What You Should Know:

– BioPhy, an AI drug development company, and Every Cure, a non-profit dedicated to unlocking the potential of existing drugs for new uses, today announced a strategic partnership to revolutionize drug repurposing through artificial intelligence (AI).

– The partnership follows Every Cure’s recent funding from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). A successful pilot using AI led to the identification of potential treatments for diseases like sickle cell disease, ALS, and autism spectrum disorder.

Unlocking Hidden Cures on the Pharmacy Shelf

Every Cure aims to identify new uses for existing medications, potentially saving patients from suffering while effective treatments remain undiscovered. This partnership will leverage BioPhy’s BioLogicAI platform to:

• Identify Promising Drug-Disease Matches: BioLogicAI’s AI engine will help Every Cure evaluate potential repurposing opportunities with high value.
• Optimize Clinical Trials: The partnership will focus on simulating and optimizing clinical trials for these potential new uses, maximizing success rates and reducing costs.

BioLogicAI: A Powerful Tool for Drug Development

BioLogicAI is a comprehensive AI engine that offers a range of benefits for life science companies:

• Clinical Trial Endpoint Predictability: BioLogicAI predicts successful clinical trial endpoints, a critical factor in drug development.
• Informed Decision-Making: The platform provides data-driven insights for various stages of drug development, including indication selection, licensing, and asset management.
• Benchmarking Preclinical Assets: BioLogicAI compares preclinical drug candidates to existing drugs and FDA-approved medications, informing development strategies.

Enhancing Drug Repurposing with AI

This collaboration will focus on several key areas to advance drug repurposing with AI:

• Building AI Infrastructure: The partnership will establish public and private benchmark datasets and knowledge graphs, crucial for AI development.
• Data Integration: Proprietary and novel data will be incorporated into the AI platform to enhance its capabilities.
• Refining Drug-Disease Matching: Ranking algorithms for drug-disease queries will be further optimized.
• Simulated Clinical Trials: AI will be used to simulate and optimize clinical trials for potential drug repurposing candidates.

“At BioPhy, we’re committed to creating a world where pharmaceutical companies won’t be forced to waste billions of dollars as a result of failed clinical trials. Every Cure shares that mission, while also unlocking new ways FDA-approved drugs can be used to accelerate treatment to patients suffering from diseases,” said Dave Latshaw II, CEO and Co-Founder of BioPhy. “We look forward to partnering with Every Cure to uncover even more diseases that all existing drugs can treat.”

What You Should Know:

– Contexture and Quality Health Network (QHN) announced today their official affiliation, creating a unified force for health information exchange (HIE) across Colorado. 

– The strategic move strengthens collaboration and expands resources for healthcare providers in the state.

Combining Expertise for Enhanced HIE

This affiliation brings together staff, technology, and operations of both organizations under the Contexture umbrella. Contexture, already the largest HIE in the western US (spanning Arizona and Colorado), gains valuable expertise from QHN, particularly in serving rural areas with unique healthcare needs.

Building on a History of Collaboration

Contexture and QHN have a history of successful collaboration, including data sharing initiatives and joint program development. This formal affiliation streamlines these efforts, allowing for more efficient expansion of HIE services.

Benefits for Healthcare Providers

The combined organization offers several advantages to healthcare providers in Colorado:

• Enhanced HIE Capabilities: Providers will benefit from a more robust HIE infrastructure, facilitating seamless data exchange across the state.
• Expanded Support for Rural Providers: QHN’s expertise in rural healthcare will ensure that providers in these areas have the resources they need.
• Positioning for National Opportunities: The affiliation strengthens the organization’s position to compete for national HIE initiatives and adapt to federal policy changes.

Timeline and Next Steps

The exploration of an affiliation began in August 2023. Following a thorough due diligence process, both boards approved the move in late April. Contexture and QHN will keep participants and stakeholders informed as the integration process unfolds.

