What You Should Know: 

– CLEW, a provider of clinical intelligence and predictive surveillance, has announced the general availability of its FDA-cleared AI platform. 

– The FDA-cleared AI platform empowers healthcare providers with the ability to identify patients at risk of deterioration up to eight hours earlier than traditional methods.

Early Warning System for Better Patient Care

CLEW’s platform leverages machine learning-derived prediction models to analyze patient data and forecast potential health decline. This allows for proactive intervention, leading to:

• Reduced Mortality Rates
• Decreased Complications
• Fewer Readmissions

Benefits for Caregivers and Patients

The platform goes beyond simply providing insights. It also offers:

• Built-in Best Practice Protocols: Customizable protocols allow healthcare systems to integrate their own established procedures, ensuring consistent care delivery.
• Tailored Alerts: The “NotifyMe” solution delivers targeted alerts for critical situations, minimizing information overload for caregivers.
• Clinician-Centric Tools: Features like the real-time patient worklist, developed in collaboration with nurses, reduce fatigue and streamline workflows.

Real-World Success and Reduced Alarm Fatigue

A recent study published in CHEST Journal showcased the platform’s effectiveness. CLEW’s predictions were found to be:

• Five times more accurate than alerts from a leading telemedicine system.
• Generate 50 times fewer alarms than other monitoring systems.

This translates to less time spent managing false alarms and more time focused on direct patient care.

“As we navigate the complexities of modern healthcare, AI-derived systems emerge as a beacon of innovation, transforming our approach to care delivery,” Paul Roscoe, CLEW CEO shared. “When delivered with meticulous regulatory oversight, AI can unlock new possibilities for precision medicine, early detection, and personalized treatments. Our commitment to integrating AI-driven prediction models into healthcare reflects our dedication to enhancing patient outcomes, driving efficiencies, and ultimately, saving lives.”

What You Should Know: 

– UnitedHealth Group, the parent company of the Optum health services division, announced the closure of its Optum Virtual Care business, Endpoints News first reports. Optum Virtual Care offered 24/7 access to virtual consultations with board-certified physicians and nurse practitioners across all 50 states. 

– On April 18th, Optum Virtual Care employees were informed of the shutdown, with some reportedly having last days in July according to a Seeking Alpha article referencing Endpoints News. A UnitedHealth Group spokesperson confirmed the closure via email to news outlets, emphasizing their commitment to supporting affected team members with job placement opportunities within the company.

What You Should Know: 

– Owlet, a provider of smart infant monitoring technology, announced a strategic partnership with Wheel, a prominent virtual healthcare provider. 

– The partnership empowers Wheel’s network of clinicians to prescribe Owlet’s BabySat, an FDA-cleared infant pulse oximeter. This innovative device, featuring a comfortable sock design, allows caregivers to effectively monitor their baby’s health vitals at home. This collaboration fosters closer collaboration between parents and healthcare providers, ensuring optimal newborn care.

Addressing Critical Needs

Each year, over 450,000 babies transition home from neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) in the US alone. Additionally, congenital heart disease (CHD) affects 40,000 newborns annually, and an estimated 58,000-80,000 children under five require hospitalization due to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Streamlined Access and Reimbursement

The BabySat virtual telehealth platform, powered by Wheel, simplifies access to this vital monitoring tool. The platform integrates with durable medical equipment (DME) suppliers, facilitating insurance billing and potentially offering up to 100% reimbursement for BabySat. This streamlined process significantly reduces the time and effort required for families to secure the device and receive insurance or HSA/FSA reimbursement.

“We’re thrilled to announce our strategic partnership with Owlet, a leader in smart infant monitoring. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in our mission to expand healthcare access and simplify care delivery for all Americans — especially for growing families,” said Wheel CEO, Michelle Davey. “Wheel’s virtual care platform helps streamline access to home monitoring, making Owlet’s BabySat pulse oximeter more convenient for new parents than ever before.

