Journals and Professional Associations Podcasts

Medicare Advantage star ratings released; Security firm raises FIN12 ransomware attack concerns. Plus: Withings receivesan FDA clearance for Scan Watch’s ECG and SpO2 monitoring features .Links to the stories:See the rankings: More than 70 health plans earned 5 stars in Medicare Advantage star ratingsCyber experts warn of 'aggressive' threat actor targeting healthcareWithings scores FDA clearance for smartwatch ECG and SpO2 monitoring

The CDC's Diabetes Prevention Program is one of the first lifestyle and behavior-based interventions to be proven, in a large clinical study, to be more effective than a comparable drug (in this case metformin). Digital implementations can make the DPP more accessible and more scalable, and a number of digital health companies have been tackling this for the last few years.Fruit Street Health is one of those companies and its CEO Laurence Girard joins host Jonah Comstock on today's HIMSSCast to discuss the challenges, opportunities, and successes his company has had in this space.Talking points:A brief history of the CDC Diabetes Prevention ProgramWhy Fruit Street and others are taking the DPP digitalChallenges and opportunities of virtual DPP implementationOngoing reimbursement challenges with Medicare and MedicaidAdvantages of group-based programs via video chatsQuestions and misconceptions about scalabilityMaking sure pre-diabetes interventions work for everyoneCultural food expectations and combatting food deserts, both through partnershipsDirect-to-consumer DPP outreachAre DPP programs (in-person and virtual) making a dent in the problem?More about this episode:Fruit Street to deliver CDC's National Diabetes Prevention Program through live video classesFruit Street Health raises $3 million in doctors-only roundUK passes on Apple, Google's Bluetooth contact tracing tool, Fruit Street Health launches COVID-19 telemedicine platform and more digital health news briefsAHIP, CDC to partner on diabetes preventionMedicare to reimburse for Diabetes Prevention Program, including Omada's digital versionDiabetes Prevention Program under the Affordable Care Act is working, HHS Secretary Burwell saysAmerican Medical Association pushes public, private health plans to cover National Diabetes Prevention ProgramCMS calls for extending Diabetes Prevention Program into Medicare, proposes new doc fees to boost chronic care

Featuring articles on empagliflozin in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, oxytocin in autism spectrum disorder, breakthrough Covid-19 in health care workers, a cell-culture influenza vaccine, and data in crisis; a review article on aspergillus infections; a case report of a man with sore throat, epistaxis, and oropharyngeal petechiae; and Perspective articles on vigilante injustice, eviction and the necessary conditions for health, the drug-dosing conundrum in oncology, and on a good death. Supplement to the New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 385, No. 16.

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and this BONUS episode of SoundPractice highlights an interview with Julie Chua, PMP, CAP, CISSP, Director of Governance, Risk Management and Compliance Division of Health and Human Service’s Office of Information Security. It follows a prolonged period of ransomware attacks on healthcare systems and providers. In fact, ransomware attempts, and attacks have been so severe and pervasive as to harden the cyber insurance markets. Medical devices, emails, laptops, personal phones, fax machines interconnected with billing systems or the hospital EHR – are all risks for healthcare organizations.  Director Chua provides sources of governmental assistance and useful recommendations. She makes a strong case for cyber being included in enterprise risk management planning and why cyber safety is also patient care and patient safety. This episode offers an important briefing on a critical issue by a high-ranking federal official. Resources mentioned by Director Chua may be found at https://healthcyber.mitre.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/405d-One-Pager.pdf. Learn more about the American Association for Physician Leadership at www.physicianleaders.org  

Editor's Summary by Kristin Walter, MD, Associate Editor of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, for the October 12, 2021, issue.

Join Mobile Heartbeat Chief Operating Officer, Mike Detjen, as he uses his expertise to project future capabilities of the clinical collaboration space.

Lenovo will discuss what was learned by attending all the sessions at HIMSS.  They will offer their impressions and opinions for how Lenovo can best adapt and transform the way we got to market and productively enable our customers.  We want to be the number one technology provider that Healthcare leaders think about when making new technology decisions.

