Retail and Refills: Patient Engagement Technologies on Horizon for Walmart and Target

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Recent digital health initiatives suggest that Walmart, Target and other retail giants are steadfastly marching into the healthcare setting with a focus on customer and employee health. With representatives attending Health 2.0’s WinterTech conference in San Francisco, both Walmart and Target have confirmed plans to provide more in-depth healthcare services including chronic disease management and guidance towards healthier lifestyles.

Last week, MedCity News connected with Walmart and Target spokespersons to learn more. Complete with clinics that serve both customers as well as employees, Target and Walmart will look to enhance healthcare efforts with technologies like mobile coaching apps and telemedicine platforms. For both Target and Walmart, much of this expansion will take place in the form of strategic partnerships with powerhouses like UnitedHealthcare and Kaiser Permanente. In developing its new pharmacy prescription app focused on medication adherence for employees and customers alike, Target partnered with Mscripts, a leader in mobile pharmacy solutions. Michael Laquere, a senior buyer for pharmacy at Target, pointed out that through this app Target hopes to “connect with pharmacies in a more virtual way.”

When taking information access into consideration, retailers could be sitting on a data gold mine. With customer buying patterns and health information at their disposal, retailers could potentially make suggestions to improve health or aid in chronic disease management. With the current privacy barriers and regulations in place, this possibility is far from a reality—however, the opportunity to improve consumer health is salient and two major retail players have taken the reigns. Who will be the next to join?

SOURCE: MedCityNews

To learn more about increasing retail presence in the healthcare industry, check out MedCity News’ full article here!

About DoseSpot 
DoseSpot is a Surescripts certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot is certified to e-Prescribe controlled substances and has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.

From Option to Necessity: The Paradigm Shift in Digital Health is Coming

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Digital health is no longer a futuristic idea, it’s happening in the here and now. As the healthcare industry quickly moves toward full digitization, previously tech-averse clinicians are slowly—but gradually—getting on board with new and innovative technologies. A report recently published by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) highlights a telling shift in clinicians’ attitudes toward digital technology, especially when connecting with patients is concerned. And it appears this shift is for the better.

In an extensive survey of over 1,000 clinicians—physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants included—PwC aimed to gain a sense of how these health professionals perceive digital health as it stands today. The takeaways? In most health spheres, clinicians are supportive. Check out some key findings below:

• When it comes to patient engagement tools, clinicians and patients seem to agree that putting diagnostic tools into the hands of the patient is both powerful and reliable. Roughly 42% of physicians are comfortable relying on at-home test results to prescribe medication.

• A large body of physicians also said they believe digital health tools can boost the patient-doctor interaction, with 50% saying telehealth visits could eventually replace more than 10% of in-office patient visits.

• Clinicians view consumer health apps to manage chronic disease and wellness as a good thing, with about 65% saying they would prescribe an app to help patients manage specific conditions. Furthermore, the percent of consumers who say they have a healthcare or wellness app downloaded onto a mobile device has increased significantly from last year and is up to 28% (versus last year’s 16%).

• An overwhelming 79% of clinicians support mobile health applications, stating that mobile devices can better help clinicians coordinate care with their patients.

With these findings in place, what do clinicians have to look forward to in the digital health space? According to PwC’s health information technology practice leader, Daniel Garrett, “digitally-enabled care is no longer nice-to-have; it’s fundamental for delivering high quality care.” The adoption and integration of digital technology within existing healthcare practices has not reached its full potential to transform patient care. Many health experts hypothesize that the next five years will be absolutely crucial.

SOURCES: Healthcare IT News and PricewaterhouseCoopers

To view PwC’s full digital health report, check out the link to their website here!

About DoseSpot 
DoseSpot is a Surescripts certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot is certified to e-Prescribe controlled substances and has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.

Telehealth and Ebola: Are they a match?

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As Ebola enters the United States and case numbers continue to rise, the ever-challenging and pressing question among health professionals remains the same: how is one to deliver care effectively without risking disease spread? With the help of Vidyo, a software company specializing in visual communications, a Nebraska medical center may have the answer.

