Hospitals spend a lot of money on advertising, but the ads lack variation, study says

The Philadelphia area boasts one of the highest concentrations of hospital services in the U.S., but the print advertising themes for regional hospitals lack variation, finds a new study by health administration researchers at Drexel University. That conclusion is based on hospital ads that appeared in the weekly health section of the Philadelphia Inquirer from May 2013 to April 2016. The authors say hospital advertising creative teams may be unaware they're using the same themes of either "patients" or "health providers" as their focus. There's nothing inherently wrong with advertising focusing on patients, but sound marketing principle dictates differentiating among competitors -- something Philadelphia hospitals seldom do.

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Absolute Software New Application Health Monitoring Extends Cyber Resilience to Leading Endpoint Security and Productivity Applications

Business Wire | November 02, 2023

Absolute Software™, the leading provider of self-healing, intelligent security solutions, today announced the launch of Absolute Application Health. This new feature empowers digital enterprises to strengthen cyber resilience and boost end user productivity with the industry’s most resilient application health monitoring capabilities. With this latest innovation to the company’s Secure Endpoint product line, customers can monitor the health of more than 2,000 commonly used Windows and Mac applications – including security controls, business, and productivity tools – to ensure they are installed, running, and properly configured on all devices. “Organizations deploy millions of endpoint devices to support growing remote workforces around the world, and they invest billions of dollars into security controls needed to protect their networks against advanced threats and costly compliance violations,” said Sarah Pavlak, Industry Principal, Frost & Sullivan. “Despite all these efforts and money spent, organizations continue to experience increasing attacks and complexity challenges that severely disrupt business operations. This is leading to a continual need for innovations that can mitigate software failures and close security gaps.” Absolute’s 2023 Resilience Index reveals that on average, enterprise endpoint devices have 67 applications deployed, with 10 percent of these having more than 100 applications installed. In analyzing 10 of the most widely deployed security tools, the report also shows seven of those 10 apps were installed and healthy on less than 80 percent of deployed devices, on average. In some cases, apps were only functioning correctly 47 percent of the time. said John Herrema, Chief Product Officer, Absolute Software. Today’s digital enterprises are investing billions of dollars in mission-critical security and business tools, and we believe those applications should deliver their intended value. The complexity and fragility of endpoint applications, however, means that all too often they are failing. And if the tool you use to monitor your other applications is subject to those same failures, then you’re really in trouble, because it’s impossible to fix what you can’t reliably see or diagnose. This latest innovation builds on Absolute’s unique Persistence technology to provide the industry’s most resilient visibility and monitoring capabilities. This allows our customers to achieve maximum security, productivity, and return on their software investments. [Source:Business Wire] With Absolute Application Health, IT and security practitioners gain the deep visibility needed to ensure applications are installed, running, up-to-date, and properly configured across their entire device fleet. They also have access to detailed, interactive reports and widgets that enable them to swiftly diagnose why an application is failing and then take remedial action. Embedded in the firmware of more than 600 million devices, Absolute’s patented Persistence® technology provides a secure, always-on connection between the Absolute Platform and the endpoint. The new Application Health feature leverages this digital tether to ensure health monitoring and reporting remains uninterrupted. Absolute Application Health is available now to Absolute Secure Endpoint customers subscribed to eligible Absolute Resilience licenses. For more information, including how to access and activate this new feature, visit our latest blog. About Absolute Software Absolute Software makes security work. We empower mission-critical performance with advanced cyber resilience. Embedded in more than 600 million devices, our cyber resilience platform delivers endpoint-to-network access security coverage, ensures automated security compliance, and enables operational continuity. Nearly 21,000 global customers trust Absolute to protect enterprise assets, fortify security and business applications, and provide a frictionless, always-on user experience.

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Health Technology

Home Care Delivered, Inc. Completes Acquisition of Medline Industries, LP's DMEPOS Supplier Business Unit

PR Newswire | October 17, 2023

Home Care Delivered, Inc. a leader in providing medical supplies including diabetes/CGM, incontinence, wound, urological, and ostomy products, is excited to announce the successful acquisition of Medline Industries, LP's DMEPOS supplier business unit. This strategic move will significantly enhance HCD's market presence, expand its geographical footprint, and provide access to a broader customer base while reinforcing relationships with patients, healthcare plans and providers, and manufacturers. "The transaction represents a major milestone for HCD by leveraging over 25 years of distinguished expertise in medical supplies," said Gordy Fox, founder and chief executive officer of HCD. "This acquisition aligns with our commitment to delivering personalized and compassionate customer experiences while leveraging Medline's DMEPOS supplier assets, and continuing to provide our industry expertise and best-in-class customer service." said Brad Mariam, executive vice president, Medline. With the transition of Medline's DMEPOS supplier assets to HCD, a company that shares in our commitment to exceptional service and patient care, Medline will continue to focus on its core role as an industry leader in the manufacturing and distribution of quality medical supplies. [Source: PR Newswire] "By integrating Medline's DMEPOS supplier assets, we are accelerating our growth strategy, delivering an avenue for expanded cost-efficiencies and member adherence," said Lowell Price, senior vice president of business development and chief growth officer of HCD. "This strategic move aligns with our commitment to delivering superior customer service, additional product offerings and ensuring reliable delivery to our members. HCD is well-positioned to continue to elevate customer experiences and reinforce our market presence." About Home Care Delivered, Inc. Home Care Delivered is a leading direct-to-consumer provider of insurance-covered medical supplies of diabetes testing, incontinence, urology, ostomy and wound care supplies delivered directly to the patient's home. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Glen Allen, Virginia, Home Care Delivered is dedicated to providing best-in-class customer support and quality supplies for patients and caregivers nationwide.

