Morning Headlines 12/31/21

Rhode Island attorney general reviewing RIPTA’s response to cyberattack

Rhode Island Public Transit Authority reports that thousands of medical records that were exposed in a breach were of people with no connection to RIPTA, which it blames on an insurer that sent someone else’s files.

Cybersecurity incident on Dec. 17

The president of Capital Region Medical Center (MO) warns of long ED wait times and overloaded phone lines as it recovers from a December 17 cybersecurity incident.

How telemedicine ruined a physician’s career

An anonymous physician who has done independent telehealth contracting work for 10 years says than the actions of an unnamed telehealth vendor have forced him to think about leaving medicine.

Morning Headlines 12/30/21

Billing software error leaks info of 1,600 Advocate Aurora patients

The health system says that a billing software error sent the billing statements of 1,600 patients to a single patient’s address, but the mail did not arrive at its destination.

Healthcare IT vet Paramore retiring from OptimizeRx

Miriam Paramore, who has been in health IT for 37 years, retires as president and chief strategy officer of OptimizeRx.

Information on the current situation — Update December 29, 2021 02:30pm CET

CompuGroup Medical says the “vast majority” of its customer systems are up and running as the company implemented its backup infrastructure.

Morning Headlines 12/29/21

Idea of national patient IDs revives privacy fight

Politico reports that even though the Senate has removed its HHS funding ban of a national patient identifier, political roadblocks remain and an ONC report that summaries its risks and benefits is overdue.

CES 2022: Amid COVID surge, AMD and OnePlus drop out, joining Microsoft, Google, Intel

The Las Vegas consumer electronics show faces big-exhibitor pullout, news sites cancelling onsite coverage, and the likelihood of far smaller attendance than the previous 2020 show that drew 170,000.

All 695 hospitals, clinics of railways connected through software

All Indian Railways facilities have been connected to Hospital Management Information System.

Morning Headlines 12/24/21

EU clears Microsoft-Nuance without conditions

The EU’s competition regulator says it has no anti-competitive concerns with the deal.

Digital Health Technologies for Remote Data Acquisition in Clinical Investigations

FDA publishes draft guidance on using digital health technology to acquire data remotely from clinical investigation participants.

FDA’s Policy Changes for COVID-19 At-Home Diagnostics—Implications for Addressing Other Infectious Diseases and Future Pandemics

Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD says in a JAMA Forum article that at-home diagnostic tests may be the most enduring technological innovation of the pandemic, so it will be critical to connect those tests with telemedicine to reduce office visits and increase access to care.

Morning Headlines 12/23/21

Technical failure — Update December 22, 2021 08:30pm CET

CompuGroup Medical reports that it was been hit by “a so-called ransomware attack” on Tuesday morning whose effects have continued.

HFRI Changes Name to ParaRev; Move Reflects Expanded Revenue Cycle Capabilities

Healthcare accounts receivable recovery and resolution management company Healthcare Financial Resources changes its name to ParaRev.

Transition Plan for Medical Devices Issued Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency

FDA issues draft guidance for medical device manufacturers that are selling products approved under EUAs on how to transition to normal approvals once EUAs are discontinued.

Morning Headlines 12/22/21

Oracle’s Cerner Purchase Prompts a Trio of Debt-Downgrade Warnings

Several investment firms and bond ratings organizations downgrade Oracle’s shares and debt due to the cash requirements and possible lack of strategic value in acquiring Cerner for $28 billion in cash.

Oracle’s $30 billion Cerner deal is about more than health care records. It’s about AI.

A privacy advocate worries how Oracle, which runs the world’s largest third-party data marketplace, will use Cerner’s EHR data after the acquisition.

AccessOne Acquires CueSquared

Patient financial solutions vendor AccessOne acquires patient payments platform vendor CueSquared.

Morning Headlines 12/21/21

Oracle Buys Cerner

Oracle will acquire Cerner for $28 billion in an all-cash deal, describing the company as a “revenue growth engine” whose business it will expand globally.

