Seeking to better reach aging patients in their homes, telehealth company American Well has partnered with Cisco Systems on an upcoming effort to deliver virtual care through home television sets, the companies announced today at American Well’s annual Client Forum in Boston.
FDA clears AliveCor’s six-lead smartphone ECG
Mobile consumer ECG maker AliveCor announced today that its long-teased six-lead ECG device has been cleared by the FDA and will be available to customers in June of this year.
“[The KardiaMobile 6L clearance] is a big deal for us, and it’s important for patients and physicians because they will be able to get a materially improved view into patients’ hearts,” Dr. Jacqueline Shreibati, chief medical officer at AliveCor, told MobiHealthNews. “It allows visibility into certain arrhythmias that was never available to consumers until now.”
AMA chair: Digital health has great potential, but it’s often not living up to it
The American Medical Association has always had an interesting relationship with digital health, vacillating between gadfly and cheerleader as it seeks to fulfill its role as the voice of physicians in industry conversations.
At the Cleveland Clinic Patient Experience: Empathy and Innovation Summit, an event held in Cleveland this week and organized in conjunction with HIMSS, AMA Board Chair Dr. Jack Resneck Jr. laid out the AMA’s perspective on the tremendous potential of digital health technology — as well as the many ways that potential is not being fulfilled.
Visibly files suit seeking to overturn Indiana’s ban on corrective lens prescription via telemedicine
Online refractive eye exam company Visibly, formerly called Opternative, has filed a complaint in Indiana seeking to overturn a law prohibiting providers from prescribing corrective lenses via telemedicine in the state.
Best Buy selling Tyto Care’s telehealth platform online, in certain stores
Best Buy is now selling Tyto Care’s remote care device and service through its online storefront, the companies announced in a press release this morning. The retailer is also offering the platform in certain Minnesota stores, and has plans to expand this availability to North Dakota, South Dakota, California and Ohio locations as well.
Federal Indictments & Law Enforcement Actions in One of the Largest Health Care Fraud Schemes Involving Telemedicine and Durable Medical Equipment Marketing Executives Results in Charges Against 24 Individuals Responsible for Over $1.2 Billion in Losses
One of the largest health care fraud schemes investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and prosecuted by the Department of Justice resulted in charges against 24 defendants, including the CEOs, COOs and others associated with five telemedicine companies, the owners of dozens of durable medical equipment (DME) companies and three licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud schemes involving more than $1.2 billion in loss, as well as the execution of over 80 search warrants in 17 federal districts. In addition, the Center for Medicare Services, Center for Program Integrity (CMS/CPI) announced today that it took adverse administrative action against 130 DME companies that had submitted over $1.7 billion in claims and were paid over $900 million.
VisuWell Advances UAMS e-Link Telemedicine Network
VisuWell Extends the Existing UAMS e-Link Infrastructure by Allowing for a More Comprehensive Experience, Capable of Providing Arkansas’ Population and Providers with Improved Access to Healthcare and Specialty Consultation
Amazon Alexa celebrates HIPAA-compliant data transfer with six new healthcare skills
Developed by providers, payers and other stakeholders, each of the new voice-based services is designed to conveniently bring health knowledge and management into the home.
Contract Year 2020 Medicare Advantage and Part D Flexibility Final Rule (CMS-4185-F)
On April 5, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule that updates the Medicare Advantage (MA or Part C) and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit (Part D) programs by promoting innovative plan designs, improved quality, and choices for patients.
Pediatric telemedicine visits may increase antibiotic overprescribing
Children with acute respiratory infections were prescribed antibiotics more often during direct-to-consumer telemedicine visits than during in-person primary care appointments or urgent care visits, according to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh research reported in Pediatrics.