Future of Telehealth Reimbursement: Offering Medicare Telehealth Services?

While many United States healthcare providers are returning to their in-person offices, many others are digging in to offer hybrid telehealth or exclusive telehealth practices moving forward. Understanding the future of telehealth reimbursement is then a pivotal issue. As a hub for telehealth consultants and trainers, the Telebehavioral Health Institute (TBHI) is receiving daily requests for assistance from behavioral health groups and independent practitioners seeking to position themselves for telehealth expansion optimally. 

Spotlight

Ochsner Health System

Ochsner Health System is Louisiana’s largest non-profit, academic, healthcare system. Driven by a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate, coordinated clinical and hospital patient care is provided across the region by Ochsner's 30 owned, managed and affiliated hospitals and more than 60 health centers. Ochsner is the only Louisiana hospital recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a “Best Hospital” across three specialty categories caring for patients from all 50 states and more than 80 countries worldwide each year. Ochsner employs more than 17,000 employees, over 1,000 physicians in over 90 medical specialties and subspecialties and conducts more than 600 clinical research studies.

OTHER ARTICLES
Health Technology

Role of AI and ML in the Healthcare Industry

Article | September 12, 2023

Contents 1. Alexa, Are You There? 2. Digital Assistants-Cum-Doctor-Assistants 3. Toward An AI-Friendly Life! 1. Alexa, Are You There? If Siri, Alexa, Google Now, or Cortana are your friends, you do not need any special introduction for today’s topic! This is because these digital assistants have become part and parcel of our lives; from completing our minimal tasks to helping us solve our problems, they make our day-to-day life simpler and more manageable. Popularly called AI, Artificial Intelligence is the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines. Similarly, Machine Learning, also called ML, is the capability of a machine to imitate intelligent human behavior. 2. Digital Assistants-cum-Doctor Assistants The unpredictable pandemic years, which took thousands of lives, depict the rise of complexities in the healthcare industry. To deal with such cases in the future tactfully, the healthcare segment needs to be proactive and implement advanced technologies to detect, resolve, and prevent untimely death. Modern technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning help the medical fraternity perform tasks usually done by humans quickly and accurately, saving much time that can be utilized elsewhere. Let’s take a quick tour of how AI and ML can boost the healthcare industry: Artificial Intelligence can broadly scan patient databases or consult patients via a chatbot or online support system to understand their symptoms, send data to doctors, and get real-time diagnoses and prescribed medicines. Machine Learning, a subset of AI, can replace traditional processes with a supervised one, as in, a patient can be treated based on similar symptoms and treatment of other patients. The process requires a quick scanning of the database, which can be time-consuming if done by human effort. Taking technology by storm, patients suffering from neurological disorders can be treated via Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) backed by AI. With the help of this technology, normal bodily functions, such as the ability to move, speak or react, can be restored. It can also assist doctors in treating patients with strokes, locked-in syndrome, etc.The healthcare segment is revolutionizing, as sensitive operations such as heart surgery are being performed with robotic precision and control with AI-based algorithms. For this purpose, precision machine learning processes are being used to train robots and improve accuracy. AI can also help in digital pathology. Instead of placing separate slides or tissue blocks and observing them manually, pathologists can do it via AI, which can help analyze digital slides using image analysis and machine learning. 3. Toward an AI-friendly Life! If you never forget to wear a smartwatch, track daily steps, get water intake notifications, eat mindfully, and consistently monitor pulse rates, then you are already AI-friendly! You have successfully incorporated AI into your life and taken the first step towarda healthy life!

