To Listen
We have compiled a playlist from all our shows and podcasts on our network that discuss the current COVID-19 pandemic.
News and Noted
HIMSS and Forrester Survey
Help spread the word: HIMSS (@HIMSS) and Forrester want to know if you’re facing technology issues in your COVID-19 response plan. Take this four-question COVID-19 Technology Survey to help broadcast what’s working and what’s not. Information from the survey will be used to create a COVID19 Digital Health Response Plan for health systems and a Hospital CIO’s COVID19 Priority List for health IT vendors.
What Consumer Search Behavior is Telling Us About Coronavirus & Implications for Access to Care
While people across the world have had to adjust their lives in the face of the coronavirus crisis, hospitals, health systems, their staff, and the patients turning to them for care have undoubtedly felt the greatest impact. Healthcare organizations face the tough task of not only caring for the influx of patients needing assessment and care for coronavirus, but also ensuring they effectively facilitate care for patients in their communities with non-COVID-related medical needs, such as chronic conditions, mental health, and cancer. Kyruus (@kyruus) reports that looking at consumer searches facilitated via the platform, they are able to not only see trends in how consumers are searching for coronavirus care, but also gain a window into their independent healthcare needs.
More than Half of Participants Likely to Leave Cost-Saving Medicare Program
More than half, 56 percent, of healthcare organizations taking financial risk in a Medicare program proven to lower the cost of care said they are likely to drop out of that program because of fear of having to pay massive losses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, as shown by a new survey featured in a report released by the National Association of Accountable Care Organizations. (@NAACOSnews).
Penn State, CHIME Collaborate to Distribute COVID-19 Survey Globally
Misinformation and misunderstanding about COVID-19 and how the coronavirus spreads are fueling the pandemic whose death toll has surpassed 100,000 worldwide. To assess public perceptions about COVID-19 and identify populations whose behaviors put them at risk of infection, researchers at Penn State University released an online survey for the general public.
Drive-up COVID-19 Testing Available at vybe urgent care Locations
vybe urgent care (@vybecare), with 11 centers in the greater Philadelphia market, is making drive-up COVID-19 testing easy for patients. vybe is encouraging patients to use virtual visits when they feel they’ve been exposed or are experiencing coronavirus-related symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat and shortness of breath. After a safe video assessment by a vybe clinician, patients may receive a referral for a quick drive-up COVID-19 test at the nearest vybe location.
Products and Technology
VisiQuate launches COVID-19 Revenue Cycle Resource Center
Healthcare organizations have a new resource to help them solve critical revenue cycle management (RCM) challenges. The VisiQuate (@VisiQuate) COVID-19 Revenue Cycle Resource Center includes step-by-step plays and blog posts informed by the company’s deep expertise. It also includes curated articles from other expert sources.
MobileSmith Health Supports Hospital Response to COVID-19 through Launch of Mobile Apps
MobileSmith Health (@TheMobileSmith), a leader in the digital health and mobile development sector that is reshaping traditional healthcare, announced the launch of two COVID Response Mobile Apps to support hospitals in their response to the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic. The secure mobile platforms can be deployed in as little as 72 hours and provide timely push notifications and alerts to convey breaking news, vital updates, and customized facility information.
Information is Power: First Databank Arms Healthcare Professionals and Consumers with COVID-19 Resources They Can Trust
First Databank, Inc. (@FDB_US), a provider of drug and medical device knowledge that helps healthcare professionals make precise decisions, announced it is offering authoritative drug- and medical device-related information about novel coronavirus (COVID-19) on its website for healthcare professionals and consumers at no cost.
Henry Schein Medical Announces Availability of VisualDx
Henry Schein Medical, the U.S. medical business of Henry Schein, Inc., announced the availability of VisualDx (@visualdx) to assist health care professionals seeing patients virtually or in person amid the novel COVID-19 outbreak. The web-based, clinical decision support system is designed to enhance diagnostic accuracy, aid therapeutic decisions, and improve patient care, all critically important for clinicians on the front lines of medicine.
