Page 154 - Mployee Wellness Programs News Today

In this month's episode, we dive into some of the recent executive appointments occurring in the healthcare sector, as well as layoffs affecting the industry. We also hear from Dr. Rob Fields, who recently switched from his role as chief population health officer at Mount Sinai to chief clinical officer at Beth Israel Lahey Health.

By the end of the month, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is expected to release a proposed rule that would allow DACA recipients to apply for healthcare coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace or through their state Medicaid organization.

Hospital M&A activity remained strong during the first quarter of 2023, according to a new report from Kaufman Hall. Hospitals and health systems announced 15 M&A transactions in the first quarter of 2023, which almost matches the 17 transactions announced in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Rejection of Eli Lilly’s mirikizumab means that two of the four drugs the pharma giant identified as revenue growth drivers for 2023 have failed to pass the regulatory bar. One of those drugs has been approved while the fourth drug still awaits an FDA decision.

A panel discussion at the annual Abarca Forward conference in Puerto Rico last month sought to identify some of the innovative financial approaches that can be applied to managing the high price of novel therapies. Conversations also addressed what payers need for these financing models to be sustainable.

Ambient AI promises a second coming for technology at the point of care enabling EHR systems to elegantly work for providers in the background, in natural workflows and “in conversation,” versus requiring the provider and patients to step aside, waste time, and “feed the beasts” of legacy transactional systems.

Ada Health recently announced that Jefferson Health is deploying its technology across its entire enterprise as part of a digital front door initiative. The Berlin-based company’s AI-powered symptom assessment and care navigation tools helps health systems achieve a robust digital front door, which means staff members don’t have to spend as much time triaging patients or helping them navigate the process of finding care.

The American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living reported in June that nearly half of the nation’s 14,000 nursing homes are facing severe labor shortages, and 73 percent of those facilities are concerned about closing.

Biotech IPOs continues to be almost non-existent, but Acelyrin wants to see if the public markets have an appetite for its lead drug candidate. The small protein drug could match up favorably against blockbuster biologics and it has reached pivotal testing in three inflammatory disorders.

Scene Health's $17.7 million Series B funding round was led by ABS Capital Partners and includes participation from Claritas Health Ventures, PTX Capital, Kapor Capital and Healthworx, the investment arm of CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. Since Scene Health was founded in 2014, it has raised more than $25 million total.