Smile CDR Inc., a leading health data and integration company, received its third certification showing compliance with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) Interoperability and Patient Access Final Rule (CMS-9115-F). As part of Drummond Group's Payer and Patient Access Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resource (FHIR^®) Certification Program, powered by Touchstone, the company received the Patient Clinical Data badge which certifies the company's FHIR implementations for the CMS payer community and market and availability of a patient's clinical data via the Patient Access Application Programming Interface (API). 

"Smile CDR FHIR services and capabilities are fundamental to our products and our future. We strongly support and adhere to HL7^® standards, as well as the CMS Payer and Patient Access API requirements, and we continue to demonstrate our commitment with certifications such as the Drummond badges," said Duncan Weatherston, Chief Executive Officer, Smile CDR. "The Patient Clinical Data Certification establishes that Smile CDR compliantly meets the rigorous CMS requirements and further demonstrates our commitment to liberating health information and advancing interoperability standards, to improve healthcare quality and efficiency."

Under the CMS Final Rule, U.S. government health plans are required to have a patient access API to provide patients with user-friendly access to their records anytime they need it. Drummond specializes in working with healthcare information technology developers to test and certify their software for use by healthcare providers in regulatory programs, allowing them to achieve certifications via a badge system. The badges are grouped by CMS requirements and implementation guides. Smile CDR was the first to receive Drummond's Patient Access API Certification for Drug Formulary API support in June 2021 and then achieved the Provider Directory API in November 2021. The Drummond certification is the only independent testing and certification program certifying interoperability and compliance with CMS Final Rule standards.

"As a leader in health data interoperability and exchange, we are pleased that Smile CDR continues to recognize the importance of independent testing and certification of their FHIR technology solutions, and their dedication to excellence in proving compliance to these important standards," says Ryan Patano, Drummond president.

Smile CDR has successfully implemented and maintained a secure, standards-based API, allowing patients to easily access their clinical data through its third-party application. This allows Smile CDR to carry out its mission of offering better decision-making and #BetterGlobalHealth outcomes. 

About Drummond Group LLC

Drummond Group LLC (www.drummondgroup.com) offers comprehensive compliance, security, risk management, surveillance, and education services to healthcare, financial and other regulated industries. As an Authorized Certification Body (ACB) and an Accredited Test Lab (ATL) within the Office of the National Coordinator Health IT Certification Program, Drummond specializes in working with health IT developers to test and/or certify their software for use by healthcare providers in regulatory programs. We bring thought leadership, expertise, practical tools, and partnership to the compliance and assessment processes for our clients to feel secure about the ways in which they share their organizations' sensitive and private data. Connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.   

¹ The Drummond Payer and Patient Access FHIR® Certification program is a private, voluntary program and is not approved, endorsed, or authorized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services or the Department of Health and Human Services

² HL7® and FHIR® are the registered trademarks of Health Level Seven International and their use of these trademarks does not constitute an endorsement by HL7.

About Smile CDR Inc.

Smile CDR Inc. is a health information technology company focused on delivering better global health through open standards. Our enterprise-grade, open framework data fabric and integration platform fuels healthcare's digital transformation and accelerates value creation across all patient journeys at scale. Powered by our HL7 FHIR standard-based clinical data repository (#SmileInside), our platform enables collaboration and allows organizations to ingest, transform, store, enrich, analyze, aggregate, and meaningfully share the health information to power digital transformation. We prepare healthcare providers, payers, researchers, and life sciences organizations for a connected future beyond legacy systems, adding new value through intelligent use of information and ultimately delivering better patient outcomes. For more information visit: www.smilecdr.com.

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Media Contacts

Lucy Railton
Director of Marketing
Smile CDR Inc.
(800) 683-1318 x 712
[email protected]

neurocare group AG ("neurocare" or the "Company"), a leading innovator in personalized mental health and performance empowering clinicians to deliver best practice, has entered into a strategic cooperation with Stimit AG ("Stimit"), a company developing solutions for non-invasive diaphragm stimulation.