What You Should Know: 

– Sunstone Partners, a leading private equity firm, has announced a strategic investment in Accuhealth, a prominent healthcare technology company. 

– The investment aims to propel Accuhealth’s rapid growth and empower them to expand their remote patient monitoring (RPM) and chronic care management (CCM) solutions.

A Focus on Simplifying Remote Patient Care

Accuhealth offers a comprehensive suite of hardware, software, and clinical monitoring solutions for RPM and CCM. Their focus lies in simplifying this technology for both healthcare providers and patients, ultimately enhancing primary physician care delivery.

The cornerstone of Accuhealth’s solution is providing real-time access to patient vitals. This empowers physicians to:

• Improve patient outcomes by proactively monitoring trends and identifying potential health issues early on.
• Enhance patient experience through more informed care decisions and potentially fewer in-person appointments.
• Reduce overall healthcare costs by preventing complications and hospital readmissions.

“We are thrilled to welcome Sunstone Partners as a strategic partner in our journey to redefine healthcare through innovation,” said Stephen Samson, CEO and Co-Founder of Accuhealth. “This investment marks a pivotal moment for Accuhealth, enabling us to accelerate our growth trajectory and further enhance our RPM and CCM solutions. With Sunstone Partners’ support, we are poised to drive greater value for our clients, attract top talent, and ultimately improve patient outcomes. Together, we will continue to lead the way in revolutionizing the delivery of healthcare.”

What You Should Know:

• Xealth, a pioneer in facilitating digital health on a large scale, revealed today that Children’s Wisconsin, the sole independent healthcare system in Wisconsin focused solely on children’s health, has adopted Xealth’s digital health platform system wide. This integration allows care teams to virtually connect with pediatric patients’ post-hospital discharge through Locus Health’s remote patient monitoring (RPM) solution.
• Children’s Wisconsin, Wisconsin’s exclusive independent healthcare system dedicated solely to children’s health, has implemented Xealth’s digital health platform across its system. This initiative enables seamless virtual connectivity between care teams and pediatric patients after hospital discharge, utilizing Locus Health’s remote patient monitoring (RPM) solution.

Transforming Pediatric Care: Xealth and Children’s Wisconsin Forge Pathways with Digital Health Solutions

Extended hospital stays following a procedure impose significant stress on children and their families. With an initial emphasis on cardiology, enteral feeding, and patients with tracheostomy vents, Children’s Wisconsin is harnessing Locus Health’s pediatric RPM solution, facilitated through Xealth’s digital health platform. This strategy aims to augment the hospital’s capacity to monitor specific pediatric patients post-discharge, facilitating personalized care plans, prompt interventions, and improved outcomes for young patients. Integration into the EHR streamlines the program into clinical workflows, ensuring care teams have immediate access to crucial health data.

Utilizing Xealth’s digital health platform to consolidate digital health assets and tools within the EHR, Children’s Wisconsin’s care teams can electronically order, monitor, and assess the utilization of these resources, fostering transparency in program adoption and effectiveness.

In March 2023, Xealth and Children’s Wisconsin disclosed the healthcare system’s adoption of Xealth’s digital health platform across its entirety to incorporate patient education and tailored content into care team workflows. This facilitates swifter and more convenient dissemination of consistent communications across locations, granting patients and their families timely access to trustworthy information.

“Having the ability to monitor our patients once they leave the hospital is remarkable. Our use of this platform and solution is in the early days, and we are already seeing improved outcomes — from avoiding an unnecessary emergency room visit, to being able to wean from the ventilator faster, or have a feeding tube removed sooner,” said Kimberly Cronsell, MD, associate chief medical officer and medical director for Digital Health & Experience for Children’s Wisconsin. “This is helping us provide better care to our patients, amplify our parents’ and caregivers’ ability to care for their children, streamline provider and care team workflows, and ultimately, improve clinical outcomes.”