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Health Technology, AI

Unlocking Better Health Online: Exploring Power of EHR Telemedicine

Article | July 18, 2023

Embark on a journey into the frontier of healthcare innovation in this article. Discover how EHR telemedicine and remote patient monitoring serve as catalysts, driving forward a new era in healthcare. Contents 1. Integration of EHRs in Telemedicine and Remote Patient Monitoring 2. Technical Challenges and Solutions in EHR Integration 3. Financial Analysis: Cost-Benefit Assessment of Integration 4. Data Privacy and Consent in Integrated EHR-Telemedicine Systems 5. Forging Stronger Patient-Clinician Relationships 1. Integration of EHRs in Telemedicine and Remote Patient Monitoring EHR telemedicine and remote patient monitoring have reshaped healthcare delivery by seamlessly integrating electronic health records, allowing healthcare providers and patients to exchange information effortlessly, regardless of geographical barriers. This synergy empowers healthcare professionals to access patients' comprehensive medical histories in real time, facilitating more informed decision-making during virtual consultations. During the spring of 2020, when pandemic restrictions kept most people in the US at home, the use of telehealth rose to about 51%. [Source: Elation Health] Moreover, it enhances the accuracy of remote patient monitoring by providing up-to-date data, enabling timely interventions and improving overall healthcare outcomes. Integrating EHR telemedicine systems enhances efficiency and ensures that patient care remains at the forefront of modern healthcare, transcending traditional physical boundaries. 2. Technical Challenges and Solutions in EHR Integration Navigating telehealth EHR integration and remote patient monitoring solutions uncovers a range of technical challenges, each with its own set of potential remedies. These include interoperability issues, which can be mitigated by adopting standardized data formats like HL7 FHIR. EHR interoperability solutions may involve using data exchange protocols such as HL7's Consolidated Clinical Document Architecture (C-CDA) or developing custom APIs to facilitate seamless data exchange between EHRs and telemedicine platforms. Additionally, the imperative need for data security and privacy is achieved through robust encryption and adherence to regulations like HIPAA or GDPR. Data integration challenges arising from varying EHR data storage methods can be resolved using middleware or integration platforms. Investing in telecom infrastructure and developing offline-capable telemedicine apps can address limited connectivity in remote areas. Ensuring real-time data access involves optimizing EHR databases and creating low-latency systems. Other challenges encompass integrating data from medical devices, ensuring data accuracy, scalability, user-friendly interfaces, regulatory compliance, and cost management strategies. 3. Financial Analysis: Cost-Benefit Assessment of Integration When contemplating the integration of EHR telemedicine and remote patient monitoring systems, conducting a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis is crucial. This assessment covers financial aspects, including initial implementation costs (software development, hardware upgrades, training, and data migration), ongoing operational expenses (maintenance and data storage), and potential efficiency gains (streamlined workflows and improved data accessibility). It also evaluates the impact on patient outcomes, satisfaction, and financial benefits of enhanced healthcare quality, reduced readmissions, and increased patient engagement. Healthcare organizations can estimate cost savings in remote patient monitoring and explore expanding telemedicine services to underserved populations to make informed financial decisions. Additionally, this analysis considers long-term financial viability and alignment with organizational goals, including regulatory compliance costs, risk assessment, scalability considerations, and the competitive advantages of integrated telemedicine services. By calculating ROI and assessing potential risks, healthcare entities can develop risk mitigation strategies, ensuring that EHR integration in telemedicine and remote patient monitoring enhances healthcare delivery and aligns with the organization's financial sustainability and long-term success. 4. Data Privacy and Consent in Integrated EHR-Telemedicine Systems Data privacy and obtaining informed consent are paramount in integrated EHR and telemedicine systems. Patients should provide explicit consent, understanding the data collected and its intended use, with strict encryption protocols safeguarding data during transmission. Access controls and data minimization practices restrict unauthorized access, while patient portals enable individuals to manage their data-sharing preferences and revoke consent if needed. Compliance with regulations such as HIPAA or GDPR is crucial, as is maintaining comprehensive audit trails to track data access. Training, awareness, and robust incident response plans fortify data privacy efforts, fostering trust and transparency in these integrated systems where healthcare organizations and patients share responsibility for secure data handling. 5. Forging Stronger Patient-Clinician Relationships Integrating EHR telemedicine and remote monitoring systems goes beyond mere efficiency and accessibility objectives. It serves as a catalyst for nurturing more substantial and meaningful patient-clinician relationships. This fusion of technology and healthcare has the capacity to bridge physical distances, allowing clinicians to truly understand and engage with their patients on a deeper level. Patients, armed with increased access to their health data, become more active participants in their healthcare, while clinicians, with their comprehensive information, can offer more personalized and informed guidance. The potential of EHR telemedicine reaches far beyond the digital screen; it empowers both patients and clinicians to collaborate in pursuit of improved health outcomes, ushering in a new era of patient-centric care grounded in trust, communication, and shared knowledge.

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Health Technology, Digital Healthcare

How to optimize health IT systems for immunization drives

Article | July 14, 2023

Government bodies have organized vaccination drives from the days of paper, pen and file folders. Nations across the globe have successfully run vaccination programs on a large scale. In countries such as India, with the second-largest population, a vaccination campaign to eradicate polio was delivered at specified centers and going door-to-door. India was declared officially polio-free in March 2014. All without technology! Routine vaccination administration has always been either by a scheduled or walk-in appointment. Vaccinating populations for polio, smallpox or similar diseases has always been a part of a multi-year plan for governments.

