Bonus Features – August 28, 2022 – Epic data shows only 5% of OD patients get tested for fentanyl, 40% of clinicians plan to add AI to their day-to-day work, and more

Brian Eastwood

Welcome to the weekly edition of Healthcare IT Today Bonus Features. This article will be a weekly roundup of interesting stories, product announcements, new hires, partnerships, research studies, awards, sales, and more. Because there’s so much happening out there in healthcare IT we aren’t able to cover in our full articles, we still want to make sure you’re informed of all the latest news, announcements, and stories happening to help you better do your job.

News and Studies 

A report from Epic Research and the University of Maryland’s Center for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR) found that just 5% of overdose patients are tested for fentanyl in the ED, compared to an opiate testing rate of roughly 50%. The positivity rate for fentanyl tests exceeds 40%, more than three times the positivity rate for opiate testing. The findings suggest that standards for testing panels may need to be amended to include synthetic opioids like fentanyl, which accounts for more than 80% of opioid-related overdose deaths.

The latest survey from Definitive Healthcare found that about 40% of healthcare professionals plan to incorporate AI and machine learning into their daily operations in the next two years, while 73% of organizations already using AI plan to expand their use. Those surveyed said improved diagnostic accuracy is where AI/ML will have the greatest impact on patients.

More than 60% of the 1,700 doctors, nurses, and therapists surveyed by telehealth infrastructure firm SteadyMD are interested in full-time telehealth work. Another 85% of clinicians said they were open to practicing on weekends using telehealth, especially therapists, and 64% were interested in working night shifts.

ONC released a framework to improve integration of health IT tools used to treat drug overdose patients. The aptly named Integration Framework covers how to integrate state Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) with clinical systems such as EHRs, HIEs, and pharmacy systems in hospital, primary care, and outpatient settings. Eight health systems across five states assisted ONC and CDC in developing the framework.

Partnerships

• Chronic disease management platform Engooden is partnering with Tribe Health, a care management organization.
• VR simulation firm simulation FundamentalVR is collaborating with Teleflex, which develops medical equipment for specialty care, to create a VR training platform for Teleflex products.
• Toronto-based PRM platform CloudDX is integrating with Teladoc Health, making Teladoc’s Solo virtual care platform available in the CLoudDX patient app.
• RPM and analytics vendor physIQ is partnering with InCarda Therapeutics and Syneos Health on a Phase III clinical trial that will measure the effectiveness of InCarda’s inhaled atrial fibrillation medication using physIQ’s wearable biosensor.
• Analytics and value-based payments platform vendor Clarify Health expanded its collaboration with Datavant, a healthcare data repository.

Sales

• Medicaid insurance plan CalOptima Health chose ZeOmega for care management and member engagement.
• BronxCare Health System selected Force Therapeutics for digital care management for orthopedics patients.
• Cone Health insurance subsidiary HealthTeam Advantage chose Bamboo Health to provide real-time ADT notifications for its PPO and HMO Medicare Advantage plans.
• Enterprise pharmacy service provider CPS Solutions will deploy Glytec insulin management software across its network of more than 800 healthcare facilities.
• ScionHealth selected Cadence to to implement remote care management in the health system’s 18 community hospital campuses.

Products

• First Databank launched FDB Navigo, which provides clinical guidance to retail pharmacists at the point of care.
• Operations outsourcing firm Conduit Health Partners launched a 24/7 RPM service fully staffed and supported by nurses.

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