Sutherland insights healthcare news flash nov 03, 2014

HEALTHCARE NEWS FLASH November 03, 2014

Table of Contents Sales & Marketing ................................................................................................................. 3 Finance ................................................................................................................................. 8 Technology .......................................................................................................................... 13 Strategy .............................................................................................................................. 19

2|Sutherland Insights Healthcare News Flash Nov 03, 2014

Sales & Marketing MedFirst Partners Introduces Affordable Membership-Based Direct Primary Care Healthcare Option Now Available in Spokane October 29, 2014 |Marketwired http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/medfirst-partners-introduces-affordablemembership-based-direct-primary-care-healthcare-1962351.htm First Spokane Primary Care Physician Signed On to Offer New Insurance-Free Model That Lowers Benefit Costs, Improves Patient Care MedFirst Partners today announced the introduction of Direct Primary Care (DPC), a flexible, membership-style approach that is a growing national trend currently offered by more than 4,400 U.S. physicians1 that provides an affordable, easily accessible healthcare option for individuals and employers while delivering high-quality personalized medical care. Dr. Donald F. Condon, a Spokanebased primary care practitioner in practice over 35 years, has signed on as the first customer and now no longer accepts health insurance and instead offers patients unlimited visits, same-day appointments and 24/7 email and cell phone access for a flat annual fee.

DPC removes co-pays and insurance billing from the equation. This approach enables lower-cost tests, labs and ancillary services with an aim at keeping patients in a primary care setting instead of referring to specialists for potentially more expensive and invasive care. At Dr. Condon's practice, patients pay $1,350 per year for this comprehensive care, which includes an annual physical exam.

"DPC frees physicians from the increasingly complex reimbursement system so we can focus on practicing medicine the way it was intended," said Dr. Condon. "There can be a more gratifying doctor-patient relationship because patients can get right in and see us for as long as needed to address concerns, and the annual fee keeps unexpected out-of-pocket costs in check while providing financial stability for our practices."

Open enrollment for ObamaCare kicks off on November 15, 2014 and Washington businesses are exploring DPC-based plans as a cost-effective, acceptable alternative. DPC plans can serve as a stand-alone benefit, or can be combined with employers' group plans, self-funded group plans, or Medicare to offer supplemental coverage. Washington-based companies including Comcast and Expedia are already on board, as well as smaller business owners including Charles Gallagher, PT, at the Institute for Physical and Sports Therapy in Spokane.

"With large-scale insurance companies, healthcare providers often get stuck in the middle and that can negatively impact patient care," said Gallagher. "As a physical therapist, I immediately recognized the benefits of the Direct Primary Care approach offered by Dr. Condon. I am finally able to offer my employees top-quality healthcare at an affordable cost and it's a win-win for everyone."

3|Sutherland Insights Healthcare News Flash Nov 03, 2014

GC launches healthcare practice October 28, 2014 |Captive Insurance Times http://www.captiveinsurancetimes.com/captiveinsurancenews/article.php?article_id=3684 Guy Carpenter is to launch a new US healthcare and life specialty practice that will focus exclusively on the needs of health providers and insurers.

The practice will consist of a team of more than 50 health, healthcare and life broking professionals and actuaries dedicated to helping clients develop and implement strategies to best underwrite and manage their risks.

“The US healthcare insurance environment is undergoing rapid and profound changes, especially with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act,” said Andrew Marcell, managing director and CEO of US operations at Guy Carpenter.

“With previously independent coverages converging and new exposures emerging, and to better help our clients adapt to these challenges, Guy Carpenter has integrated its life, accident and health, and medical professional liability specialties to form the healthcare and life specialty practice.”

Payers and providers are facing a variety of new exposures and market developments as a result of the Affordable Care Act and its impact on the US healthcare industry.

Guy Carpenter’s new practice provides analysis of emerging claims trends, torts costs and reinsurance market developments for healthcare providers as well as analytics and reinsurance solutions for clients facing new operating models and expanded liabilities.

The Affordable Care Act has caused ripple effects throughout the employee benefits market—from core benefits like disability and life, to voluntary coverages and indemnity plans.

The specialty practice will help insurers and managing general underwriters identify the effects of changing insured populations, emerging risks and new distribution models.

David Rains, co-leader of the healthcare and life specialty practice, commented: “Healthcare provider roles have been redefined, medical insurers are facing unprecedented changes and specialty benefits insurers are reacting to tremendous potential challenges in how benefits are sold and distributed.”

4|Sutherland Insights Healthcare News Flash Nov 03, 2014

Acclaris And SelectQuote Senior Partner To Improve Retiree Health Care October 28, 2014 |InsuranceNewsNet.com http://insurancenewsnet.com/oarticle/2014/10/28/acclaris-and-selectquote-senior-partner-toimprove-retiree-health-care-a-570646.html The way employers provide health insurance to retirees is rapidly evolving, but seniors often struggle with the complexities of today’s insurance plans. SelectQuote Senior and Acclaris today announced a strategic partnership to transform employer-sponsored retiree health programs by delivering defined contribution packages for retirees. This approach provides flexibility and control over health insurance coverage in a user-friendly interface specifically built for retirees.

The retiree population presents specific usability and interactivity challenges. Leveraging its expertise serving the individual retiree market, SelectQuote Senior partnered with Acclaris to expand its services to meet the growing demand of employers interested in sponsoring retireedefined contribution plans rather than rigid one-size-fits-all plans.

