Alvaka Networks Urges Companies to Prioritize Network Security
|
In Is Cyber Insurance Unintentionally Increasing Ransomware Attacks?, Alvaka Networks discusses a statement by the FBI regarding ransomware, in which they express their "discourag[ment] [towards] payments of cyber ransoms, arguing that it could encourage this criminal business model." Alvaka counters that "having your business equipped with sufficient protective measures is the best method to halt the development of more cybercriminals. Cyber insurance is valuable ... [but] business owners should place greater emphasis on strengthening network security and attaining adequate IT knowledge. A safer network reduces the probability of a breach, and not having a network compromise means your insurance will not have to pay a ransom. As a result, the cyber insurance you have purchased would not be producing an unintentional growth effect on the ransomware criminal business model." (Oli Thordarson, OC)
|
|
Anthem Blue Cross Deploys Digital Kiosks to Provide Interpretation & Telehealth Services
|
Anthem Blue Cross has recently deployed 200+ digital solutions kiosks inside 80 health centers across California to provide real-time video interpretation services and access to telehealth. The kiosks include Wi-Fi enabled tablets that allow treating clinicians to engage certified interpreters without having to pre-schedule in-person interpreter appointments or wait with third-party call centers. 240+ languages are accessible. The tablets can also be used to provide comprehensive, whole person care by enabling access to medical specialists via telehealth and information about free community resources to address non-medical needs. Anthem plans to install hundreds more across California. (David Pryor, MD, LA)
|
|
Bayer Supports Reproductive Health Initiative for Women in Urban Poverty Areas
|
With a $10 million contribution, Bayer has announced its support of "The Challenge Initiative" (TCI), which provides women and girls living in urban poverty in cities in Africa and Asia with family planning and reproductive health solutions. TCI is led by the Bill & Melinda Gates Institute on Population and Reproductive Health and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School. By 2030, Bayer aims to provide 100 million women in low- and middle-income countries with access to modern contraception. (Rama Penta, SV)
|
|
CareAcademy & NVISNx Chosen for Launch With GS Black and Latinx Entrepreneur Cohort
|
CareAcademy, where Helen Adeosun is CEO, and NVISNx, where Glen Day is CEO, are among the 14 companies selected by The Goldman Sachs Group to participate in the first Launch With GS Black and Latinx Entrepreneur Cohort. The eight-week virtual experience will provide high-touch access and resources to a select group of U.S.-based Black and Latinx founders to fast-track their companies' growth and build relationships with investors and industry experts. The Black and Latinx Entrepreneur Cohort is a part of Launch With GS, Goldman Sachs' $500 million investment strategy grounded in the belief that diverse teams drive strong returns. The participating companies were chosen from over 400 applicants across 37 states.
Meanwhile, CareAcademy recently closed an oversubscribed $9.5 million in Series A funding led by the Impact America Fund. The funding will power the growth of the company's platform to demonstrate healthcare outcomes, expand markets, and drive its mission to create 1 million healthcare workers by 2023. Investors include Impact America Fund, Rethink Impact, Wanxiang Healthcare Investment, Steve Case's Revolution Rise of the Rest Fund, Techstars Ventures, Rethink Education, Jewel Burks-Solomon, and ECMC. (Helen Adeosun, LA; Glen Day, ABL-Tech WLA)
|
|
Cigna + Oscar Debut Affordable Health Insurance for Small Businesses
|
Cigna and Oscar have announced that Cigna + Oscar, a new affordable and consumer-first health insurance for small businesses, will be available in the San Francisco Bay Area, Atlanta, and across Tennessee, effective Q4 2020, pending regulatory approvals. Covered employees will have access to free 24/7 virtual doctor visits, low-cost prescription coverage, behavioral health support, and access to multiple Cigna networks of quality physicians, specialists, and hospitals. A Cigna + Oscar survey of 1,000+ small business decision makers finds that 88% say the health and well-being of employees is a primary concern following the COVID-19 pandemic, and 50+% of small businesses are considering or unsure about changing their health insurer heading into 2021. (Chris De Rosa, OC)
|
|
Covered California Extends Special-Enrollment Deadline During Pandemic
|
Covered California has extended the special-enrollment deadline through the end of July, giving consumers more time to sign up for healthcare coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most recent data shows that 175,030 people have signed up for coverage between March 20 and June 20, which is more than twice the number who signed up during the same time last year. Overall, 242,600 people have signed up for coverage since Jan. 31, when Covered California ended its open-enrollment period, through June 20, which is nearly twice as many as seen during the same time period last year.