What You Should Know: 

– Augmedix (AUGX), a leader in AI-powered medical documentation, and Andor Health, a cloud-based platform for virtual care communication, have announced a strategic partnership to streamline workflows and improve patient care. 

– The strategic integration aims to revolutionize virtual care by leveraging ambient AI to automate note creation within the Andor Health platform, ThinkAndor®.

Focus on Clinician Efficiency and Patient Care

Augmedix’s AI technology will automatically generate medical notes during virtual consultations within ThinkAndor®. This frees up valuable time for clinicians, allowing them to focus on patient interaction and diagnosis. By streamlining documentation processes, clinicians can dedicate more time to each patient, potentially leading to improved patient outcomes.

Powering the Collaboration: ThinkAndor® and Augmedix

The integration leverages the strengths of both platforms:

• ThinkAndor® by Andor Health: Offers AI-powered communication tools and real-time insights from electronic medical records (EMRs) to support efficient virtual consultations.
• Augmedix Platform: Utilizes ambient AI to convert natural conversations between clinicians and patients into structured medical notes within seconds of the virtual visit.

The Role of Google Cloud MedLM

The collaboration will also leverage Google Cloud MedLM, a suite of AI models specifically designed for the healthcare industry. MedLM’s capabilities will further enhance the accuracy and efficiency of the AI-generated medical notes.

“This integration demonstrates Augmedix’s commitment to serve the broadest spectrum of specialties and care settings within the market,” said Manny Krakaris, CEO of Augmedix. “The Andor-Augmedix approach is focused on unobtrusive integration wherein the ambient documentation is part of the native virtual workflow and end-user experience paradigm. Deep integration will also enable optimized upstream audio ingestion that generates the highest quality downstream note output quality scores.” 

Each year, the financial barriers to healthcare continue to become more pronounced in the US. For example, the health expenditure per person in the US was $12,555 in 2022, with comparable countries spending about half of that. These costs can put such strain on Americans that a 2023 poll from KFF found that one in four adults will outright skip or postpone getting healthcare, which rises to six in ten among uninsured adults. 

There are other accessibility barriers to healthcare, such as geographic and socioeconomic boundaries, as well as other restricting issues like disabilities or chronic conditions. For many, the price of health dictates life’s choices, from job opportunities to education and even where they call home.

Despite these challenges, advanced technology – like telehealth and artificial intelligence (AI) – can help dismantle these barriers, ensuring that quality healthcare is accessible to all, irrespective of financial or geographical constraints.

Removing Longstanding Barriers with Telehealth 

Perhaps the most impactful force in making healthcare more accessible and affordable is telehealth. First coming to prominence amid the challenges of the pandemic, telehealth is proven to be more than a temporary fix; it is the preferred means of receiving care for millions of patients – especially those with chronic care needs. 

Unlike traditional in-office visits, telehealth is not constrained by geographical and transportation limitations, making it ideal for rural communities who, despite facing chronic conditions like lung and heart disease at a higher rate compared to their urban counterparts, lack sufficient access to physicians, specialists, and counseling. In fact, a pre-pandemic report from the CDC proposes that telehealth could help reduce barriers to healthcare for rural communications. 

Telehealth also helps disabled individuals overcome barriers to receiving care. These communities must travel frequently due to their recurring appointments and checkups. Nevertheless, this contact travel to clinics or hospitals can be difficult for individuals whose conditions make simple journeys a struggle. Virtual consultations deliver care to their fingertips, ensuring that neither distance nor disability can withhold the healthcare they deserve.

Another benefit of telehealth is that it makes mental health resources and counseling more accessible. The Health Resources and Services Administration states that about 150 million Americans live in federally designated mental health professional shortage areas. Telehealth opens doors to communities that would otherwise be unable to receive care without incurring significant expenses.

How AI Can Transform Healthcare  

Imagine a world where healthcare is not only accessible but tailored, personal, and precise. AI is the key to this new era.