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When Someone You Know Struggles with Fear and Anxiety

Article | August 27, 2021

Do you know a friend or loved one who suffers from fear, anxiety, and depression and do not know what to do to help them? It can be frustrating to watch someone you know struggle with their mental health and not be able to do anything to relieve their suffering. With this in mind, here are seven ways to help the person cope in these kinds of situations. 1. Learn as much as you can in managing anxiety and depression: There are many books and information that will educate you on how to successfully overcome fear and anxiety. Share this information with the individual who is struggling with their fears. The key is to get your friend to understand how important it is to seek some guidance when it comes to their mental health. 2. Be understanding and patient with the person struggling with their fears: Maintaining depression and anxiety can be difficult for the individual so do not add more problems than what is already there. Do not get into arguments with your friend who may be having a difficult time with their anxieties. Make an effort to listen to the person rather than making judgements. 3. Talk to the person instead of talking at them: It is important not to lecture the individual who’s having a hard time with anxiety and depression. Talk to the person about their issues without being rude. Most people will listen if you approach them in a proper manner. Remember to treat others the way you would want to be treated if you were the one who was struggling. 4. Ask for some ideas: Seek advice from a professional who can assist the person you know with their mental health issues. A counsellor can give you some ideas on how to overcome anxiety, fear, and depression. Getting help from a therapist is the number one priority in getting the individual to do something about their problems. 5. Find out why the person won’t get assistance: Address the issues on why he or she will not seek treatment. Many people who are struggling are fearful and frustrated. Try to find out the reasons why your friend won’t get the help they need and then try to find the ways that will overcome their resistance of seeking some guidance. 6. Remind the person on the consequences of not getting help: Another way to convince the individual who is struggling with fear and depression is to tell them what may happen if they don’t get some counselling. Anxiety and depression can make things worse and usually won’t go away by themselves. 7. You can’t manage your mental health all by yourself: A person’s fears and anxieties can be difficult to manage and more than likely he or she will need some help. Many people think that they can overcome their mental health problems on their own. This is a mistake. The individual should admit they have a problem and then seek treatment to get their life back on track.

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Spotlight

Ochsner Health System

Ochsner Health System is Louisiana’s largest non-profit, academic, healthcare system. Driven by a mission to Serve, Heal, Lead, Educate and Innovate, coordinated clinical and hospital patient care is provided across the region by Ochsner's 30 owned, managed and affiliated hospitals and more than 60 health centers. Ochsner is the only Louisiana hospital recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a “Best Hospital” across three specialty categories caring for patients from all 50 states and more than 80 countries worldwide each year. Ochsner employs more than 17,000 employees, over 1,000 physicians in over 90 medical specialties and subspecialties and conducts more than 600 clinical research studies.

Related News

Digital Healthcare

MedX Health and Health Partners Announce Agreement to Launch MedX’s Teledermatology Screening Platform

MedX Health Corp | March 03, 2022

MedX Health Corp.("MedX" or the "Company"), a global leader in teledermatology, is pleased to announce a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) and the launch of a new commercialization pilot project with Health Partners (OH) Limited, a well-respected, privately-owned corporate health, treatment and primary care services company in the United Kingdom. Serving a broad client base comprising corporates, government agencies, insurers, health trusts, pension funds and individuals, Health Partners (“HP”) employs 700+ people with telehealth, mobile and on-site operations across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The pilot will span three to six months and involve an estimated 600 patients across two of HP’s sites. Upon the successful completion of the pilot, the MedX DermSecure® Screening Platform will be made available to Health Partners' two million-plus patients. The agreement is the latest initiative in MedX’s global commercialization strategy and follows pilots recently launched across the Europe and Middle East region. "Health Partners’ Clinical Team constantly strives to identify leading technological innovations that offer the highest level of support to our two million-plus patients. MedX's leading skin assessment technology allows dermatologists to not only make more accurate diagnoses of pigmented lesions and moles, but to do that remotely and quickly. We are very proud to be partnering with MedX Health to bring this innovative and life-changing service to our clients.” Health Partners Managing Director Andrew Noble In addition to expanding its DermSecure® Screening Platform network globally, MedX has focused on building a presence in multiple market verticals such as pharmacies, medical clinics, building hubs, medical scanning clinics, mobile and remote medical practices, as well as esthetics and skincare clinics. The partnership with Health Partners represents MedX’s expansion into a new vertical; occupational health and wellbeing services. MedX Managing Director, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Naman Demaghlatrous, added, "MedX is pleased to have established a presence in the strategic occupational health vertical. Health Partners brings our technology to a population of more than two million workers across the United Kingdom, thus expanding our footprint in the EMEA region considerably. We continue to execute on our strategy to identify strategic partnerships in the region that will allow us to grow our business and save lives simultaneously.” Health Partners will pilot MedX’s high-definition image-capture technology, SIAscopy®, and its secure, cloud-based patient management system, DermSecure®, which transmits and stores patient data throughout the assessment process. MedX's SIAscopy® is the only technology available that captures five high-resolution images of suspicious moles, lesions and skin conditions, including four spectrophotometric images taken 2mm below the skin's surface. This technology provides detailed patient scans, which a certified dermatologist can virtually assess within 72 hours. "We are honoured to be working with Health Partners on this most important initiative. According to Health & Safety Executive-commissioned research, there are more than 3000 cases of skin cancer annually in the construction industryalone. We are delighted to be entering the occupational health services market with a leader in the industry," stated Mike Druhan, MedX President, Dermatology Services. About Health Partners (OH) Ltd. Health Partners, headquartered in Uckfield, East Sussex, United Kingdom, is a leading health and wellbeing company, providing a full range of corporate health, treatment and primary care services to corporates, government, insurers, health trusts, pension funds and families. We combine expert advice and clinical services with smart systems to deliver impact-driven health programmes, tailored to improve people’s wellbeing and performance. Health Partners is founded on patient privacy and holds a significant number of accreditations, certifications and memberships, including ISO27001, CQC, SEQOHS and ISO9001. Health Partners offers its services across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, reaching two million plus people in organisations across several industries. About MedX Health Corp. MedX, headquartered in Ontario, Canada, is a leading medical device and software company focused on skin health with its SIAscopy® on DermSecure® telemedicine platform, utilizing its SIAscopy® technology. SIAscopy® is also imbedded in its products SIAMETRICS®, SIMSYS®, and MoleMate®, which MedX manufactures in its ISO 13485 certified facility. SIAMETRICS®, SIMSYS®, and MoleMate® include hand-held devices that use patented technology utilizing light and its remittance to view suspicious moles and lesions up to 2mm beneath in a pain-free, non-invasive manner. Its patented software then creates real-time images for physicians and dermatologists to evaluate all types of moles or lesions within seconds. These products are cleared by Health Canada, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Therapeutic Goods Administration and Conformité Européenne for use in Canada, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, the European Union, Brazil and Turkey.