“We have a deep history working with the retiree experience. It was important to us that we engage with a partner willing to meet our specific service standards so we can best serve our retirees,” said Tom Grant, President of SelectQuote Senior. “Acclaris went above and beyond to understand the senior market and deliver a platform that meets the unique needs of our retirees and their employers. Our existing clients are thrilled, and we have already successfully competed for employer accounts against much larger health care exchange companies.”

Acclaris delivers both the technology and services needed to operate a private-labeled claims reimbursement platform and call center that integrate seamlessly with SelectQuote Senior’s operations. As part of the partnership, the Acclaris team underwent a three-month training process and completed SelectQuote Senior’s rigorous senior sensitivity training. Acclaris helped SelectQuote Senior set up and administer the new premium reimbursement plan and will manage any retiree call activity the program generates.

“Employers are looking for ways to manage the cost of providing retiree health coverage, and the retiree community needs solutions that are easy to understand and manage to ensure they get the full value of their benefits packages,” said Acclaris CEO Dean Mason. “Defined contribution plans help employers minimize costs while easing the reimbursement burden on retirees and giving them a broader choice of carriers.”

Under a typical retiree-defined contribution plan, the employer allocates an annual dollar amount for each plan participant. This amount is typically based on years of service at retirement. For example, at $100 per year of service, a retiree with 25 years of service at retirement is provided with $2,500 per year to use to purchase health insurance in the individual market.

5|Sutherland Insights Healthcare News Flash Nov 03, 2014

These dollars are put into a reimbursement account and are used to reimburse retirees for the premiums they pay for qualified health insurance coverage they obtain in the individual insurance marketplace. Under such a plan, retirees enroll in the health plan that best meets their needs and pay premiums directly to the insurance company. They are able to submit the proof of payment in the form of a claim and receive reimbursement up to the monthly or annual limits of the defined contribution plan.

Salesforce‘s Move Into Healthcare Will Fetch $1 Billion Annually October 27, 2014 |Bidness Etc http://www.bidnessetc.com/28064-salesforces-move-into-healthcare-will-fetch-1-billionannually/ Salesforce.com, Inc. (CRM), pioneer of cloud software, is planning on making a big move into the healthcare industry, according to a report by Reuters. The company plans on generating annual revenue of about $1 billion from healthcare, as it looks to update the outdated industry infrastructure. For this purpose, the company has been looking to increase its talent pool. The investment will be a key for the company to remain competitive, as other technology providers are already experienced in the arena.

By moving into healthcare, Salesforce will be competing against software giants like Microsoft Corporation (MSFT), International Business Machines Corp. (IBM), and Dell Inc. (DELL), all of which having been pushing their own technology solutions for the health industry. The company is currently selling new software solutions to the Department of Health and Human Services and healthcare companies. The enterprise solution provider is known to have recruited at least a dozen personnel in the medical field, to help push for growth. These recruits include Todd Pierce, the current healthcare head of the company, who previously worked at Genentech (a Roche subsidiary).

Salesforce is expected to use its cloud capabilities to narrow down the gap between health organizations, doctors, and patients, which will open endless opportunities to help improve the system. The company has a portfolio of products used by organizations to keep track of their customers and overall history. The latest software by the company will help doctors maintain, track, and record history of their patients, helping improve their response rates.

Earlier this year, the company announced its partnership with Philips. Under the agreement, the two companies will be developing medical applications for the healthcare industry. Another such alliance came earlier this month when Salesforce partnered with Accenture to help develop “Accenture Connected Physician Solution Platform,” which will help increase patient engagement using cloud, social, and mobile technology.

The company’s move into the healthcare industry means it sees potential growth in developing new interactive tools for physicians. These can include management systems for hospitals and health data aggregating software, allowing medical professionals to bring together patient data.

6|Sutherland Insights Healthcare News Flash Nov 03, 2014

By analyzing this data, professionals can identify relevant patterns and trends to help patients tackle their ailments. With the world entering the digital age, patients can collect their entire medical information through many different devices, which include smartphones, high-tech wearable devices, and medical monitors. This has even attracted consumer technology giants like Apple Inc. (AAPL) toward this field, which recently launched a HealthKit for its users.

Aetna, Rainier Health Network and others partner for collaborative care October 27, 2014 |Becker's Hospital Review http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/accountable-care-organizations/aetna-rainier-healthnetwork-and-others-partner-for-collaborative-care.html Health insurer Aetna has announced it will begin helping to provide coordinated care for patients in the state of Washington by partnering with four Seattle-based provider groups: PacificMedicalCenters, The Polyclinic, Providence-Swedish Health Alliance, and Rainier Health Network.

In early 2015, both self-insured and fully insured customers in Washington will have the option of purchasing Aetna Whole Health — a collection of benefit plans designed for a coordinated care model.

Under the agreement between Aetna and the provider networks, Aetna Whole Health plan members will be able to offer their employees access to coordinated care in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties.

"We are excited to work with PacMed, The Polyclinic, Providence-Swedish Health Alliance and Rainer Health Network to offer an innovative healthcare product in the Puget Sound Region," said Norm Seabrooks, Aetna's president for Washington.

7|Sutherland Insights Healthcare News Flash Nov 03, 2014

Finance Providers devise new fees to levy against patients October 27, 2014 |Fierce Health Finance http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/providers-devise-new-fees-levy-againstpatients/2014-10-27 Challenged by insurers ratcheting down their payments, hospitals and medical groups are creating more fees and charges for patients to pay as part of the care they receive, The New York Times reported.

