The US Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) is establishing ARANZ Medical’s Silhouette solution as a VA national platform, enabling more VA Medical Centers to utilize Silhouette in their wound telehealth programs.

Since 2010, the Silhouette wound imaging, measuring and documentation solution (Please visit https://www.aranzmedical.com/silhouette-demonstration-videos/ for more information) has been deployed in an increasing number of VA facilities.
This new agreement, secured through ARANZ Medical’s distribution partner Iron Bow Technologies, LLC, includes a national server as well as new hardware and software upgrades that will make it easier for both existing and new Silhouette users to securely document and share their patients’ healing data.

Telehealth solutions can provide significant advantages for both patients and providers, including reducing the cost of care, reducing waiting times for patients, and providing improved patient experiences and satisfaction. Silhouette provides such telehealth capabilities for wound and skin care making it easier for patients with mobility restrictions to get the specialized care they need without unnecessary travel and disruptions.

Bruce Davey, ARANZ Medical’s CEO says, “We’re thrilled to have a national server agreement with the VA as it will enable more sites to more effectively employ Silhouette significantly improving care available to veterans with wounds. The Silhouette software and hardware upgrades will provide VA sites with our latest imaging, measuring and documentation functionality.”

ARANZ Medical’s customers in New Zealand, Singapore, Australia, England, and the United States are all utilizing Silhouette as a telehealth solution in their communities.

About ARANZ Medical

ARANZ Medical is a medical device company focused on innovative medical image-capture devices and recording, reporting and analysis software. The company’s solutions are primarily used to document chronic wounds and skin conditions, and are well suited to both clinical trial and clinical practice applications.

RapidAI, the leader in advanced cerebrovascular imaging, announced record-shattering 2020 milestones for the company and industry, as well as an expansion of its scope into the larger vascular market. As RapidAI momentum built around the world, in addition to new products, partnerships, and awards, 2020 saw the company expand from stroke to aneurysm and lay the groundwork for other vascular diseases, both acute and non-acute. The RapidAI footprint grew to over 60 countries, with its technology utilized in over 1,800 hospitals.

RapidAI offers the most-widely used advanced cerebrovascular imaging products for patient care, research, and clinical trials across the globe. RapidAI clinical products help save lives. In 2020, RapidAI workflow and messaging technologies helped stroke teams save time, and RapidAI analytics and business intelligence products began helping stroke networks reduce costs and improve patient outcomes.

“2020 was such a challenging year for so many around the world, it’s gratifying that our growth and success meant many more lives saved from cerebrovascular disease across dozens of countries,” said Don Listwin, CEO of RapidAI. “Last year we expanded our global footprint, we introduced important new technologies, we helped hospitals understand their businesses better, we made our first strategic acquisition, and we expanded our scope from stroke to include other vascular illnesses, such as aneurysm and pulmonary embolism. With 2020 in the books, we join the world in looking toward a brighter 2021.”

RapidAI Growth:

• Building on years of profitability, announced a $25 million Series B, to accelerate strategic growth initiatives around the world
• Acquired EndoVantage and expanded scope to address aneurysm
• Expanded to 60 countries, including Australia and Argentina
• Worldwide adoption of the Rapid® platform reached 1,800 hospitals
• Processed more than 1,000,000 stroke imaging scans in 2020 alone, more than a 1,900% increase over 2017
• Achieved greater than 100% year-over year increase in patients scanned
• Became RapidAI. The company that leads AI-enhanced stroke imaging around the globe, embraced the future with a new brand and website, RapidAI.com
• Rapid LVO became one of the first software products to qualify for the New Technology Add-on Payment (NTAP), a significant advancement in stroke care reimbursement
• Launched the RapidAI Technology Partner Program
• Partnered with Penumbra, for expansion into pulmonary embolism

“RapidAI’s credibility can be assessed from the fact that their solutions are used by over 1,800 hospitals in over 60 countries, and them being profitable since their founding year – an extremely rare occurrence in the imaging AI sector,” said Parth Shah, Senior Research Analyst at Frost & Sullivan. “Not resting on their laurels, in 2020 RapidAI added features to their solutions to address the workflow for stroke interventions, thus providing an end-to-end capability from triaging to intervention. Ultimately this will result in even faster time to treatment, further enhancing patient outcomes and reducing long-term costs.”