State licensure and differing regulations on privacy, licensure, and more have always been a barrier to virtual care models that seek to care for anyone with an Internet connection. Which of those hurdles have been overcome and which still remain? And how did COVID-19 and its associated waivers affect this complex issue?On this episode of HIMSSCast, a tie-in to our Virtual Care Paradigm series, host Jonah Comstock welcomes Heather Alleva, an associate at Buchanan Ingersoll Rooney specializing in healthcare law, to get a rundown on some of these issues, including some little-known practice restriction. If you're thinking about starting a multi-state virtual care business, be sure to give this one a listen.Talking points:How COVID affected licensure laws and what’s happening to them nowHow different state laws affect telehealth reimbursementHow reimbursement affects adoption and investmentPros and cons of payment parityTelehealth licensure compacts and where they are todayLimits and levers of federal government powerHow the government can lead by exampleHow restrictions can hinder telehealth innovationPrivacy and security legislative barriersThe corporate practice of medicine prohibitionAntitrust laws and health technologyHow to navigate the complexities of telehealth regulationsMore about this episode:Virtual care regulation: What's next (this episode's companion TV segment)Now is the time for providers to be proactive about telehealth22 states changed telemedicine laws during the pandemicReport shows 'vast improvement' in state telehealth reimbursement policiesThe prominent issues telehealth must tackle when the pandemic passesBuilding an interstate regulatory framework for telemedicineHow a Supreme Court case about teeth whitening could bolster telemedicine interests (2015 throwback)

Cerner mandating COVID-19 vaccines for all U.S employees; SWORD Health acquires wearable firm Vigilant Technologies . Plus: Air ambulance services among commercial insurers have risen 27.6% .Links to the stories:Cerner announces vaccine mandate as Feinberg takes the reinsSWORD Health buys workplace health-focused wearable company Vigilant TechnologiesAir ambulance charges rise 28% in four years, analysis finds

Digital transformation has increased exponentially in the healthcare industry over the past year, as organizations harness the power of digital to reach patients, accelerate research and develop new therapies to beat the global pandemic. Unfortunately, this digital transformation has been paired with an increasing cohort of highly capable cyber extortionists that have been using ransomware to compromise operations and hold patient data hostage to extract money from health organizations. As ransomware attacks become more rampant and advanced in our industry, the risk of an organization falling victim is more real than ever. In light of this reality, one question stands central for all of us: how do we make sure we are prepared to prevent and respond to a ransomware attack.

Featuring articles on Covid-19 vaccine effectiveness in medical settings, immediate vs. delayed drainage for infected necrotizing pancreatitis, bamlanivimab plus etesevimab for Covid-19, third dose of Covid-19 vaccine in Israel, broadly neutralizing antibodies against all coronaviruses, striving for diversity in research studies, and mRNA vaccine research and the Lasker–DeBakey Award; a review article on autoimmune hemolytic anemias; a Clinical Problem-Solving on a woman with throat pain; and Perspective articles on methods of public health research, on the No Surprises Act and informed financial consent, and on integrating research into community practice. Supplement to the New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 385, No. 15.

Ken Terry is a journalist and author who has covered healthcare for over 25 years. Ken has served as technology editor of Medical Economics Magazine. His latest book is Physician-Led Healthcare Reform: A New Approach to Medicare for All, published by the American Association for Physician Leadership. Ken Terry and host, Mike Sacopulos, discuss current trends in healthcare reform, a look at the political landscape in mid-2021, and a suggested public plan that Ken published on the Health Affairs blog, “How A Public Option Could Hold Down Costs.” Whether or not the US embraces Medicare for All, cost controls will be paramount.  And only physicians know how to cut costs without sacrificing patient care. https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hblog20210622.426793 Ken Terry https://physicianledreform.com/ https://shop.physicianleaders.org/products/physician-led-healthcare-reform-a-new-approach-to-medicare-for-all Learn more about the American Association for Physician Leadership at www.physicianleaders.org

As Healthcare organizations explore how to evolve the care delivery model, they must consider how to safely evolve within an ever-increasing threat landscape. Modernizing Healthcare IT solutions provide great promise to improve Secure Care environments, but in order to ensure adoption and achieve maximum value, all stakeholders must be involved.Join  Kevin Crosby, Dell Technologies Healthcare Director, Americas as he discusses how Healthcare IT can enable innovation and the evolution of the care delivery model, ultimately helping Healthcare providers provide better outcomes for the organization and their patients.