For example, providers are getting patients to agree to pay for slings if their insurer will not cover the item. They also may charge an "activation fee" for the use of trauma and other medical teams or fees for services that had previously been provided without specific charges, such as placing a limb in a splint, inserting an intrauterine device, blood work for healthcare reform-mandated free physical examination, or charges for a room if a patient is receiving services that require privacy.

"If a provider chooses to do something beyond what's covered, there may be charges," Clare Krusing, a spokesperson for America's Health Insurance Plans, told The New York Times.

Patients are increasingly receiving such charges because physicians and other providers can bill at their discretion, and they "may be forced to charge" for these services because the Affordable Care Act has shifted "so much responsibility for payment from insurers to patients," Cindy Weston of the American Medical Billing Association told The New York Times.

However, the practice has stirred concern among healthcare advocates, who note that patients may avoid needed healthcare services due to the potential of being nickel-and-dimed by their providers.

And unlike those covered by Medicare, patients with commercial insurance are not required to be notified in advance by their provider as to what services they do not believe their carrier will cover.

These charges are on top of facility fees--charges levied by hospitals and medical groups for accessing their campuses for services--which have led to significant consumer pushback against providers such as Tenet Healthcare Corporation and the Cleveland Clinic when they began charging them several years ago.

Social impact bonds can finance public health initiatives October 26, 2014 |Fierce Health Finance http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/social-impact-bonds-can-finance-public-healthinitiatives/2014-10-26 Public health initiatives are being more widely financed with private investors, Kaiser Health News has reported. "Pay for success" or "social impact bonds" originated in the United Kingdom, although they are getting some purchase in the United States.

8|Sutherland Insights Healthcare News Flash Nov 03, 2014

Healthcare entities are using such financing to "grow the pie of funding that is available to the social sector," said Rick Brush, chief executive officer of Collective Health, a Connecticut-based firm that works to help organize financing, , according to the news service.

Funding for public health initiatives has been on the wane, particularly at the height of the Great Recession. In 2010, for example, federal grants for public health initiatives were flat, while local governments cut their investments in public health by 3.4 percent, or by nearly $400 million. At the same time, evidence suggests that public health outreach programs can cut down on inpatient admissions and other costs.

Under the pay for success model, money for such projects usually come from private investors or foundations provide at least a portion of the seed money. An independent third party evaluates the outcome, and the government repays the investors based on how the program has fared an any savings that have been generated.

"People with lots of money are anxious to invest at least a portion in things like this, especially if you give them a reasonable return," John Vogel, a Dartmouth University business professor, told Kaiser Health News.

In one project, intended to cut the rates of childhood asthma in California's Central Valley, the California Endowment has put forward $1 million to help out about 200 kids. With private investors, the program could cover as many as 3,500 children and generate an average of $7,700 each in savings linked to avoidable costs.

Using initial data, the project managers expect to reach out to private foundations, banks and private investors. Collective Health is working with Boston-based Social Finance, a nonprofit that designs social impact bonds.

HHS initiative will fund care improvement efforts October 23, 2014 |Fierce Health http://www.fiercehealthcare.com/story/hhs-initiative-will-fund-care-improvement-efforts/201410-23 Agency will invest $840 million over four years to help doctors access information, improve outcomes The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services today announced it would spend up to $840 million over the next four years to fund innovative healthcare strategies designed to improve patient care and lower costs.

Patrick Conway, M.D., deputy administrator for innovation and quality and chief medical officer for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, told reporters during a conference call this morning that the initiative aims to support networks that help doctors access information and improve health outcomes. The agency projects the Transforming Clinical Practice Initiative will save between $1 billion and $4 billion, according to Conway.

9|Sutherland Insights Healthcare News Flash Nov 03, 2014

"I hear from physicians and other clinicians across the country about the need for this type of work," Conway said, "These improvements hinge on peer-to-peer learning and helping clinicians develop strategies to share, adapt and further improve their practices and rapidly spread those best practices and improvements to other healthcare providers."

The project will fund potential strategies such as improving physician access to information on patient medication adherence, expanding available modes of patient/doctor communication, and improving coordinated, team-based care by "making sure everyone is talking to each other so that the patient's experience is seamless," he said. A July survey found poor communication costs hospitals $11 billion a year.

The initiative will be open to applications from healthcare systems, provider associations, group practices, and regional and state institutions, Conway said. "Successful applicants will demonstrate the ability to achieve progress toward measurable goals, such as improving clinical outcomes, reducing unnecessary testing, achieving cost saving and avoiding unnecessary hospitalizations."

As part of its multipronged approach, Conway said, the initiative will award cooperative agreements to both practices that have made measureable improvements in care and outcomes (practice transformation networks) and health networks formed by professional associations seeking to align their resources to support those networks (support and alignment networks).

"The AMA [American Medical Association] has been urging the Administration to assist physician practices in adopting new payment and delivery models and we're pleased that they have created a program that supports physician leadership," Barbara L. McAneny, M.D., chair of the AMA Board of Trustees, said in a statement. "We strongly believe that practice transformation can lead to improvements in the quality of care for patients, control healthcare costs and enhance practice sustainability as physicians embrace innovative new models."

Direct hospital contracting in Maine dramatically cuts costs October 23, 2014 |Fierce Health Finance http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/direct-hospital-contracting-maine-dramatically-cutscosts/2014-10-23 Direct contracting by employer groups of hospital services may be a way to dramatically reduce costs.

Jackson Laboratory, a genomic research company in Maine, decided to seek bids from local hospitals on their most commonly employed ICD and CPT codes, Healthcare Finance News reported.