RapidAI Innovation:

• Rapid ASPECTS received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance as the first neuroimaging analysis device in the CADx (Computer-Assisted Diagnostic software) category. Rapid ASPECTS is the only neuroimaging product shown to improve physicians’ interpretations of Non-Contrast CT (NCCT) scans using a standardized ASPECT score
• RapidAI offered Rapid Aneurysm, a comprehensive aneurysm management platform
• Rapid LVO received FDA clearance for detecting suspected Large Vessel Occlusions. Rapid LVO helps physicians speed up triage or transfer decision-making
• Introduced RapidAI Insights, a valuable solution for multi-site systems and referral networks looking to standardize stroke care processes and optimize operational efficiencies that help to reduce costs across sites, while simultaneously improving patient outcomes and saving more lives
• Launched the Rapid Web App, which offers stroke teams a convenient way to view notifications of new cases, preview Rapid results and source files, and enable workflow communications among team members via their desktop or laptop

RapidAI Awards:

RapidAI received the 2020 Global Company of the Year Award from Frost & Sullivan
RapidAI won a Minnie. AuntMinnie.com named RapidAI The Best New Radiology Vendor of 2020
RapidAI was awarded the 2020 Global Growth, Innovation & Leadership Frost Radar Award

Missouri-based Mercy and leading health and well-being company Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) have signed an agreement to expand patient access to virtual health resources as part of a broader, joint effort to provide more holistic care to Humana Medicare Advantage members. These goals are especially vital given the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new initiative offers convenient care options for Humana Medicare Advantage members who are patients of Mercy’s more than 4,000 integrated primary and specialty care clinicians in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Now in effect, the value-based agreement expands upon Mercy and Humana’s existing network contract, which continues to provide in-network access at all Mercy hospitals, outpatient facilities, and physician practices.

Key features of the collaboration include:

Mercy Virtual: Humana Medicare Advantage members now have in-network access to this comprehensive virtual resource, often called a “hospital without beds.” Staffed with more than 300 clinicians, it offers 24/7 care, such as virtual primary care in the home. Mercy Virtual’s services are an innovative, patient-centric model that provides care to patients when and where they require it.
Value-Based Care: Mercy and Humana have entered into a contract to provide care that addresses the health of the whole patient. Payment to Mercy physicians by Humana is linked to providing quality care in order to improve the patient experience and health outcomes. This differs from traditional “fee-for-service” models, by which payment is based on the quantity of services clinicians provide.

“Mercy is committed to working with our communities to improve health care while also reducing the total cost of care,” said Shannon Sock, Mercy executive vice president, chief strategist and chief financial officer. “Strong payor relationships, like this one with Humana, will help in our long-term journey to provide more seamless care for our patients. Together we can make a real difference for patients, which is especially critical during this pandemic.”

“This agreement unites two organizations striving to offer care that is more accessible, personalized and coordinated – a commitment that is more important than ever right now,” said Jeremy Gaskill, Humana regional Medicare president. “We’re pleased to broaden our efforts to improve the health and well-being of people in the communities we serve by teaming up with Mercy, an organization that shares our dedication to innovation in health care.”

Humana has an extensive and growing value-based care presence. As of Dec. 31, 2020, Humana has more than 2.7 million individual Medicare Advantage and commercial members who are cared for by more than 67,000 primary care physicians in more than 1,000 value-based relationships across 43 states and Puerto Rico. As of January 2021, Humana’s total Medicare Advantage membership is more than 4.8 million members, which includes members affiliated with providers in value-based and standard Medicare Advantage settings.

B. Braun Medical Inc. (B. Braun), a leader in infusion therapy and pain management, announced that they have received approval from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for the first and only Acetaminophen Injection available in multiple doses.

Acetaminophen Injection, manufactured by B. Braun in Irvine, California, is available in our sturdy, flexible PAB® IV Bags in both 1,000 mg in 100 mL and 500 mg in 50 mL doses. Our PAB® IV bags are not made with PVC, DEHP or latex.

