Providence has created a national foundation to address healthcare challenges related to innovation, health equity and clinical institute initiatives, among other areas, the Renton, Wash.-based health system said Sept. 20. 

The Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston is launching a genomic dataset with Helix, a direct-to-consumer genomics company, in a partnership that has been dubbed the first of its kind.

Toledo, Ohio-based ProMedica is rolling out an initiative focused on improving patients' overall health and well-being by innovating social determinants of health priorities and resources, the health system said Sept. 15. 

Last month, hospital innovation leaders shared with Becker's the No. 1 thing they seek in a potential innovation investment. Now, they're detailing what red flags to look out for.

As providers look to further integrate voice assistants into clinical care, some options are more effective at answering patients' queries than others, according to a recent study published in the Annals of Family Medicine. 

Researchers have dedicated significant effort and funding to study how wearables measure body processes, but not enough research has been conducted on the ethical, security and privacy concerns posed by this technology, according to a study published Sept. 15 in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.

Amid its IT reorganization, the FDA established a new Office of Digital Transformation and appointed Vid Desai to serve as CIO, the agency announced Sept. 15. 

Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic this week rolled out its virtual hospital-at-home program to patients at its Phoenix and Scottsdale, Ariz.-based hospitals, according to a Sept. 15 news release. 

Healthcare workers with strong emotional support groups and high resilience were better protected from COVID-19 pandemic-induced stress, according to a Sept. 13 study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.

Apple unveiled Apple Watch Series 7 Sept. 14, complete with new health features including updates to its workout streaming subscription program and fall detection algorithms.

Houston Methodist and Amazon Web Services are collaborating to bring voice assistants into hospital settings, according to a Sept. 13 Financial Times report.

Toledo, Ohio-based ProMedica said Sept. 14 it is integrating a new digital musculoskeletal rehabilitation platform within its care offerings so that musculoskeletal patients can have access to physical therapy both virtually and in person. 

CMS wants to rescind a rule introduced by former President Donald Trump's administration that lets Medicare cover medical devices that the FDA designates as "breakthrough" technologies, according to a proposed rule scheduled to be filed in the Federal Register Sept. 15. 

Below are four health systems that sold digital tools or businesses in the past three months.

Hospitals and health systems across the U.S. are pushing forward digital transformation efforts by creating new tools and launching innovative programs. 

When hospital visitations were first limited at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Henry Ou, MD, a surgeon at Seattle Children's Hospital, got creative with a new way to make patients comfortable with the facilities: a Minecraft version of the hospital. 

Here are seven recent health IT vendor contracts and go-lives accelerating digital transformation efforts at healthcare organizations. 

In August 2020, Miami-based Baptist Health South Florida initiated a $100 million digital transformation project, which CEO Brian Keeley said would help the system achieve its goal of becoming the "Amazon Prime of healthcare in South Florida."

While some have wondered if Big Tech is on its way out of healthcare — following Haven's disbanding and Google Health's recent restructuring — Providence's digital chief, Aaron Martin, said he believes tech giants expanding into the industry are here to stay. 

Mayo Clinic, University of California San Francisco and Geisinger are among the health systems working to digitally transform the traditional, yearly physical visit into an ongoing virtual relationship with providers, The Wall Street Journal reported Sept. 6.