Strategic Planning

M&A activity in the health insurance sector will remain high in 2021, adding to the four significant deals that have already been announced.

"I believe the next 18 months will define the next five years," said Glen Tullman, now CEO of the new Transcarent platform.

The product, called Optum Virtual Care, is aimed at integrating in-person care, telehealth, home care and behavioral care, company leaders said on an earnings call this past week.

Training and teamwork were key, said New Jersey's Preferred Behavioral Health Group, which has made good use of a $420,000 FCC grant.

Anumana will develop and market algorithms for early detection of disease. Lucem Health can collect device data and feed it into clinical workflows. Both spin-offs aim to capitalize on advances in AI and remote telemetry.

Intermountain is financing a new university program that will teach practitioners to provide preemptive care.

A new JAMIA article identifies three main factors: technostress, time pressure and workflow-related issues.

The plan would spend $400 billion toward expanding access to home-based or community-based care and improving the wages of caregivers.

Also: Johnson & Johnson vaccine shipments have been delayed after cross-contamination occurred in a Baltimore production facility.

Better resource-allocation and mitigation strategies could result in fewer COVID-19 cases and deaths.