Under the agreement, neurocare's subsidiary MAG&More, a leader in the field of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), produces the stimulators and is sharing its know-how on stimulator unit controls with STIMIT. The cooperation is a key strategic milestone as it allows to scale the production of stimulation products used in the product portfolios of both companies and to generate a significant recurrent OEM revenue stream for neurocare.

"We are delighted to partner with STIMIT AG, a true innovator in respiratory medicine. In the long term, this cooperation is strengthening both companies' competitive advantage in their respective field by lowering the costs of stimulation products. Increasing the affordability of our superior TMS systems enables us to expand market penetration to provide the countless people suffering from mental illness such as depression, OCD and chronic pain with access to TMS-enhanced therapy," says Tom Mechtersheimer, founder and CEO of neurocare group AG.

"I am delighted about our strategic long-term relationship. We are driven to offer innovative stimulation solutions to people in need of artificial ventilation. With our own expertise in respiratory medicine, partnering with neurocare group AG is a natural fit. Their complementary know-how in the design, engineering and control of magnetic stimulator technology is a true accelerator for our development towards launching a diaphragm stimulation solution for patients on mechanical ventilation," says Harald Genger, COO of STIMIT AG.

About neurocare group AG:

neurocare is innovating mental health and performance. We offer the first digital therapy platform (DTP) empowering clinicians to deliver best practice. Our integrated and personalized therapy approach is based on a strong clinical science background with over 20 years of research and technology development. Our business is driven by two strong growth channels: building our own clinics and providing our unique DTP to third parties. We currently treat about 2,800 patients annually in our own clinics and serve many third-party practices with our personalized therapy approach, our technologies and related training / onboarding. www.neurocaregroup.com 

About STIMIT AG:

STIMIT is an innovative medical technology company founded in 2018 by Ronja Müller-Bruhn and Oliver Müller, specializing in respiratory muscle stimulation. The STIMIT team develops products for a novel approach to preserve the diaphragm in ventilated intensive care patients. www.stimit.com

Contact:

Pamela Keck

neurocare group AG

[email protected]

Oncolyze Logo
Oncolyze Logo

After successfully completing in vitro and in vivo (mice) experiments, which support the notion that its lead drug candidate OM-301 breaks down cancer cells and significantly increases survival rates, Oncolyze now has its sights set on advancing OM-301 into clinical trials.

Oncolyze has launched a Regulation A+ ("Reg A") funding campaign to spread awareness of OM-301 among cancer patients, healthcare professionals, and the investment community. Reg A is a type of offering that allows anyone to invest in Oncolyze and receive shares in the company. The investment opportunity is being hosted by SeedInvest and investments may be made in Oncolyze directly by visiting the SeedInvest website. Potential investors can also learn more about the investment opportunity at the Oncolyze website.

Cancer is the second-leading cause of death globally, killing 10 million cancer patients yearly worldwide. The estimated total annual economic impact of cancer is more than $1 trillion globally. There are many types of cancer, but one of the deadliest is acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Patients with this blood cancer have only a 1 in 4 chance of living for five years after diagnosis. 

Current treatments include chemotherapies, targeted therapies, and bone marrow transplants.  All these options carry significant side effects and are physically taxing to the patient, as well as being mostly ineffective given the high recurrence rate. As a result, there remains a huge unmet medical need for more efficacious treatments. Oncolyze sees this tremendous challenge as a significant opportunity to make a positive impact on patients' lives, with the potential to both increase their chance of survival and improve their quality of life.