“Affiliating with Contexture is an important step forward for QHN’s participants as we work to provide the best possible HIE services, putting data into the hands of care providers when they need it,” said Marc Lassaux, QHN Executive Director and CEO. “Our team is excited to provide enhanced services tailored to the needs of the medical, behavioral and social service providers we serve.”

What You Should Know:

– Intermountain Health, a leading healthcare system serving the Intermountain West, announced today the enterprise-wide deployment of Nuance Communications‘ Dragon® Ambient eXperience™ (DAX™) Copilot, a generative AI solution aimed at improving clinical documentation efficiency and reducing administrative burdens.

– Intermountain Health emphasizes the responsible development and application of AI technology. DAX Copilot incorporates Microsoft’s responsible AI principles, ensuring ethical and trustworthy implementation within the healthcare setting.

Addressing Urgent Challenges in Healthcare

This move reflects Intermountain Health’s commitment to tackling the critical issues facing healthcare systems nationwide. Clinician burnout, staff shortages, and operational complexities are placing a significant strain on healthcare delivery. DAX Copilot offers a powerful solution to these challenges.

Expanding Access to Care Through AI

By automating clinical documentation and administrative tasks, DAX Copilot frees up valuable clinician time, allowing them to focus on patient interaction and expand access to care across Intermountain Health’s service area, spanning seven states. This is particularly crucial considering the alarming rise in physician practice departures each year.

Reducing Documentation Burden with Conversational AI

The American Medical Association reports that physicians dedicate nearly two hours of administrative and documentation tasks for every hour spent with patients. DAX Copilot leverages conversational, ambient, and generative AI to automatically generate clinical documentation during patient visits, saving physicians significant time and reducing burnout.

“We are deploying DAX Copilot to physicians and APPs across our system to help automate and streamline documentation and other time-consuming tasks, so they have more high-quality, personalized time with patients and less time following up on documentation following their daily medical shift,” said Rob Allen, Intermountain Health president and CEO. “We’re pleased to collaborate with Microsoft in developing next-generation solutions to empower our teams with tools that best support our nurses and other caregivers and to transform healthcare experiences for the patients and communities we serve for years to come.”

What You Should Know:

– Avel eCare, the nation’s leading provider of clinician-to-clinician telemedicine services, continues its aggressive growth strategy with the acquisition of Horizon Virtual, a Minnesota-based virtual hospitalist services provider. 

– This acquisition builds upon Avel’s previous expansion, including the January 2023 acquisition of remote pharmacy services provider NightWatch. Today, Avel serves hundreds of customers across the country with a comprehensive suite of telemedicine solutions and care delivery models.

Strengthening Hospitalist Expertise

Dr. David Willardsen, former CEO of Horizon Virtual, will join Avel as Vice President of Provider Relations and Strategic Partnerships. He will play a key role in developing strategies for market expansion and forging new partnerships. Dr. Todd Severnak, formerly with Horizon Virtual, will serve as Avel’s Medical Director for the combined Hospitalist service. He will lead a team of experienced hospitalists, delivering 24/7 care to hospitals nationwide.

“This is a great strategic fit for Horizon Virtual. After more than seven years of working with critical access hospitals and medical facilities in Minnesota to help address staffing challenges and provide the appropriate physician coverage in their hospitalist areas, we can now offer our customers solutions that address multiple areas within their hospitals while continuing to provide the same world-class virtual care. It has been an honor and will continue to be my desire to serve our customers and help alleviate staffing shortages and physician burnout as it has enabled more patients to remain in their local communities near friends and family support,” says Darin Willardsen, the CEO of Horizon Virtual. 

Expanding Nationwide Reach

Horizon Virtual’s highly skilled team of internal medicine hospitalists significantly enhances Avel’s robust network of clinicians. This acquisition builds upon Avel’s previous purchases of Fident Health (September 2023) and NightWatch (January 2023), further expanding its service offerings and geographic reach.

