Morning Headlines 1/11/22

R1 RCM to Acquire Cloudmed, Creating the Strategic Revenue Partner for Healthcare Providers

R1 RCM will acquire competitor Cloudmed for $4.1 billion.

BayMark Poised To Innovate Addiction Telemedicine Services Via Technology Company Acquisition

Behavioral health provider BayMark Health Services (TX) has acquired online addiction treatment vendor Kaden Health.

Celo Health Announces Opening of U.S. Headquarters in Seattle

Celo Health, a healthcare messaging app developer based in New Zealand, opens its US headquarters in Seattle.

Morning Headlines 1/10/22

Qlik files for IPO six years after being taken private for $3B

Thoma Bravo-owned analytics and data services company Qlik files for an IPO, with date, number of shares, and pricing yet to be determined.

Missouri’s CRMC brings network back online, 3 weeks after cyberattack

Capital Region Medical Center (MO) brings its systems back online after a December 17 cyberattack.

Maryland health workers, lawmakers want answers as problems persist a month after cyberattack

A December 4 cyberattack on the Maryland health department’s systems continues to impede staffers, including clinicians, from accessing several systems.

Morning Headlines 1/7/22

Stryker announces definitive agreement to acquire Vocera Communications

Stryker, a global medical technology company, will acquire digital care coordination and communications vendor Vocera in a deal worth $3 billion.

Aetion acquires synthetic data trailblazer Replica Analytics

Life sciences real-world evidence vendor Aetion acquires Replica Analytics, which generates privacy-protected copies of real world data.

B3 Group Acquired by Octo

Federal IT contractor Octo acquires B3 Group, which offers low code/no-code software development and holds a $686 million contract to develop the VA’s Digital Transformation Center.

Morning Headlines 1/6/22

Castlight Health and Vera Whole Health to Combine to Pioneer and Scale Value-Based Care in Commercial Market

Primary care company Vera Whole Health will acquire health data and benefits navigation technology company Castlight Health in a deal valued at $370 million.

Babylon Acquires Higi to Extend its Digital-First Healthcare Platform to Millions of People in the U.S.

Global digital health company Babylon acquires health kiosk vendor Higi.

Kiddo Announces $16M in Growth Investment to Address the Growing Need for Remote Patient Monitoring and Care Coordination for At-Risk Children

Pediatrics-focused remote patient monitoring vendor Kiddo raises $16 million in a Series A funding round led by Vive Collective.

Scoop: IBM tries to sell Watson Health again

After potential sale efforts floundered in early 2021, IBM is once again fielding offers for its Watson Health business.

Morning Headlines 1/5/22

Symplr to Acquire Midas Health Analytics Solutions from Conduent

Symplr will acquire Midas Health Analytics Solutions from Conduent for $340 million in cash.

Waymark closes $45M Series A to improve healthcare access and outcomes among Medicaid beneficiaries

Waymark, which supports Medicaid primary care providers with technology-enabled community care teams, raises $45 million in a Series A funding round.

Growth Continues for Carenet Health with Acquisition of Access-to-Care Innovator, OpenMed

Consumer engagement and telehealth solutions vendor Carenet Health acquires healthcare collaboration platform vendor OpenMed.

Morning Headlines 1/4/22

Jury finds Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes guilty on multiple charges in criminal fraud trial

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has been found guilty on four of 11 charges in her criminal fraud trial.

DispatchHealth Acquires Dynamic Mobile Imaging Becoming One of the Nation’s Largest Mobile Imaging Providers

On-demand house call company DispatchHealth acquires mobile medical imaging vendor Dynamic Mobile Imaging for an undisclosed sum.

Huron Closes Acquisition of Perception Health

Global consulting firm Huron will incorporate newly-acquired predictive analytics vendor Perception Health into its healthcare operations segment.

Kiira Health raises $4M to transform healthcare for young women.

Virtual women’s health clinic Kiira Health raises $4 million in seed funding.

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.