International health IT week in review: February 2

Pulse+IT's weekly round-up of international health IT news for the week ending February 2: PMS vendor fined $145m for opioid kickbacks, Epic against info blocking rule, Apple's health hype, AI in imaging, operating room interoperability, NHS's £140m AI fund, EMR systems “balkanised”, Walmart Health, 3D printed orthodontics, medical device vulnerabilities
Practice Fusion to pay $145M settlement for taking kickbacks aimed at increasing opioid prescriptions
FierceHealthcare ~ Heather Landi ~ 27/01/2020
Web-based electronic health record company Practice Fusion will pay $145 million to resolve criminal and civil charges it engaged in a kickback scheme aimed at increasing opioid prescriptions.
Epic continues campaign for changes to forthcoming ONC info blocking rules
Healthcare IT News ~ Mike Miliard ~ 29/01/2020
The company has been lobbying hospital leaders to oppose them and has said it might sue HHS, depending on the final rules' data provisions.
What every enterprise needs to know about Apple’s $91b quarter
Computerworld ~ Jonny Evans ~ 30/01/2020
Apple CFO Luca Maestri shared fresh details about Apple’s performance in the enterprise space. This time, he focused on health.
Sony gets FDA clearance for OR integration system
MedCity News ~ Elise Reuter ~ 30/01/2020
Sony received clearance for its OR integration system, NUCLeUS, which allows surgeons to connect numerous instruments, screens and other applications to one platform.
One-third of U.S. facilities are using AI in aiding imaging studies
Health Data Management ~ Marla Durben Hirsch ~ 30/01/2020
A third of American hospitals and imaging centers are already implementing artificial intelligence, machine learning or deep learning in radiology.
Microsoft commits $40M to AI for Health initiative
MedCity News ~ Elise Reuter ~ 29/01/2020
The company plans to spend $40 million over the next five years to support research and public health efforts under its new AI for Health initiative.
£140m AI award to fast-track innovation launched by health secretary
Digital Health News ~ Hannah Crouch ~ 28/01/2020
Companies are being encouraged to bid for a share of £140 million to launch their AI innovation across the health service, with funding awarded based on their potential to save lives and free up staff time and help deliver.
Azar defends patient access to EHR data under ONC rule, but pushback resumes
Health Data Management ~ Greg Slabodkin ~ 28/01/2020
Speaking at ONC’s annual meeting on Monday, Azar charged that EHR systems today are “balkanized” and “segmented,” creating data silos that prevent patients from accessing their health information.
Walmart health strategy may boost reliance on IT capabilities
Health Data Management ~ Fred Bazzoli ~ 28/01/2020
The use of technology will be key to the success of Walmart health facilities that the retail giant is beginning to roll out.
Health IT companies divided on information blocking rule
MedCity News ~ Elise Reuter ~ 27/01/2020
EHR giant Epic Systems raised concerns over the proposed rule, while competitor Cerner said it was fully in support.
Startup letting orthodontists 3-D print their own aligners raises $18m
MedCity News ~ Elise Reuter ~ 27/01/2020
California-based uLab systems developed software that allows orthodontists to quickly develop aligners for patients and manufacture them using a 3-D printer.
Vulnerabilities found in some GE Healthcare devices
Information Security Media Group ~ Marianne Kolbasuk McGee ~ 24/01/2020
Federal regulators are warning healthcare providers about six vulnerabilities in some of GE Healthcare's medical device systems that could allow attackers to remotely take control of the gear.
Posted in Australian eHealth