“With the approval of Acetaminophen Injection, we are pleased to offer healthcare providers a safe, effective and affordable treatment option,” said Angela Karpf, MD, Corporate Vice President of Medical Affairs. “The convenient PAB® IV container, which is not made with PVC, DEHP or latex, adds another layer of safety for patients, healthcare workers and the environment.”

B. Braun’s Acetaminophen Injection is manufactured using dual-sourced Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) to mitigate potential supply risks. ”Acetaminophen Injection is the first of multiple injectable drugs B. Braun plans to launch in the coming years to help meet the needs of patients for medications in high demand,” said Leigh Nickens, Director of Marketing, Fluid Therapy & Injectable Drugs “It represents our commitment to improve the security of supply by manufacturing pharmaceuticals in the United States at our newly expanded and modernized facility in Irvine, California.”

ABOUT ACETAMINOPHEN

INDICATIONS AND USAGE
Acetaminophen Injection is indicated for

the management of mild to moderate pain in adult and pediatric patients 2 years and older
the management of moderate to severe pain with adjunctive opioid analgesics in adult and pediatric patients 2 years and older
the reduction of fever in adult and pediatric patients.

CONTRAINDICATIONS
Acetaminophen is contraindicated:

in patients with known hypersensitivity to acetaminophen or to any of the excipients in the intravenous formulation.
in patients with severe hepatic impairment or severe active liver disease

Refer to Package Insert for prescribing information

About B. Braun

B. Braun Medical Inc., a leader in infusion therapy and pain management, develops, manufactures, and markets medical products and services to the healthcare industry. Other key product areas include nutrition, pharmacy admixture and dialysis. The company is committed to eliminating preventable treatment errors and enhancing patient, clinician and environmental safety. B. Braun Medical is headquartered in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and is part of the
B. Braun Group of Companies in the U.S., which includes B. Braun Interventional Systems, Aesculap® and CAPS®.

Globally, the B. Braun Group of Companies employs more than 64,000 employees in 64 countries. Guided by its Sharing Expertise® philosophy, B. Braun continuously exchanges knowledge with customers, partners and clinicians to address the critical issues of improving care and lowering costs. To learn more about B. Braun Medical, explore our website.

Ashfield Engage, part of UDG Healthcare plc, today announces it has partnered with Popit, a digital health company, to improve patient adherence in oral solid dosage (OSD) treatments and advance supplemental personalized patient support.

The collaboration brings together Popit’s novel monitoring technology, and Ashfield Engage’s patient support programs, to proactively respond to patients’ needs and tailor their reminders accordingly.

The Popit Sense™ device is attached to a pill sheet and uses patented technology to monitor missed doses and send alerts to patients via a smartphone app. The data is also transmitted to healthcare providers and support partners such as Ashfield Engage. Now enriched with this real-time data, Ashfield Engage can easily identify which patients require extra support.

As well as providing support through the app, Ashfield Engage will leverage its expert call center teams to reach out to patients to discuss any challenges with their medication.

Ian Riches, Global Vice President, Patient Solutions at Ashfield Engage, explained:

“Prior to Popit’s technology, a large group of OSD patients were not getting the support they needed. While the majority of patients are adherent, those with a need for support can now be quickly identified and we can engage with them in a way that was previously not possible, which is really exciting.

“While typically patient data is only collected up to the point of prescription, we can now support patients throughout their treatment in real-time. By partnering with Popit we have a digital solution that enables rapid, personalized support to increase patient adherence and significantly improve patients’ health and wellbeing in the long term.”

Popit Sense technology is already being leveraged by many large pharmaceutical organizations, including Pfizer, Almirall and Novartis.

Timo Heikkilä, COO and Co-Founder of Popit, added: “Our solution provides a wealth of invaluable data for healthcare providers, and pharmaceutical organizations and we have seen excellent results following its adoption.

“By partnering with Ashfield Engage, we can now advance that service, and provide not only the data, but the direct follow up support to those patients in need. We are thrilled about this collaboration and look forward to supporting the large patient population reliant on OSD treatments. We see this as a really important step towards building better, more connected healthcare solutions that truly benefit patients’ health.”