Elevating Patient Care with 24/7 Support

Avel eCare provides hospitals across the U.S. with access to a dedicated team of board-certified hospitalists and registered nurses, available 24/7. Avel’s virtual clinicians seamlessly integrate into local medical teams, collaborating with on-site staff to deliver and coordinate high-quality patient care. Avel’s proprietary software platform simplifies communication and ensures efficient care delivery.

Avel’s Comprehensive Telemedicine Solutions

With this acquisition, Avel eCare continues to position itself as a one-stop shop for telemedicine solutions. The company now serves hundreds of customers nationwide, offering a variety of services and care delivery models to meet the evolving needs of the healthcare industry.

What You Should Know: 

– Ro, the leading direct-to-patient healthcare company, unveils ro.OS, a technology platform designed to transform the healthcare experience. 

– This comprehensive system, in development for over six years, vertically integrates telehealth, lab services, and pharmacy operations, creating a seamless and high-quality care journey for millions of patients.

ro.OS: Empowering Patients and Providers

ro.OS goes beyond simply connecting healthcare services. It fosters a collaborative environment through four dedicated applications:

• Patient App: This central hub puts patients in control, allowing them to message providers, monitor progress, access medical records, track goals, and report side effects all within a single, user-friendly platform.
  
• Care Delivery App: Designed for providers, this app streamlines care delivery, documentation, and patient monitoring. Real-time information ensures informed decisions, while efficient tools empower providers to deliver quality care at scale.
  
• Pharmacy App: Direct pharmacy integration ensures real-time patient insights. Pharmacists can proactively collaborate with providers, identify potential safety concerns, and offer fast, nationwide medication fulfillment.
  
• Lab App: Seamlessly integrating testing into the care journey, the Lab App offers both at-home and in-person options, along with automated results delivery. This empowers patients to understand their health and allows providers to make well-informed treatment decisions.

“The healthcare system is rightly obsessed with quality of care, but doesn't do as well making it available to everyone who needs it. Too many patients lack convenient access, or any access at all, to care that can help them effectively achieve their health goals,” said Dr. Melynda Barnes, Chief Medical Officer of Ro. “In the ro.OS, we built technology to make high-quality care easier at every step of the journey millions of times over, from a patient getting a lab test, to a provider navigating an EMR, or a pharmacist filling a prescription.”

What You Should Know: 

– Aledade, the nation’s leading network of independent primary care practices, announced today the acquisition of Michigan-based Medical Advantage. 

– This strategic acquisition further solidifies Aledade’s position as the preeminent Accountable Care Organization (ACO) network and a driving force in value-based care.

Expanding Physician Partnerships in Michigan

The acquisition significantly expands Aledade’s network in Michigan, bringing the number of partnered physicians from 35 to roughly 700. This strengthens Aledade’s ability to deliver high-quality, value-based care to a wider patient population across the state.

Preserving Physician Choice and Value-Based Opportunities

Importantly, Aledade will maintain Medical Advantage’s standing as a physician organization, allowing it to participate in value-based care arrangements with various payers, including the prominent Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. This ensures continued flexibility and choice for both physicians and patients.

“This is the merger of two organizations dedicated to doing what’s good for patients, practices and society,” said Farzad Mostashari, M.D., co-founder and CEO of Aledade. “Working together, we can help more independent primary care practices in Michigan not only to participate, but succeed, in value-based care. This partnership means more Michigan primary care physicians will have support in doing what they do best – keeping Michiganders healthy.”

What You Should Know:

– Cedar Gate Technologies (Cedar Gate), a leader in value-based care technology, announced today the potential for significant healthcare cost savings through early identification of at-risk patients.

– An analysis of their national Healthcare Benchmark Database, encompassing nearly 13 million member lives, revealed a staggering $1.4 billion in potential savings.