About a month ago, Vidyo’s video conferencing platform was used in the Biocontainment Patient Care Unit at the Nebraska Medical Center—one of only four units in the U.S. equipped to handle these types of cases. It was here that medical professionals were treating Dr. Richard Sacra, a Massachusetts physician who contracted Ebola in Liberia while working in child delivery. The video conferencing unit was used to help doctors treating Sacra interact with the patient and connect him to family and friends. The Medical Center, located in Omaha, NE, has worked with New Jersey-based Vidyo since 2011.

With the Ebola virus becoming a dangerously salient international issue, the ability to remotely treat infectious diseases via Tele-ICU applications—equipped with medical devices like otoscopes, dermatoscopes and labs— is becoming more important than ever. To prevent the spread of infections in sterile settings, Tele-ICU enables hospitals to establish centralized monitoring facilities to address patient needs during overnight hours. Now afforded the option to evaluate a presumed ill patient remotely via video, many healthcare professionals are hopeful that such measures will protect caregivers from exposure, permit a quick response to treatment and protect the public from potential epidemics.

For more information on how digital health is addressing disease epidemics, check out MobiHealthNews’ article here.

About DoseSpot 
DoseSpot is a Surescripts certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot is certified to e-Prescribe controlled substances and has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.

Keeping Up With the Healthcare Happenings

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With the 2014 calendar year coming to a close in just a few months (gasp!), HealthWorks Collective, an online health and editorial community, has released its list of health trends to keep an eye on through 2015. Think your predictions are spot on? Take a look below to see what’s on tap for the U.S. healthcare industry:

1. More providers will be hiring health coaches.
Chronic conditions in the U.S. continue to increase—so will employment. Health coaches fill a unique demand for managing chronic conditions, as they engage with patients one-on-one and keep clinical staff informed about financial or family concerns, marital problems, treatment plan adherence, etc.

2. Healthcare mobile apps on the rise.

With the release of Apple’s new Healthkit along with a slew of other mobile-friendly health apps, this trend is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. Patient-centered apps for monitoring aspects of health like calorie-counting and heart rate are gaining popularity at a quick pace and healthcare systems will continue developing and implementing apps to improve patient experience.

3. New care and payment models will expand.

Insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid programs will continue to push for more relationships with accountable care organizations (ACOs). Different payment models will also be proposed—many healthcare professionals anticipate a trend towards “shared savings” incentives with physicians based on lowering cost and improving care quality.

4. Big Data will play a key role in patient care.

Electronic health records and other emerging technologies enable providers to automate processes and capture vital clinical data. These technologies, however, are limited in not being open to innovation. By the end of 2014, expect provider advocacy for making application interfaces open-source so they can be used to create new and exciting programs.

5. Healthcare comes to the home.

Technological advancements and increasing healthcare access will lead to more remote care services. This means that more patients can be monitored and coached to health at any time and place. “At-home healthcare” will increase patient quality of care, improve patient satisfaction, and reduce costs.

6. Increasing transparency.

Expect the level of transparency demanded from healthcare systems to increase, along with the production of tools to help inform patients. The price of treatments, procedures and clinicians along with performance metrics and hospital outcome reports will all be made available for patients to peruse at the click of a mouse.

7. Partnerships for care delivery will expand.

Healthcare partnerships will soon include community-based groups such as social service agencies, gyms and other non-healthcare service providers. As the industry strives to better address population health management, expect more unconventional approaches to healthcare such as church-based group care sessions, outdoor exercise at nature centers, reduced price health care transportation services, etc.

Source: HealthWorks Collective

For more information on the aforementioned trends, check out HealthWorks Collective’s full article here.

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescriptsâ„¢ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.

The Verdict Is In: Doctors Value Video-Based Care

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According to HIMSS Analytics’ recently released 2014 U.S. Telemedicine study, two-way video is proving to be a key component of value-based care for the foreseeable future. This study, considered the first installation of HIMSS Analytics’ new “Essentials Briefs” series, tracks a technology strategy with increasing popularity among healthcare providers seeking ways to deliver better—and more cost-effective— care to larger patient populations. HIMSS reports a shift from volume-based to value-based care within many organizations, and telemedicine technologies are aiding in this transition.

Noteworthy findings from HIMSS Analytics’ Study include:

• 46% of respondents utilize up to four telemedicine technologies within their respective organizations.
• Two-way video/webcam services are the most widely used (58%) and most widely considered (67%) for those making a telemedicine investment.