Also, California has suspended Medi-Cal renewal reviews through the end of the public health emergency, ensuring that those already enrolled can continue their coverage and freeing up resources to quickly process new enrollments. The Department of Health Care Services received expanded authority to expedite enrollment for seniors and other vulnerable populations, expand the use of telehealth, and take other steps to make it easier to access care. (Kathy Keeshen, JD, SF)
|
|
Elemeno Health CEO Interviewed in Industry Journal
|
Arup Roy-Burman, CEO of Elemeno Health, is spotlighted in a recent Republic Journal interview. Topics discussed include: Arup's inspiration for founding Elemeno Health; his process for launching the company; the #1 skill entrepreneurs need to succeed; biggest challenges; favorite apps and tech devices; his vision for the future of healthcare; and more. (Arup Roy-Burman, MD, OAK)
|
|
Elevate Addiction Services Launches Podcast
|
Elevate Addiction Services has launched a podcast, featuring conversations with its team members about their roles in the addiction industry and more. In the first episode, CEO Dan Manson and others discuss Elevate's four-phase program, curriculum, fitness regimen, and more. To listen to the episodes, search for Elevate Addiction Services on your preferred podcasting platform. (Dan Manson, SV)
|
|
Excell Home Care Earns "5 Stars - Top Home Health Agency" from Medicare.gov
|
Excell Home Care has been named by Medicare.gov as a 2020 Top Home Health Agency in California - 5 Star Rated. The company's other awards include being named among Top Home Care Providers and Most Successful Home Care Providers, both from abilitynetwork.com. (Jennifer Ty, OC)
|
|
HumanGood Brand Launches in Philadelphia
|
In June 2019, Presby's Inspired Life, in the Philadelphia area, affiliated with HumanGood, a nonprofit senior living organization headquartered in Pleasanton, California. And now, a year later, as part of the continued affiliation plan, four Presby life plan communities and 36 affordable housing communities have officially adopted the HumanGood logo and branding assets. The affiliated organization has become the sixth-largest national nonprofit senior living provider. (Tara McGuinness, OAK)
|
|
King & Spalding Webinar to Address Return-to-Work for Non-Essential Employees & Resumption of Elective Procedures
|
|
|
KMD Architects Designs New CCU for Seattle Hospital & New Women's Hospital in Korea
|
KMD Architects is the architect and interior designer on a redesigned critical care unit (CCU) for EvergreenHealth Medical Center, of Washington state, the first U.S. hospital to report a COVID-19 fatality, and which subsequently received patients with the virus from Life Care Center of Kirkland assisted-living facility. The redesign allows EvergreenHealth to convert 16 traditional patient rooms in the CCU to negative pressure rooms when needed, and adds two new exhaust fans, rather than using the hospital's existing system, so Evergreen can make more rooms elsewhere in the hospital negative pressure if needed.
Meanwhile, KMD played a leading role in designing the largest general hospital for women in Korea, CHA Ilsan Women's & Children's Hospital, which recently celebrated its opening. (Rob Matthew, SF)
|
|
LifeLong Medical Care's Mike Stacey Proclaimed a "Health Care Hero"
|
The Berkeley Times newspaper recently featured LifeLong Medical Care's Mike Stacey, MD as a "Health Care Hero," declaring him "the voice of now." An excerpt: "Due to the pandemic, lots of changes are being implemented just now. For Dr. Stacey, that means not losing the big picture while helping his team manage through mountains of minutia. To help with this process, he has led "All Staff Calls" on Zoom every Monday. Typically, 250-300 LifeLong employees participate in the call. That's how his voice has become so recognizable." (Mike Stacey, MD, OAK)
|
|
LigoLab's TestDirectly Teams with Northwest Laboratory to Test Florida's LTC Residents for COVID-19
|
TestDirectly, the direct-to-consumer web portal that connects patients, companies, collection centers, laboratories, and physicians for fast, safe, and easy testing, has partnered with Northwest Laboratory and the Florida Department of Health to collect and test the state of Florida's 500,000 long-term-care residents and staff for COVID-19. TestDirectly was created by LigoLab Information System to give consumers a direct link to labs for COVID-19 testing. In May, the White House called on every state to quickly test all of its LTC residents and employees for the virus. "The very next day we were approached by Florida's Department of Health," said LigoLab CEO Suren Avunjian. "Their objective was to be the first state to complete the challenge set by the administration, even though they have one of the highest senior populations in the country. Within a week we had the TestDirectly platform up and running, ready to test a half-million residents and employees across 4,000 facilities and 67 counties." (Suren Avunjian, LA)
|
|
Mazzetti CEO Seeks Input on Use of Microgrids as Emergency Source for Healthcare Facilities
|
In Microgrids: Help Wanted, Mazzetti CEO Walt Vernon shares that NFPA 99 recently adopted language that will permit the use of a microgrid as the emergency source for healthcare buildings, in lieu of a diesel generator. "I am now considering language to propose to move this concept into NFPA 70 and NFPA 110," Walt writes. "To help me think through this issue, I am considering convening a Zoom call to brainstorm and think about how this might work. I am interested to know if anybody out there would be interested in this kind of collaborative conversation. We can create a vision and submit it NFPA and, in so doing, hopefully help our healthcare system. Let me know what you think!"
