Morning Headlines 11/29/21

The NFL Is Giving Players Sensor-Laden Mouthpieces Instead of Just Lip Service to Study Concussions; Four College Programs Join In

Several NFL and college football teams are collecting impact data from sensor-embedded player mouthpieces to test helmet effectiveness and to influence future rule-making to reduce concussions.

MIT Catalyst Program welcomes new VHA Innovation Ecosystem Fellows

The MIT Catalyst program announces a new group of VHA Innovation Ecosystem Fellows, who will work to improve veteran care through need-driven biomedical research and innovation.

New Exa Platform Functionality Automates Decision Support, Insurance-Related Tasks for Enhanced Productivity and Profitability

Konica Minolta adds Appropriate Use Criteria for advanced diagnostic imaging to its Exa Platform, in which orders placed through its physician portal will be validated electronically against CMS criteria using logic from LogicNets.

Morning Headlines 11/25/21

HHS Announces $35 Million for Telehealth in the Title X Family Planning Program

HHS allocates $35 million to help Title X family planning providers enhance and expand their telehealth infrastructure and capacity.

Peterborough Regional Health Centre lays off 84 as new digital records system rolls out

Peterborough Regional Health Centre, one of seven hospitals in Ontario preparing to go live on Epic in early December, lays off 84 employees in a move management says is necessitated by changes brought on by the new software.

Disclosures reveal Current Health was sold for $400m

Records reveal that Current Health, which offers remote patient monitoring, telehealth, and patient engagement technologies, was acquired in September by Best Buy for $400 million.

Morning Headlines 11/24/21

San Diego-based startup LifeVoxel raises $5 million seed funding for its AI diagnostic visualization platform

Remote diagnostic software startup LifeVoxel raises $5 million in seed funding.

Luma Health Raises $130 Million In Series C Funding To Unify, Automate, And Transform Patients’ Healthcare Journeys

Patient engagement software vendor Luma Health raises $130 million in a Series C round that brings its total funding to $160 million.

ImagineSoftware Announces Strategic Growth Investment from Marlin Equity Partners

Medical billing automation vendor ImagineSoftware secures an undisclosed amount of funding from Marlin Equity Partners.

News 11/24/21

Top News

Private equity firms Bain Capital and Hellman & Friedman will acquire Athenahealth from Veritas Capital and Evergreen Coast Capital for $17 billion.

Veritas and Evergreen will retain a minority investment in the company. The management team will remain in place.

Hellman & Friedman’s health IT portfolio includes Change Healthcare and PointClickCare, while Bain Capital’s includes HST Pathways.

Webinars

December 9 (Thursday) 1:30 ET. “Cone Health: Creating Extreme Efficiencies in Surgical Services.” Sponsor: RelayOne. Presenters: Wayne McFatter, RN, MSN and Sharon McCarter, RN co-directors of perioperative services, Cone Health. The presenters will discuss how they have empowered the entire surgical care team, including vendor representatives, to get real-time access to surgery schedules and case requirements in the palms of their hand. RelayOne CEO Cam Sexton will also present the findings of a recent study of 100 hospital leaders regarding their operating room optimization plans for 2022.

December 14 (Tuesday) 1 ET.  “Using Cloud to Boost AI and Enterprise Imaging.” Sponsor: CloudWave. Presenters: Larry Sitka, MS, VP/CSIO of enterprise applications, Canon Medical Informatics; Jacob Wheeler, MBA, senior product manager, CloudWave. Enterprise imaging has remained a holdout of data center complexity despite the benefits the cloud offers. The presenters will discuss innovative ways to reduce complexity and lead with disruptive technology using AI, enterprise imaging, and the cloud.

Previous webinars are on our YouTube channel. Contact Lorre to present your own.

Acquisitions, Funding, Business, and Stock

Health technology and services company Edifecs will acquire Health Fidelity, which offers natural language processing-enabled risk-adjustment technologies and consulting services. Edifecs will add Health Fidelity’s assets, along with similar offerings from recently acquired Talix, to its Encounter Management software for payers.