Polling both hospitals and private practices, HIMSS’ first Brief installation offers insights into how and why U.S. providers are adopting telemedicine tools by addressing specific topics such as integration with electronic health records.

Source: Healthcare IT News and HIMSS Analytics

For more information on current telemedicine adoption trends, check out an overview of the HIMSS Analytics 2014 Telemedicine Study here

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescripts™ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.

Doctor On Demand, Inc. Integrates with DoseSpot e-Prescribing Platform

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NEEDHAM HEIGHTS, MA – DoseSpot, an industry leader in e-Prescribing integration platforms for medical and dental software, today announced that Doctor On Demand, a healthcare service that provides Video Visits with board-certified physicians on smartphones and tablets, has completed Surescripts certification through DoseSpot.

“We are thrilled to be working with Doctor On Demand to further enhance their healthcare service platform and offer a comprehensive yet simplified e-Prescribing solution,” said Greg Waldstreicher, President, DoseSpot. “Not only does this streamline operational efficiencies for Doctor on Demand, but e-Prescribing is convenient for patients in need of a prescription,” added Greg.

Doctor On Demand provides Video Visits with board-certified physicians immediately, via smartphones and tablets. Doctor On Demand physicians diagnose, treat, and write prescriptions where clinically appropriate. Visits are only $40. The most common conditions that Doctor On Demand physicians treat include colds, coughs, allergies, infections, fever, rashes, nausea, sports injuries and more.

Through this partnership with DoseSpot, Doctor On Demand physicians are equipped to:

• Safely and efficiently send prescriptions electronically to more than 65,000 pharmacies nationwide;
• Automatically check for dangerous drug-drug and drug-allergy interaction alerts;
• Aggregate prescription history data from community pharmacies in addition to patient medication claims history from payers and pharmacy benefit managers;
• Request information on patient insurance eligibility and formulary at the time of prescribing.

“Telehealth and e-Prescribing share the same objectives; expand access to care, save time, reduce costs and increase efficiency,” said Greg. “This integration proves to be a win for the patient, physician and pharmacist.”

“We’re focused on providing medical care to people whenever and wherever they need it,” said Adam Jackson, Co-founder and CEO of Doctor On Demand. “In partnership with DoseSpot, it’s even easier for our network of doctors to safely and efficiently prescribe the medications a patient needs to feel better.”

For more information on e-Prescribing integration platforms and DoseSpot, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.

About Doctor on Demand
Doctor On Demand is a healthcare service that provides Video Visits with board-certified physicians via smartphones or tablets. Patients simply download the Doctor On Demand app, tap a few screens, and are instantly connected to a doctor in their state for a Video Visit. Doctor On Demand delivers services through employers, health systems, health plans, and direct to consumers. Entrepreneurs Adam Jackson and Jay McGraw founded the company in 2013 to improve access to high quality, service-oriented and cost-effective medical care. Doctor On Demand is based in San Francisco. To learn more, please visit www.doctorondemand.com.

About DoseSpot
DoseSpot is a Surescripts™ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. To request a demo of DoseSpot’s e-Prescribing integration platforms, please visit http://www.DoseSpot.com/.

Read full press release here: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/07/prweb12039240.htm

“The Digital Doc” today’s mhealth, and what doctors are saying about it

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Mobile health (known as mhealth) is one of the fastest growing markets today, and has been referred to by techies and health professionals alike as the “invisible link” between patients and doctors. With mobile applications at their disposal, doctors can more easily provide care with services moved to the cloud, allowing data to be accessed anywhere, anytime. Exactly how prevalent are these apps in the doctor’s office? Take a look below to find out.

In a recent study conducted by MedData Group, a healthcare marketing firm in Massachusetts, 2/3 of American doctors surveyed use mhealth apps while on the job. Nearly 50% of these doctors say they use mobile apps to look at medication interactions.

These percentages are expected to change over the next 12 months, with an anticipated increase in the number of doctors using apps that allow for EHR access. Many of these EHR apps will reduce time-consuming administrative work that doctors are currently subjected to.