The decision was driven by Jackson joining the Maine Health Management Coalition six years ago.

When the company did so, its managers discovered that its healthcare costs were 25 percent higher than other employers in the organization, even though its employee morbidity incidence was more than 10 percent below the coalition average in areas such as cancer, heart disease and respiratory disease.

10 | S u t h e r l a n d I n s i g h t s H e a l t h c a r e N e w s F l a s h N o v 0 3 , 2 0 1 4

"We thought that it wasn't us that was the problem, but the healthcare facilities," said Wayne Gregersen, Jackson Labs' manager of benefits and compensation. The hospital costs being paid by Jackson were 50 percent higher than the coalition's average.

St. Joseph Healthcare ending up winning the bidding war for Jackson's employer group by submitting a proposal that was 14 percent lower than the average costs submitted by the other hospitals.

Jackson decided to go with that hospital for many procedures even though it was 40 miles away from where most of the company's employees resided. It also partnered with St. Mary's Hospital in Lewiston, 150 miles away, to cover all joint replacement surgeries, according to Healthcare Finance News. Employees were also offered cuts in premiums in exchange for joining a wellness program and meeting certain goals.

The results: Healthcare costs have remained flat since 2007. Hospitalizations have dropped by more than 43 percent and claims above $50,000 have been halved.

Traditional contracting practices, with the insurer as the middleman, have been blamed for some stark pricing disparities among hospitals, and reference pricing has had uneven results, suggesting that direct contracting may eventually take hold on a larger scale. And while the financial results for Jackson have been impressive, direct contracting between employer groups and hospitals remain rare. One prominent agreement between Wal-Mart and the Cleveland Clinic accounts for just a fraction of the Cleveland Clinic's total revenue. However, some healthcare experts see direct contracting as part of the ongoing evolution of healthcare delivery.

Medicaid, CHIP enrollment up by nearly 9 million October 20 2014 |Fierce Health Finance http://www.fiercehealthfinance.com/story/medicaid-chip-enrollment-nearly-9-million/2014-1020 Much of the growth in pro-ACA states Medicaid enrollment has surged between October 2013 and the end of this August, rising by nearly 9 million overall. That has boosted total enrollment in the Medicaid program by 14.7 percent. Data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services showed enrollment in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) stood at 67.9 million at the end of last August, with 27.8 million children enrolled in both programs.

There was a stark contrast in enrollment trends among states that chose to expand their Medicaid programs under the auspices of Affordable Care Act (ACA) and those that chose not to. California, an expansion state, saw its Medicaid and CHIP rolls grow by more than 2 million between the average enrollment numbers of July to September 2013 and this August, an increase of more than 22 percent. Kentucky, one of the few Republican-dominated states that chose to expand Medicaid, saw its enrollment grow more than 72 percent, from just more than 600,000 to more than 1 million.

Nonexpansion states experienced growth in the single digits, such as Wisconsin, which grew less than 2 percent, and Texas, which grew less than 4 percent. South Carolina had the biggest gain, of 10.5 percent.

11 | S u t h e r l a n d I n s i g h t s H e a l t h c a r e N e w s F l a s h N o v 0 3 , 2 0 1 4

Four states actually saw their Medicaid and CHIP rolls contract: Missouri, Nebraska, Virginia and Wyoming. Final enrollment data was not available for Maine, whose governor, Paul LePage, had moved to cut Medicaid rolls.

The expansion of Medicaid has had a positive effect on hospitals, with many reporting that they had cut their levels of uncompensated care. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently reported that the ACA is helping cut costs to hospitals by nearly $6 billion, although the large bulk of that relief is coming in states that have expanded Medicaid.

Meanwhile, nongovernment reports suggest that the Medicaid program will continue to expand by double-digit rates.

12 | S u t h e r l a n d I n s i g h t s H e a l t h c a r e N e w s F l a s h N o v 0 3 , 2 0 1 4

Technology Dell offers cloud-based solution targeting mid-size hospital chains October 29, 2014 |Business Line http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/features/smartbuy/tech-news/dell-offers-cloudbasedsolution-targeting-midsize-hospital-chains/article6545386.ece Dell is targeting hospital chains with 50-100 beds that will use IT process right from the time a patient registers till the final billing.

Dell hopes that upcoming mid-size hospital chains will find it attractive to implement its cloud-based solution ‘hospital IT in a box.’

The solution promises a cost-effective end-to-end hospital information system on a monthly fee, said a company official.

Dell is targeting hospital chains with 50-100 beds that will use IT processes right from the time a patient registers till the final billing. This includes various lab tests and pharmacy bills. Usually, hospitals have a module for each process but Dell will offer everything as a package on the cloud.

Cost-effective One hospital is already testing the solution and in three months, three clients are likely to implement it.

There is no initial capex on IT infrastructure for clients, said Veera Raghavan, Global Practice Head, Dell Services (Healthcare & Life Sciences).

A hospital with 50-100 beds with basic software applications needs to pay a monthly fee of Rs. 25,000 while it could cost over Rs. 2.5 lakh to set up such IT infrastructure, in addition to setting up an IT team, he said. Thereafter, there will also be recurring costs.

Traditional hospitals have been centred on doctors while new ones would be more IT driven, with a standard process in place. Dell’s specialists have worked on the new product, which was launched in March, he said.

Raghavan said nearly 100 new hospital chains are either being set up or coming up in the country.