Digital musculoskeletal care company Sword Health raises $163 million in a Series D funding round, bringing its total raised to over $300 million at a valuation of $2 billion.

Remote diagnostic software startup LifeVoxel raises $5 million in seed funding.

Patient engagement software vendor Luma Health raises $130 million in a Series C round that brings its total funding to $160 million.

People

Cerner names Johnny Luu (Google Health) as chief communications officer.

Healthcare Triangle hires Jason Polli, MBA (Leidos) as VP of client success.

Albany Med (NY) promotes Kristopher Kuschem MEng to VP/CIO.

Announcements and Implementations

Ascom announces GA of its Digistat clinical workflow software in North America.

Monument Health (SD) implements Healthcare Triangle’s Readable.AI technology for automated document processing.

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services launches TreatmentConnection.com, an online mental health and addiction treatment screening and provider locator available through technology developed by Bamboo Health.

Sponsor Updates

• Medcare Orthopaedics & Spine Hospital in Dubai goes live on InterSystems TrakCare.
• Jvion shares predictions for how AI will continue to shape healthcare in 2022.
• The First Coast Connect Podcast features Availity CTO Jack Hunt.
• Cerner releases a new podcast, “What does it take to be a real-time health system?”
• CHIME’s 2021 Digital Health Most Wired Trends Report reflects the rapid digital transformation of and growth in patient engagement.
• AHLA’s latest Speak of Health Law Podcast, “Legal Liabilities of Enterprise Cyber Risk Management,” features Clearwater founder and executive chairman Bob Chaput.
• KLAS Research and Arch Collaborative release a case study featuring Baptist Health and Divurgent.
• Everbridge will exhibit at the National Healthcare Coalition Preparedness Conference November 30-December 2 in Orlando.
• Fortified Health Security names Audra Barnes security compliance analyst.
• FeaturedCustomer’s “Fall 2021 Hospital Communications Software Customer Success Report” includes Halo Health as a top performer.
• Healthwise wins several Digital Health Awards.
• Visage Imaging will introduce Visage 7 Video Reports at RSNA21.

Blog Posts

• How to Respond to Negative Reviews (AdvancedMD)
• Strategies for Successful Transitional Care Management Programs (Arcadia)
• Information Integration Delivering Personalized Long-Term Care (Ascom)
• Help! One Year of the New Improved DRVS Help Section (Azara Healthcare)
• The New CMS Rule – A Step in the Right Direction for Telehealth (Bluestream)
• Confessions of a Non-Visionary Leader (CarePort)
• 7 Cybersecurity Safeguards to Mitigate Ransomware Risks (CereCore)
• Reaching Patients Along the Specialty Medication Journey: Trusting Patients (ConnectiveRx)
• PDMP: Helping Ensure Safety in Prescribing (EClinicalWorks)
• Healthcare payment predictions for 2022 (Experian Health)
• An Empathetic Pediatric Nurse, a Double DAISY Honoree (Get Well)
• The Post-modern Healthcare CIO: What It Is and How to Become One (HCI Group)
• Deliver Better Population Health by Avoiding 3 Mistakes (Health Catalyst)

Contacts

Mr. H, Lorre, Jenn, Dr. Jayne.
Get HIStalk updates.
Send news or rumors.
Contact us.

Morning Headlines 11/23/21

Athenahealth, Healthcare Technology Leader, to be Acquired by Hellman & Friedman and Bain Capital for $17 Billion

Private equity firms Bain Capital and Hellman & Friedman will acquire Athenahealth from Veritas Capital and Evergreen Coast Capital for $17 billion.

Edifecs Enters Into Definitive Agreement to Acquire Health Fidelity

Health technology and services company Edifecs will acquire Health Fidelity, which offers natural language processing-enabled risk-adjustment technologies and consulting services.

Sword Health Raises $163M and Reaches $2B Valuation as the Fastest Growing Digital MSK Company

Digital musculoskeletal care company Sword Health raises $163 million in a Series D funding round, bringing its total raised to over $300 million.

Morning Headlines 11/22/21

Bain, Hellman & Friedman Near Deal to Buy Athenahealth

The Wall Street Journal reports that two private equity firms are close to a deal to acquire Athenahealth for $17 billion, including debt.

