• Divurgent Hires John Ward, MBA, CPA as Chief Financial Officer

    John Ward to lead Divurgent’s financial organization as the company positions itself for future growth
    and expansion.

    January 12, 2021 – Virginia Beach, VA – Divurgent, an international IT consulting company, announced today that it hired John Ward, MBA, CPA as Chief Financial Officer. John joins Divurgent with over 20 years of IT services company experience, including his most recent position as Senior Director and Market CFO of the Atos North America Healthcare division. He has setup and managed foreign accounting operations, expanded financial capabilities of high growth companies, and performed due diligence and onboarding of multiple acquisitions totaling $280M in annual revenue.

    John replaces Philip Felt as CFO at Divurgent. Philip, cofounder of Divurgent, has served as Divurgent’s CFO since the company’s inception in 2007 and built the accounting and finance function from the ground up during his 13-year tenure. Philip will remain actively involved at Divurgent and is moving to the Board of Directors where he will lead the Finance Committee.
    John’s experience at high growth services companies like Affiliated Computer Services, Xerox, and Atos, as well as his healthcare-specific experience, will enable Divurgent’s continued expansion in the North America healthcare provider and payer markets and entry into new industries and geographies. Also, his experience with mergers and acquisitions supports Divurgent’s strategic goal of acquiring complementary firms in the next five years.

    “We’re excited to have John at the helm of our finance and accounting departments during this exciting time at Divurgent” said Colin Konschak, Chief Executive Officer and cofounder, “John’s experience scaling companies similar to ours will accelerate our ability to better serve our existing client base while expanding into new markets and solution areas.”

    As part of his strategic position with the firm, John will play an important role in improving operational performance with better business intelligence, simplified processes, and a focus on risk mitigation and financial performance. John’s enthusiasm for empowering business unit leaders with financial decisions will also increase the autonomy and speed of other leaders as they react to market conditions and needs, further differentiating Divurgent’s ability to be adaptable and flexible.

    About Divurgent
    Divurgent is a solutions provider focused on what matters most to our client partners. We disrupt the typical value equation by using data-infused, flexible, and scalable solutions that demonstrate and quantify value for our partners.

    We are committed to IT evolution, deploying tailored solutions that help our client partners achieve improved operational effectiveness, financial performance, and quality of customer experience. Throughout Divurgent’s 13-year history, we have experienced year-over-year growth measured in both revenue and employee headcount.

    Excellence, Learning, Innovation, Trust, Enthusiasm—these are the ELITE Values that drive us to be more and do more—to redefine consulting and transform healthcare for our clients and the communities they serve. We are passionate about providing innovative solutions that offer our clients the opportunity to improve customer experiences and enhance operational efficiencies. Staying true to our values, mission, and our vision of a passionate Team has given us the tools to be a successful firm both externally and internally, growing both as a company and as a Team. www.divurgent.com

    Press Contact:
    Brittany Williams, Director, Marketing & Communications
    804.712.1524 | [email protected]

    Posted 1.13.2021

  • DrFirst Passes 100 Million Real-Time Price Transparency Checks Informing Providers and Patients About Prescription Costs

    myBenefitCheckSM helps over 100,000 providers order medications patients can afford by sharing prescription coverage and cost information in prescribing workflows at the point of care

    ROCKVILLE, Md., January 11, 2021 – Cost is the determining factor for patients deciding whether or not to pick up prescriptions waiting for them at the pharmacy. When medications are too costly, patients tend to abandon them regardless of their importance to their health.

    Health technology pioneer DrFirst, the leader in real-time price transparency, has reached a new milestone in helping to reverse this trend. By processing more than 100 million benefit and pricing inquiries within prescribing workflows through its real-time myBenefitCheck tool, DrFirst gives providers and patients information on alternative medications that may be more affordable during an encounter.

    DrFirst has access to drug pricing information for more than 324.5 million individuals, representing 90% of people covered by any health insurance plan, through its broad relationships with pharmacy benefit managers and other organizations. myBenefitCheck provides physicians with patient-specific, actual costs for prescribed medications as well as therapeutically appropriate alternatives. When prescribers have up-to-the-minute, accurate drug information based on a patient’s specific insurance benefits, clinicians and patients can discuss therapy alternatives and minimize or remove financial obstacles while they are face to face during an office visit or consultation.

    “We’re proud to have crossed this important milestone for myBenefitCheck, which has steadily grown in adoption since its inaugural launch in late 2014 with Humana,” said G. Cameron Deemer, president of DrFirst. “Putting out-of-pocket cost information in front of providers at the point of prescribing eliminates one of the most significant obstacles to patient medication adherence and promotes conversations during an office visit that not only can save dollars but, more importantly, save lives.”

