Morning Headlines 11/6/20

Vermont National Guard to assist UVM Health Network

Vermont’s governor sends a National Guard cyber response team to help University of Vermont Health Network inspect each of its end-user devices for malware after a cyberattack on October 25.

Koa Health secures over €14m initial funding and spins out of Telefónica’s moonshot factory

Koa Health launches its digital mental healthcare solutions and services in the US with a $16.5 million Series A funding round.

Connected Care Pilot Program Application Window to Open on Nov. 6

The FCC will begin accepting applications on November 6 for its Connected Care Pilot Program, which will provide up to $100 million to help providers cover costs related to connectivity for telehealth programs.

Morning Headlines 11/5/20

Exclusive: Fast-growing Bridge Connector to shutter operations

The local business paper reports that health data integration vendor Bridge Connector, which announced a $25.5 million Series B round of financing several months ago, will shut down operations.

Mississippi State Medical Association launches MHAX: Mississippi Health Access Exchange

The Mississippi State Medical Association partners with the Konza Nationwide Network, an HIE operator, to launch the Mississippi Health Access Exchange.

Frazier Healthcare Partners Announces Acquisition of Accuity Delivery Systems

Investment firm Frazier Healthcare Partners finalizes its acquisition of revenue integrity and clinical documentation improvement company Accuity Delivery Systems.

Hospitals on high alert after phishing emails target executives

A number of hospitals in Massachusetts shut down email systems or put stronger filters in place after federal officials warn of phishing emails targeting executives.

Aptar Pharma Acquires the Assets of Cohero Health, a Digital Respiratory Health Company

AptarGroup acquires Cohero Health, a digital health company specializing in the management of respiratory diseases.

Morning Headlines 11/4/20

Teladoc Health Completes Merger with Livongo

Teladoc Health completes its $18.5 billion acquisition of Livongo with a valuation of $28 billion.

Louisville health care company expanding operations, creating 80 new jobs

Healthcare supply chain analytics and technology vendor Handle will add 80 new jobs to expanded operations in Kentucky.

City Health Department failed to terminate former employee’s access to protected health information

The City of New Haven in Connecticut will pay $202,400 to the HHS Office of Civil Rights to settle potential HIPAA violations related to its health department’s failure to implement employee termination procedures, enabling a former staffer to download the PHI of nearly 500 patients.

Morning Headlines 11/3/20

Health-tech startup Remedy lays off 82 employees

App-based house call and telemedicine company Remedy lays off 82 employees, many of whom were hired during the summer peak of COVID-19 patients.

WELL Health Acquires DoctorCare – the Market Leader for ‘Billing as a Service’ for Canadian Doctors

Well Health Technologies forms a new business unit, the Well Billing and Backoffice Group, through its acquisition of Toronto-based DoctorCare for $13.6 million.

Federal Health IT Strategic Plan Supports Patient Access to Their Own Health Information

HHS publishes the final 2020-2025 Federal Health IT Strategic Plan, which outlines federal health IT goals and objectives with an emphasis on giving patients easy access to their digital health information.

Morning Headlines 11/2/20

SOC Telemed Closes Business Combination and Will Begin Trading on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange

SOC Telemed completes its merger with the Healthcare Merger Corp. SPAC and will begin trading on the Nasdaq on Monday.

No End in Sight to UVM Health Network Slowdown Caused by Cyberattack

Systems at University of Vermont Health Network remain down following a cyberattack Wednesday.

Vocera Announces Third Quarter 2020 Financial Results

Vocera announces Q3 results: revenue up 6%, adjusted EPS $0.31 versus $0.23, beating Wall Street expectations for both.

Morning Headlines 10/30/20

HHS Extends Compliance Dates for Information Blocking and Health IT Certification Requirements in 21st Century Cures Act Final Rule

HHS and ONC extend compliance dates for the Cures Act information blocking provisions to April 5, 2021, while 2015 Edition health IT certification criteria updates and standard API functionality deadlines are moved out to December 31, 2022.

Allscripts Announces Third Quarter 2020 Results

Allscripts reports Q3 results: revenue down 9.6%, adjusted EPS $0.20 versus $0.17, beating earnings expectations but falling short on revenue.

KēlaHealth Raises $12.9M in Combined Seed and Series A Financing Round to Deliver AI-Powered, Clinician-Centered Solutions That Improve Surgical Care

Surgery analytics vendor KelaHealth raises $12.9 million in combined seed and Series A financing.