Nuance Announces Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2021 Results

Nuance announces Q4 results: revenue up 8%, adjusted EPS $0.09 versus $0.14.

Avodah Closes $7 Million Seed Round to Scale Digital Healthcare Platform with AI Capabilities

Avodah will use a $7 million seed round to further develop its AI-powered AvodahMed technology, which includes remote pre-visit administration, patient monitoring, and care management.

CenTrak Advances Managed Services with Infinite Leap Acquisition

RTLS vendor CenTrak acquires healthcare IT consulting and managed services company Infinite Leap for an undisclosed sum.

Morning Headlines 11/19/21

Athenahealth sales process is said in final stages

Sources report that several private equity firms are vying to acquire Athenahealth in a deal that could bring sellers Veritas and Evergreen Coast Capital as much as $20 billion.

SignalFire Backs ‘Care Now, Pay Later’ Pioneer PayZen to Fuel Healthcare Affordability

Healthcare payment options platform vendor PayZen raises $15 million in a Series A round.

Tech suppliers chosen for £5bn NHS digital records framework

The UK’s NHS selects 46 companies, including Nuance, Conduent, Hyland, and 3M Modal, to provide digital document services and related hardware and software.

Medicom Technologies Closes Oversubscribed $21.8M Series B Financing

Medicom, a health information network specializing in medical image sharing, raises $21.8 million in a Series B funding round.

Morning Headlines 11/18/21

Aptihealth Raises $50 Million Series B to Scale Higher Acuity Behavioral Healthcare Services

Behavioral health telemedicine startup AptiHealth raises $50 million in a Series B round of funding, bringing its total raised to $65 million.

LifePoint Health launches health-tech incubator with $20 million seed

LifePoint Health (TN) will partner with private equity firm Apollo Global Management and venture studio 25madison to launch 25m Health, an incubator equipped with $20 million in funding.

Our Investment in MedArrive

On-demand and scheduled home healthcare company MedArrive raises $25 million in a funding round led by 7wireVentures.

Coast Guard completes MHS Genesis deployment

The US Coast Guard wraps up its nationwide rollout of MHS Genesis, the first US military service to fully implement the new Cerner software.

Morning Headlines 11/17/21

Ribbon Health Raises $43.5M Series B to Become the Leading API Data Platform in Healthcare

Ribbon Health, which has developed an API that enables health IT developers to access data on doctors, insurance plans, and costs and quality of care, raises $43.5 million.

QGenda Acquires Schedule360, Adding the Best in KLAS Nurse and Staff Scheduling Solution to its Market-Leading Healthcare Workforce Management Platform

Workforce management software vendor QGenda acquires Schedule360, which offers Best in KLAS nurse and staff scheduling software.

H1 Raises Series C

H1, which offers drug companies a platform to identify opinion leaders and to monitor the drug trials of competitors, raises $100 million in a Series C funding round.

Morning Headlines 11/16/21

Lightbeam Health Solutions Announces Acquisition of CareSignal

Population health management company Lightbeam Health Solutions will acquire remote patient monitoring vendor CareSignal for an undisclosed sum.

Videra Health Announces $3 Million in Seed Funding to Scale Patient Interactions for Behavioral Health

Mental health-focused remote patient monitoring startup Videra Health raises $3 million in a funding round led by Artis Ventures.

Amazon’s healthcare business has landed Hilton as a key customer

Hilton Worldwide Holdings will offer its employees virtual and in-person care from Amazon Care.

Morning Headlines 11/15/21

Blue Origin astronaut Glen de Vries dies in plane crash

Medidata co-founder Glen de Vries has died in a plane crash at the age of 49.

Tele911 Secures a Multimillion-Dollar Seed Round to Deploy Virtual Care into Emergency Medical Services

Tele911, a virtual care startup focused on emergency medical service triage, raises a multi-million dollar round of funding.

Rad AI Closes $25 Million Series A to Transform Radiology Workflow by Harnessing the Power of Artificial Intelligence

Radiology software vendor Rad AI raises $25 million in a Series A funding round.