The IT spend in the healthcare sector is nearly $1 billion and growing annually at about 25 per cent, he said. Dell’s Healthcare and Life Sciences division, which is its fastest growing vertical, has nearly 1,100 professionals (mainly doctors, nurses and clinicians) of whom nearly 200 are in India.

It collaborates with Ubq Technologies, which provides hospital information systems, and Ramco Systems for the ERP on the Cloud, to provide the complete package, he said.

Focus on India

13 | S u t h e r l a n d I n s i g h t s H e a l t h c a r e N e w s F l a s h N o v 0 3 , 2 0 1 4

Globally, Dell’s healthcare business has over 500 technology partners and 14,000 healthcare employees. It supports over 2,000 healthcare providers, 100 life sciences organisations and nearly 100 health plans in the US, the UK and West Asia. It also manages over seven billion images through Dell Clinical Cloud Image Archive.

“We are now turning our attention more towards India, and soon on Australia and Latin America,” Raghavan said.

TeleCommunication Systems Deploys New VirtuMedix Healthcare Platform to Improve Patient Care and Reduce Costs October 27, 2014 |Telecom Seller http://www.telecomreseller.com/2014/10/27/telecommunication-systems-deploys-newvirtumedix-healthcare-platform-to-improve-patient-care-and-reduce-costs/ VirtuMedix advanced messaging, encryption and navigation capabilities leverage TCS technology expertise TeleCommunication Systems, Inc. (TCS) (NASDAQ: TSYS), a world leader in highly reliable and secure mobile communication technology, today introduced VirtuMedix™, a highly secure, virtual collaboration platform designed for remote consultation of health care providers and patients. With the VirtuMedix platform, TCS addresses the rapidly growing market for video telemedicine solutions.

Wake Emergency Physicians, PA (WEPPA), a North Carolina-based independent emergency medicine group, is the first to deploy the platform for improved patient care by its 136 emergency specialists who treat nearly 300,000 patients annually.

According to new research by Deloitte, 75 million “virtual” doctor visits, or 1 in 6 will occur this year alone. Frost & Sullivan forecasts that the video telemedicine market in North America will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 16.7 percent from 2012 to reach more than $600 million in 2017.

This growth, according to the analyst firm, will intensify as telehealth initiatives align with the goals of the federal government and Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) to reduce healthcare spending and improve quality of care to patients.

Key Facts: •

The VirtuMedix platform provides patients with an alternative to urgent care centers or emergency rooms for acute care situations. It also may be used in long-term care situations such as assisted living, rehabilitation centers, or chronic disease management.

•

Proven TCS technologies and expertise, including encryption, navigation, mapping and messaging further advance the capabilities of VirtuMedix.

•

Built in collaboration with WEPPA, VirtuMedix offers an innovative approach to patient management and clinician workflows that drive cost savings for both clinicians and patients, while helping to improve overall healthcare delivery to the patient.

14 | S u t h e r l a n d I n s i g h t s H e a l t h c a r e N e w s F l a s h N o v 0 3 , 2 0 1 4

•

HIPAA-compliant audio/video communication and information storage protects the privacy of patient information and allows physicians to consult securely with patients.

•

Simple user interface and toolsets make it easy for clinicians to view various on-call rosters and to manage patient volume.

•

Picture upload capabilities allow patients to securely share high definition images of their medical issues, such as a bite or rash, using a mobile device or web app.

•

The integration of ePrescribe capabilities expands physicians’ clinical toolset, improving productivity and speed of care.

•

A simple electronic medical record system enables doctors to see patients’ records, and enables patients to produce an invoice for insurance claims.

•

Multi-lingual patient care agents are available to assist patients with the consultation queue and provide information, such as health records.

Wake Emergency Physicians, PA (WEPPA), Dr. Bobby Park said: “WEPPA was looking for an off-theshelf solution that could be tailored to the needs of our emergency medicine physicians and help us to stay in front of the many changes in the healthcare marketplace. TCS was the ideal partner to deliver innovative functionality that leapfrogs any offerings currently available, while building a platform that can be used in a variety of healthcare settings.”

TCS Commercial Software Group President Jay Whitehurst said: “WEPPA physicians treat nearly 300,000 patients annually and are highly respected for their exceptional emergency care and their clinical leadership in advancing emergency medicine. Being a first-of-its-kind telemedicine solution, VirtuMedix is a natural fit with WEPPA, leveraging new technology to offer cost-effective and efficient care. It puts patients in greater control of their health and wellness, enabling easy and rapid access to healthcare in a way that fits with the patient’s lifestyle. As a flexible platform providing important business benefits for healthcare providers, VirtuMedix changes the way healthcare is delivered by addressing market demand for immediate, patient-centric, mobile and web access to medical services anytime, anywhere and on any network connected device.”

TCS will showcase VirtuMedix in Booth #1440 at American College of Emergency Physicians’ ACEP14 in Chicago on October 27-30, 2014. To schedule an appointment for a demonstration, please contact Edgar Carter at ECarter@telecomsys.com or visit www.VirtuMedix.com.

VirtuMedix™ provides caregivers and practitioners a highly secure and reliable telemedicine platform that delivers virtual health services anytime, anywhere, and from any device. Launched in 2014, VirtuMedix leverages TCS’ telecommunications technologies, including over a decade of cyber security, wireless, and mobile application innovation, into a telehealth solution that integrates easily into healthcare networks, databases, and reimbursement models. In addition to providing expanded patient outreach, VirtuMedix reduces clinical and user healthcare costs while improving patient care.