    Studies have shown that patients are four times more likely to abandon a prescription that costs $50 versus one that costs $10. With myBenefitCheck, prescribers can check a patient’s out-of-pocket costs for both covered and non-covered drugs, suggest lower-cost alternatives if needed, and share opportunities for patient assistance programs that may lower costs even further. Deemer adds, “This tool has never been more important, as so many Americans are experiencing reduced income or job loss and may be struggling to afford their medications. ”

    myBenefitCheck also alerts physicians when patients’ benefit plans require prior authorization for a medication, then suggests alternatives that may not need this approval, which helps reduce patient and provider frustration and gets patients on therapies faster.

    “Today’s consumers increasingly expect personalized services on par with other industries, including understanding what their out-of-pocket costs will be for their prescriptions,” said Deemer. “Having access to this information, based on individuals’ health insurance benefits and formularies, in real time at the point of care, helps providers meet that expectation. It also encourages patients to more fully participate in their healthcare decisions, so they are more likely to adhere to their treatment plans.”

    Pharmacy benefits manager Prime Therapeutics LLC is the most recent organization to collaborate with DrFirst to provide myBenefitCheck functionality within healthcare providers’ electronic health record (EHR) systems. Prime’s Real Time Benefit Check solution is now live for select Blue Plans, and more integrations are being implemented for other Medicare Part D and commercial clients. Prime serves more than 30 million members and is collectively owned by 19 Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans, subsidiaries or affiliates of those plans.

    Insurers that offer Medicare Part D benefits can use myBenefitCheck to satisfy the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rule requiring the use of at least one real-time benefit tool capable of integrating with at least one prescriber’s EHR no later than January 1, 2021.

    About DrFirst

    Since 2000, DrFirst has pioneered healthcare technology solutions and consulting services that securely connect people at touchpoints of care to improve patient outcomes. We create unconventional solutions that solve care collaboration, medication management, price transparency, and adherence challenges faced in healthcare. We unite the Healthiverse—the interconnected healthcare universe—by providing our clients with real-time access to the information they need, exactly when and how they need it, so patients get the best care possible. DrFirst solutions are used by nearly 300,000 healthcare professionals, including more than 100,000 prescribers, nearly half of the EHRs in the U.S., and more than 1,400 hospitals in the U.S. and Canada. To learn more, visit www.DrFirst.com and follow @DrFirst.

    ###

    DrFirst Media Contact

    Sofia Kosmetatos

    Amendola Communications for DrFirst

    646-431-8423

    [email protected]

    Posted 1.12.2021

  • Kirby Partners and Ouellette & Associates Launch Healthcare TechLX Leadership Development Program

    Lake Mary, FL – January 7, 2021

    Kirby Partners and Ouellette & Associates are collaborating to collectively launch the Healthcare Technology Leadership Experience (The Healthcare TechLX).

    With more than 65 years of combined experience, and the benefit of decades-long relationships, the two firms have established themselves as the leaders in their respective fields.

    The Healthcare TechLX Leadership Development Program is an intensive, experiential educational program that transforms high-potential managers and directors into business savvy, value driven and innovative leaders.

    “I’ve seen the need for leadership training for mid-level healthcare IT leaders for a long time, and this need has been compounded by the incredible digital transformation

    we’re seeing in healthcare. We’re thrilled to partner with Ouellette & Associates to bring their acclaimed program to the healthcare IT community,” said Judy Kirby, President of Kirby Partners.

    Recognized as a top ten leadership development program by CIO.com,  The TechLX is the most comprehensive digital leadership program available.

    “There has never been a better time to be an IT leader, and savvy CIOs are investing in their leaders to ensure they have the new mindsets and skill sets to succeed today. What an honor to collaborate with Judy Kirby and her team as they have set the gold standard and are so highly regarded in the healthcare technology retained search arena,” commented Dan Roberts, CEO of O&A.

    The Healthcare TechLX is a comprehensive 12-month cohort-based program delivered virtually. Through three interactive workshops, 1:1 mentoring with senior IT leaders, networking, and peer-problem solving, emerging leaders gain the guidance and critical competencies they need to succeed in a rapidly changing digital world.

    Signature leadership workshops included in the program include: Leading in a Technology Organization, IT Consulting Skills, and Marketing a Technology Organization.

    These workshops, combined with the rest of the program curriculum, are designed to help managers transition from an IT solutions provider to a strategic partner, and ultimately to an “innovative anticipator” delivering game-changing value to their health system. Attendees not only gain new leadership skills, but also the ongoing support of experienced mentors and expanded peer networks.

    The first Healthcare TechLX starts on February 8, 2021. Space is extremely limited, and spots are expected to fill quickly. More information can be found at kirbypartners.com/techlx.