A recent article from Deloitte discusses generative AI (Gen AI) and healthcare affordability. The author notes the challenges plaguing health systems, such as rising costs, clinician burnout, workforce shortages, inflation, and high interest rates. These macroeconomic pressures squeeze hospitals and drive up healthcare costs for patients. Thankfully, the ever-advancing field of AI could alleviate some of these pressures by increasing efficiencies, transforming workflows, and automating tedious tasks. 

For example, AI’s ability to extract insights from large amounts of data could enable more personalized care at lower costs. By using AI to automate the time-intensive process of analyzing a patient’s health history and profile, healthcare workers could more effectively intervene to deliver life-saving treatment. AI-powered bots will also automate surveys, reminders, and patient scheduling, helping to save time and money for under-staffed healthcare practices while decreasing burnout.  

Likewise, Gen AI will play a key role in increasing efficiency and removing barriers to convenient, accessible care. For instance, Gen AI chatbots can respond to patients who are unable to travel to visit a clinician due to distance or disability, answering their questions about symptoms or medications. Medical jargon also prevents patients from understanding treatments and procedures; however, Gen AI can summarize dense healthcare literature and convert it into layman’s terms. 

Changes in the Insurance Industry 

Advanced technologies, like AI and telehealth, are transforming the insurance industry, allowing individuals to take more control over their health. Telehealth, for example, will ultimately make healthcare more affordable by empowering patients to engage with their doctors virtually, keeping total urgent care, ER or hospital visits down, thereby reducing the strain on the healthcare system. Moreover, insurers could use telehealth to reduce healthcare costs, resulting in more affordable premiums for groups like entrepreneurs, gig workers and contractors.

With freelancers and contractors abound, the traditional insurance models fall short, which is where technology like AI and telehealth step in. Advanced technology allows for more affordable premiums and plans that cater to the non-traditional employment sector. These innovative plans provide comprehensive coverage and adapt to the modern worker’s unique lifestyle.

Recognizing that those individuals in non-traditional employment typically don’t have health insurance, some insurers offer budget-friendly plans that ensure affordability without sacrificing coverage. Some of these plans, for example, don’t charge copays for initial pre- and post-natal visits, pediatric virtual care, and virtual doctor visits. Now, a freelance writer or independent consultant can access extensive networks of providers and specialists without employer-sponsored health insurance.

Connected Devices, Apps and Open-Source Software  

AI will benefit many other advanced technologies that are helping to make healthcare more affordable and accessible, such as connected medical devices, which capture and transfer critical patient data, enabling physicians to make decisions in real-time.

Easy-to-use apps with data-sharing functionality also give physicians and specialties access to critical information and the ability to share data with colleagues and cross departments. These efficiencies, boosted by AI, reduce monotonous and error-prone administrative tasks, improving record-keeping and allowing medical practices to save money, driving down expenses.  

Additionally, some leading telehealth providers offer tools that help patients filter health service costs and choose the most favorable installment options for their medical expenses. 

Looking Outside the US 

As society stands on the brink of the healthcare revolution, it’s not just about witnessing change but driving transformation. While the US has the technological capabilities to change and make healthcare more affordable and accessible, other developing nations don’t have that same luxury. As such, telehealth becomes exponentially more valuable, connecting global patients to the best specialists and physicians. Every advancement, every technological stride championed, will be essential as the demand for healthcare services grows and acts as a step where healthcare is a given, not a gamble. 

About Avihai Sodri

Avihai Sodri, is the CEO and Co-Founder of Antidote Health, with a great desire for challenges, especially those that are notoriously known as hard to figure out. Prior to Antidote Health, he was CEO of Vectis Claims Services, establishing and leading the company as a subsidiary of Munich re, the largest re-insurance company in the world.

What You Should Know:

– A new study by The Clinic by Cleveland Clinic, a leader in virtual second opinions (VSOs), reveals significant cost savings and improved care for patients.

– The quantitative analysis, conducted by an independent third party, demonstrates that VSOs generate an average savings of $8,705 per patient.