15 | S u t h e r l a n d I n s i g h t s H e a l t h c a r e N e w s F l a s h N o v 0 3 , 2 0 1 4

RL Solutions Announces new real-time surveillance for healthcare risk managers October 27, 2014 |PR Newswire http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rl-solutions-announces-new-real-time-surveillancefor-healthcare-risk-managers-280517782.html RL Solutions, creators of easy-to-use healthcare quality and safety software, announced today the availability of real-time surveillance for risk managers, a new way for healthcare organizations to prevent adverse events. By leveraging the surveillance engine already found in other RL products, risk managers can now benefit by having automated, real-time alerts, sent directly to their inbox when specific risk criteria are met that could lead to an adverse event.

Until now, risk managers typically interacted with an incident after it had already caused harm to a patient. Means to prevent the incident from occurring in the first place were limited at best. Now, with RL's real-time surveillance, risk managers can receive clinical alerts from any number of hospital systems to automatically be notified of cases that could turn into patient harm or become an HAI. Fully configurable, healthcare organizations can determine which critical conditions they need to track, and implement proactive interventions to prevent harm from occurring.

Key features and benefits of RL's real-time surveillance engine include: •

clinical alerts that automatically notify risk managers of cases to follow up on and action to take

•

tracking actual and potential adverse events in one system

•

taking action in real-time, potentially preventing harm from happening altogether

•

leveraging clinical data results and therefore having confidence in data accuracy

"With real-time surveillance, our clients have the opportunity to implement proactive risk mitigation plans as soon as possible and potentially limit patient harm," said Catherine Lathem, Vice-President, Product Management, RL Solutions. "For example, risk managers can now be automatically alerted in real-time if a patient arrives in the ER who has traveled to West Africa in the past twenty-one days, has a temperature of greater than 38.6 degrees Celsius, and symptoms such as headaches and muscle pain."

"We are both honored and humbled to work with some of the world's leading healthcare organizations on a daily basis," added Sanjay Malaviya, President & CEO, RL Solutions. "It is by observing what they do, and learning how they operate, that we are able to deliver solutions that can potentially make a significant difference in a patient's life. As RL continues to innovate and grow, we will never lose focus on the organizations that have helped us get to where we are, and we look forward to even more innovations like real-time surveillance for risk managers in the years to come."

16 | S u t h e r l a n d I n s i g h t s H e a l t h c a r e N e w s F l a s h N o v 0 3 , 2 0 1 4

Care at Your Fingertips: Carolinas HealthCare System Introduces Virtual Visit October 21, 2014 |InsuranceNewsNet.com http://insurancenewsnet.com/oarticle/2014/10/21/care-at-your-fingertips-carolinas-healthcaresystem-introduces-virtual-visit-a-569721.html Patients can now take advantage of medical care that's as accessible and convenient as clicking a button – available right where they are, with no appointment needed. Carolinas HealthCare System now offers Virtual Visit, which provides live, immediate access to a medical provider via a cameraenabled smartphone, tablet or computer 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

"Virtual Visit takes convenience to the next level. People have busy lives, and they are looking for providers to make high-quality care available when and where it's needed. Whether it happens in a person's workplace on a Monday morning, or their home in the middle of the night, Virtual Visit makes 24/7 access to medical care an exciting reality," said Roger Ray, MD, executive vice president and chief physician executive of Carolinas HealthCare System. "Even better, our virtual visits are fully integrated with our System. Each visit is added to a patient's electronic medical record for seamless connection to follow-up care."

Virtual Visit addresses a range of conditions, including: •

seasonal allergies, bronchitis and flu

•

cold, cough, sinus and upper respiratory infections

•

conjunctivitis or pink eye

•

skin conditions

In addition to an evaluation by a Carolinas HealthCare System provider, patients can receive medical prescriptions and referrals for follow-up care if appropriate. The cost for each virtual visit is $49, and no insurance information is required or shared.

Virtual Visit is available to patients with an established Carolinas HealthCare System primary care provider, and who are physically located in North Carolina at the time of care. Patients may access the virtual visit at CarolinasHealthCare.org/VirtualVisit, or download the free mobile app from their device's mobile app store by searching for Carolinas HealthCare Virtual Visit.

Virtual Visit is the latest way to access Carolinas HealthCare System's comprehensive care offerings, joining its network of primary and urgent care locations, specialty care offices, satellite emergency departments and hospitals.

17 | S u t h e r l a n d I n s i g h t s H e a l t h c a r e N e w s F l a s h N o v 0 3 , 2 0 1 4

Health care DOOH company, mobile media firm integrating mobile with digital signage ad network October 17, 2014 |DigitalSinageToday.com http://www.digitalsignagetoday.com/news/health-care-dooh-company-mobile-media-firmintegrating-mobile-with-digital-signage-ad-network/ Mobile media solutions provider SITO Mobile Ltd. and digital point-of-care media company Health Media Network have announced a partnership by which Health Media Network will leverage SITO Mobile's mobile media platform to power a national location-based advertising network within physician offices nationwide.

HMN aims to help to improve the communication between doctor and patient, with the goal of improving healthcare outcomes.

"It's well-documented that consumers are increasingly turning to smartphones and other mobile devices to engage with and manage their personal health and wellness," HMN Chief Revenue Officer Joe Petrosino said in the announcement. "Our partnership with SITO enables HMN to deliver relevant health and wellness messaging to consumers on their personal devices during a critical window of time in their health journey – from the physician's office visit through the treatment, purchase and therapy activation process."