Oncolyze has designed a novel anti-cancer drug (OM-301) that targets a particular cell surface protein. This protein, HDM2, is well known to exist at high levels inside cancer cells and is thought to be an important driver of cancer growth and metastasis. More recently, though, it was discovered that HDM2 is found as well on the cell surface of many types of cancer cells, but not normal cells. OM-301 has two components. The first, a targeting segment, finds the HDM2 residing on the external surface of the cancer cell. Once OM-301 finds HDM2 and anchors, the second segment pokes holes in the surface and kills the cancer cell almost instantly by cell lysis and necrosis.

"Our mission is to bring a new drug to market which gives renewed hope to patients that there can be a cure for their terrible disease, or at the very least an improvement in their survival without a myriad of side effects. We are passionate in our quest to add a new type of anticancer therapy with a novel mechanism of action to the armamentarium in the war against cancer," said Dr. Steven Evans, Co-Founder and CEO of Oncolyze. 

"Because OM-301 acts on the outside of a cancer cell, we think that its efficacy may be independent of cancer genetics. What that means is that it could potentially work in cancer patients regardless of mutation type. This is important because AML can be caused by a variety of mutations in multiple proteins in leukemic blood cells. Some recently approved drugs only work for a subset of patients with a specific mutation, whereas we believe that OM-301 could help most if not all AML patients, especially those with hard-to-treat mutations."

Earlier this year, Oncolyze announced that the FDA had granted OM-301 an Orphan Drug designation for the treatment of AML. The FDA's Office of Orphan Drug Products grants orphan status to drugs and biologics that demonstrate promise for the treatment of diseases or conditions affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. This designation provides Oncolyze with certain development incentives, including tax credits for qualified clinical testing, exemptions from certain FDA application fees, and potential market exclusivity, if approved.

Dr. Alex Stojanovic, COO of Oncolyze, added that "AML is our immediate focus. We have preclinical evidence supporting the potential use of OM-301 in other types of cancers, including multiple myeloma (another blood cancer) and solid tumors such as colon, ovarian, pancreatic and sarcoma cancer. We know that our target exists on the cell surface of over 25 types of cancer. If approved by the FDA, as far as we are aware of, OM-301 would be the only therapeutic that treats cancer by targeting this cell-surface HDM2 protein."

The management team at Oncolyze brings over 100 years of experience across healthcare and leading institutions such as Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Medimmune. Dr. Evans holds a MD from the New York University School of Medicine and completed a fellowship in Cardiovascular Disease and Electrophysiology at Cedars-Sinai Hospital. He is an experienced entrepreneur with a 25-year career in the life sciences. Dr. Stojanovic holds a PhD from Dartmouth College, and he was a NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at Northwestern University. He brings 17 years of global consulting and operational experience in the life sciences. In addition to a well-rounded management team, the company's collaborators and advisors include globally renowned medical experts such as the former Chief of Leukemia at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the Chief of Molecular Hematology at MD Anderson, and the Chief of Leukemia at City of Hope Medical Center. 

The current financing campaign is expected to provide Oncolyze with the necessary funds to advance OM-301 through the final preclinical testing phase and into a Phase 1/2a clinical trial in AML patients. The company plans to start that clinical trial approximately one year post-financing. Oncolyze began accepting investments on Aug. 4, after receiving qualification by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company has already received more than $825,000 in investments in the first 2+ weeks. 

ABOUT ONCOLYZE

Oncolyze is developing a disruptive technology for the treatment of cancer. The drug's novel approach uses a simple mechanism of action to selectively kill cancer cells and cancer stem cells while sparing normal cells. This provides a highly effective treatment with potentially little to no side effects. The lead drug candidate, OM-301, targets the cancer cell membrane and causes lysis/necrosis; many antibiotics, such as penicillin, kill bacteria in a similar way. The initial therapeutic target is acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Most AML patients relapse within one year of treatment, as standard therapy does not destroy cancer stem cells. As a result, AML has only a 25% five-year survival rate. In contrast, OM-301 has been shown to destroy leukemic cancer stem cells, and therefore has the potential to disrupt current medical treatment. Following proof of concept in AML patients, the company expects to pursue development for patients with other hematologic and solid cancers.