According to Juniper Research’s latest report on the mhealth market, mobile apps are enhancing overall consumer engagement in healthcare by increasing information flow. Costs are being lowered by better decision-making, fewer in-person visits, greater treatment adherence, and remote monitoring. As of now, the overarching conclusion in the mhealth sphere is this: doctors are open to adopting a wide variety of mhealth technologies, if they see a clear benefit.

THE FINANCIAL FACT$:

• According to the Global Mobile Health Market Report 2013-2017 by research2guidance, the mhealth market will reach $26 billion USD globally by 2017
• Juniper Research’s latest report on the mhealth market forecasts cumulative cost savings of up to $36 billion USD globally over the next 3 years
• Consumers are currently driving much of the demand for mhealth technologies and applications

SOURCES: Huffington Post and Xconomy

For more information on physician interactions with mobile and connected health platforms, check out MedData’s official report here.

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescripts™ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.

Apps Help Combat the Waiting Game

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Scheduling a doctor’s appointment is never fun.  As identified by the Merritt Hawkins’ 2014 Survey of Physician Appointment Wait Times, appointments can take months to schedule.  With the increasing number of apps available, waiting will soon be a thing of the past.  For starters, there are many self-scheduling apps where patients can schedule day of appointments online like ZocDoc, DocASAP and InQuicker.  Another healthIT trend steadily increasing is telehealth where a patient can video chat with a doctor in a matter of seconds. Companies such as Doctor On Demand, HealthSpot and American Well all offer innovative telehealth solutions.

Check out average wait times below and see how your city lines up.  For more information on telehealth and industry trends, check out our whitepaper today!

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescripts™ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.

Healthcare Startup Spotlight: Medicast

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Startup: Medicast
Website: www.medicast.co
Funding: $1.4 Million as of May 20, 2014
Overview: Medicast is a technology healthcare service that connects patients with nearby on call doctors on-demand to deliver affordable, high quality and compassionate care in the comfort of the patient’s home, workplace, or hotel–all within 2 hours.
Services: Medicast’s highly trained, professional and skilled physicians have expertise in family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics and geriatrics, and provide services ranging from simple check-ups to urgent/immediate care. In addition to ordering new or refill prescriptions, our doctors are able to provide certain oral medications and intramuscular injections.
Platforms: Available on iOS, via the web, and directly through the phone (call center).
Current Cities: South Florida / Miami & Los Angeles / Orange County
Coming soon: San Francisco & New York City

Sources: angel.co/medicast & medicast.co

About DoseSpot

DoseSpot is a Surescripts™ certified e-Prescribing platform specifically designed to integrate with electronic health record, electronic dental record, practice management and telehealth software. DoseSpot has provided simple, affordable and integratable e-Prescribing solutions to healthcare IT companies since 2009. For more information, please visit www.DoseSpot.com.

Transformative Telehealth Companies

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Take a look into six companies transforming healthcare delivery and communication.  Interested in learning more about telehealth and industry trends? Download DoseSpot’s Telehealth White Paper today at www.dosespot.com/telehealth-whitepaper.

American Well:  American Well is a telehealth services company that brings healthcare into the homes and workplaces of patients. The company’s web and mobile telehealth platform connects patients and clinicians for live, clinically meaningful visits through video, secure text chat and phone.

CampusMD: CampusMD is part of Bethesda, MD-based Access Health Group. CampusMD brings around-the- clock physician care and choice exclusively to the higher-education market. Using the latest mobile technologies, the company connects patients immediately to board certified physicians who diagnose and treat a range of non-emergency illnesses and conditions.

HealthSpot: HealthSpot is pioneering patient and provider healthcare technology with a comprehensive, patent-pending system called the HealthSpot station which enables patients’ immediate access to medical diagnostics from board-certified doctors via high-definition videoconferencing and interactive, digital telehealth tools.

InteractiveMD: InteractiveMD is a leading telehealth company that provides patients with the convenience of round-the-clock access to licensed physicians via live video conference, telephone, and secure email.

MDAligne: MD Aligne offers healthcare resources via the telephone or web providing safe, convenient, and affordable access to remote caregivers utilizing the digital platform.

Teladoc: Founded in 2002, Teladoc is the nation’s first and largest telehealth provider with more than 6 million members nationwide. With an average response time of 16 minutes, Teladoc enhances access to affordable, high-quality medical care for adults and children via videoconferencing or telephone consultations.