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Digital Healthcare

BAYADA Launches New Digital Services for Hospital Joint Venture and Health Plan Partners

BAYADA | February 28, 2022

BAYADA Home Health Care, a leading not-for-profit home health care provider today launched its new, innovative suite of digital care transition and coordination solutions to assist hospitals and health plan point venture partners to better serve patients in their homes and communities. BAYADA has selected digital health care company, Dina, its current technology partner, as the platform to power these new, tech-enabled services. The new digital tools leveraged by BAYADA will identify risks and track interventions as part of a new longitudinal care management program, bridging the acute and post-acute care worlds. By improving patient transitions from hospital to home-based care, BAYADA will help care teams stay connected, and create better, more cost-effective outcomes for patients and providers. In a BAYADA trial including a cohort of patients with complex care needs, the approach has already created a significant impact. Patient hospitalization and emergency department visit rates were reduced by 42% and 30%, respectively, and the progression of patients moving from their homes into long-term, facility-based nursing care has also slowed. “We’re excited to launch a highly scalable tech platform that offers seamless clinical integration, so we can coordinate multiple specialty services for seniors to help them stay safe and well cared for in their homes,” said David Baiada, CEO of BAYADA Home Health Care. “This will become increasingly important as care continues to move into homes, where people want to be.” The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of home-based care, and most older Americans say they want to age in place. “As organizations prepare to deliver care in a post-COVID world, it’s important that they not only invest in telehealth and remote patient monitoring capabilities, but also partner with forward-thinking homecare providers to better serve people in the home setting. We look forward to working with BAYADA to implement this new technology, and managing the care delivery logistics to make care-at-home safe, coordinated, reliable and excellent for patients and their families.” Ashish V. Shah, CEO of Dina The new tech-enabled services not only benefit patients, but major health systems as well, allowing BAYADA partners to: Digitally transform post-acute care (PAC) network management and streamline the transitions of care experience for patients moving from hospital to home. Create virtual care teams across disparate post-acute and community-based providers that connect physicians, nurses, care managers, patients, and their families with real-time, secure, mobile messaging, leading to fewer unplanned emergency room visits and readmissions. Implement new, innovative care-at-home delivery models that keep the home as the primary destination for medically complex patients. Address the health equity and social determinants of health (SDOH) needs for patients through data-driven partnerships with local, community-based service providers. Better support the emerging needs of family caregivers as they work to formally collaborate with care teams to deliver exceptional outcomes at a lower cost. BAYADA is one of the fastest-growing home health and hospice joint venture partners in the country and has joined forces with several major health systems and health plans in joint ventures and value-based care arrangements. About BAYADA Home Health Care BAYADA Home Health Care was founded by J. Mark Baiada in 1975 and provides nursing, rehabilitative, therapeutic, hospice and assistive care services to children, adults and seniors in the comfort of their homes. Headquartered in the Greater Philadelphia suburbs based in New Jersey, BAYADA employs more than 26,000 nurses, home health aides, therapists, medical social workers and other home health care professionals who serve their communities in 23 states from 347 locations, with locations in Canada, Germany, India, Ireland, New Zealand, South Korea and the United Kingdom. In 2018, Baiada oversaw the company’s unprecedented transition to a not-for-profit organization to ensure BAYADA’s mission, purpose and business model would endure, and to help BAYADA realize its vision of helping millions of people worldwide experience a better quality of life at home; in early May 2019, the organization served its one millionth client. About Dina Dina powers the future of home-based care. We are an AI-powered care-at-home platform and network that can activate and coordinate multiple home-based service providers, engage patients directly, and unlock timely home-based insights that increase healthy days at home. The platform creates a virtual experience for the entire healthcare team so they can communicate with each other--and help patients and families stay connected--even though they may not physically be under the same roof. Dina helps professional and family caregivers capture rich data from the home, using artificial intelligence to recommend evidence-based, non-medical interventions.