And, in Maintaining crucial power: Fuel cells and microgrids help bolster hospital resiliency, an article in the June 2020 issue of Health Facilities Management magazine, Walt, along with Mazzetti's Anjali Wale, and Angelica Chow, share insights on mitigating the significant threats that severe weather can pose to healthcare facilities. (Walt Vernon, JD, SF)
|
|
MedWand Turns Smartphone into a Digital Clinic
|
MedWand Solutions has announced that its clinical-grade telemedicine device has expanded its capabilities to mobile phones and is expected to be available for consumer purchase in late 2020. Empowering patients to receive physical exams on their phone during virtual visits from their doctors, MedWand also allows physicians to use their own smartphone device to securely examine a MedWand patient anywhere at any time. When used by a patient, the MedWand can allow clinicians to listen to heart and lungs, obtain basic vitals, look into a patient's ears, nose, and throat, obtain an EKG, and more. All of this information gets sent in real time to a clinician who watches, listens, and interacts through a secure video portal on their computer, and starting this fall, on their smartphone. (Bob Rose, OC)
|
|
Nelson Hardiman Webinars to Address Legal Issues in Behavioral Health & Addiction Treatment
|
On July 9, from 10-11 a.m., Nelson Hardiman's Harry Nelson will present a webinar - The New Normal: Avoiding Trouble in Addiction Treatment and Behavioral Health Marketing - which will focus on new laws and regulations emerging to challenge marketing practices regarded as problematic in addiction treatment and behavioral health, and more.
And, on August 2, from 9-10 a.m., Nelson Hardiman and Harry will present Navigating the Reimbursement Minefield: Strategies, Trends and Tips In Provider-Payor Conflict, a webinar which will describe the leading trends and perspectives shaping the transformation of behavioral health and addiction treatment reimbursement, principal challenges and risk issues, and more. (Harry Nelson, JD, LA)
|
|
PSYCHeANALYTICS' Dave Haddick Shares Tribute to Dr. Nicholas A. Cummings
|
Dave Haddick, CEO of PSYCHeANALYTICS, has shared this memorial to Dr. Nicholas A. Cummings, Ph.D., Sc.D., who passed away recently, and who Dave describes as a "pioneer in many ways, but most important was his contribution to integrated behavioral healthcare." Senior leaders from PSYCHeANALYTICS serve on the advisory board of the Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies, and two of the team worked as researchers under Dr. Cummings at Kaiser in the 1970s. Dave also included the link to an article he particularly enjoyed that Dr. Cummings wrote in 1994 for Managed Care Quarterly - The successful application of medical offset in program planning and in clinical delivery. (Dave Haddick, OC)
|
|
Savi Group Describes How Medical Practices are Adapting to COVID-19
|
In How Medical Practices are Adapting to COVID-19, Savi Group outlines a variety of initiatives and protocols that different providers have put in place. Read other recent Savi Group blog posts here, including: "How Reducing Patient Wait Times Leads to Success"; "Medical Billing and Coding Tips from the Experts"; "How to Prepare Your Medical Practice for COVID-19 Outbreaks"; and "The Rise of Telemedicine During a Global Pandemic." (Sumit Mahendru, OC)
|
|
Servicon Systems Leaders Earn Global Biorisk Advisory Council Fundamentals Certification
|
Stacey Wong of Servicon Systems, Inc. recently earned a Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) Fundamentals Certification, with an emphasis on SARS-CoV-2/COVID. GBAC is part of ISSA, a leading trade association for the cleaning industry worldwide, and provides training to Servicon operation managers to keep them up to date on the latest science, CDC recommendations and safety protocols to guide clients through this pandemic and more. Meanwhile, Stacey has provided a glossary of cleaning and disinfecting terms that will help everyone get aligned on infection prevention needs for facilities. And, she shares this article from WebMD: Germiest Places in Your Office. (Stacey Wong, LA)
