News From Around the Web
> University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is investing in Vivify Health, which offers a cloud-based mHealth chronic care management platform for remote patient care and treatment. Announcement
> Improving quality and access of care is the focus of a new partnership between Healthways Inc. and Health eVillages. The Health eVillages-Healthways Community Outreach Program will focus on issues relating to community health, preventive healthcare and helping those who are uninsured or underinsured. Announcement
Health Insurance News
> As regulators continue to review the Aetna-Humana and Anthem-Cigna mergers, two new blog posts from Health Affairs call into question the companies' rationale behind why the mega-deals are necessary. Provider and consumers' groups have been outspoken about what they say are the deals' potential to harm competition, though so far both mergers have made headway winning approval from state regulators as the Department of Justice continues its review. Article
Provider News
> The case of a nurse who stole drugs in five different hospitals demonstrates the inter-institutional communication gaps that plague hospitals and health agencies. Article
> New federal research that shows that contrary to earlier concerns, hospitals don't hike observation status to create the illusion of a drop in readmissions, has called into question whether readmissions are a reliable care quality measure. Article
And Finally… Maybe being called a dodo bird isn't such a bad rap. Article