TOP STORIES
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement announced it has received a $9.6 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to reduce maternal and newborn mortality in Ethiopia.
“In the last few years, Ethiopia has made remarkable gains in health care delivery,” said Nneka Mobisson-Etuk, Executive Director of Africa Operations, IHI. “We look forward to working together with the Ethiopian Federal Ministry of Health, partners, communities, and patients alike to dramatically and sustainably improve the health of Ethiopian mothers and babies. We cannot overstate the importance of this work. To invest in the health and quality of care delivery for women and neonates is to invest in the lives of Ethiopian generations to come.”
LIFE SCIENCES
Philadelphia generic drug manufacturer, Lannett Co. Inc. entered into its second huge acquisition deal of the year. It signed a definitive agreement to buy Kremers Urban Pharmaceuticals Inc., a subsidiary of global biopharmaceuticals company UCB SA of Belgium, for $1.23 billion, plus undisclosed potential contingency payments. — Philadelphia Business Journal
PAYERS-PROVIDERS
CVS Health Corp. has stated that its decision in September 2014 to stop selling tobacco products has led to a 1 percent decrease in cigarette sales in some states where the pharmacy chain has a significant presence. Considering the downward trend in cigarette smoking for adults in the U.S. since 1965, it may be taking a little too much credit. — Becker’s Hospital Review
Healthcare analytics business MedeAnalytics announced that Thoma Bravo, a leading private equity investment firm, has agreed to make a majority investment in the company. Bain Capital and Emergence Capital Partners will remain minority shareholders in the company. — MedeAnalytics
Cancer Care Group, a large radiation oncology practice in Indianapolis, is reevaluating its privacy and security practices after it was slapped with a $750,000 HIPAA settlement from the Department of Health and Human Services. — Healthcare Finance
TECH
Johns Hopkins University is preparing to launch the first Apple ResearchKit study to incorporate the Apple Watch as a data collection device.
The study will be designed to help Johns Hopkins researchers learn more about epilepsy, according to the report. Participants in the study will wear an Apple Watch and will use its embedded sensors to collect heart rate sensor and accelerometer data. That will be combined with gyroscope data from iPhone and manual feedback in the app to track various biometrics during seizure episodes. The Watch will also use haptic feedback to encourage users to respond to survey questions promptly, something difficult to achieve during a traumatic experience like a seizure, Apple Insider’s source said. — Mobihealth News
POLITICS
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that it proposed rules to implement the non-discrimination provision of the Affordable Care Act, Section 1557. This is particularly important for those who are transgender.
The law prohibits discrimination in many health facilities and insurance plans based on race, national origin, age, disability, and sex–including bias based on gender identity. These rules would make it illegal to categorically deny health care coverage related to gender transition, exclusions that still appear in the vast majority of private and public health insurance plans in the United States. Instead, plans must cover medically necessary medications, surgeries, and other treatments for gender dysphoria for transgender people if they cover similar services to non-transgender people with other medical conditions.
— Department of Health and Human Services
OpenFDA has released more information on medical devices for its application programming interface. Among the data added to the project are current data on device classification (6,000 records), 24,000 registrations of device companies and establishments, and the companies’ listings of more than 100,000 devices. It also added details about device recalls (9,500 records going back to 2002) and adverse event reports (4.2 million records since 1991) were added. — Mass Device
A LITTLE BIT EXTRA
Kano, which raised a $15 million Series A in May, has been aiming to create an invaluable educational experience for kids by helping them get acquainted with how computers work through putting the kit together, particularly screens. Now with the Kano Screen Kit they’ve done so with a project that can be done at home.
Photo: Flickr user Lester Public Library
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Payer’s Place: Dr. Anil Singh
Dr. Anil Singh shares his insights into the strategies employed by the organization to identify the most effective digital solutions for their members.
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Payer’s Place: Dawn Maroney
Dawn Maroney, President, Markets of Alignment Health and CEO of Alignment Health Plan, to discuss how they are using technology to provide better service and care to consumers.