Machine Learning for Early Disease Detection

Cedar Gate’s platform leverages machine learning models to pinpoint individuals with a high risk of developing coronary artery disease (CAD) and congestive heart failure (CHF). This allows for earlier intervention, potentially preventing costly and debilitating events. According to a National Institutes of Health (NIH) study, patients with CAD experiencing a major cardiac event face an additional $44,495 in healthcare costs within a year. Cedar Gate’s model identified over 24,000 individuals in its database at high risk for CAD but currently undiagnosed. Early intervention for this population has the potential to save nearly $1.1 billion.

Targeting Heart Failure and Hospital Admissions

Congestive heart failure is a major healthcare burden, accounting for over 1 million hospitalizations annually in the US and Europe, with associated costs exceeding $18 billion. Cedar Gate’s model identified over 17,000 undiagnosed members at risk for CHF in its database. Early intervention could potentially save $307.4 million or more by preventing hospitalizations.

How Cedar Gate’s Technology Works

Cedar Gate’s machine learning algorithms rely on a proprietary risk scoring system, analyzing various metrics beyond traditional thresholds to identify individuals at high risk for chronic diseases. This comprehensive approach is continually refined through collaboration between data scientists and a dedicated clinical team.

Validation and Accuracy

To assess the model’s effectiveness, Cedar Gate employed the Matthews Correlation Coefficient (MCC), a metric indicating the strength of positive correlation. The model scored an impressive 0.80, demonstrating a high degree of accuracy in predicting CAD and CHF risk.

“Our AI-powered predictive models enable interventions, diagnoses, and treatments that can reduce risk and slow chronic disease progression on a large scale,” said David B. Snow Jr., Chairman and CEO of Cedar Gate. “Preventive care and early intervention are at the center of effective value-based care. By leveraging our team of analytics experts and vast anonymized member data, we’re advancing technology that helps providers and payers optimize outcomes, lower costs, and close gaps in care.”

What You Should Know: 

– Caris Life Sciences (Caris), a leader in AI-powered precision medicine, and COTA, Inc., a real-world data (RWD) and analytics expert, announced a strategic collaboration today.

– The strategic partnership aims to revolutionize cancer treatment development and patient care by leveraging a powerful combination of data: Caris’ extensive molecular data and COTA’s real-world patient information.

Real-World Data Fusion for Precision Medicine

This collaboration brings together unparalleled resources:

• Caris’ Molecular Expertise: Caris boasts a vast molecular database encompassing nearly 10 million tests, containing over 60 petabytes of data. This includes genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and imaging data, offering a comprehensive picture of each patient’s cancer.
• COTA’s Real-World Insights: COTA contributes real-world data from over 2 million cancer patients treated across diverse healthcare settings. This data captures the actual treatment journeys and outcomes of patients, providing invaluable insights into real-world effectiveness.

By combining these datasets, the collaboration aims to create a unique, large-scale, multi-modal data offering. This will empower researchers and pharmaceutical companies to:

• Develop More Effective Cancer Therapies: The comprehensive picture of patients’ molecular profiles and real-world treatment responses will guide the development of targeted and personalized cancer treatments.
• Accelerate Drug Discovery: The vast amount of data will allow for faster identification of promising drug candidates and optimization of clinical trials.
• Improve Patient Care: Ultimately, this collaboration aims to translate data insights into improved patient care by enabling the development of more effective and personalized cancer treatments.

“Caris’ partnership with COTA will enable biopharma to leverage a more complete dataset to power research and AI approaches for therapeutic development. This breadth of data allows the flexibility to build specific cohorts for understanding mechanisms of resistance, determinants of response and relevant biomarkers to improve success of their clinical trials,” said Brian Lamon, PhD, Chief Business Officer at Caris.

What You Should Know: 

– Genomics plc, a leader in polygenic risk score (PRS) technology, and pharmaceutical giant GSK inks a new collaboration to explore the potential of PRS for optimizing clinical trial design. 

– The innovative approach could revolutionize the way researchers select patients and ultimately lead to faster development of new treatments.

