News From Around the Web
> Telehealth provider MDLIVE and care management provider Carenet Healthcare Service recently announced a partnership to combine MDLIVE's 24x7 physician solution with Carenet's Nurse Advice Line service. "Carenet's focus is on addressing the inefficiencies and rising costs in healthcare today. Providing timely and easy access to trusted healthcare professionals is a key part of overcoming these hurdles," said Vikie Spulak, executive vice President of Carenet, in the announcement. "MDLIVE is a perfect way to enhance our services by providing expanded access to quality care and actionable information from physicians." Announcement
> In a post to HIT Consultant, Saif Ebed, M.D., outlines his five reasons for why U.S. digital health companies should expand to the U.K. "Being an investment hub with highly trained professionals and a shared language is very appealing but the intricacies and ongoing developments within the health system are creating tremendous commercial opportunities for those with a sound plan," he writes. Post
Health Insurance News
> Prescription drug insurance for seniors will reduce the use of and spending on nonpharmacy medical services, researchers at the University of Illinois and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore found when comparing national records from before and after Medicare Part D started in 2006. The study looked at how purchasing prescriptions through the Medicare Part D program affected hospital visits, costs relating to those visits and mortality. Article
> After several deadline delays, enrollment for the federal health insurance exchange officially closed as of midnight Tuesday. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services provided consumers who began their coverage application but weren't able to complete it by March 31 until mid-April to request an extension. Article
Provider News
> As hospitals focus more on quality measures and lowering readmissions, they also look to cut back on diagnostic errors, which occur in about 5 percent of U.S. adults, accumulating in as many as 12 million outpatient diagnostic errors each year, according to a study published in the BMJ Quality & Safety. Researchers examined three studies through chart review and found missed opportunities to make a timely and correct diagnosis based on the available evidence. Article
And Finally... I "doubt" that this will be as good as the original. Article