Reduced Misdiagnoses and Overtreatment Lead to Cost Savings

The study highlights the potential for VSOs to prevent misdiagnoses and unnecessary procedures.  Key findings include:

• Average Savings: VSOs deliver an average savings of $8,705 per patient. For complex cases with initial treatment plans exceeding $10,000, the average savings jump to a remarkable $100,911.
• Reduced Overtreatment: The Clinic’s VSOs recommended alternative treatment plans in 67% of cases. This included a shift away from surgery in 85% of cases where surgery was initially recommended, and a 62% reduction in recommended hospitalizations compared to the original treatment plans.
• Improved Diagnosis: Misdiagnosis is a significant healthcare concern, with estimates suggesting 800,000 deaths or disabilities annually in the US. VSOs from expert specialists can help prevent misdiagnoses and ensure patients receive the most appropriate treatment.

Impact Across Medical Specialties:

The study also revealed specific cost savings within various medical specialties:

• Musculoskeletal (MSK): $28,220 average savings per patient
• Cardiovascular: $8,036 average savings per patient
• Cancer: $4,306 average savings per patient

Beyond Cost Savings: Improved Patient Wellbeing

While cost savings are significant, the study emphasizes the profound impact VSOs can have on patient well-being. Frank McGillin, CEO of The Clinic by Cleveland Clinic, underscores this point:

“Imagine discovering an alternative treatment that is less invasive and has better outcomes… The difference The Clinic can make in the cost of care matters, but the impact of getting care right is even more powerful.”

Rigorous Analysis Ensures Credibility:

The study’s credibility is bolstered by the methodology. Vital Statistics, LLC, an independent firm, conducted the analysis. Using a random sample of 300 patient charts from 2023, they employed medical coding and established cost data to calculate the associated savings.

What You Should Know:

– QuickMD, a leader in telehealth addiction treatment, has announced the acquisition of Project Recovery, a well-respected addiction treatment clinic in South Dakota. This strategic move strengthens QuickMD’s commitment to making high-quality addiction treatment accessible and compassionate for individuals battling substance use disorders.

– The acquisition allows QuickMD to offer a seamless continuum of care, from telehealth consultations to in-person appointments and counseling. They remain committed to providing evidence-based treatment and support services to empower individuals on their recovery journey.

Focus on Accessibility and Quality Care

Founded with the mission of revolutionizing healthcare through telehealth solutions, QuickMD prioritizes care regardless of location or socioeconomic background. This acquisition furthers that mission by expanding their reach and integrating Project Recovery’s established in-person treatment program.

Combining Strengths for a Comprehensive Approach

Project Recovery, founded by Dr. Stephen Tamang, is known for its comprehensive approach, blending medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with counseling services. By partnering with local organizations, they’ve extended their reach and provided vital services to those in need.

What You Should Know:

• Rimidi, a market leading digital health company that supports healthcare providers in the delivery of remote patient monitoring and chronic disease management with EHR-integrated software, services, and connected devices, announced the launch of The Rimidi Care Network, a partnership program for remote monitoring clinical service providers. 
• As remote patient monitoring becomes widely available, particularly with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services now allowing Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Centers to bill for RPM and RTM, practices are looking for ways to implement remote monitoring services for their patients. As a result, the new partnership program makes it easier for providers to expand the bandwidth of their staff and scale remote monitoring programs. 

Introducing Rimidi Care Network: Revolutionizing Remote Patient Monitoring with Leading Partners

The inaugural partners of the Rimidi Care Network comprise:

1. GatewayMD – a comprehensive service and management enterprise specializing in Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM), Chronic Care Management (CCM), and Behavioral Health Integration (BHI). Their offerings streamline chronic disease management by fostering communication between patients and their healthcare providers.

2. Quest Health Services RPM – a leading program in remote patient monitoring, prioritizing a top-notch experience for both healthcare professionals and patients. They excel in continuous glucose monitoring.