For more information on Oncolyze, please visit the company's website and follow us on LinkedIn.

PRESS CONTACT

Mika Stojanovic

TNG Creative, LLC

[email protected]

Oncolyze is offering securities through the use of an Offering Statement that has been qualified by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Tier II of Regulation A. A copy of the Final Offering Circular that forms a part of the Offering Statement may be obtained at https://seedinvest.com/oncolyze. This press release may contain forward-looking statements and information relating to, among other things, the company, its business plan and strategy, and its industry. These statements reflect management's current views with respect to future events based on information currently available and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the company's actual results to differ materially. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as they are meant for illustrative purposes and they do not represent guarantees of future results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements, all of which cannot be made. Moreover, no person nor any other person or entity assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of forward-looking statements, and is under no duty to update any such statements to conform them to actual results.

HSG Advisors, KHA & King's Daughters Health to Present at SHSMD Connections Conference
HSG Advisors, Kentucky Hospital Association & King's Daughters Health to present \"Creating an Ambulatory and Physician Office Market Development Strategy\" at the 2022 SHSMD Connections Conference.

HSG Advisors, a national healthcare consulting firm, will present an educational session with the Kentucky Hospital Association and King's Daughters Health at the 2022 SHSMD Connections Conference on Monday, September 12. The program will offer insights on "Creating an Ambulatory and Physician Office Market Development Strategy" from three points of view: health system leadership, state hospital association leadership, and third-party healthcare consultancy. 

With outpatient revenue on track to overtake inpatient revenues in the next few years, healthcare organizations must start preparing for this shift on an organizational level. This will require a fully developed strategy on how to measure and manage care provided in the ambulatory environment. The presenters, DJ Sullivan, Managing Director at HSG Advisors; Melanie Landrum, Vice President Data and Health Information Services at the Kentucky Hospital Association; and Katie Arnett, Vice President Chief Patient Experience Officer at King's Daughters Health, will dive into the core tenets of strategy development and their specific impact on the ambulatory market.

"Hospitals and health systems need to beware of 'analysis paralysis' as they identify key performance indicators to measure the success of their outpatient strategy development and execution," said Sullivan. "This factor, along with the ability for organizations to embrace strategic partnerships and facilitate collaboration, will significantly impact a healthcare organization's success in the ambulatory market."

During the presentation, attendees will discover how outpatient measurement and management have been developed across an entire state and at the individual facility level. They will review innovative data insights and analytics that health systems are using to support their ambulatory strategy development. Finally, attendees will learn about specific examples and tactics, including provider placement, patient access, and service capability development, to use in their own ambulatory market strategy.

For more information on the program or to register for the live or virtual SHSMD Connections Conference, visit the SHSMD website at shsmd.org/education/annualconference. For more information on creating a market development strategy for your health care organization, visit HSGadvisors.com.

HSG Advisors is a national healthcare consulting firm headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. The practice empowers leaders to build differentiated health system strategies and high-performing employed physician networks by pairing data intelligence with experienced advice. The firm's comprehensive approach to leveraging market facts to inform healthcare strategies allows leaders to understand opportunities and deliver the right care to their communities. For more information about HSG, visit www.HSGAdvisors.com, LinkedIn, email [email protected], or call (502) 814-1180.

Media Contact: Karolyn Raphael

Winger Marketing, [email protected]

The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) today announced it has appointed Bryan O. Buckley, DrPH, MPH as Director, Health Equity Initiatives. In this role, Dr. Buckley will lead the development and growth of NCQA's efforts to make health care more equitable and access for people across the country. 