COVID-19 Technology & Services Solutions Guide
KLAS (@klasresearch) asked the vendor community to share what they are doing/can do to help your organizations in this crisis. Given the short time frame, KLAS has not validated any of these claims.
ConferMED Offering Free COVID-19 eConsults To All Safety Net Primary Care Providers Nationwide
ConferMED, an eConsult company with a virtual consultation process purpose-built by primary care providers, is offering a new web-based version of its platform to provide safety net clinicians free eConsults with infection disease specialists for COVID-19 related questions.
To Read
Vocera
COVID-19: 6 Simple Tactics for Safer, More Efficient Communication – We’ve organized a Vocera COVID-19 Response Task Force to define simple configurations of our technology that customers can use to make communication more efficient and potentially more effective in this pandemic. Some tactics were defined and put into production by our customers. Others come from our own ideas and experience. All begin by defining a scenario in which a customer would find themselves during these unprecedented times.
MRO Corp
Maintaining Compliance and Privacy Amid COVID-19 – In these unprecedented times, there is much talk of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) as it relates to HIPAA and the privacy of patient information. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently provided a statement to ensure all parties are aware of how patient information can be shared during an infectious disease outbreak. The purpose of the statement was to remind business associates and other entities covered by HIPAA that the Privacy Rule is not set aside during an emergency.
The New Center
Centering on Coronavirus: The Ventilator Shortage – In this issue brief, The New Center discusses the importance of ventilators in the fight against coronavirus, what is causing their current shortage, and how governments and the private sector are responding to ensure as many people as possible have access to these life-saving devices.
AAAS
Substantial undocumented infection facilitates the rapid dissemination of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV2) – The novel coronavirus that emerged in Wuhan, China (SARS-CoV2) at the end of 2019 quickly spread to all Chinese provinces and, as of 1 March 2020, to 58 other countries (1, 2). Efforts to contain the virus are ongoing; however, given the many uncertainties regarding pathogen transmissibility and virulence, the effectiveness of these efforts is unknown.
The New Yorker
How Anthony Fauci Became America’s Doctor – An infectious-disease expert’s long crusade against some of humanity’s most virulent threats.
San Antonio Express News
We just can’t feed this many – In perhaps the most sobering reminder yet of the economic fallout caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the San Antonio Food Bank aided about 10,000 households Thursday in a record-setting giveaway at a South Side flea market.
Forbes
What Do Countries With The Best Coronavirus Responses Have In Common? Women Leaders – Looking for examples of true leadership in a crisis? From Iceland to Taiwan and from Germany to New Zealand, women are stepping up to show the world how to manage a messy patch for our human family. Add in Finland, Iceland and Denmark, and this pandemic is revealing that women have what it takes when the heat rises in our Houses of State.
Top News Stories
Nearly 30% of Americans Believe Coronavirus was Made in a Lab, Pew Poll Shows
CNN reports that despite evidence from infectious disease experts suggesting otherwise, nearly 30% of Americans in a new Pew poll said they believe the novel coronavirus was likely created in a lab.
U.S. sailor from coronavirus-hit aircraft carrier dies after contracting virus
Reuters reports a U.S. Navy sailor died on Monday after contracting the coronavirus aboard the U.S. aircraft carrier Theodore Roosevelt, whose captain was fired after warning his crew would die unnecessarily unless strong action was taken.
Cuomo, northeastern governors announce ‘coordinated’ regional effort to reopen amid coronavirus
Fox News reports that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, along with the northeastern governors of New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Delaware, on Monday announced a regional effort to eventually reopen the economy in a “coordinated way” amid the coronavirus crisis.
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Canceled/Rescheduled Due to Coronavirus
ATA
What: ATA2020 Conference
When: May 3-5, 2020
Going Virtual
InstaMed
What: InstaMed 2020 Healthcare Payments Summit
When: May 5-6, 2020
Where: Philadelphia PA
CANCELED
Patient Experience Symposium
What: Patient Experience Symposium 2020
When: September 30 – October 2, 2020
Where: BOSTON, MA
Rescheduled