Editor's Summary by Anne Cappola, MD, Associate Editor of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, for the October 5, 2021 issue.

What began as an idea to address the educational needs of residents, has now become an innovative platform for sharing small, digestible professional development lessons for any orthopaedic surgeon. The previous chair of the AAOS Resident Assembly, Cory Smith, MD, discusses the value of the spoken word for busy trainees, evolution of the AAOS Career podcast, and what is in store for future guests and episodes.

Walmart to begin rolling out Epic platform in its healthcare centers; 73% of metropolitan areas are controlled by large health insurers . Plus: Amazon adds to its fitness tracking line with Halo View.Links to the stories:Walmart Health announces partnership with EpicAMA: Nearly three-quarters of metropolitan areas are concentrated health insurance marketsNew Amazon Halo device and features compete against Fitbit, Apple Fitness+

Featuring articles on antidepressants in primary care practice, intensive blood-pressure control in older patients, ozanimod for ulcerative colitis, and Wnt proteins and structural birth defects; a review article on newer biologic and small-molecule therapies for IBD; a case report of a man with recurrent head and neck pain; and Perspective articles on moving toward a new era for the Indian Health System, on marking the 40th anniversary of the AIDS epidemic, and on cool water. Supplement to the New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 385, No. 14.

TytoCare's Marcos Domiciano joins host Jonah Comstock for a discussion for the unique opportunities and challenges of telehealth in schools, and how TytoCare's approach to combining video visits with connected devices has proven a good fit for this area.Talking points:TytoCare’s differentiator — telehealth plus remote examination toolsUnique challenges to school-based telehealthHow COVID-changed school-based telehealthTelehealth at universities vs grade schoolsControlling the spread of COVID-19 at  universitiesPatient engagement through telehealth with studentsThe components of the TytoCare virtual care kitSpecific clinical use cases common in schoolsEfficacy data of TytoCare’s school-based effortsMore about this episode:Expanding telehealth into schools proves effective to address children's health needsHow a remote Maine school union uses telehealth for a variety of needsSchools turning to telehealth to improve care for the underservedTytoCare raises an additional $50M for its oversubscribed Series D roundTytoCare, Prisma Health partner to expand telehealth services

Editor's Summary by Mary McDermott, MD, Deputy Editor of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, for the September 28, 2021 issue.

In this new episode of the HIMSS21 Changemaker Podcast series, a HIMSSCast production, Healthcare IT News Executive Editor Mike Miliard speaks with Sue Feldman, RN, PhD, director of the graduate programs in health informatics at University of Alabama at Birmingham.We chat about some of her projects at UAB before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the “Map it, Zap it” coronavirus symptom tracker she has helped develop, and the GuideSafe initiative she spearheaded with support of Alabama’s governor, which has helped maintain in-person learning at schools across the state.We also discuss her ethos of “innovation, implementation and collaboration” and learn more about new health IT projects she’s working on as we seek a new normal beyond the public health emergency.Earlier this year, HIMSS (parent company of Healthcare IT News) named the first recipients of the Changemakers in Health Awards, meant to recognize leaders worldwide who are harnessing information and technology toward better health outcomes. Check back in the weeks and months ahead for more podcast interviews with other healthcare leaders from this year’s list.Themes and talking points in this Changemaker Podcast episode:The health and safety trackers developed and stood-up quickly at UAB in March 2020How those tools enabled safer reopening and face-to-face learning in Alabama schoolsLessons learned and surprises from the COVID-19 pandemicWhy it’s important to have a “We can do this!” approach to technology challengesHow public health crises can spur lasting innovationHow Feldman’s experience as a nurse shapes her IT and informatics work