Cyberattack causes ‘significant’ UVM Health Network technology outage

The University of Vermont Health Network begins recovering from a cyberattack that has impacted its seven hospitals, most notably University of Vermont Medical Center.

Morning Headlines 10/29/20

Outcome Health may have found a merger partner

Outcome Health, which offers pharma-backed advertising software for waiting and exam rooms, is reportedly in talks to merge with competitor PatientPoint in a deal that could value the combined company at $600 million.

Mayo Clinic, Google launch AI initiative for radiation therapy

Mayo Clinic and Google Health partner to develop algorithms that will improve the treatment of patients undergoing radiation therapy for head and neck cancers.

Cerner Reports Third Quarter 2020 Results in Line with Company Expectations

Cerner meets Q3 revenue and beats earnings expectations; and announces the impending departure of EVP and CFO Marc Naughton.

Morning Headlines 10/28/20

Human API raises $20 million to standardize health records with AI

Health data standardization and sharing startup Human API raises $20 million in a Series C round that brings its total raised to $36.6 million.

Harris acquires UK-based maternity ward software provider K2 Medical Systems

Harris acquires UK-based maternity ward software vendor K2 Medical Systems.

Fitbit CEO reveals the company’s plan to conquer fitness wearables and telemedicine

Fitbit co-founder and CEO James Park hints at the wearables company’s telemedicine plans, saying that adding a virtual visit benefit could be key to bolstering its subscription service.

3 St. Lawrence County hospitals hit by ransomware

St. Lawrence Health System (NY) diverts some ambulances to Gouverneur Hospital as it recovers from a ransomware attack on three of its hospitals early Tuesday morning.

Morning Headlines 10/27/20

Lux Health Tech Acquisition Corp. Announces Launch of $300 Million Initial Public Offering

Newly formed blank-check company Lux Health Tech Acquisition launches a $300 million IPO in hopes of eventually merging with or acquiring a health IT company.

Unlike many employers, Athenahealth hiring

Athenahealth plans to hire 100 employees at its office in Belfast, Maine to fulfill positions in analytics, customer support, medical coding, and operations.

Health Assurance Acquisition Corp. Announces Filing of S-1

Backed by former Livongo executives, blank-check company Health Assurance Acquisition prepares for an IPO.

Morning Headlines 10/26/20

VA marking milestone with initial EHR rollout, but long-term road ahead still unclear

Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center (WA) goes live on Cerner as the VA’s first implementation site.

Symplr To Acquire TractManager

Healthcare governance, risk management, and compliance software vendor Symplr acquires TractManager, which offers solutions for contracting, sourcing, and provider management.

ChristianaCare Builds One of the First Alexa Skills in the U.S. Exclusively for Home Health Patients

ChristianaCare’s Health & Technology Innovation Center develops Home Care Coach, an Alexa skill patients can use to access custom care plans developed by their physicians.

SOC Telemed and HCMC Announce Customer Commitment to Invest in PIPE

Bon Secours Mercy Health will make a private investment in the business combination that will take acute care telemedicine provider SOC Telemed public in early November.

BridgeHealth Merges with Transcarent; Completes $40 Million Series A Funding

BridgeHealth, which guides employees of self-insured companies to cost-effective surgery providers, merges with healthcare consumer information platform vendor Transcarent as part of its $40 million Series A funding round.

Morning Headlines 10/23/20

TIBCO Announces Agreement to Acquire Information Builders, Inc.

Analytics vendor Tibco Software will acquire competitor Information Builders, parent company of data analytics business Omni-HealthData, for an undisclosed price.

Loyal Announces $12.5 Million Round Led by Concord Health Partners

Chatbot and provider search technology vendor Loyal raises $12.5 million in a Series A funding round.

Senior leadership announcement

Teladoc Health announces the team that will run the company following the completion of its acquisition of Livongo, all but one of them coming from Teladoc.

Cohere Health Closes Additional $10 Million in Funding to Accelerate Delivery of Patient Journey Platform for Better Healthcare Quality and Outcomes

Cohere Health raises $10 million in a Series A funding extension, increasing its total to $20 million.

Morning Headlines 10/22/20

Oula Launches with $3.2 Million in Seed Financing to Build a Modern Maternity Center

Maternity care company Oula will use $3.2 million in seed funding to open a prenatal clinic and birthing center, and develop and offer collaborative care models as well as app-based virtual coaching and monitoring.