GAO Makes Appointments to the Health Information Technology Advisory Committee

GAO appoints seven new members to HITAC, established by the Cures Act to provide recommendations to ONC.

AliveCor Lists its Industry-leading KardiaMobile 6L in Epic’s App Orchard Marketplace

AliveCor integrates its six-lead personal ECG device with Epic.

Morning Headlines 12/20/21

‘The Charges Seem Crazy’: Hospitals Impose a ‘Facility Fee’ — For a Video Visit

KHN reports that Yale New Haven Health System charged a separate facility fee of $50 to $350 for virtual visits.

SoftBank-Backed Mental Health Unicorn Cerebral Reneged On Salaries And Health Insurance For Hundreds Of Therapists

The mental health startup, valued at $4.8 billion in a recent investment, is accused of making more than 200 salaried therapists hourly and tying their ability to buy benefits contingent on hitting quotas.

Cerner Shares Surge On Reports Of $30 Billion Oracle Takeover Bid

CERN shares rose sharply Friday as investors reacted to a report that Oracle is in final talks to acquire the company for $30 billion.

Morning Headlines 12/17/21

Oracle in Talks to Buy Cerner

The Wall Street Journal reports that software giant Oracle is in talks to acquire Cerner in a deal that could be worth $30 billion.

Ophelia Raises $50 Million Series B Led by Tiger Global to Expand Its Novel Approach to Opioid Addiction Treatment

Ophelia, which connects opioid users in 11 states to moonlighting providers who prescribe Suboxone via video visits for $195 per month, raises $50 million in a Series B funding round.

Qualifacts + Credible Acquires InSync Healthcare Solutions

Behavioral health EHR vendor Qualifacts + Credible acquires InSync Healthcare Solutions, a Florida–based company that offers EHR, practice management, and RCM technologies.

Morning Headlines 12/16/21

Innovaccer Raises $150 Million Series E Round at $3.2 Billion Valuation, Continues Rapid Growth Trajectory

Analytics and interoperability vendor Innovaccer raises $150 million in a funding round that brings its total raised to $375 million.

Cloudmed Acquires par8o, Advances 340B Discovery Capabilities for Healthcare Providers

RCM company Cloudmed acquires provider referral management technology vendor Par80.

Embold Health Raises $20M in Series B Led by Echo Health Ventures

Physician performance analytics company Embold Health raises $20 million in a Series B investment round, bringing its total funding to $50 million.

Ensemble Health Partners, in Partnership with Caduceus Capital Partners, Leads Series A Round for Janus Health

Revenue cycle automation startup Janus Health raises $8 million in a Series A funding round.

Morning Headlines 12/15/21

Shannon Hospital caught in crossfire of ransomware attack on tech giant, payroll software

Shannon Medical Center (TX) reverts to downtime payroll procedures after payroll and workforce management software vendor Kronos experiences a ransomware attack.

XIFIN Expands into Pharmacy Market with Acquisition of OmniSYS

Health IT and RCM vendor Xifin acquires retail pharmacy software company OmniSys for an undisclosed amount.

Cadence Raises $100 Million to Build the Infrastructure of the Future for Health Systems

Remote patient monitoring and virtual care company Cadence raises $100 million in a Series B funding round.

Morning Headlines 12/14/21

Middleton’s Pivotal Health snags $1.3M investment, seeks another $10M

App-based house call company Pivotal Heath raises $1.3 million in an investment round it hopes will eventually include another $10 million.

Phreesia Announces Acquisition of Insignia Health, LLC, Redoubling Its Commitment to Improve Patients’ Experience and Outcomes

Patient intake technology company Phreesia acquires Insignia Health, developer of the Patient Activation Measure program.

Healthcare Triangle (HCTI) Acquires DevCool, an Electronic Health Record Focused Healthcare IT and Managed Services Company

Healthcare Triangle acquires EHR and managed services company DevCool to add large health systems and IDNs to its customer portfolio.