In this new episode of the HIMSS21 Changemaker Podcast series, a HIMSSCast production, Healthcare IT News Executive Editor Mike Miliard speaks with Sue Feldman, RN, PhD, director of the graduate programs in health informatics at University of Alabama at Birmingham.We chat about some of her projects at UAB before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as the “Map it, Zap it” coronavirus symptom tracker she has helped develop, and the GuideSafe initiative she spearheaded with support of Alabama’s governor, which has helped maintain in-person learning at schools across the state.We also discuss her ethos of “innovation, implementation and collaboration” and learn more about new health IT projects she’s working on as we seek a new normal beyond the public health emergency.Earlier this year, HIMSS (parent company of Healthcare IT News) named the first recipients of the Changemakers in Health Awards, meant to recognize leaders worldwide who are harnessing information and technology toward better health outcomes. Check back in the weeks and months ahead for more podcast interviews with other healthcare leaders from this year’s list.Themes and talking points in this Changemaker Podcast episode:The health and safety trackers developed and stood-up quickly at UAB in March 2020How those tools enabled safer reopening and face-to-face learning in Alabama schoolsLessons learned and surprises from the COVID-19 pandemicWhy it’s important to have a “We can do this!” approach to technology challengesHow public health crises can spur lasting innovationHow Feldman’s experience as a nurse shapes her IT and informatics work

Hospitals poised to lose $54B in net income this year; Apple looks to create new mental health detection feature . Plus: Ransomware attacks during COVID-19 have impacted patient safety and care availability.Links to the stories:Hospitals projected to lose $54 billion in net income this yearApple looks to digital biomarkers for features detecting depression, cognitive declinePonemon study finds link between ransomware, increased mortality rate

Increasing adoption of 5G in healthcare organizations and new developments in AI and machine learning are two major trends of the moment in health IT. On today's show,  HITN Senior Editor Kat Jercich and CHOC Chief Intelligence and Information Officer Dr. Anthony Chang join host Jonah Comstock for a conversation about how these trends intersect and why 5G (and beyond?) will help support the future of healthcare AI.This episode is brought to you by Verizon.Talking points:5G’s impact on health technology in the next 10 yearsStandout AI use cases in the COVID-19 eraHow AI can help manage patient-generated health dataAI, information overload, and information insufficiencyFederated and swarm learning — sharing insights without sharing dataHow 5G will enable new kinds of AIAI for clinical decision supportPlaying the long game and avoiding another AI winterPreventing AI bias (with AI’s help)The future of AI and 5GMore about this episode:5G is here: How health systems can capitalize on the new cellular standard5G is primed to enable continuous, data-heavy health innovations, but hospitals need to prepare5G: Are we ready for the next generation?5 use cases for private 5G networks in hospitalsAI is fast-evolving for an array of use casesAI in healthcare: Separating myth from realityAI could help make physician work 'more interesting,' cardiologist saysTo develop effective AI, developers and clinicians must work togetherMisconceptions of AI and ML in healthcare debunked

Last week, a database that was not password protected exposed more than 61 million records containing data from fitness trackers and wearables, including Apple HealthKit and Fitbit. On today's HIMSSCast a team of HIMSS Media editors — host Jonah Comstock, MobiHealthNews Managing Editor Laura Lovett, MobiHealthNews Senior Editor Emily Olsen, and Healthcare IT News Executive Editor Mike Miliard —talk about the developing story and try to put it in the context of digital health and health IT news trends.Talking points:The GetHealth data breach: What happened?The FTC response — enforcement and clarification of breach notification rulesConsumerized health plays catch-up with HIPAAHow this news affects other trends like Apple health sharingApple’s recent spyware breachWhy your health data is valuable to bad actorsLessons learned from this data breach and questions going forwardAffect on consumer trust and lessons for consumersWhat comes next? More about this episode:Fitbit, Apple fitness tracker data exposed on unprotected databaseFTC says it will fine digital health companies that don't disclose data breachesFTC warns connected device orgs: Comply with breach rule, or pay upApple releases emergency update to fix spyware vulnerabilityApple's health data sharing feature now liveHIMSSCast: What the new info blocking rules mean for you — with Deven McGraw