Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Parents Claim Medical Malpractice In Suit Over 'Jeopardy!' Winner's Death
Las Vegas Review-Journal: ‘Jeopardy!’ Champion’s Death Blamed On Medical Malpractice
The parents of “Jeopardy!” champion Brayden Smith sued a Henderson hospital and Dignity Health on Monday, claiming medical malpractice caused the Liberty High School graduate’s death following colorectal surgery. “His last days were a nightmare,” the lawsuit states. “His death was preordained by the misconduct of doctors and nurses. None of this had to be.” District Court records show that Smith’s parents, Scott and Debbie, filed the lawsuit against Dignity Health; St. Rose Dominican Hospital, Siena campus; Fidelity Home Health Services; two physicians; and the St. Rose nursing staff. (Puit, 1/10)
In other health industry developments —
Modern Healthcare: J&J Partners With Microsoft To Build Out Digital Surgery Portfolio
Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices will collaborate with the software company to advance its digital surgery platform and internet-connected medical devices. The deal establishes Microsoft as Johnson & Johnson's preferred cloud vendor for digital surgery tools, according to a news release. The companies plan to apply Microsoft's artificial intelligence, data analytics and "internet of things" capabilities to improve connectivity between Johnson & Johnson's surgical robotics, visualization and other digital tools. The companies plan to develop digital tools that streamline surgical workflow or support surgical decision-making. (Kim Cohen, 1/10)
Modern Healthcare: Medtronic To Buy Affera, Gain Cardiac Treatment Tech
Medtronic plans to acquire Affera, a private medical technology company, for $925 million in a move to expand its portfolio of advanced ablation products as physicians see more patients with cardiac arrhythmias. The acquisition will likely close during the first half of Medtronic's fiscal year 2023, according to a company presentation shared at J.P. Morgan's annual healthcare conference on Monday. The deal fits into the company's ongoing move to accelerate revenue growth through tuck-in mergers and acquisitions, said Geoff Martha, Medtronic chairman and CEO, at the conference. (Devereaux, 1/10)
Modern Healthcare: R1 RCM To Buy Artificial Intelligence Software Firm Cloudmed
Revenue-cycle management company R1 RCM on Monday said it plans to acquire Cloudmed in an all-stock transaction that values Cloudmed at roughly $4.1 billion. Cloudmed uses artificial intelligence and automation to analyze medical records, payment data and medical insurance models for revenue-cycle management. The company has more than 3,100 healthcare provider customers. The acquisition fits into R1’s vision of creating an end-to-end platform for managing revenue cycle for providers and engaging patients around payment. (Kim Cohen, 1/10)
Also —
Georgia Health News: Kaiser Permanente Gets A New Georgia President
Kaiser Permanente has appointed Pamela Shipley as the new regional president for the organization’s Georgia operation. Shipley comes from Sharecare, a virtual health IT company based in Atlanta, where she was chief operating officer. She is replacing Jim Simpson, who is taking another position in the Kaiser Permanente organization. (Miller, 1/10)
North Carolina Health News: Camino Health Wants To Know: Who Are NC’s Latinos?
Between 1990 and 2020, North Carolina’s Latino population ballooned: from 75,000 residents to more than 1 million, an increase of nearly 1,400 percent. The community is diverse; about 61 percent were born in the U.S., while the remaining 39 percent are immigrants, about half from Mexico, and another quarter from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. But, beyond these sorts of impersonal data points, little is known about the lives of North Carolina’s Latino residents, according to scholars at the Camino Research Institute, one leg of the larger Camino Health Center in Charlotte. (Donnelly-DeRoven, 1/11)
KHN: App Attempts To Break Barriers To Bankruptcy For Those In Medical Debt
An unplanned and complicated pregnancy pushed Carlazjion Constant of Smyrna, Tennessee, to the financial brink. Her high-deductible health insurance paid virtually nothing toward the extra obstetrician visits needed during her high-risk pregnancy. Just as those bills totaling $5,000 came due last year, a real estate company started garnishing her paycheck over a broken lease during college a decade ago. “I have a child. Like, I can’t do that,” said Constant, who works as a medical assistant in a pediatric office. “Something has to be done. There has to be a way out.” (Farmer, 1/11)
