Anuja Vaidya
MedCity News
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Past articles by Anuja:
The IT work that Covid halted & the hurdles to jumpstarting it again
Though the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated some aspects of health IT, it slowed others, including EHR replacements and back-office system upgrades. CIOs from some of the nation's leading health systems shared not only the projects they put on hold, but also how they made those decisions and the challenges they faced when trying to reignite their efforts. → Read More
Northwell Health, Aegis team up to launch AI-focused joint venture
The health system and startup studio's new joint venture will develop and launch companies that use artificial intelligence to address healthcare problems, including disparities in care. The venture will combine Northwell's clinical expertise and patient data with Aegis' data scientists and commercialization capabilities. → Read More
Report: $27B remains unspent in Covid-19 Provider Relief Fund
Of the billions of dollars provided by the government to support providers during the pandemic, $11.7 billion has been allocated but not spent, $7.1 billion has not been allocated and $8 billion has been returned for various reasons, including that the organization recovered faster than expected. → Read More
DOJ accuses Kaiser Permanente of Medicare Advantage fraud in new complaint
The California-based health system and insurer has bilked CMS out of "hundreds of millions of dollars" by submitting claims that were altered to make patients appear sicker than they were, a new complaint filed by the DOJ alleges. Kaiser denied these allegations saying it is confident in its compliance with Medicare Advantage program requirements. → Read More
Bill aiming to streamline MA prior authorization gains House majority support
The bill, if enacted into law, will establish an electronic prior authorization process and require Medicare Advantage plans to report on their use of prior authorization and the rate of approvals or denials to CMS. It has 227 co-sponsors in the U.S. House, indicating strong support from both Republicans and Democrats. → Read More
Joining forces can benefit both patients and pharma companies
By engaging in a dialogue, patients and pharma companies can have a mutually beneficial relationship, Health Union's Jack Barrette said at HLTH’s patient engagement track, hosted by MedCity News. Not only can patients help mold clinical trials, but they can help companies improve their patient education efforts. → Read More
Tech is connecting health systems & workers amid growing shortages
The worsening workforce shortages have forced health systems to get creative when it comes to recruiting staff. Technology is helping health systems reach workers directly without having to go through a traditional staffing agency. → Read More
Hackensack Meridian Health deploys Google Chrome OS devices, uses Cloud AI for screenings
The New Jersey-based health system initially partnered with Google in 2019. It has now migrated to Google Workspace, providing thousands of Chrome OS devices to remote workers, and is using Google Cloud AI capabilities to detect diseases like breast cancer and Covid-19. → Read More
CMS chief at HLTH: We need to stop taking it for granted that people know they are eligible for coverage
There are about 17 million people eligible for coverage through Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act marketplaces, and one of CMS' priorities is to make them aware of their insurance options, Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure said at this year's HLTH conference. → Read More
HLTH: How Mass General Brigham plans to navigate evolving care delivery options, rising prices
As health systems pivot to virtual and at-home care, Mass General Brigham is continuing to invest in brick-and-mortar facilities as CEO Dr. Anne Klibanski believes there will always be a need for inpatient care. At HLTH, she discussed the health system's investment in its facilities and how it is leveraging enterprise services to help keep costs down. → Read More
Blue Shield of California, Google Cloud to develop real-time claims processing platform
The companies will build their claims processing platform on Google Cloud's infrastructure, leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities. The goal of the collaboration is to improve patient and provider experience and reduce spending on administrative processes. → Read More
UnityPoint Health, b.well Connected Health partner to implement digital-first consumer strategy
The Iowa-based health system will leverage b.well Connected Health's platform and services to enable patients to view and share their health data. The platform will also allow patients to access all of UnityPoint's digital tools in one location. → Read More
Engage at HLTH: At the heart of patient-centered care is trust and knowledge
Panelists at HLTH's patient engagement track, hosted by MedCity News, zeroed in on three strategies for achieving patient centricity: building trust, engaging health navigators and providing easy-to-understand health information. → Read More
Report: Provider, payer websites are go-to online resources for patients making care decisions
Healthcare consumers are increasingly turning to the internet to research their care options, and provider and payer websites are among their top choices for information, according to a new survey of 1,000 U.S. adults. Over half of the respondents said they would use a provider or payer website to search for a new doctor. → Read More
Mayo, Kaiser, Medically Home launch advocacy effort to extend hospital-at-home flexibilities
Eleven health systems have joined the coalition, which aims to extend and expand the existing federal hospital-at-home waivers and create an advanced acute care-at-home delivery model at the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation. → Read More
Jefferson Health, CommonSpirit Health CEOs to retire
CommonSpirit Health CEO Lloyd Dean is retiring next summer, while Jefferson Health CEO Dr. Stephen Klasko will step down at the end of the year. The longtime leaders have led their respective systems through several highs and lows, including the turbulent first 18 months of the Covid-19 pandemic. → Read More
INVEST DH Pitch Perfect winner spotlight: EHR-integrated Navimize wants to cut down a key patient pain point
The startup, which won a Pitch Perfect contest at MedCity INVEST Digital Health, offers a solution that integrates with EHRs to predict wait times in doctors' offices and texts patients in real time to let them know what to expect. This virtual waiting room can help increase efficiency and improve patient experience. → Read More
Lark Health nabs $100M to pour into AI health coaching platform
The company, which offers an AI platform that provides personalized health coaching for chronic disease patients, will use the new funds to invest in research and development and to expand its virtual integrations with health plans and employers. → Read More
In a first, Colorado gets CMS approval to make gender-affirming care an essential health benefit
All individual and small group health plans in Colorado's Affordable Care Act marketplace must cover a wide range of gender-affirming services, including breast/chest construction and reductions and laser hair removal, starting Jan. 1, 2023. → Read More
SSM Health, Optum to enhance inpatient, RCM & digital services in new 10-year collaboration
The St. Louis-based health system is collaborating with the UnitedHealth subsidiary to implement technology and processes that focus on improving care quality and reducing costs. Thousands of SSM Health employees will transition to Optum as part of the deal. → Read More