Unlocking the Power of Genetics for Clinical Trials

Genomics plc brings its expertise in PRS technology to the table. PRS is a score that combines an individual’s genetic data to assess their risk of developing a specific disease. GSK, with its extensive experience in drug development, aims to leverage this technology to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of clinical trials.

Benefits of PRS-powered Clinical Trials

The collaboration will explore several applications of PRS, potentially leading to:

• Reduced Number of Trial Participants: By identifying individuals with a higher risk of developing the disease under study, PRS could help researchers recruit more targeted participants, potentially reducing the overall number needed.
• Shorter Trial Timescales: With a more focused patient pool, trials could be completed more quickly, accelerating the development of new therapies.
• Improved Trial Outcomes: Selecting participants with a higher risk of the disease may lead to clearer results and a more efficient evaluation of new drugs.

Understanding the Genetic Influence on Disease

The project builds on the established knowledge that genetic factors play a significant role in disease susceptibility, progression, and response to medications. PRS offers a way to capture these complex genetic influences into a single score, aiding in patient selection for clinical trials.

“We could not be more excited to be collaborating with GSK on this programme. PRS-based approaches have the potential to support clinical trial design. Using PRS to get the right people into studies could have a potential positive impact, including in the reduction of trial size and timescale, leading to efficiencies in drug development,” said Professor Sir Peter Donnelly FRS, FMedSci, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Genomics plc.

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: 

– Avēsis and Harmony Health are launching a groundbreaking year-long pilot program to revolutionize preventive dentistry for underserved Medicaid populations with special healthcare needs. 

– The pilot initiative focuses on individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who often face challenges in accessing proper oral care.

Pilot Program Details

The program, set to begin in May 2024 across California, Florida, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, leverages the power of real-time salivary testing and screening. Saliva, a treasure trove of health information, will be used to gain insights into patients’ overall health, oral conditions, and hygiene habits.

This innovative approach offers several advantages:

• Non-invasive and efficient: Saliva testing provides a comfortable and easy way to monitor a patient’s health.
• Early disease detection: By analyzing salivary biomarkers, dental professionals can identify signs of diabetes, gum disease, and cavities at an early stage, enabling timely intervention.
• Personalized treatment plans: The program tailors treatment plans to each patient’s unique needs based on their individual health profile. This personalized approach optimizes treatment efficacy and minimizes risks.

This multi-state pilot program reflects Avēsis’ dedication to increasing access to advanced healthcare solutions for diverse patient populations. Strategically chosen sites will serve as hubs for advancing preventive dentistry and promoting value-based care initiatives within their regions.

“More needs to be done to improve oral health outcomes for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities. For this underserved population, dental appointments are no easy feat—fraught with challenges, uncertainties, and fears,” said Brian Jones, Chief Growth Officer of Avēsis. “Our goal is to do more for patients with special healthcare needs—to break down barriers with innovative technologies that improve preventive care. This is the first-ever chairside salivary test that offers immediate results—what this will do for early disease detection and personalized treatment is significant.” 

What You Should Know: 

– Midi Health, a virtual clinic for women experiencing perimenopause and menopause, has secured $60M in Series B funding led by Emerson Collective, bringing Midi Health’s total funding to $100M.

– The investment highlights a growing national focus on women’s health, particularly during midlife transitions. With over 1.2 billion women globally entering perimenopause or menopause by 2030, and 85% experiencing symptoms that can significantly impact their lives, the need for specialized care is undeniable. However, only 20% of OB/GYNs and even fewer primary care physicians receive dedicated menopause training.

Addressing a Massive Gap in Women’s Healthcare

Founded in 2021, Midi Health is a pioneer in addressing this critical need. By offering virtual care focused on perimenopause and menopause, they have become the fastest-growing clinic in this space. In just one year, they’ve served tens of thousands of patients nationwide, partnered with major healthcare systems and benefits platforms, and are even offered as a workplace benefit by Fortune 100 companies.