Morning Headlines 11/12/21

Kansas health care app company accuses Mercy of ‘stealing’ trade secrets in new lawsuit

LifeScience Technologies sues Mercy, which it claims disclosed trade secrets about LST’s M.Care virtual care platform to telehealth competitor Myia Health.

OPKO Health Leads $5 Million Investment in HealthSnap, to Help Rapidly Scale Remote Patient Monitoring Platform to Empower Better Chronic Condition Management

Remote patient monitoring startup HealthSnap raises $5 million.

Definitive Healthcare Reports Financial Results for Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2021

Definitive Healthcare, which went public in mid-September and finished its first week of trading with shares up 81%, announces Q3 results: revenue up 43%, adjusted EBITDA flat.

Morning Headlines 11/11/21

Health Catalyst (HCAT) Reports Q3 Loss, Tops Revenue Estimates

Health Catalyst reports Q3 revenue of $61.74 million, with a quarterly loss of $0.18 per share.

Surescripts Announces Planned CEO Transition

Surescripts CEO Tom Skelton will formally step down from his role at the end of the year, but will remain with the company while his successor is found.

Oneview Healthcare raising $23 million via Canaccord

Patient engagement technology vendor Oneview Healthcare seeks to raise $23 million to expand its sales, marketing, and product development efforts.

CPSI Announces Third Quarter 2021 Results

CPSI’s Q3 revenue increases to $70.1 million, with total revenues at the nine-month mark also experiencing a bump up to $206.6 million.

Morning Headlines 11/10/21

GE Plans to Form Three Public Companies Focused on Growth Sectors of Aviation, Healthcare, and Energy

General Electric will spin off GE Healthcare, GE Aviation, and several other segments into public companies within the next two years.

Sirona Medical Secures $40M in Series B Funding to Accelerate Adoption of its Cloud-Native Radiology Operating System

Sirona Medical, a vendor of cloud-based radiology operating system software, raises $40 million in a Series B funding round.

Introducing the Truveta Platform: Unprecedented De-Identified Health Data Refreshed Daily with New COVID-19 Insights

Hospital network-owned Truveta launches its flagship clinical insights platform, giving researchers access to real-time, de-identified clinical data from care sites across the country.

Morning Headlines 11/9/21

CareCloud Reports Record Third Quarter Revenue and Net Income

MTBC subsidiary CareCloud reports record Q3 revenue of $38.3 million, a 21% increase over Q3 2020.

Cyberattack on health tech vendor QRS leads to data theft tied to 320K patients

EHR and practice management vendor QRS Healthcare Solutions announces it was the victim of a cyberattack in August that compromised a server dedicated to the patient portal of several customers.

Philips discloses TASY EMR vulnerabilities pose risk to patient data

Philips alerts end users to two vulnerabilities within its Tasy EHR that could allow hackers to extract data and potentially launch denial-of-service attacks.

Morning Headlines 11/8/21

Spok Reports 2021 Third Quarter Results

Spok reports Q3 results: revenue down 5%, EPS –$0.13 versus $0.16.

Biden nominates Kurt DelBene as chief information officer at VA

The White House nominates Kurt DelBene, MS, MBA (Microsoft) as VA assistant secretary and CIO.

It will take time to restore healthcare IT system, say Newfoundland officials

Health officials in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador say health IT systems, including its Meditech EHR, are slowly being brought back online after last weekend’s cyberattack.

Morning Headlines 11/5/21

Allscripts Announces Third Quarter 2021 Results

Allscripts announces Q3 results: revenue up 1%, adjusted EPS $0.27 versus $0.11.

Aver Raises $58 Million Investment led by Cox Enterprises and Introduces New Name, Enlace Health

Claims-based analytics vendor Aver raises $58 million and rebrands to Enlace Health to better reflect its focus on solving “the infrastructure challenges driving today’s unsustainable healthcare system.”

Change Healthcare Inc. Reports Second Quarter Fiscal 2022 Financial Results

Change Healthcare reports Q2 results: revenue up 9%, EPS –$0.11 versus –$0.13, beating earnings expectations but falling short on revenue.