Dr. Buckley is a health equity-focused and systems-oriented leader in health delivery system redesign, performance improvement, and change management. He brings fresh perspective in how NCQA conducts translation, research, analysis, evaluation, and assessment for measurement, promotion of standards, and quality improvement programs. His work at NCQA will be critical for several initiatives, including integrating diversity, inclusion, and equity in NCQA programs and evolving the organization's collaborations, contracts, grants, and research strategies with a focus on accelerating health equity. Dr. Buckley will also play a key role in developing partnerships with funding and research organizations, care delivery systems, managed care industry, communities, and other organizations to translate research knowledge and real-world evidence to inform development of products or programs.

"Equity underscores everything we do at NCQA, and we're taking a leading role in improving health care quality and equity by helping health care organizations remove obstacles, overcome disparities, and ensure everyone has access to care that truly improves patient outcomes," said NCQA Assistant Vice President, Research and Analysis Sarah Shih. "We are proud to have Dr. Buckley join us in these efforts. He has a proven record of empowering organizations to achieve equitable health care for their communities. His insight will be invaluable to NCQA as we accelerate our ongoing efforts to overcome inequities in the health care system and create positive change."

In addition to his role at NCQA, Dr. Buckley is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Georgetown University School of Medicine. Prior to joining NCQA, he was a Research Fellow with Medstar Health's Institute for Quality and Safety (MIQS), where he led and supported health care delivery research, education, and consulting related to community health, patient safety, and quality. Dr. Buckley also served as the Manager of Strategic Initiatives in the Executive Office of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. Before his doctoral studies, he worked at the Michigan Health & Hospital Association, where he was responsible for the co-design and leadership of state-wide patient safety and quality improvement efforts.

Dr. Buckley is a Board Member of the American Public Health Association, American Heart Association Greater Washington Region, Food & Friends, and Founding Executive Board Member of the DrPH Coalition. In addition, he serves on the Advisory Board for the Michigan State University and Grand Valley State University MPH programs. He holds a Doctor of Public Health degree from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, a Masters of Public Health from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Michigan State University. 

About NCQA

NCQA is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA Accredits and Certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also Recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA's Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS^®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NCQA's website (ncqa.org) contains information to help consumers, employers and others make informed health care choices. NCQA can also be found at Twitter @ncqa, on Facebook at facebook.com/NCQA.org and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/ncqa.

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Media Contact

Theresa Masnik
SHIFT Communications
[email protected] 

Sjolander Empowerment Center

The following is an open letter from Citizens for Mental Health Reform on sensible mental health reform in the State of Oregon with the Oregon State Hospital. 

People suffering from a mental health condition experience a 20+ year shorter life span, significantly higher rates of un- or under-employment, social exclusion, and the list goes on.

We understand that OHA has been working with various stakeholders (e.g., OCAC) through its Office of Consumer Activities to address these disparities, and I thank you for that. However, we fear that members of our community who find themselves in the unenviable position of being committed to the Oregon State Hospital have been, not only overlooked, but forgotten.

Shortly after the departure of the former OSH Superintendent, Greg Roberts, the Oregon State Hospital began a slow, but steady, path of transformation from a forensic psychiatric hospital into an extension of the Oregon Department of Corrections. Many veteran staff can testify to the adverse impact these changes have had on treatment and care at OSH.

We think it might be helpful if we all regularly reminded ourselves that no one is at the Oregon State Hospital because they've been convicted of a crime. There are people who have pending charges, and there are people who've been adjudicated guilty except for insanity, but the first group is supposed to be afforded the consideration of innocence until guilt is proven, and the latter is adjudicated, not convicted, because of a medical condition (i.e., a qualifying mental disorder). Everyone at OSH, regardless of commitment type, is understood to be placed in the care of the State in order to receive the best psychiatric care available in a compassionate and trauma-informed setting that honors and respects their humanity.

The influence and impact of sanism is often insidious and goes unrecognized except by those directly impacted and their allies. I hope that OHA will commit to identifying and remedying systemic sanism and, more importantly, take a strong anti-sanist stance.

Thank you for taking the time to read our thoughts and concerns.

https://www.citizensformentalhealthreform.com

[email protected]