DAILY UPDATE: Good Friday’s Impressive First Quarter Stock Market Returns

By Staff Reporters

***

***

The stock market will be closed Friday, March 29th, for Good Friday. While Good Friday is a stock market holiday, it is not a federal holiday. As a result, the February Personal Consumption and Expenditures (PCE) Price Index will be released this Friday morning.

Yesterday, on the final trading session of March and the first quarter, the returns for major stock indexes are impressive, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 5% this quarter or 2,000 points and the S&P 500 and the tech-heavy NASDAQ up 11% apiece. Stock superlatives for 2024’s opening stretch are numerous, including each of the three indexes setting respective all-time highs and the benchmark S&P heading toward its best first-quarter return since 2019 and its second consecutive quarter of double-digit percentage gains since 2011-12.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended Thursday:

  • The S&P 500 index added 5.86 points (0.1%) to 5,254.35, up 0.4% for the week; the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 47.29 points (0.1%) to 39,807.37, up 0.8% for the week; the NASDAQ Composite lost 20.06 points (0.1%) to 16,379.46, down 0.3% for the week. 
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield rose one basis point to just under 4.21%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) rose 0.22 to 13.00.

For the month, the S&P 500 index gained 3.1%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 2.1%, and the NASDAQ Composite added 1.8%. For the quarter, the three indexes rose 10.3%, 5.6%, and 9.2%, respectively.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

DAILY UPDATE: Nurses Strike as Stocks Decline

By Staff Reporters

***

***

About 1,300 nurses at Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) will strike on April 2nd if contract negotiations fail, the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) announced Thursday. The union, which represents about 42,000 nurses across the state, is looking for higher wages and improved nurse-to-patient ratios for their members—sticking points for Northwell Health, according to NYSNA.

AI RN Replacements: https://gizmodo.com/nvidia-wants-replace-nurses-with-ai-1851347917?utm_campaign=hcb&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_source=morning_brew

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500 index sank 15.99 points (0.3%) to 5,218.19; the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 162.26 points (0.4%) to 39,313.64; the NASDAQ Composite lost 44.35 points (0.3%) to 16,384.47. 
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) rose three basis points to 4.25% after a four-day retreat.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) edged up 0.14 to 13.20.

The energy sector followed crude oil prices and was the strongest sector Monday. Utilities and materials also saw strength. Weakest sectors included industrials, information technology, and real estate.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

Me, Marcinko and Dr. Avatar [Metaverse?]

The Virtual Doctor Will See You Now!

By Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA CMP™

[Publisher-in-Chief]

Recently, I was invited to speak at a regional convention. No surprise there as I have been doing so – around the world – for more than twenty years – webcasts included. And, I was asked to submit the usual paraphernalia; a formal CV, audio-visual needs, travel arrangements and times, PPE, and a personal photo which were all dutifully supplied.

Then, I was asked to supply something that flabbergasted me; I became slack-jawed, actually.

DEM’s Avatar 

Imagine my surprise when I was asked for an avatar; not just a digital photograph. So – having none – I had one made and now submit it for your review.

  Photograph of Dr. David Edward Marcinko @ home

 Avatar of Dr. David Edward Marcinko @ work

***

Assessment

So, how do I virtually look – better or worse – glasses or contact lens? It seems as though some folks are more interested in the virtual me; than the real me. Go figure!

Conclusion

Your thoughts and comments on this ME-P are appreciated. Feel free to review our top-left column, and top-right sidebar materials, links, URLs and related websites, too. Then, subscribe to the ME-P. It is fast, free and secure.

Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Medical Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

Our Other Print Books and Related Information Sources:

Risk Management, Liability Insurance, and Asset Protection Strategies for Doctors and Advisors: Best Practices from Leading Consultants and Certified Medical Planners™8Comprehensive Financial Planning Strategies for Doctors and Advisors: Best Practices from Leading Consultants and Certified Medical Planners™

Product DetailsProduct DetailsProduct Details

Product Details  Product Details

Product Details

Invite Dr. Marcinko

***

PODCAST: Small and Medium Medical Practices are Struggling

By Colin Hung

***

Small- and medium-sized medical practices are struggling. The uncertain economic environment, staffing challenges, and the increasing complexity of providing care is putting practice owners under tremendous stress. EverHealth, providers of end-to-end solutions for healthcare providers, believes that these practices need support from partners that can take on some of the administrative, operational, and financial tasks so they can continue to deliver care to patients.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

Healthcare IT Today sat down with Adam Laskey, General Manager of EverHealth at EverCommerce, to find out more about the company’s work, their vision for medical practices, and how the acquisitions of DrChrono and Updox is progressing.

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Sign-Up

***

***

INVESTING: Putting a Charge Back into the EV Market

By Vitaliy Katsenelson CFA

***

***

Over the last few months, electric car sales seem to have gone from hot to cold. Hertz is dumping 20% of its 100,000 Tesla fleet, and Ford is cutting production of its F-150 Lightning. Tesla has gone from raising prices to cutting them. In fact, Tesla is reducing prices so much that the CEO of Stellantis (a merger between Fiat and Peugeot) has expressed concern that if other automakers join Tesla CEO Elon Musk in implementing similar cuts, it will result in a bloodbath for the industry.

And so, are electric cars a fad, like beanie babies, pet rocks, or fidget spinners?
The short answer is no. The full answer comes with a lot of nuance. READ HERE:

Putting a Charge Back into the EV Market

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

DAILY UPDATE: Kroger Selling Pharma Business as Nvidia and Stock Markets Rise

By Staff Reporters

CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL, DC.