    About Kirby Partners

    Kirby Partners is a leading retained executive search firm helping top healthcare organizations hire exceptional healthcare technology and cybersecurity leaders. Forbes has named Kirby Partners one of “America’s Best Search Firms”. Learn more at kirbypartners.com.

    About Ouellette & Associates (O&A)

    O&A has helped more than 3,500 organizations across the globe develop future ready IT leaders and change the narrative about technology. The firm is laser focused on “developing the human side of technology” while elevating and accelerating IT up the maturity value curve. Learn more at ouellette-online.com.

    Posted 1.7.2021

  • Capsule and Retia Medical Collaborate on Argos Cardiac Monitor to Streamline Device Interoperability, Protect Patient Safety

    ANDOVER, MA, AND VALHALLA, NY, JANUARY 5, 2021– Retia Medical is the first company to utilize Capsule Technologies’ new Device Driver Interface (DDI) development strategy to integrate its Argos Cardiac Monitor, the companies announced today.

    Capsule’s new DDI development strategy uses the Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise-Patient Care Device (IHE-PCD) framework to speed device connectivity to other systems, improve clinician workflow efficiency, and to protect patient safety through rapid and accurate identification.

    IHE is a consortium of healthcare and industry experts focused on improving healthcare information sharing. The IHE framework fills the gaps between device communication standards such as HL7 without site-specific interface development so hospitals can more easily connect devices to their IT networks and capture data that drives safe and effective clinical decisions.

    “Medical devices, such as Retia Medical’s Argos Cardiac Monitor, are indispensable for delivering safe and high-quality patient care,” said John McHutcheon, vice president of operations at Capsule Technologies. “Yet effectively capturing and protecting the data generated from these life-saving devices, while enabling them to access EHR data, can be complicated. That is why we are very pleased to collaborate with Retia Medical on this first utilization of our Device Driver Interface that helps speed the development of highly interoperable, easily connected medical devices using an industry-recognized standard.”

    By leveraging the new DDI development strategy, Retia Medical expedited the integration of its updated Argos Cardiac Monitor, saving engineering time and improving customer satisfaction. Using this strategy also enables the Argos Cardiac Monitor to take advantage of Capsule Technologies’ Rapid Patient Identification (RPI) capability, which empowers clinicians at the point of care to more rapidly send patient demographic information to the device for faster identification confirmation, streamlining workflows, and promoting safer care.

    Likewise, the agreement with Capsule also supports Retia Medical’s ability to develop its device output following Rosetta Terminology Mapping (RTM) and to receive patient demographics on its device using an IHE Patient Demographics Query (PDQ) request. Incorporating RTM and IHE profiles improves the interoperability of Retia Medical’s device across a variety of different IT systems while also enabling clinicians to identify patients accurately and easily to protect their safety.

    “Our vision is to help prevent cardiovascular and other major complications from surgery and critical care by providing consistently accurate hemodynamic data to guide diagnosis and therapy. A key component of this approach is to help implement physiology-based, data-driven protocols through streamlined connectivity to the electronic health record (EHR) using modern communication protocols,” said Marc Zemel, co-founder and CEO of Retia Medical. “We are pleased to collaborate with Capsule to make this vision a reality.”

    ABOUT CAPSULE TECHNOLOGIES
    Capsule Technologies is a leading global provider of medical data technologies for hospitals and healthcare organizations. Our Medical Device Information Platform — comprised of device integration, vital signs monitoring, and clinical surveillance solutions — captures streaming clinical data from connected systems and transforms it into context-rich information for clinical documentation, alarm management, patient surveillance, decision support, predictive analytics, clinical research and more. End-to-end data management and connectivity supports better collaboration and communication between clinicians and departments. More than 2,700 global clients leverage our platform to improve patient safety, simplify workflows and raise overall satisfaction throughout the hospital and across care settings. Learn more at www.capsuletech.com.

    ABOUT RETIA MEDICAL
    Retia Medical’s Argos Monitor, with its Multi-Beat Analysis (MBA™) algorithm, eliminates a critical problem with older cardiac output technologies. By analyzing multiple heart beats and not just one single beat at a time, the Argos provides consistently accurate hemodynamic measurements for critically ill adult patients, enabling clinicians to make more informed, data-driven decisions to improve end-organ perfusion. Additionally, the Argos system is unique in its class by not requiring costly disposables to monitor each patient, and is available at a low, fixed capital cost. Setting up the minimally invasive Argos requires a single cable connection and takes less than 2 minutes to start monitoring. Learn more at www.retiamedical.com.

    ###

    MEDIA CONTACTS:

    Philip Anast
    Amendola Communications for Capsule Technologies, Inc.
    (312) 576-6990
    [email protected]

    Morris Nguyen
    Retia Medical
    (617) 916-8230
    [email protected]

    Posted 1.5.2021
Newer posts