Telemedicine News & Updates 1-11-2017

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The buy-in from clinicians to implement telemedicine programs within their practice is expanding every day. According to Sarah Sossong, MPH, director of telehealth for Massachusetts General Hospital the reasons for clinicians to create a telemedicine program “include increasing access to care, reducing cost, attracting consumers and expanding reach.” Just because your doctor’s office or nearby hospital is excited about incorporating telemedicine doesn’t mean it will be successful. To launch a program that works, several considerations need to be made and a plan put in place. Sossong offers some advice for how to introduce and navigate the successful launch of a telemedicine practice.

Northwell Health, Avizia Announce Telehealth Partnership
Avizia (@Aviziahealth), an end-to-end telehealth solution provider, announced a strategic channel partnership with Northwell Health (@northwellhealth), New York state’s largest health care provider and private employer, as well as a direct-equity investment from Northwell Ventures, the health system’s corporate venture arm. Within this enterprise-technology-focused partnership, the companies will work to expand the depth and reach of Northwell’s telehealth services, helping to effectively and efficiently provide patients with the right care at the right time and place. The investment and partnership also marks the close of Avizia’s funding round, bringing the total number of invested Series A capital to $18 million.

News from Visiomed Group at CES Las Vegas
SoftBank Robotics’ life assistant, Pepper, comes equipped with BewellConnect solutions
Next-generation medical electronics specialist VISIOMED GROUP announced a partnership with ROBOTOPI at CES Las Vegas, with the aim of equipping SoftBank Robotics’ life assistant PEPPER with BewellConnect (@bewellconnect) medical devices and health services. Pepper, the next-generation life assistant designed to be an indispensable sidekick to caregivers in care facilities such as hospitals, rehabilitation centers and retirement homes.

Visiomed Group is revolutionizing telemedicine with VisioCheck, the first mobile, connected telemedicine station in the world weighing under 300 grams
Visiomed Group (@Visiomed_FR), a company specializing in new-generation medical electronics, recently presented its very latest technological revolution at the CES in Las Vegas: VisioCheck BWX07HD. This is the first mobile, connected universal telemedicine station in the world weighing under 300 grams, integrating all the medical devices necessary for remote tele-monitoring of patient vitals anywhere and in any circumstances.

WellDoc, American Association of Diabetes Educators Partner to Incorporate AADE Diabetes Self-Management Education Curriculum into the BlueStar Digital Therapeutic Platform
Digital health technology company, WellDoc (@WellDoc) and leading diabetes healthcare organization, the American Association of Diabetes Educators (@aadediabetes), announced that they will partner to incorporate the “AADE Diabetes Education Curriculum: A Guide to Successful SelfManagement” in the BlueStar digital therapeutic platform. BlueStar is an FDA-cleared digital therapeutic used to help adults living with type 2 diabetes self-manage their condition. This partnership marks the first time AADE, a professional membership organization comprised of healthcare professionals from multiple disciplines dedicated to improving diabetes care through innovative education, management and support, has partnered with an organization to provide its curriculum in a consumer-friendly digital format.

SnapMD Partners with athenahealth’s ‘More Disruption Please’ Program to Offer Private-Label Telemedicine Virtual Care Management Platform
Telemedicine technology innovator SnapMD (@snapmdincannounced a partnership with athenahealth, Inc. (@athenahealth) through athenahealth’s ‘More Disruption Please’ program, making SnapMD’s Virtual Care Management private-label, cloud-based telemedicine platform available on the athenahealth Marketplace. A comprehensive telemedicine offering, SnapMD will now be integrated with athenaClinicals (EHR) and athenaCollector (revenue cycle management) services.

EarlySense Partners with American Well to Provide Telehealth Services Powered by Smart Sensors
EarlySense (@EarlySense_Ltd), provider of contact-free continuous monitoring solutions, recently announced a new partnership with American Well (@amwell, a telehealth technology company. The partnership will leverage EarlySense’s clinically-proven continuous monitoring and Amwell, American Well’s consumer telehealth service, connecting users with clinical experts at the click of a button. Through the partnership, EarlySense users located in the United States will gain access to an extensive pool of clinical experts and be able to initiate consultation sessions with doctors practicing on Amwell whenever users have questions or see opportunities to improve their sleep or general health.

SPS 2017 Telehealth Conference Names National Advisory Board
The Arizona Telemedicine Program (@UA_ATP) at the University of Arizona Health Sciences has announced the appointment of the National Advisory Board for the third national Telemedicine and Telehealth Service Provider Showcase (SPS), to be held Oct. 2-3, 2017, in Phoenix. The 25 board members are nationally recognized thought leaders, health-care innovators and champions who have made major contributions in the telemedicine arena.

Top 5 Takeaways from New Michigan Telehealth Law
Governor Rick Snyder signed into law SB 0753 on December 21, 2016, imposing new telehealth practice standards, including restrictions on prescribing controlled substances via telemedicine. The new Michigan telemedicine law will take effect March 21, 2017 (a 90-day delay from signature to effective date). Previously, Michigan law and regulation was silent on delivering health care services via telehealth and virtual care technologies. In his article, Nathaniel Lacktman (@Lacktman), creative healthcare regulatory, compliance and business lawyer, sums up five of the law’s key provisions.

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Upcoming Events:

ATA 2017 International Conference and Tradeshow (#T2Telehealth)
What: Telehealth 2.0 – The Transformation Advantage
When: April 23-25, 2017
Where: Orlando, FL
Register prior to 1/25 to take advantage of early bird rates!

SPS 2017 Telehealth Conference
What: 3rd National Telemedicine & Telehealth Service Provider Showcase
When: October 2-3, 2017
Where: Phoenix, AZ

CMS Covered Telehealth Services
You can download the list of services payable under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule when furnished via telehealth on the CMS website.