|
|
SimpleTherapy Chosen for Welltok's Connect Partner Ecosystem, for Musculoskeletal Disorders
|
SimpleTherapy has been selected to join Welltok's Connect Partner Ecosystem, in which employer, health plan, and health system clients can conveniently select from a curated list of 50+ programs and resources that cover the full spectrum of total wellbeing. SimpleTherapy is one of three partners addressing musculoskeletal care. Musculoskeletal disorders are the most common cause of job-related disability, and a leading contributor to absenteeism due to lower back pain. (Arpit Khemka, SV)
|
|
VivaLNK's Wearable Temperature Sensor Selected by Current Health
|
Current Health has chosen VivaLNK's continuous temperature sensor for its AI-powered remote patient monitoring (RPM) solution designed to reduce hospital overcrowding and readmissions. Instead of relying on the patient to manually measure and report temperature multiple times per day, the medical grade VivaLNK continuous temperature sensor does this automatically by sending patient temperature to the Current Health system on a continuous basis even while the patient is asleep. This stream of data can present a more accurate picture and trend on the condition of the patient. (Jiang Li, Ph.D., SV)
|
|
Wipfli Helps Rural Hospital Manage COVID Patients + Wins Honors
|
Wipfli recently worked with Mountains Community Hospital, which has less than 40 beds serving Southern California's Lake Arrowhead region, to deal with the pandemic. When area residents began to experience COVID-19 symptoms, the hospital worried about infected patients spreading the disease to medical staff or to the hospital's vulnerable long-term-care patients. Mountains Community turned to Wipfli, which worked with hospital management to lease and deploy four mobile trailers to help protect healthcare providers and patients - one designated for intake; two equipped with beds and oxygen for patient care; and one for sleeping quarters for overworked doctors and nurses.
Also, Wipfli published How to use the 340B program to aid in financial recovery efforts, which delves into the drug prescription program that provides much-needed revenue to qualified healthcare entities. Meanwhile, Wipfli has been named to the Bob Scott's Top 100 VARs list, chosen from organizations specializing in the sale and implementation of enterprise resource planning and accounting software. And, Wipfli has been named a Preferred Power Apps Advanced Partner by Microsoft. Power Apps is a platform that lets organizations quickly build low-code apps that address their specific business challenges. (Jeff Johnson, OAK, & Steve Rousso)
|
|
ABL-TECH MEMBERS' BUSINESS TIPS & HEALTHCARE NEWS
|
PeopleG2's Webinar to Describe How to Build Inclusive Workplaces
|
On July 15, from 11 a.m. to noon, PeopleG2's Chris Dyer will co-present a webinar - What Now? Building our Ally Muscle for Inclusive Workplaces - which will share what organizations can do to create an inclusive workplace where everyone is welcomed, valued, respected, and heard. The webinar will explore best practices for creating a diversity and inclusion program that actually works, from ongoing hiring practices, to leveling the playing field when it comes to promotions, to maintaining a workforce that is a reflection of your community. (Chris Dyer, ABL-Tech SGV)
|
|
Eckert & Ziegler Gets $6 Million From NIH for Radiation Protection Pill
|
MYELO Therapeutics, an affiliated company of Eckert & Ziegler Strahlen- und Medizintechnik AG, will receive $6 million from the National Institutes of Health over the next three years for the further development of its radiation protection pill, MYELO001. The money will be used to finance further tests and proof of concept and to investigate the functional mechanism of the new orally applicable drug. If the multi-year trials are successful, MYELO has the opportunity to win valuable contracts from civil protection agencies in America and elsewhere to build up emergency stocks. (Frank Yeager, ABL-Tech SGV)
|
|
|