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Digital Healthcare

Brazilian Heath Tech Company Alice Partners With TytoCare to Expand Telehealth Offerings With At-Home Medical Examinations

TytoCare | February 23, 2022

TytoCare, the global health care industry's first all-in-one modular device and examination platform for AI-powered, on-demand, remote medical exams, and Alice,Brazil'sfirst primary care-driven health insurance plan, have announced today a partnership. Alice is the first company inBrazilto integrate with TytoCare, offering its members an easy-to-use, portable examination kit to conduct virtual physical examinations anywhere, anytime, putting healthcare in the hands of consumers. TytoCare will be distributed exclusively inBrazilby Tuinda Care. Alice, which inDecember 2021received the largest venture capital round ever reported inLatin Americaby a health tech company, began operations inJune 2020as an innovative tech-enabled health plan, built on the foundation of virtual-first, team-based primary care. Besides providing each of its members a 'Health Squad' ("Time de Saúde") – composed of a family doctor, a nurse, a nutritionist, and a physical trainer – the company also serves as a private health insurance provider with access to top-of-the-line hospitals, labs, and a network of medical specialists. Most hospitals in the network are contracted under a value-based healthcare (VBHC) payment model. With the TytoCare partnership, Alice will enable seamless digital diagnostics for its members, while enabling physicians to offer clinic-quality virtual care. TytoCare is the only all-in-one telehealth solution enabling physicians to remotely connect with patients for clinic-quality physical examinations. The handheld examination kit enables users to perform comprehensive exams of the heart, skin, ears, throat, abdomen, and lungs, as well as measure heartrate and body temperature, which are key for treating many acute and chronic conditions. This allows healthcare providers to gain the vital clinical data they require to monitor, diagnose, and treat patients and avoid unnecessary in-person visits. All the data is stored in Alice's app and becomes available to all health professionals who care for the member, allowing for seamless care coordination. "This data integration – the first of its kind inBrazil– enables the member's Health Squad to easily follow up on any chronic or acute condition, providing patients with long-term care while ensuring accuracy, speed, and convenience in both diagnoses and treatment plans. TytoCare also reduces costs and the need for travel to and from hospitals and clinics. In addition, it enables the health professional to share vital information with other physicians and specialists for a second opinion." André Florence, CEO of Alice TytoCare is easy to use and requires only an internet signal for members to conduct synchronous virtual consultations with their physician who can guide them through the exams and see the results in Alice's app. The physician can then better direct the member to the appropriate care pathway, either by referring them to an emergency room or by writing a digital prescription, when necessary. Currently, 15% of digital queries use TytoCare's support and with the integration, this number is expected to grow even further. With TytoCare, Alice can offer better assistance to a member who has, for example, an earache in the middle of the night and opts to use 'Alice Now' ("Alice Agora") – an in-app, text-based virtual primary care service that supports audio and video and is available 24/7 for members who need immediate medical assistance. Within one hour, the member will receive the TytoCare device at home and the physician will guide them through a physical exam to see in real-time what is happening in the ear canal. The TytoCare examination kit can be used to support the care of children and adults as well as for patients with more complex illnesses who need frequent monitoring. "Members with medical complexities use health services more frequently and can benefit from remote monitoring, reducing the frequency of in-person visits," saidAna Carolina Lucchese, Tuinda Care director. "Easier access to medical services can also prevent further complications and hospitalization." About TytoCare TytoCare is a telehealth company using AI to transform primary care by putting health in the hands of consumers. TytoCare seamlessly connects people to clinicians to provide the best virtual home examination and diagnosis solutions.Its solutions are designed to enable a comprehensive medical exam from any location and include a hand-held, all-in-one tool for examining the heart, lungs, skin, ears, throat, abdomen, and body temperature; a complete telehealth platform for sharing exam data, conducting live video exams, and scheduling visits; a cloud-based data repository with analytics; and built-in guidance technology and machine learning algorithms to ensure accuracy and ease of use for patients and insights for healthcare providers. Co-founded byDedi GiladandOfer Tzadikin 2012, TytoCare has FDA and CE clearances and has partnered with over 170 major health systems, health plans, and strategic partners in the U.S.,Europe,Asia,Latin America, andIsrael. About Alice Alice is currently considered the most promising health tech inLatin America. AsBrazil'sfirst primary care-driven health insurance plan, its mission is to make the world healthier. Launched inJune 2020, it already has nearly 7,000 members, more than 550 employees and has raised VC rounds at historically high levels for a health tech in the region. Founded by André Florence,Guilherme AzevedoandMatheus Moraes, the health tech has raised$174.8Mfrom the funds Allen & Company LLC, Canary, Endeavor Catalyst, Globo Ventures, G Squared, Kaszek, Maya Capital, StepStone Group, SoftBank Latin America Fund (SBLA) and ThornTree Capital Partners. About Tuinda Care Tuinda Care is a Healthtech startup focused on expanding access to high quality medical care inBrazilthrough telemedicine. It's the exclusive distributor of TytoCare technology inBrazil, with the purpose to connect clinicians and patients remotely, assuring medical excellence in every online visit. Tuinda Care is accelerated by Pequeno Príncipe Hospital and Sabará Pediatric Hospital, the two most prestigious pediatric hospitals inBrazil.