Investment Fuels Growth and Impact

This new funding round positions Midi Health for exponential growth. The company plans to:

• Expand Insurance Coverage: Building upon their existing national reach, Midi Health will increase insurance coverage options for patients.
• Scale Clinical Expertise: By hiring and upskilling 150 additional clinicians by year-end, Midi Health will ensure efficient and personalized care for a wider patient base.
• Diversify Services: Midi Health will expand its service offerings to address a broader range of midlife women’s health concerns.
• Fuel Public Awareness: Midi Health will amplify the conversation surrounding midlife women’s health, ensuring women are empowered to seek the care they deserve.
• Reach 1 Million Women Annually: By 2029, Midi Health aims to serve over 1 million women per year, significantly impacting their well-being.

Proven Results and Economic Potential

Midi Health’s commitment to quality care is reflected in a recent survey of 2,200 patients. Over 90% of patients reported improvements in key symptoms within a few months of starting with Midi Health. These improvements ranged from hot flashes and sleep disturbances to mood and cognitive issues.

The investment in Midi Health reflects a growing national recognition of the gap in women’s healthcare, particularly around menopause. With support for innovative solutions like Midi Health on the rise, including a recent Executive Order by President Biden promoting women’s health research, Midi Health is poised to revolutionize midlife well-being for millions of women. The economic impact is also significant. A McKinsey Report suggests that addressing the menopause care gap could boost the global economy by $1 trillion by 2040.

“We started Midi with just one specific focus: helping women access world-class, expert perimenopause and menopause care, covered by insurance, and we have been at the forefront of delivering on that promise,” said Joanna Strober, CEO and Co-founder of Midi Health. “But what we have also learned is that addressing the health concerns of women in midlife is more complex than simply treating hot flashes and prescribing hormone replacement therapy. Midi takes a multi-symptom, holistic approach to care designed to help women live their best, most productive and fulfilling lives—whether that involves medication, lifestyle coaching, natural supplements, or other support. Our goal now is to expand services and scope to continue this comprehensive, personalized care far beyond menopause.”

What You Should Know: 

– Truveta, a data company dedicated to “Saving Lives with Data,” announced today the launch of the most comprehensive mother-child electronic health record (EHR) dataset ever assembled. 

– Truveta’s dataset surpasses traditional claims-based datasets, which often lack clinical details and have reporting delays. By offering comprehensive, longitudinal EHR data, Truveta empowers researchers to conduct more rigorous and impactful studies, ultimately improving the lives of mothers and children.

Revolutionizing Research on Mothers and Children

Truveta’s dataset offers researchers a unique opportunity to study the complexities of maternal and pediatric health. Key areas of investigation include:

• Understanding the Link Between Maternal and Neonatal Health: Researchers can explore how maternal health impacts birth outcomes, long-term child development (including neurodevelopment), and childhood conditions up to age 5.
• Post-Market Drug Safety Monitoring: Truveta’s data can be used to evaluate the safety of medications and vaccines taken by mothers during pregnancy. This allows researchers to identify potential risks associated with specific medications and guide future clinical decisions.
• Studying Category C Medications: Category C medications have potential risks for fetuses, but limited research exists on their effects in humans. Truveta’s data can help determine the safety and efficacy of these medications for pregnant women.
• Investigating Pediatric Conditions: Researchers can analyze connections between maternal factors (demographics, health history, pregnancy outcomes) and the development of childhood conditions like asthma and eczema.