The platform presents the opportunity for health marketers to engage with consumers actively discussing treatment options with their doctors, the companies said. It also offers the ability to reconnect with patients as they travel to the pharmacy or other retailer to fulfill prescriptions, buy OTC products and/or interact with the pharmacist.

HMN will use SITO's location based mobile advertising platform as an extension of its current targeted digital media capabilities, helping to augment digital signage, wallboards and brochures, within 11,000 doctor's offices and hospitals around the U.S. Its customers encompass pharmaceutical companies, consumer packaged goods brands, and other health-oriented brands that will now be able to use the platform to connect with patients on the go.

"HMN has a broad platform for point of care advertising, and we are proud to partner with them as our first channel partner in the health care industry," said Jerry Hug, interim CEO, SITO Mobile. "As SITO Mobile continues to diversify its customer base and expand our indirect sales capabilities into different vertical markets we continue to educate the market on the integral role mobile plays within the comprehensive advertising program."

18 | S u t h e r l a n d I n s i g h t s H e a l t h c a r e N e w s F l a s h N o v 0 3 , 2 0 1 4

Strategy CRC Health Group to be Acquired by Acadia Healthcare October 29, 2014 |PR Newswire http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/crc-health-group-to-be-acquired-by-acadiahealthcare-280852262.html CRC Health Group, Inc., the largest provider of specialized behavioral health care services in the U.S., today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACHC). The acquisition of CRC Health Group will expand Acadia's current presence in addiction and mental health services, and the combined company will be one of the largest and most capable in the behavioral health field.

A market leader in behavioral health with over 140 programs treating 44,000 patients per day, CRC Health Group represents a strong addition to the Acadia business, which provides specialized treatment in helping children, adolescents, adults and seniors suffering from mental health disorders and/or alcohol and drug addiction.

"We are excited to join forces with Acadia to further expand the capabilities of the company and offer the people we serve a fully comprehensive, nationwide system of behavioral health services," said Jerry Rhodes, CEO of CRC Health Group. "The extensive addiction treatment services delivered by our talented team members are a natural complement to Acadia's network of specialized residential and outpatient facilities. Together we will grow and excel by providing industry-leading patient care at a time of profound need in behavioral healthcare."

"We expect our combination with CRC to be a great transaction for both Acadia and CRC," said Joey Jacobs, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Acadia. "We believe the addiction treatment markets that CRC serves represent a very meaningful and accretive growth opportunity. As a wellestablished market leader, CRC will provide Acadia with an outstanding platform for growth in this fragmented market. We further expect to support CRC in taking advantage of additional growth opportunities through both our access to capital and the expertise evident in the successful longterm growth record of Acadia's management team."

The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2015, and is subject to regulatory review and customary closing conditions.

Citi is acting as financial advisor, and Ropes & Gray LLP is acting as legal advisor, to CRC Health Group on the transaction.

19 | S u t h e r l a n d I n s i g h t s H e a l t h c a r e N e w s F l a s h N o v 0 3 , 2 0 1 4

Optum buying Alere Health for $600 million October 28, 2014 |BusinessJournals.com http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/morning_roundup/2014/10/optum-buying-alere-healthfor-600-million.html Optum said Tuesday it was buying Alere Health and its subsidiaries, which provide condition management and women's and children's health services to hundreds of health plans.

Optum will pay $600 million in cash for the health management business of Alere Inc. (NYSE: ALR).

Waltham, Mass.-based Alere, which also makes medical devices and diagnostic tools, had said this summer that it was considering a sale of some units so it could focus more on those traditional strengths, and Reuters in September reported that a deal was close.

The deal requires approval from regulators, but not from Alere shareholders.

Optum officials said that the addition of Alere's offerings, which include tobacco-cessation programs and home-based obstetrical services, would strengthen its business dealings with employers, states and health-care payers. Larry Renfro, chief executive officer, Optum, called it "a strong fit."

It's the latest acquisition for Optum, a unit of Minnetonka-based UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH). In September, it paid an undisclosed amount for MedSynergies Inc., a Texas-based provider of physician-practice-management software and related consulting services to medical groups.

DaVita HealthCare Partners to acquire Colorado Springs Health Partners October 27, 2014 |Nephrology News http://www.nephrologynews.com/articles/110503-davita-healthcare-partners-to-acquirecolorado-springs-health-partners The HealthCare Partners division of DaVita HealthCare Partners has agreed to acquire Colorado Springs Health Partners, a multi-specialty medical group with more than 100 physicians at 11 locations throughout the Pikes Peak region.

Colorado Springs Health Partners, established in 1946, is one of the 74 medical practices in Colorado selected to participate in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Collaborative Primary Care Initiative and its care model has statistically shown improvement in patient outcomes along with cost effectiveness.

"We are especially excited about growing in our home state and look forward to more," said Kent Thiry, co-chairman and CEO of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc.

20 | S u t h e r l a n d I n s i g h t s H e a l t h c a r e N e w s F l a s h N o v 0 3 , 2 0 1 4

Booz Allen Hamilton Acquires Genova Technologies To Boost Affordable Care Act, Healthcare Support October 21, 2014 |CRN http://www.crn.com/news/managed-services/300074529/booz-allen-hamilton-acquires-genovatechnologies-to-boost-affordable-care-act-healthcare-support.htm Booz Allen Hamilton has acquired the healthcare division of Genova Technologies for an undisclosed amount in a bid to nab more federal technology contracts around healthcare and the Affordable Care Act. Genova Technologies is a Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based IT services provider focused on the healthcare and defense industries. It specialties in project management, software development and IT consulting. Genova Technologies is expected to retain its defense and commercial businesses once the deal is finalized.