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Digital Healthcare

MedX Health and Health Partners Announce Agreement to Launch MedX’s Teledermatology Screening Platform

MedX Health Corp | March 03, 2022

MedX Health Corp.("MedX" or the "Company"), a global leader in teledermatology, is pleased to announce a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) and the launch of a new commercialization pilot project with Health Partners (OH) Limited, a well-respected, privately-owned corporate health, treatment and primary care services company in the United Kingdom. Serving a broad client base comprising corporates, government agencies, insurers, health trusts, pension funds and individuals, Health Partners (“HP”) employs 700+ people with telehealth, mobile and on-site operations across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The pilot will span three to six months and involve an estimated 600 patients across two of HP’s sites. Upon the successful completion of the pilot, the MedX DermSecure® Screening Platform will be made available to Health Partners' two million-plus patients. The agreement is the latest initiative in MedX’s global commercialization strategy and follows pilots recently launched across the Europe and Middle East region. "Health Partners’ Clinical Team constantly strives to identify leading technological innovations that offer the highest level of support to our two million-plus patients. MedX's leading skin assessment technology allows dermatologists to not only make more accurate diagnoses of pigmented lesions and moles, but to do that remotely and quickly. We are very proud to be partnering with MedX Health to bring this innovative and life-changing service to our clients.” Health Partners Managing Director Andrew Noble In addition to expanding its DermSecure® Screening Platform network globally, MedX has focused on building a presence in multiple market verticals such as pharmacies, medical clinics, building hubs, medical scanning clinics, mobile and remote medical practices, as well as esthetics and skincare clinics. The partnership with Health Partners represents MedX’s expansion into a new vertical; occupational health and wellbeing services. MedX Managing Director, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Naman Demaghlatrous, added, "MedX is pleased to have established a presence in the strategic occupational health vertical. Health Partners brings our technology to a population of more than two million workers across the United Kingdom, thus expanding our footprint in the EMEA region considerably. We continue to execute on our strategy to identify strategic partnerships in the region that will allow us to grow our business and save lives simultaneously.” Health Partners will pilot MedX’s high-definition image-capture technology, SIAscopy®, and its secure, cloud-based patient management system, DermSecure®, which transmits and stores patient data throughout the assessment process. MedX's SIAscopy® is the only technology available that captures five high-resolution images of suspicious moles, lesions and skin conditions, including four spectrophotometric images taken 2mm below the skin's surface. This technology provides detailed patient scans, which a certified dermatologist can virtually assess within 72 hours. "We are honoured to be working with Health Partners on this most important initiative. According to Health & Safety Executive-commissioned research, there are more than 3000 cases of skin cancer annually in the construction industryalone. We are delighted to be entering the occupational health services market with a leader in the industry," stated Mike Druhan, MedX President, Dermatology Services. About Health Partners (OH) Ltd. Health Partners, headquartered in Uckfield, East Sussex, United Kingdom, is a leading health and wellbeing company, providing a full range of corporate health, treatment and primary care services to corporates, government, insurers, health trusts, pension funds and families. We combine expert advice and clinical services with smart systems to deliver impact-driven health programmes, tailored to improve people’s wellbeing and performance. Health Partners is founded on patient privacy and holds a significant number of accreditations, certifications and memberships, including ISO27001, CQC, SEQOHS and ISO9001. Health Partners offers its services across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, reaching two million plus people in organisations across several industries. About MedX Health Corp. MedX, headquartered in Ontario, Canada, is a leading medical device and software company focused on skin health with its SIAscopy® on DermSecure® telemedicine platform, utilizing its SIAscopy® technology. SIAscopy® is also imbedded in its products SIAMETRICS®, SIMSYS®, and MoleMate®, which MedX manufactures in its ISO 13485 certified facility. SIAMETRICS®, SIMSYS®, and MoleMate® include hand-held devices that use patented technology utilizing light and its remittance to view suspicious moles and lesions up to 2mm beneath in a pain-free, non-invasive manner. Its patented software then creates real-time images for physicians and dermatologists to evaluate all types of moles or lesions within seconds. These products are cleared by Health Canada, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Therapeutic Goods Administration and Conformité Européenne for use in Canada, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, the European Union, Brazil and Turkey.