3. Avenue Health – a healthcare firm offering managed RPM solutions, aimed at easing implementation challenges for healthcare organizations.

Utilizing the Rimidi Platform, partners within the Rimidi Care Network can efficiently identify and enroll suitable patients for each remote monitoring program. This facilitates heightened patient engagement through consistent communication. Furthermore, they are equipped to manage the clinical and billing aspects of RPM, CCM, and CGM programs. This support extends the capacity of clinical teams and aids in the expansion of these programs.

“Labor shortages continue to plague hospitals and healthcare systems, creating limitations in patient care and management, but remote monitoring services can combat these issues – improving clinical staff efficiency and providing care for more patients,” said Lucienne Ide, MD, PhD, Founder and CEO of Rimidi. “With The Rimidi Care Network, we can extend access to remote clinical monitoring services for healthcare providers and ultimately help them improve engagement outcomes for patients with chronic conditions.”

What You Should Know:

• TeleVox, the industry-leading provider of omnichannel patient relationship management platforms, is helping physicians keep their schedules filled and patients happy with the introduction of Practice Edition. 
• TeleVox Practice Edition offers a suite of services designed specifically to help physicians and their staff overcome common industry challenges, including inefficient scheduling processes, poor communication, low retention, and reputation management.

Enhancing Healthcare Operations: Introducing Practice Edition

Practice Edition offers seamless integration with existing EHR systems and workflows, making implementation effortless. Supported by top-tier technical assistance, Practice Edition combines innovation with cost-effectiveness, perfectly suited for today’s digital healthcare landscape.

Key Features:

1. Interactive Appointment Calendar: Facilitates easy scheduling and management of appointments, minimizing disruptions for staff.

2. Automated Reminders and Follow-Ups: Ensures schedules remain full and revenue is maximized through automated appointment reminders, follow-ups for no-shows, and a digital waitlist feature.

3. Enhanced Patient Engagement:

   – Self-Scheduling: Empowers patients to book appointments at their convenience.

   – Marketing Email Campaigns: Allows practices to engage patients effectively.

   – AI-driven SMART SMS: Utilizes intelligent text messaging, a preferred communication channel for consumers, for continuous, actionable, and conversational interactions.

4. Efficient Front Desk Operations:

   – eCheck-in and eBilling: Streamlines front desk tasks, enabling patients to complete paperwork digitally from their homes.

5. Post-Appointment Support:

   – Treatment and Visit-Specific Reminders: Helps patients adhere to their care plans.

   – Patient Surveys and Reviews: Collects valuable feedback for continuous improvement.

   – Reputation Management: Aids in maintaining a positive online reputation.

By incorporating Practice Edition into their operations, healthcare practices can optimize efficiency, enhance patient satisfaction, and focus more on delivering quality care.

“Communication must be at the center of the patient/physician relationship, but too many practices fall behind due to staffing challenges or inefficient technology,” said Vik Krishnan, President at TeleVox. “Practice Edition helps overcome those challenges, resulting in happier, healthier patients and more productive, successful practices.”

What You Should Know:

– Nearly 70% of Medicare patients would be comfortable doing annual wellness visits (AWVs) via telehealth from home, according to the results of a consumer survey by KeyCare, an Epic-based virtual care company.

– These findings suggest a significant shift in preference among Medicare beneficiaries towards utilizing telehealth for routine healthcare needs.  The convenience, safety, and cost-saving aspects of telehealth appear to be particularly appealing for AWVs.  Additionally, the comfort level with using new providers highlights the potential for telehealth to expand access to care, especially in areas with physician shortages.

The survey was conducted in February 2024 by KeyCare and included 400 Medicare patients who had prior experience with telehealth visits finds:

Convenience Wins: The most frequently cited benefits of telehealth AWVs included:

– Convenience in terms of transportation and time (39.25%)

– Avoiding waiting rooms with potentially sick people (30.75%)

– Lower costs (23.25%)

– Quicker appointment scheduling (20%)

Openness to New Providers: The survey also showed that 75% of Medicare patients would be comfortable having their AWVs conducted by a provider who is not their regular doctor, as long as their medical records could be securely shared.