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Healthcare Analytics

WellSky Expands Post-Acute Offerings Through Corridor Acquisition

WellSky | October 13, 2023

WellSky has officially declared its acquisition of Corridor, a comprehensive technology-enabled service platform tailored to address the most formidable challenges in the post-acute care industry. This strategic move is intended to aid care providers in enhancing their efficiency and overall performance across various domains, encompassing clinical, financial, operational, and compliance aspects. The acquisition has been facilitated through the purchase of Corridor from HealthEdge Investment Partners, a private equity firm with a dedicated focus on healthcare. Bill Miller, CEO of WellSky, highlighted providers' need for quality care support and reduced administrative burdens. He stated, As we looked to strengthen our services offerings, Corridor emerged as an ideal partner. Together, WellSky and Corridor help more post-acute care organizations succeed against industry challenges. [Source – Business Wire] Des Varady, CEO of Corridor, expressed that for over three decades, Corridor has remained dedicated to its mission of enabling clients to optimize their performance and resources through robust technology-based solutions. He conveyed his enthusiasm for Corridor's continued commitment to advancing this mission as an integral part of the WellSky team. By gaining access to WellSky's technology-driven solutions, focusing on enhancing outcomes, reducing expenses, and enhancing patient and family satisfaction, Corridor is better positioned to serve its clients more effectively. With the integration of Corridor into its portfolio, WellSky aims to broaden its spectrum of services in medical coding and revenue cycle management. About WellSky Known for its proven software, analytics, and services, WellSky, a prominent U.S. healthcare technology company, drives better outcomes and cost savings across the healthcare and community care spectrum. It empowers providers, payers, health systems, and community organizations to streamline processes, enhance collaboration, leverage data analytics, and improve results by integrating clinical and social care. About Corridor The Corridor Group Holdings, LLC (Corridor) is a prominent post-acute healthcare sector entity offering top-tier technology-driven outsourced coding, revenue cycle, and educational solutions. It specializes in improving documentation quality and getting better client reimbursement outcomes, including for large health systems, national chains, and smaller, independently managed agencies.

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Health Technology

ShiftKey Extends Its Tech Solutions to Embrace Acute Care Facilities

ShiftKey | September 15, 2023

ShiftKey, a leading technological enterprise at the forefront of reshaping the future of workforce engagement, has officially announced its expansion into acute healthcare facilities. ShiftKey's technology, data resources, and talent marketplace are set to be accessible to acute care facilities in Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. This expansion addresses workforce-related challenges and enhances patients' access to top-tier healthcare services. Furthermore, the technology has already undergone beta testing at acute care facilities in Alabama, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Carolina, and West Virginia. CEO of ShiftKey, Mike Vitek, characterized the company's foray into the acute care sector as a pivotal step in its platform and business development. He emphasized the organization's vantage point on healthcare staffing challenges and expressed optimism regarding the potential alleviation of strain on acute care facilities and healthcare professionals. Meanwhile, Brandon Tappan, Chief Revenue Officer at ShiftKey, added that the escalating workforce challenges confronting healthcare facilities have become an annual trend. The departure of nurses from acute care facilities in large numbers underscores the imperative for a novel approach to address staffing needs within institutions serving vulnerable populations. Integrating ShiftKey's technology into acute care facilities represents establishing an independent healthcare staffing solution. This initiative aims to reinvigorate and safeguard this vital industry by enabling individuals to rejoin the workforce on their terms. About ShiftKey ShiftKey is a technological enterprise dedicated to transforming workforce access and integrity. Employing data and a marketplace model, the company facilitates connections between independent licensed professionals and facilities with workforce requirements. It is pivotal in advancing empowered labor, stability, and solutions for professionals, institutions, and beneficiaries. With a platform encompassing 10,000 healthcare facilities and myriad independently licensed professionals, ShiftKey is one of the foremost leaders in strategic workforce solutions, catalyzing a more sustainable, inclusive, and prosperous workforce economy for the years ahead.

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