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Digital Healthcare

BAYADA Launches New Digital Services for Hospital Joint Venture and Health Plan Partners

BAYADA | February 28, 2022

BAYADA Home Health Care, a leading not-for-profit home health care provider today launched its new, innovative suite of digital care transition and coordination solutions to assist hospitals and health plan point venture partners to better serve patients in their homes and communities. BAYADA has selected digital health care company, Dina, its current technology partner, as the platform to power these new, tech-enabled services. The new digital tools leveraged by BAYADA will identify risks and track interventions as part of a new longitudinal care management program, bridging the acute and post-acute care worlds. By improving patient transitions from hospital to home-based care, BAYADA will help care teams stay connected, and create better, more cost-effective outcomes for patients and providers. In a BAYADA trial including a cohort of patients with complex care needs, the approach has already created a significant impact. Patient hospitalization and emergency department visit rates were reduced by 42% and 30%, respectively, and the progression of patients moving from their homes into long-term, facility-based nursing care has also slowed. “We’re excited to launch a highly scalable tech platform that offers seamless clinical integration, so we can coordinate multiple specialty services for seniors to help them stay safe and well cared for in their homes,” said David Baiada, CEO of BAYADA Home Health Care. “This will become increasingly important as care continues to move into homes, where people want to be.” The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of home-based care, and most older Americans say they want to age in place. “As organizations prepare to deliver care in a post-COVID world, it’s important that they not only invest in telehealth and remote patient monitoring capabilities, but also partner with forward-thinking homecare providers to better serve people in the home setting. We look forward to working with BAYADA to implement this new technology, and managing the care delivery logistics to make care-at-home safe, coordinated, reliable and excellent for patients and their families.” Ashish V. Shah, CEO of Dina The new tech-enabled services not only benefit patients, but major health systems as well, allowing BAYADA partners to: Digitally transform post-acute care (PAC) network management and streamline the transitions of care experience for patients moving from hospital to home. Create virtual care teams across disparate post-acute and community-based providers that connect physicians, nurses, care managers, patients, and their families with real-time, secure, mobile messaging, leading to fewer unplanned emergency room visits and readmissions. Implement new, innovative care-at-home delivery models that keep the home as the primary destination for medically complex patients. Address the health equity and social determinants of health (SDOH) needs for patients through data-driven partnerships with local, community-based service providers. Better support the emerging needs of family caregivers as they work to formally collaborate with care teams to deliver exceptional outcomes at a lower cost. BAYADA is one of the fastest-growing home health and hospice joint venture partners in the country and has joined forces with several major health systems and health plans in joint ventures and value-based care arrangements. About BAYADA Home Health Care BAYADA Home Health Care was founded by J. Mark Baiada in 1975 and provides nursing, rehabilitative, therapeutic, hospice and assistive care services to children, adults and seniors in the comfort of their homes. Headquartered in the Greater Philadelphia suburbs based in New Jersey, BAYADA employs more than 26,000 nurses, home health aides, therapists, medical social workers and other home health care professionals who serve their communities in 23 states from 347 locations, with locations in Canada, Germany, India, Ireland, New Zealand, South Korea and the United Kingdom. In 2018, Baiada oversaw the company’s unprecedented transition to a not-for-profit organization to ensure BAYADA’s mission, purpose and business model would endure, and to help BAYADA realize its vision of helping millions of people worldwide experience a better quality of life at home; in early May 2019, the organization served its one millionth client. About Dina Dina powers the future of home-based care. We are an AI-powered care-at-home platform and network that can activate and coordinate multiple home-based service providers, engage patients directly, and unlock timely home-based insights that increase healthy days at home. The platform creates a virtual experience for the entire healthcare team so they can communicate with each other--and help patients and families stay connected--even though they may not physically be under the same roof. Dina helps professional and family caregivers capture rich data from the home, using artificial intelligence to recommend evidence-based, non-medical interventions.

