Page 192 - Mployee Wellness Programs News Today

Blue Shield of California's new health plan, Virtual Blue, gives members virtual access to primary care through Accolade and virtual access to specialty care through TeleMed2U. If needed, they can also receive in-person care through the payer's PPO network.

Vector BioMed has developed a technology platform for designing and manufacturing the lentiviruses used to deliver cell and gene therapies. The startup is launching as the field continues to experience shortages of these viral vectors.

Less than 20% of behavioral healthcare providers collect data on how patients are progressing with their treatment. To buck this trend, Two Chairs is rolling out “mental health snapshots,” which are consistent summaries of patients’ well-being designed to offer real-time insight to both clinicians and clients.

A recent NEJM publication concluded that although colonoscopy is widely used as a dependable screening test to detect colorectal cancer, its overall effect on the risks of colorectal cancer death is potentially less clear than previously reported. The doubt sprouting from this study is misplaced, dangerous and will potentially lead to more deaths from this disease.

Was Livongo a good business? As Burke, now CEO of Quantum Health, touts its strength to investors ahead of a potential IPO, should the Livongo-Teladoc history give them pause?

Now that numerous calls for repeal and legal challenges brought against the ACA over the years have failed, health plans can finally invest confidently in this line of business.

Last year’s digital health investment trends have left some startups feeling uneasy about their ability to raise capital in the new funding environment. Venture capitalists think companies that have a demonstrable return on investment and serve multiple stakeholders will probably have the easiest time securing capital, while point solutions and startups in crowded markets will face a tougher environment.

Smile Digital Health recently raised $30 million in Series B capital. The startup sells its health data fabric platform to providers, payers, digital health vendors and researchers. The platform gives customers the ability to store, search and evaluate patient information.

The Kaiser Family Foundation examined pre-pandemic data to determine what will happen to those disenrolled from Medicaid and CHIP once the continuous enrollment requirement ends March 31. The analysis found that 65% of those disenrolled went through a period of uninsurance.

The Community Equity Alliance aims to grow the community health workforce, advance the connections between healthcare institutions and communities, and improve disparities in heart health and mental health. The first organizations working with CVS Health are Meharry Medical College, Sinai Chicago and Wayne State University.