The acquisition gives Booz Allen Hamilton a leg up as it works to support current and future contracts with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the department overseeing the rollout of the Affordable Care Act. Booz Allen Hamilton was particularly attracted to Genova Technologies for its strong reputation, experience working with CMS, presence in Baltimore and cultural fit, Susan Penfield, executive vice president and head of the company's health practice, said.

"It’s a very promising market for us so we're delighted to have someone with such a great [reputation] and great people on board," Penfield said.

Genova Technologies, Penfield said, is "very aligned with how we think about our business clients today" and where the company sees itself in the future. For example, Penfield said the Affordable Care Act is changing how CMS will process and pay for healthcare in the future.

"Certainly we're on a 10-year journey to get there, but there's going to be a lot of transformation in CMS," Penfield said.

The acquisition of Genova Technologies will help Booz Allen Hamilton provide those capabilities, she said.

Beyond CMS, Penfield said the acquisition will add capabilities in other areas of Booz Allen Hamilton's healthcare offerings, including with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Institutes of Health. The capabilities are "absolutely transferrable," she said, especially around the company's expertise in Electronic Health Record (EHR) data and clinical data.

While there will be benefits down the road, Penfield said the integration of the two companies is already underway and Booz Allen Hamilton will be able to benefit immediately from the acquisition.

In particular, the benefits of the acquisition will be felt as Booz Allen Hamilton fulfills its recently awarded contract with the CMS Research, Measurement, Assessment, Design and Analysis (RMADA) program, Penfield said.

21 | S u t h e r l a n d I n s i g h t s H e a l t h c a r e N e w s F l a s h N o v 0 3 , 2 0 1 4

Booz Allen Hamilton has said it will continue acquisitive growth in engineering, commercial and international areas. The company said the Genova Technologies acquisition was just one example of this growth strategy.

Healthcare-focused SPAC MergeWorthRx Acquires PE-backed AeroCare October 16, 2014 |The Street http://www.thestreet.com/story/12916612/1/healthcare-focused-spac-mergeworthrx-acquirespe-backed-aerocare.html MergeWorthRx Corp. (MWRX) a healthcare focused special purpose acquisition company announced Wednesday that it will merge with privately equity-held AeroCare Holdings Inc. in a deal valued at $90.4 million.

Orlando, Florida-based AeroCare — which had been held by MTS Healthcare Partners LP and Ferrer, Freeman & Co. LLC since 2002 — provides respiratory products including nebulizers and CPAP/BiPAP machines and supplies. The company plans to issue 11.3 million new shares and 0.5 million options to existing AeroCare stockholders at closing. This will result in AeroCare stockholders owning 53% of the post-merger company. AeroCare has annual revenue of approximately $150 million. Under the terms of the merger AeroCare stockholders have the right to receive up to $30 million of additional shares of MergeWorthRx common stock, at a price of $8.36 a share, under a three-year earn-out period subject to certain adjusted Ebitda targets being achieved.

Charles F. Fistel, cofounder and CEO of MergeWorthRx said in an interview that the company is very excited about the merger with AeroCare due to the quality of management, growth of the company, outlook and margins among other factors. He said MergeWorthRx was pleased that the company was able to continue to grow while weathering regulatory issues. He noted that the company is eager to continue its acquisition-based growth strategy by utilizing equity capital to make purchases.

"The management team and PE partners are rolling 100% of equity into the company," said Fistel, noting that this move shows confidence in Aerocare.

AeroCare had acquired 23 companies in 2013 alone, representing $43 million in annualized revenue.

Its annual revenue growth rate has been about 31% since its inception in 2002. AeroCare has respiratory, home oxygen and sleep therapy services in 175 locations over the course of 20 states.

Without specifying a time line or price rage for possible acquisitions, Fistel said that AeroCare is anxious to evaluate smaller companies and fold them into main operations. He said that many of the companies in the sector are "mom and pop" shops that could potentially be rolled into Aerocare.

Fistel said that the company had been actively seeking acquisitions in healthcare services, specialty pharma, healthcare IT and home healthcare and through the MergeWorthRx's executive network it came across Aerocare. He noted that Aerocare did not have a book out but said that the company had PE sponsorship for a long time. MTS Healthcare declined to comment on the merger.

22 | S u t h e r l a n d I n s i g h t s H e a l t h c a r e N e w s F l a s h N o v 0 3 , 2 0 1 4

Ted Lundberg, a partner at Ferrer Freeman said that the merger was a good fit in order to give AeroCare a platform to continue to grow, whether focused on IT or acquisitions, adding that AeroCare was a successful company for the fund. In terms of acquisitions, Lundberg said that AeroCare had done numerous deals, mostly centered on small tuck-in buys that ranged from $1 to $10 million. He noted that a lot of the purchases were single proprietor businesses.

Miami, Florida-based MergeWorth Rx — formerly known as MedWorth Acquisition Corp. — raised $52.8 million in its initial public offering in July 2013. With overallotments, the IPO raised a total of $60.7 million.

EarlyBirdCapital Inc. provided investment banking advisory services and McDermott, Will & Emery LLP served as legal counsel to MergeWorthRx. Cain Brothers & Co. LLC acted as AeroCare's exclusive financial adviser in connection with the transaction and Goodwin Procter LLP served as legal counsel.

23 | S u t h e r l a n d I n s i g h t s H e a l t h c a r e N e w s F l a s h N o v 0 3 , 2 0 1 4