Extra non-merger/financing news.
A new virtual food initiative from ATA Action. In another sign that the ATA Action portfolio is enlarging, they announced the formation of a new advocacy group, the Virtual Foodcare Coalition. The new group, composed of organizations ranging from food providers to telehealth and a law firm, is promoting healthy food as an integral part of healthcare. Their five policy priorities center on Federal laws, telehealth, and cross-state practices:
- The Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) Act
- Funding for Medically Tailored Food and Food Benefits Management that Foster Optimal ROI and Sustained Impact
- Rationalize Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and School Meals; Align with Clean Food Initiatives
- Expand Reimbursement and Incentive Models for Telenutrition, Remote Monitoring Devices, Remote Therapeutic Monitoring and Foodscripts
- Facilitate Cross-State Nutritional Healthcare Delivery
The founding coalition members are: Albertsons Companies, Inc., Circle Medical, Foodsmart, hims & hers, Lifepoint Health, Nixon Law Group, Nourish, and Teladoc Health. With RFK, Jr. as head of Health and Human Services, there’s no better time. Release
Ophelia and Spring Health partner for opioid treatment. In another alliance to expand telehealth treatment versus standing alone, Ophelia, an opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment provider, will be joining with Spring Health in providing medication-assisted treatment (MAT) OUD for Spring Health’s employer and health plan clients. Spring Health’s telementalhealth clients include Adobe, Bumble, General Mills, Moda Health, Wellstar, and Guardian with a total access to 20 million lives. In return, Ophelia’s clients will now be able to access Spring Health’s behavioral health services, including therapy and psychiatric support, in an expansion of Spring Health’s portfolio. Release
Internationally, it’s another three-year agreement between ISfTeH and WHO. ISfTeH, the International Society for Telemedicine & eHealth, is formally a Non-State Actor (NSA) in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO). That status has been renewed for another three-year period. In that regard, ISfTeH works on and provides input to Research on Quality of Care, the Global Telehealth Community of Practice (GTCoP), Digital Health Atlas, Global Digital Health Monitor, Guidelines on Cross-Border Telemedicine, the WHO Acute Care Action Network (ACAN), and more. ISfTeH members also have an opportunity to participate in some of the WHO’s annual constitutional meetings–contact here for more information. LinkedIn post. ISfTeH/WHO’s collaboration document. Hat tip to Frederic Lievens of ISfTeH.
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