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Digital Healthcare

Brazilian Heath Tech Company Alice Partners With TytoCare to Expand Telehealth Offerings With At-Home Medical Examinations

TytoCare | February 23, 2022

TytoCare, the global health care industry's first all-in-one modular device and examination platform for AI-powered, on-demand, remote medical exams, and Alice,Brazil'sfirst primary care-driven health insurance plan, have announced today a partnership. Alice is the first company inBrazilto integrate with TytoCare, offering its members an easy-to-use, portable examination kit to conduct virtual physical examinations anywhere, anytime, putting healthcare in the hands of consumers. TytoCare will be distributed exclusively inBrazilby Tuinda Care. Alice, which inDecember 2021received the largest venture capital round ever reported inLatin Americaby a health tech company, began operations inJune 2020as an innovative tech-enabled health plan, built on the foundation of virtual-first, team-based primary care. Besides providing each of its members a 'Health Squad' ("Time de Saúde") – composed of a family doctor, a nurse, a nutritionist, and a physical trainer – the company also serves as a private health insurance provider with access to top-of-the-line hospitals, labs, and a network of medical specialists. Most hospitals in the network are contracted under a value-based healthcare (VBHC) payment model. With the TytoCare partnership, Alice will enable seamless digital diagnostics for its members, while enabling physicians to offer clinic-quality virtual care. TytoCare is the only all-in-one telehealth solution enabling physicians to remotely connect with patients for clinic-quality physical examinations. The handheld examination kit enables users to perform comprehensive exams of the heart, skin, ears, throat, abdomen, and lungs, as well as measure heartrate and body temperature, which are key for treating many acute and chronic conditions. This allows healthcare providers to gain the vital clinical data they require to monitor, diagnose, and treat patients and avoid unnecessary in-person visits. All the data is stored in Alice's app and becomes available to all health professionals who care for the member, allowing for seamless care coordination. "This data integration – the first of its kind inBrazil– enables the member's Health Squad to easily follow up on any chronic or acute condition, providing patients with long-term care while ensuring accuracy, speed, and convenience in both diagnoses and treatment plans. TytoCare also reduces costs and the need for travel to and from hospitals and clinics. In addition, it enables the health professional to share vital information with other physicians and specialists for a second opinion." André Florence, CEO of Alice TytoCare is easy to use and requires only an internet signal for members to conduct synchronous virtual consultations with their physician who can guide them through the exams and see the results in Alice's app. The physician can then better direct the member to the appropriate care pathway, either by referring them to an emergency room or by writing a digital prescription, when necessary. Currently, 15% of digital queries use TytoCare's support and with the integration, this number is expected to grow even further. With TytoCare, Alice can offer better assistance to a member who has, for example, an earache in the middle of the night and opts to use 'Alice Now' ("Alice Agora") – an in-app, text-based virtual primary care service that supports audio and video and is available 24/7 for members who need immediate medical assistance. Within one hour, the member will receive the TytoCare device at home and the physician will guide them through a physical exam to see in real-time what is happening in the ear canal. The TytoCare examination kit can be used to support the care of children and adults as well as for patients with more complex illnesses who need frequent monitoring. "Members with medical complexities use health services more frequently and can benefit from remote monitoring, reducing the frequency of in-person visits," saidAna Carolina Lucchese, Tuinda Care director. "Easier access to medical services can also prevent further complications and hospitalization." About TytoCare TytoCare is a telehealth company using AI to transform primary care by putting health in the hands of consumers. TytoCare seamlessly connects people to clinicians to provide the best virtual home examination and diagnosis solutions.Its solutions are designed to enable a comprehensive medical exam from any location and include a hand-held, all-in-one tool for examining the heart, lungs, skin, ears, throat, abdomen, and body temperature; a complete telehealth platform for sharing exam data, conducting live video exams, and scheduling visits; a cloud-based data repository with analytics; and built-in guidance technology and machine learning algorithms to ensure accuracy and ease of use for patients and insights for healthcare providers. Co-founded byDedi GiladandOfer Tzadikin 2012, TytoCare has FDA and CE clearances and has partnered with over 170 major health systems, health plans, and strategic partners in the U.S.,Europe,Asia,Latin America, andIsrael. About Alice Alice is currently considered the most promising health tech inLatin America. AsBrazil'sfirst primary care-driven health insurance plan, its mission is to make the world healthier. Launched inJune 2020, it already has nearly 7,000 members, more than 550 employees and has raised VC rounds at historically high levels for a health tech in the region. Founded by André Florence,Guilherme AzevedoandMatheus Moraes, the health tech has raised$174.8Mfrom the funds Allen & Company LLC, Canary, Endeavor Catalyst, Globo Ventures, G Squared, Kaszek, Maya Capital, StepStone Group, SoftBank Latin America Fund (SBLA) and ThornTree Capital Partners. About Tuinda Care Tuinda Care is a Healthtech startup focused on expanding access to high quality medical care inBrazilthrough telemedicine. It's the exclusive distributor of TytoCare technology inBrazil, with the purpose to connect clinicians and patients remotely, assuring medical excellence in every online visit. Tuinda Care is accelerated by Pequeno Príncipe Hospital and Sabará Pediatric Hospital, the two most prestigious pediatric hospitals inBrazil.

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