About Ashfield

Ashfield, part of UDG, is an integrated healthcare services partner, offering a breadth of services across strategic consulting, benchmarking, commercialization, customer engagement, events, marketing and communications.

Ashfield comprises of three clearly defined, integrated business units: Ashfield Advisory, Ashfield Engage and Ashfield Health. Together, the Ashfield team uses imagination, strategy and action to redefine and deepen client partnerships, reimagine health and improve lives.

Ashfield   has   carefully   curated   its   business   through   the   acquisition   of   22 companies and is committed to offering streamlined services to best meet its clients’ needs. With a presence in more than 50 countries, over 7,000 employees strive to provide best-in-class service for more than 300 clients, including the top 30 global pharmaceutical companies.

About Ashfield Engage

Ashfield Engage, part of UDG Healthcare plc, is an expert, global partner in customer strategy and execution. Ashfield Engage helps clients connect with all healthcare audiences to ensure people get knowledge, support and medicines when and where they need them. As experts in strategic engagement, Ashfield Engage creates personalized, impactful experiences, across all channels. Every program is underpinned by human connections, omnichannel engagement and adaptive analytics.

Ashfield Engage has over 20 years’ experience with a team of over 5,000 employees, delivering services in more than 50 countries. Offering services across Medical Affairs, Market Access, Commercial, Patient Solutions and Event Experiences, Ashfield Engage helps its clients to engage with their stakeholders across the whole commercialization journey. Under the Ashfield umbrella, Ashfield Engage sits alongside Ashfield Advisory and Ashfield Health.

About Popit

Popit is a pioneer in improving patient adherence through smart consumer devices. The Company is dedicated to improving adherence by digitalizing medication, a major opportunity that benefits patients, patient support programs, healthcare payors and the pharmaceutical industry. Popit works with the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies in executing against this vision.

Medica Group Plc, the UK and Ireland market leader in the provision of teleradiology services, and Integral Diagnostics Limited, a leading provider of medical imaging services across Australia and New Zealand, announced an equal joint venture (JV) partnership, MedX, to provide teleradiology reporting services and increased reporting capacity in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Ireland.

The primary short-term focus will be for MedX to provide access to a pool of dual-qualified radiologists who are able to operate in both markets and will support both companies’ acute, out-of-hours reporting services. The two partners will also collaborate in areas of mutual interest, including deployment of augmented intelligence (AI) solutions. In future, there will be potential to expand the scope of the JV, including combining Integral Diagnostics’ existing reporting capabilities and resources with Medica’s experience in teleradiology, meaning MedX will have the potential to bid directly for teleradiology reporting contracts using its combined network of reporters. In time, there is also potential for MedX to leverage its scalable and secure operating model and reporting system to offer its services outside of its core markets such as UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.

MedX will be registered in Australia and the Board will comprise Integral Diagnostics’ CEO, Dr. Ian Kadish, and Chief Financial and Commercial Officer, Anne Lockwood, as well as Medica’s CEO, Stuart Quin, and CFO, Richard Jones.

“Establishing MedX in partnership with Integral Diagnostics will provide significant operational benefits for Medica for a modest investment and is testament to our continued desire to expand the geographic reach of our teleradiology services. Both companies share a joint culture underpinned by a focus on quality and an ambition to grow and develop our organisations. Medica will be able to capitalise on the JV’s shared expertise and market access to support the growth of our NightHawk reporting service and take advantage of the exciting teleradiology market opportunity in Australia, New Zealand and potential opportunities in other international markets”, Dr. Stuart Quin, CEO Medica Group, said.

“Integral Diagnostics is pleased to enter this JV with one of the world’s premier teleradiology providers. MedX significantly enhances the capacity and reach of the JV partners and enables us to more comprehensively serve existing markets, as well as potentially to enter new markets. The JV partners share a culture committed to quality patient care and service, and we look forward to harnessing the JV for the benefit of our patients and referrers”, says Dr. Ian Kadish, CEO of Integral Diagnostics.