Tech companies invested $2.7 billion in health care the first 11 months of 2017—875 percent more than they spent in all of 2012. Investments by Apple, Alphabet, Amazon and Microsoft vary widely, from mobile health apps and technology to data analysis and disease detection. As health care spending consumes 18 percent of the economy, it’s reasonable for companies with strength in cloud computing and personalized data collection to invest in the sector. (
The New York Times;
Becker’s Health IT and CIO Review)
Too many infections, blood clots and bedsores mean 751 hospitals across the country will receive lower Medicare payments in 2018. More than half were also tagged for high rates of patient injuries last year. About a third of this year’s group are teaching hospitals, and nearly the same proportion are safety net hospitals. Critics say the Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program, created to reduce potentially avoidable events, unfairly affects hospitals that treat sicker patients. (
Kaiser Health News;
the hospital list)
Eleven telehealth laws in nine states will take effect in 2018. Some regulate new services that can be provided, such as pharmacy and dental care. Others designate who can provide telehealth services. In some cases, states are requiring reimbursement for telehealth services the same way in-person services are covered. Washington takes this a step further, expanding private payer reimbursement to include an originating site of “any location determined by the individual receiving the service.” (
MedCityNews)
A new device that can electronically catch a whiff of Crohn’s disease from a stool sample may be the future of colon diagnostics. The Moosy 32 eNose is 90 percent accurate at differentiating between Crohn’s and colitis, based on a three-minute analysis of stool samples—and it can ascertain the severity of the diseases, too. Researchers say it’s a great step forward from invasive scopes and biopsies currently in use to detect colon disease, but the eNose is still in development. (
NewAtlas)
The American Academy of Family Physicians won approval for the Department of Health and Human Services to test its Advanced Primary Care Alternative Payment Model. The global payment for the primary care model combines several payment mechanisms—risk-adjusted per member, per month payments for evaluation and management services; a prospective incentive payment based on performance; and fee-for-service payment for activities not otherwise covered. While AAFP recommended doubling Medicare payment for primary care to cover the cost, the monthly payments and measures are yet to be finalized for the program. (
MedPageToday)
In cities where Uber can provide the lift, new research shows per-capita use of ambulances is reduced by around 7 percent. It appears those who lack dependable transportation to the ER—but who are not so sick that they need emergency medical services along the way—are simply using the ride-share app instead of calling 911. That frees up emergency personnel to reach critical patients faster—and saves plenty of money by avoiding unnecessary ambulance rides. (
National Public Radio;
the study)
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DeSalvo takes on new role in Austin:The University of Texas’ Dell Medical School has created a custom-fit for Karen DeSalvo, MD, former national coordinator for health information technology and assistant administrator for health. DeSalvo will serve as professor in the Division of Primary Care and Value-Based Health at the brand-new institution, applying technology and digital health to population health programs. (
HealthData Management)
Mississippi gets first 10-year Medicaid waiver: In a move to reduce regulatory burden, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services awarded its first 10-year Medicaid waiver last week. It allows Mississippi to administer its Medicaid program without the red tape required to re-apply every 5 years. There are 34 states with 42 approved Medicaid 1115 waivers, which give states flexibility to test new approaches to administer the program. (
Healthcare Finance)
The Commonwealth Fund’s Health System Data Center provides health system score card information and allows users to compare data across states and communities. Users can drill down to zip code to look at information about access, prevention and treatment, avoidable hospital use and cost, healthy lives, income and race/ethnicity equity. (
The Commonwealth Fund)
MarketVoices...quotes worth reading
"The big-picture reason that a lot of these tech companies are getting into healthcare now is because the market is too big, too important and much too personal to their users for them to ignore." – John Prendergass of Ben Franklin Technology Partners, as quoted in
The New York Times.