Morning Headlines 12/13/21

CVS Health maps out path to steer into primary care delivery

CVS Health will add primary care centers that offer in-person care and telemedicine services to several hundred of its locations.

Weak defenses made cyberattack on Irish hospitals easy, experts find

Analysis finds that Ireland’s national health service was unprepared for a May ransomware attack that crippled its services after an employee clicked a malicious Excel email attachment.

Reveleer Secures $65 Million To Expand Capabilities To Deliver End-To-End Data Analytics Platform To Healthcare Payers

Health plan member and provider analytics vendor Reveleer raises $65 million in a venture funding round.

Morning Headlines 12/10/21

ConnectiveRx Acquires Rx Savings Assistant® from Medicom Digital

Medication access company ConnectiveRx acquires digital prescription savings software vendor Rx Savings Assistant.

Claroty raises $400M to protect ‘cyber-physical’ systems such as IoT and industrial

Industrial IoT security platform vendor Claroty will use $400 million in new Series E funding to acquire healthcare IoT vendor Medigate.

Grand Rounds, now Included Health, is gearing up for an IPO in early 2022

Included Health, formerly Grand Rounds and Doctor on Demand, is reportedly planning an IPO for the first half of 2022.

ChronWell Secures $6m Funding Round

Digital care management company ChronWell raises $6 million, bringing its total funding to just over $13 million.

Morning Headlines 12/9/21

Robin Raises $50 Million to Empower Physicians and Remove Barriers to Health

AI-powered medical scribe vendor Robin raises $50 million in a Series B funding round, bringing its total raised to $65 million.

Cerebral Raises $300 Million in Series C Funding to Democratize Mental Health

Online mental healthcare company Cerebral raises $300 million in a Series C funding round, bringing its total raised to $462 million.

Pair Team Secures $7.3 Million in Funding to Build Primary Care Infrastructure for Medicaid and Underserved Populations

Pair Team, which offers community health centers tech-enabled care teams and digital assistants, raises $7.3 million.

Quartet Health Acquires InnovaTel Telepsychiatry, Making Shared Vision of Speed to Quality Mental Health Care for All a Reality

Mental healthcare company Quartet Health acquires InnovaTel Telepsychiatry following a $60 million investment led by Independence Health Group.

Morning Headlines 12/8/21

‘Veterans here are tired of being guinea pigs’: After more than a year, new health record system still causing problems at Spokane VA hospital

Providers and patients recount numerous issues with the VA’s implementation of Cerner at Mann-Grandstaff Medical Center in Spokane, WA.

BDO USA, LLP Expands Management Advisory Services in Healthcare with the Addition of Culbert Healthcare Solutions, Inc.

Accounting and advisory firm BDO USA acquires 90-employee Culbert Healthcare Solutions.

Suki Announces $55 Million Series C Funding Round

Healthcare voice AI vendor Suki raises $55 million in a Series C funding round that values the business at $400 million.

Veritas Explores Sale of Health IT Firm Cotiviti

Private equity firm Veritas, which sold Athenahealth last month for $17 billion, is reportedly considering selling payer-focused health IT vendor Cotiviti instead of taking it public.

Morning Headlines 12/7/21

Well Health Provides Update on the Organic Growth of its Virtual Services Business, and announces Tuck-in Acquisition of CognisantMD’s Ocean Platform, Canada’s Leader in Patient Engagement Technology and eReferral Software

Well Health Technologies acquires CognisantMD, a Canadian developer of patient engagement and referral software, for nearly $14 million.

HealthStream Acquires Rievent Technologies

Healthcare learning management and performance software vendor HealthStream has acquired Rievent Technologies and its CME/CE management applications for $4 million in cash.

Lyn Health Emerges from Stealth to Pioneer New Care Model for Polychronic Patients

Lyn Health launches with funding from Summer VC to offer patients with chronic conditions access to virtual care and support services.