Welcome to the weekly edition of Healthcare IT Today Bonus Features. This article will be a weekly roundup of interesting stories, product announcements, new hires, partnerships, research studies, awards, sales, and more. Because there’s so much happening out there in healthcare IT we aren’t able to cover in our full articles, we still want to make sure you’re informed of all the latest news, announcements, and stories happening to help you better do your job.
News
A group of six social care companies have signed an interoperability pledge from the Michigan Health Information Network. Through the pledge, the six organizations – CareAdvisors, findhelp, PCE Systems, RiverStar, Unite Us, and WellSky – commit to eliminating information silos and improving collaboration around social determinants of health initiatives through the use of open standards and data transparency.
Studies
The latest report from cloud security vendor Barracuda Networks finds that just one in six healthcare organizations have completed security implementation related to Internet of Things (IoT) or operational technology. Taking action can dramatically improve security; across all industries, 75% of companies that have completed these types of security projects reported no impact to business operations.
Polygenic risk scoring for cardiovascular disease could cut healthcare costs more than $300 million per year, according to research from genomic software company Allelica. The study found that, for every 10,000 patients screened, risk scoring can prevent a diagnosis of coronary artery disease or stroke in 29 patients. Cost savings average $40 per person screened, or $1.6 billion over a five-year period.
Partnerships
- Healthcare analytics platform Arcadia has made its research data available on AWS Data Exchange.
- Pharmacy benefits optimization vendor RxBenefits has partnered with Tria Health, a chronic condition management company, to launch the Optimize MyCare Diabetes Support Program.
- Healthcare workforce intelligence vendor Axuall has teamed up with AristaMD, which provides referral management and care transition tools.
- Data analytics platform Lucerna Health has integrated with Redpoint Global, an omnichannel patient engagement product.
- Digital patient engagement platform Equiva has partnered with LanguageLine Solutions, a provider of interpretation services.
Sales
- Northwell Health has selected eVideon, a patient engagement platform, to provide a personalized experience for patients staying at Northwell’s North Shore University Hospital.
- Geisinger Health Plan has chosen Cohere Health utilization management technology to support its value-based care and quality improvement initiatives.
- In-home physical therapy provider Luna is offering its services at UCI Health, an academic medical center based in Orange County, Calif.
- Telehealth vendor Bluestream Health has enabled virtual care for PrimaryOne Health, which operates 11 community health facilities in central Ohio.
Investments
- Minneapolis-based Engage Venture Partners has launched with a team of four investors and former healthcare startup founders. The fund also announced its first investment, supporting medical device maker Melodi Health.
- Virtual care platform Rhinogram has launched a crowdfunding investment campaign.
If you have news that you’d like us to consider for a future edition of Healthcare IT Today Bonus Features, please submit them on this page. Please include any relevant links and let us know if news is under embargo.