Telehealth Adoption Implications Ahead

The growing acceptance of telehealth for AWVs among Medicare beneficiaries could lead to increased adoption of this technology by healthcare providers and policymakers. This shift could significantly improve access to preventive care for a growing population.

“The results of this survey confirm that health systems have a tremendous opportunity to work with telehealth partners to deliver annual wellness visits to Medicare patients,” said Lyle Berkowitz, MD, CEO of KeyCare. “A formal annual wellness visit provides great value for Medicare patients by ensuring their medical record is up to date, while identifying social determinant of health issues and closing care gaps.  And when health systems share this type of routine work with a virtual partner working on an interoperable medical record system, it should help increase the percentage of patients getting AWVs, while decreasing the strain on office-based providers and giving them time to focus on their more complex patients.”

What You Should Know:

– Foundation Health, a healthcare technology company empowering clients in building and launching modern, digital-first pharmacy and telehealth solutions at scale secures $6M in seed funding.

– The seed round included participation from Garry Tan (CEO, Y Combinator), Transpose Platform, Tuesday VC, and prominent venture capital firms like Alt Capital, Box Group, and Liquid Ventures. Additionally, angel investors Paul Johnson (Lemonaid) and Meghan Fitzgerald (Grey Ghost Advisors) lend their expertise and support.

Empowering Innovation at Scale:

Foundation Health’s platform empowers healthcare organizations to develop and launch modern, digital-first pharmacy and telehealth solutions quickly and efficiently. This is achieved through:

• Easy-to-integrate APIs: Streamline connections with telehealth providers and a vast pharmacy network, facilitating services like prescription mail orders, same-day delivery, and specialty medications.
• White-label products: Enable health plans, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and digital health brands to launch custom-branded solutions without the hassle of building from scratch.

Foundation Health’s Core Offerings include:

• Telehealth Prescribing & Pharmacy APIs: Connect businesses to telehealth providers and pharmacies, catering to a wide range of needs from prescription fulfillment to durable medical equipment.
• Virtual Pharmacy SaaS: This software-as-a-service product allows any company to launch their own virtual pharmacy, complete with 24/7 pharmacist support, transparent pricing, and optional telehealth consultations.
• Virtual Direct-to-Patient (DTP) Service: Pharmaceutical manufacturers can leverage this solution to launch products directly to patients, removing middlemen, controlling pricing, and ensuring a seamless patient experience.

While Foundation Health operates across the US, UK, and EU, its initial focus is on driving innovation within the US healthcare landscape.

“Our vision is to grow Foundation Health into the definitive tech platform for powering and managing complex consumer healthcare operations globally,” said Foundation Health founder and CEO, Umar Afridi. “With this funding, we are equipped to accelerate product development, onboard customers currently on our waitlist, and continue engaging with new customers to ensure we’re delivering precisely what the market needs. We are thrilled by the initial demand for our products and anticipate reaching profitability in approximately 18 months. Patients want clear pricing, lower costs, and convenient access to healthcare. These are not outrageous demands, yet solutions that meet them are few and far between,” said Afridi. “At Foundation Health, we believe traditional multi-month, multi-million dollar builds are the enemy of innovation and progress. We’re focused on providing affordable solutions that are intentionally built for speed and scale. Our services can be implemented within days, offering unparalleled speed-to-market for our clients at substantially lower costs than alternatives.”

What You Should Know:

• Particle Health, an intelligent data platform that aggregates and delivers actionable patient data and insights to healthcare companies, today announced the availability of its new Patient Monitoring Solution, a purpose-built technology-enabled offering designed to give provider organizations a 360-degree view of their patient’s care journey and how they interact with the healthcare system.
• Particle is powering a shift from reactive to proactive care through the solution’s advanced data insights that give a better understanding of how patients utilize healthcare resources. 