RLDatix Acquires Verge Health, Creating Largest Safety-Led Compliance and Credentialing Software Platform Specifically Designed for Healthcare

Patient safety solutions vendor RLDatix acquires provider credentialing software company Verge Health for an undisclosed amount.

Austin-based Verifiable raises $3 million for its API toolkit to verify healthcare credentials

Verifiable raises $3 million to further develop its API that automates real-time credentialing verifications and compliance monitoring for more than 50,000 healthcare providers.

Morning Headlines 10/21/20

LabCorp Transforms the Clinical Trial Experience And Streamlines the Drug Development Process

LabCorp will use the capabilities of its recently acquired mobile nursing provider GlobalCare and remote clinical trials software vendor SnapIoT to connect patients with its Covance drug development contract research organization business.

Netsmart Acquires Tellus: Adds Seamless Electronic Visit Verification Capabilities and Enhancements to the Netsmart Population Health Management Offering

Netsmart acquires Tellus, an electronic visit verification and claims processing company that is focused on home health, long-term care, and human and state services.

eVisit Closes $14 Million in Series A Funding Led by TVC Capital

Virtual care company EVisit wraps up a $14 million Series A round of financing led by TVC Capital, bringing its total raised to just over $25 million.

Morning Headlines 10/20/20

WhiteSpace Health Announces Plans to Accelerate Growth and Expand its Product Offerings

WhiteSpace Health will use an undisclosed amount of new funding to further scale its RCM and practice analytics offerings and expand its sales and marketing team.

Tampa General Hospital Uses BMC Automated Data Solution to Collaborate with Hospitals and Fight COVID-19

Tampa General Hospital uses software from BMC to provide a dashboard view of real-time, COVID-19-related data from 51 hospitals through the Florida West Coast Regional Data Exchange.

Twentyeight Health Raises $5.1M to Expand Access to Reproductive Healthcare for Underserved Communities

Birth control prescription delivery startup Twentyeight Health raises a $5.1 million seed funding round led by Third Prime.

Morning Headlines 10/19/20

Allscripts Software, LLC v. CarePortMD, LLC

Allscripts files a trademark lawsuit against telemedicine and urgent care startup CarePortMD, claiming the market could confuse its name with CarePort Health, which Allscripts is selling to WellSky.

HST Pathways, healthcare software provider, approaches sale

Sources report that ambulatory surgery center software vendor HST Pathways is nearing a sale of the company.

Surgical Information Systems Secures Growth Investment from Accel-KKR

Private equity firm Accel-KKR makes a majority investment in Surgical Information Systems, which offers anesthesia information management systems and perioperative software to hospitals and ASCs.

Morning Headlines 10/16/20

WiserCare closes $3.6M financing round, led by UnityPoint Health Ventures

Shared decision-making platform vendor WiserCare raises $3.6 million, increasing its total to $9 million.

Philips seeks buyer for Philips Lifeline

Philips is reportedly seeking a buyer for its Lifeline personal emergency response business, which it acquired in 2006 for $750 million.

Trump Administration Drives Telehealth Services in Medicaid and Medicare

CMS expands the list of telehealth services that Medicare will pay for during the pandemic.

98point6 nabs $118 million for its AI-powered telemedicine platform

Text-based telemedicine company 98point6 raises $118 million in a funding round led by L Catterton and Activant Capital.

Morning Headlines 10/15/20

Clearwave Elevates the Patient Experience with the Acquisition of Odoro

Patient intake and eligibility verification vendor Clearwave acquires Odoro, a patient scheduling and engagement company, for an undisclosed amount.

Federal Electronic Health Record Connects With More Community Partners

The DoD, VA, and US Coast Guard add 15,000 facilities to their joint HIE after connecting to the CommonWell network, bringing the total number of connected facilities to 61,000.

Navina completes Seed investment round of $7 Million to solve the healthcare crisis using Artificial Intelligence, starting with primary care

Navina, an Israeli startup focused on using AI to help physicians better organize and assess patient data, raises a $7 million seed funding round led by Grove Ventures.

JLL Partners Announces Acquisition of MedeAnalytics

Confirming earlier reports, private equity firm JLL Partners acquires MedeAnalytics for an undisclosed amount.