Unparalleled Data Depth and Security

Truveta’s mother-child dataset offers several key advantages:

• Comprehensiveness and Timeliness: Truveta leverages data from over 30 healthcare systems, providing a complete picture of patient journeys. This includes clinician notes, medical images, claims data, social determinants of health (SDOH) indicators, and mortality data – all updated daily.
• Longitudinal Patient Data: With access to over five years of longitudinal data on over 1 million mothers and their children, Truveta offers researchers a rich resource for in-depth analysis.
• Accuracy and Completeness: Truveta’s data accurately links mothers with their children, preserving crucial details like demographics, medical history, and pregnancy outcomes. Additionally, comprehensive child data is available, including delivery details, diagnoses, procedures, and immunizations up to age 5.
• Unmatched Privacy and Security: Truveta prioritizes data privacy and security. Their de-identification process adheres to the strictest HIPAA regulations, and they employ robust security protocols to protect patient information.

 “Perinatal women and their children have long been excluded from clinical trials and other retrospective data sources, and we can’t understand the full effects of medications, vaccines, and diseases on their connected health outcomes,” said Terry Myerson, CEO and co-founder of Truveta. “Truveta now offers the largest mother-child EHR dataset, empowering researchers to advance care for all mothers and children with complete, timely, and representative data.”

What You Should Know: 

– FDB (First Databank), a leading provider of drug knowledge solutions for healthcare professionals, announced today that its FDB Targeted Medication Warnings™ has received the new Toolbox designation from Epic Systems Corporation. 

– The recognition places FDB’s solution within the Medication Dosing Decision Support Toolbox category of Epic’s new Showroom, a platform allowing healthcare providers to access applications from third-party developers.

Earning the Toolbox Designation

The Toolbox designation signifies that FDB Targeted Medication Warnings adheres to Epic’s recommended integration patterns and utilizes essential technologies. More importantly, it highlights the solution’s potential to deliver positive outcomes for both Epic customers (healthcare organizations) and their patients.

Optimizing Medication Decisions

FDB Targeted Medication Warnings belong to FDB’s PatientFirst™ suite of clinical decision support (CDS) solutions. This suite empowers hospitals and health systems to optimize medication guidance for individual patients. It leverages patient-specific data, such as lab results and risk scores, to ensure medication alerts and guidance are only presented when truly relevant to the current clinical scenario. This targeted approach, built on patient context, aids healthcare professionals in making informed medication decisions while reducing alert fatigue and the burden of excessive data searching.

Streamlined Integration and Improved Interoperability

Several factors contributed to FDB Targeted Medication Warnings receiving the Toolbox designation. A key factor is its recent integration with CDS Hooks*. This integration enables seamless delivery of FDB’s patient-focused prescribing guidance within Epic’s EHR system, as well as virtually any other electronic health record (EHR) system. CDS Hooks is a standardized protocol facilitating seamless data exchange, aligning with the SMART on FHIR (Substitutable Medical Applications & Reusable Technologies on Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) standard.

Reduced Development Time and Enhanced Efficiency

The Toolbox designation emphasizes the use of FHIR resources where possible, minimizing reliance on manual data entry. Developers can activate FDB Targeted Medication Warnings through CDS Hooks using an application programming interface (API). This streamlines the integration process, reduces development time, and accelerates the solution’s availability for use.

Alignment with the 21st Century Cures Act

FDB Targeted Medication Warnings also support the patient-specific decision support requirements outlined in the 21st Century Cures Act. This act aims to promote interoperability and facilitate the seamless exchange of healthcare information. The addition of CDS Hooks further strengthens FDB’s commitment to the Cures Act’s vision of a more integrated healthcare IT environment, ensuring improved data exchange capabilities.

Availability 

Epic customers interested in learning how FDB Targeted Medication Warnings can enhance clinical efficiency, improve patient safety, and elevate the quality of care can find more information on https://vendorservices.epic.com/Showroom/Listing?id=851

“We continually enhance FDB Targeted Medication Warnings so it is easy to integrate, simple to use, and delivers actionable guidance for prescribers and pharmacists within the EHR, enabling them to make safe, well-informed decisions with less time and effort,” said FDB President Bob Katter. “Earning the Toolbox designation from Epic is another demonstration of how we strive to make our solutions as seamless as possible from the point of implementation to go-live, and through every medication order and fulfillment.”

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.