Enhancing Healthcare Delivery Through Comprehensive Patient Monitoring

The utilization of this care encounter data enables more precise risk management within Value Based Care (VBC) models, fosters opportunities for advancing care delivery, and ultimately enhances patient outcomes. The company plans to unveil this offering next week at ViVE 2024 in Los Angeles, CA.

Particle recognizes the historical challenges faced by provider organizations in accurately tracking and identifying patient health encounters, especially crucial for real-time interventions. With the launch of their Patient Monitoring Solution, Particle adopts a comprehensive and strategic approach to assist healthcare providers in obtaining a longitudinal perspective of their patients’ healthcare journeys. Leveraging their expertise in health information networks (HINs) and leveraging known diagnoses and historical usage patterns, Particle precisely identifies critical provider-generated data, enhancing the ability to deliver timely patient alerts with relevant clinical context.

Key features of Particle’s Patient Monitoring Solution include:

1. Integration of ADT and EHR: Particle integrates various data sources, including Admission, Discharge, and Transfer (ADT) systems, electronic health records (EHRs), and state health information exchanges (HIEs), to provide a comprehensive patient view.

2. Advanced Referral Management: Particle’s solution facilitates efficient closure of the referral loop by notifying providers of scheduled and completed specialist referral appointments. Additionally, clinically significant data from specialist encounters, such as medication changes or test results, are seamlessly transmitted.

3. Care Journey Mapping: As patients progress through their healthcare journey, Particle’s search logic constructs and refines a personalized map of their provider network, utilizing known diagnoses and historical usage patterns to enhance accuracy and relevance.

“Particle Health built our new Patient Monitoring Solution to help clinical teams better optimize their workflows and available resources to achieve VBC quality metrics, but patient outcomes, in particular, will be the most impacted by what these new capabilities make possible,” said Claire Stanton, Senior Product Manager, Particle Health. “Needing to act as an intermediary between various doctors – relaying information across different appointments and having to repeat details and returning for multiple visits can be a frustrating and taxing experience. This new solution is designed specifically to remove a lot of those friction points, ensuring that all of a patient’s providers are actively informed of their healthcare encounters and empowering them to provide treatment in real-time.”

What You Should Know:

• Today, Talkspace, a leading online behavioral health company, and Wheel, the foremost virtual care platform powering the next generation of virtual healthcare, announced they will partner to offer patients access to board-certified general practitioners and licensed behavioral health providers across the U.S. – conveniently and virtually.
• In particular, the partnership will provide Talkspace and Wheel clients, including employers, payers, life sciences companies, and more with a single solution to more effectively screen for, and support, patients holistically addressing a wide range of needs, from general wellness to mental health.

Revolutionizing Access to Healthcare: The Talkspace-Wheel Partnership

In certain states, there remains a significant limitation in accessing healthcare professionals. Adding to this challenge are persistently long wait times for therapy and psychiatric services. Over 160 million Americans live in areas lacking sufficient mental health resources, with over 30 million residing in healthcare deserts, where accessible physicians are scarce. The collaboration between Talkspace and Wheel marks a crucial step towards ensuring quality care for all Americans.

This strategic partnership between Talkspace and Wheel offers a unified, scalable, and cost-effective solution for virtual care delivery. Patients can now swiftly connect with a clinician through Wheel’s platform and be matched with a dedicated, licensed therapist via Talkspace’s platform, all from one central location. This integration provides enhanced access, convenience, and flexibility for individuals seeking care.

“We recognize that today’s employers cater to dynamic and diverse workforces, including remote workers or employees who may not live in healthcare epicenters,” said Natalie Cummins, Chief Business Officer at Talkspace. “Together with Wheel, we offer organizations true whole-person virtual care and, more importantly, peace of mind that their employees and students have convenient access to high-quality healthcare.”