a ransomware attack in October 2023.

Morning Headlines 9/9/24

EQT Is Said to Consider Sale of US-Headquartered AGS Health

Global investment firm EQT reportedly considers strategic alternatives for RCM vendor AGS Health that include a possible sale.

Zelis Owners in Talks to Sell Stake at $17 Billion Value

The private equity owners of Zelis consider selling their minority stake in the healthcare payments company in a potentially $17 billion deal.

Kipu Health Acquires Hatch Compliance to Strengthen Behavioral Health Technology Portfolio

Behavioral health technology vendor Kipu Health acquires Hatch Compliance, which specializes in compliance and risk management software for behavioral health providers.

Morning Headlines 9/6/24

The Rawlings Group, Apixio Payment Integrity, and VARIS Merge to Form Next-Generation Payment Accuracy and Integrity Platform

New Mountain Capital will combine three of its healthcare billing portfolio businesses into a new company valued at $3 billion.

WindRose Health Investors Makes Strategic Investment in MyndYou

MyndYou, a virtual care assistant software developer, secures funding from WindRose Health Investors.

Kain Capital Launches Kain Analytics

Kain Capital’s new subsidiary, Kain Analytics, will offer healthcare companies value-based care data automation capabilities and intelligent dashboards that deliver real-time analytics.

Morning Headlines 9/5/24

Netsmart Announces Acquisition of HealthPivots to Support Value-Based Care Transition for Healthcare Providers

Netsmart acquires HealthPivots, a post-acute care market intelligence firm based in Oregon.

Revelstoke Capital Partners Announces Significant Growth Investment in MediQuant

Healthcare data management company MediQuant secures an undisclosed amount of funding from Revelstoke Capital Partners.

Navigating Cancer Accelerates Investments to Enhance Care Management Platform for Providers and Patients

OneOncology acquires digital oncology care software vendor Navigating Cancer.