Bonus Features – July 2, 2023 – Nuance and Epic integrate, 5 in 6 physicians say telemedicine improves continuity of care, news from HFMA, and more

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 and Research

• HHS and the Office of Inspector General released the final rule implementing information blocking penalties, with fines of up to $1 million per violation for vendors and HIE entities. Penalties for providers have yet to be determined. The rules will go into effect 60 days after the rule is published in the Federal Register.
• The FCC is updating its Mapping Broadband Health in America platform to incorporate maternal health data, with the aim of identifying whether Internet connectivity is tied to disparities in maternal health outcomes and determining where interventions could have the greatest impact.
• According to the latest State of Telemedicine Report from Doximity, 83% of physicians said telemedicine improves continuity of care for patients with chronic conditions, and a similar percentage of patients said they plan to maintain or increase their use of telemedicine in the future.
• A TigerConnect and Becker’s Healthcare survey of medical and nursing leaders found that two-thirds of healthcare organizations aren’t analyzing clinical workflows and 39% view the effectiveness of their clinical communication as “neutral.”
• Sixty percent of the patients that health systems refer for physical therapy go to a clinic outside the system’s network, according to a report from Luna. This network leakage costs systems up to $3,000 per patient.
• Genetic tests make up just 10% of all lab tests performed but account for 30% of all spending on lab tests, according to a report from Avalon Healthcare Solutions.
• More than half (57%) of homecare agency leaders said investing in technology will help address business goals such as ensuring compliance, reducing costs, and retaining employees, according to survey from HHAeXchange.
• A Waystar and HFMA survey found that 80% of healthcare finance leaders see a need for denials management process improvement.
• Median hospital margins rose for the third straight month, according to the latest report from Syntellis.

Partnerships

• Nuance and Epic have expanded their collaboration and launched DAX Express for Epic, a version of Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience Express now integrated within Epic workflows.
• Medical imaging calibration software from Double Black Imaging is now bundled with LG LCD medical monitors.
• Care coordination company Quantum Health is partnering with Progyny to expand access to fertility and family planning benefits.
• Medical device risk management platform Asimily is integrating with HANDLE Global‘s Capital Cycle Management product.

Products

• Chronic condition data company OM1 released OM1 Aspen, an automated study platform for evidence generation.
• MRO released Payer Exchange to automate patient information request and fulfillment process between providers and payers.
• Navina released a generative AI assistant for primary care practices.
• Vital updated its video-based patient education offerings to provide automatic recommendations for patients in ER and inpatient settings.
• Syntellis launched Axiom Referral Patterns to help networks identify sources of revenue leakage.
• Qardio released Livestream ECG, which provides physicians with real-time ECG readings.

Sales

• Texas A&M University Health Science Center chose Let’s Talk to provide tele-behavioral care to underserved populations in the state.
• HealtHIE Georgia selected Unite Us to connect patients with community services through its partnership with HOPE for a Drug-Free Stephens, a nonprofit for opioid awareness.
• TheTexas Department of State Health Services is tapping SAS to track flu data statewide.
• Tampa-based TGH Urgent Care chose LivePerson to implement conversational AI into its interactive voice response system.
• Five community health systems implemented Oracle Health CommunityWorks, with four based in Texas and the fifth in Mississippi.
• Boston-based Hebrew SeniorLife implemented MEDITECH Expanse.
• Community Health Northwest Florida implemented eClinicalWorks EHR.

News from HFMA

• Fifteen organizations earned a 2023 HFMA MAP Award for High Performance in Revenue Cycle. HFMA recognized health systems, individual hospitals, and physician practices, with Kentucky’s Graves-Gilbert Clinic the lone repeat winner among the group.
• HFMA also presented two individual achievement awards: Kenneth Stoll, Vice President of Strategic Accounts at RevSpring, and James L. Heffernan, former senior vice president of finance and treasurer of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization.
• In addition, HFMA appointed Mayo Clinic Chief Financial Officer Dennis E. Dahlen as Chair of the Board of Directors, effective June 1. New board members were announced as well, representing Trinity Health, Froedtert Health, and MedStar Health.

Certifications

• Enterprise operations software maker symplr received HITRUST Certification for three products: symplr Payer, symplr Contract, and symplr Clinical Communications.
• Cotiviti’s Quality Intelligence received NCQA Certified Measures Status for HEDIS for 2023.

Awards

• Healthcare was well represented among the 2023 AI Breakthrough Awards, with IQVIA named the best AI solution for healthcare, Cleerly named a best overall AI solution, and Nuance named the best overall AI company.
• Black Book Research released its latest RCM vendor rankings, with Axiom and Waystar earning top rankings in multiple software categories.

People

• Capacity management software vendor DexCare appointed Robin Borg as Chief People Officer.
• Clinical trial simulation company QuantHealth appointed David Dornstreich as Chief Commercial Officer and General Manager of U.S. operations.
• Care management software maker Laguna Health named Evelyn Daniels as Vice President of Business Development.
• Cost management software vendor MultiPlan appointed John Prince to its Board of Directors; he’s the former President and Chief Operating Officer at Optum.
• Value-based care platform Privia Health Group appointed Adam Boehler to its Board of Directors, effective July 1.

Happy Independence Day to our American readers, and Happy Canada Day to our friends in the Great White North!

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. Note that submissions received after the close of business on Thursday may not be included in Bonus Features until the following week.