***

***

KROGER, the supermarket chain said it expects to close the sale of its specialty pharmacy business during the second half of 2024. Kroger said it is planning to sell its speciality pharmacy business to pharmacy benefit manager CarelonRx, a subsidiary of Elevance Health, the company just reported.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

***

Nvidia continues its bid for world domination with the announcement of its new B200 “Blackwell” chip. The Blackwell is 2.5 times more powerful than the “Hopper” chip which helped it become a $2 trillion company. (Bloomberg)

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500 index added 46.11 points (0.9%) to 5,224.62; the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 401.37 points (1%) to 39,512.13; the NASDAQ Composite rose 202.62 points (1.3%) to 16,369.41. 
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield slid two basis points to 4.27%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index®(VIX) fell 0.77 to 13.06.
     

Health care was the biggest loser among the S&P 500 sectors. Energy was also lower after crude oil prices sank on the heels of weekly inventory data. Brent Crude Oil (/BZ) futures, the global benchmark, dropped 1.6% on the heels of five days of gains.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

DAILY UPDATE: Salesforce Health Care AI and the National Association of Realtors Rebuke

By Staff Reporters

***

Salesforce just announced new AI solutions for health-care workers that could help automate some of the manual administrative tasks that are driving physician burnout. READ MORE

***

***

***

On Friday, National Association of Realtors (NAR) agreed to pay $418 million over the next four years to settle several lawsuits alleging it artificially inflated realtor commissions. Included in the deal is a policy change that will likely obliterate agents’ 5%–6% commissions.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

***

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

Paper is Immune to Ransomware

***

***

By Darrell Pruitt DDS

“A major cyberattack has caused a Pittsfield medical practice to run out of money. Staff are continuing to treat patients”

The extortionists are getting closer and closer to us, Doc. I’m surprised it has taken them this long.

READ: https://www.berkshireeagle.com/news/local/cyberattack-change-healthcare-united-ransomware-medical-insurance-payments-berkshire-allergy-care/article_a5547ef2-e302-11ee-9162-2b0ff10b145f.html

(Do you miss paper records yet? Give it a little more time.)

***

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

What is TOKENIZATION?

By Staff Reporters

***

***

Tokenization is the process of converting an asset or the ownership rights of an asset to a unique unit called tokens. Tokens are commonly referred to when discussing blockchain technology, where they are used to indicate the ownership of a valuable asset. 

Tokens can indicate ownership of tangible assets, like art, or they can indicate ownership of intangible assets, such as shares in a company or voting rights. Tokenization can occur for any item that is deemed valuable. 

Tokens can then be used to transfer ownership of an asset, make payments and complete other financial tasks. An example of tokenization would be Bitcoin. It is a popular cryptocurrency that uses tokens to represent how much BTC a person owns.

Tokenization began as a type of data security for businesses that replaces sensitive information with unique, non-sensitive data. Tokens don’t contain the original data, but they usually share similar characters or formatting. 

A user would need access to the tokens that are connected to the separately-stored originals in order to restore the tokens and view the secured data. Otherwise, a user would not be able to decipher the token to view the data. Therefore, they can be useful for securing personal information, financial transaction data and other sensitive data.

***

***

There are multiple types of blockchain tokenization and non-blockchain tokenization.

Blockchain Tokenization

Types of blockchain tokenization include:

  • Fungible tokenization. These are standard blockchain tokens. They have identical values, so they can easily replace one another — think of swapping one dollar for another dollar.
  • Non-fungible tokenization. These are less common blockchain tokens that do not have a set value. Instead, they represent ownership of an asset, such as digital art or real estate, that determines the value of the token.
  • Governance tokenization. These tokens represent voting rights and can be used to vote and collaborate on a blockchain system.
  • Utility tokenization. These tokens are used to give access to certain products and services on a specific blockchain, so they can be used to complete actions like paying transaction fees or operating a decentralized market system. 

Non-blockchain Tokenization

Types of non-blockchain tokenization include:

  • Vault tokenization. This is the standard type of tokenization to protect payment information, where the token is used to process payments without providing card numbers or other data.
  • Vaultless tokenization. This is a type of tokenization used for payment processing that doesn’t require a token vault for storage. Instead, it uses cryptographic devices and algorithms to convert data to a token.
  • Natural language processing tokenization. This type of tokenization breaks information down into simpler terms to make it more easily understood by computers. It includes word, sub word and character tokenization.

While tokenization began with the idea of protecting data assets using non-blockchain tokenization, it has developed into a way to protect the ownership of many other types of assets by using blockchain technology.

MORE: https://www.blockchain-council.org/blockchain/what-is-tokenization/

***

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

“RIGHT TO TRY” ACT: Individual Patient Treatments

TO FIX THE FDA APPROVAL’S FLAW

By Staff Reporters

***

***

DEFINITION: Right-to-try laws are United States state laws and a federal law that were created with the intent of allowing terminally ill patients access to experimental therapies (drugs, biologics, devices) that have completed Phase I testing but have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Right to Try 2.0 laws could help fix FDA’s approval process; Right to Try for Individualized Treatments

This law would allow patients suffering from rare and genetic diseases to try personalized treatments not yet approved by the FDA, as long as they have the support of their physician and have exhausted other treatment options. This policy would have an outsized impact on patients with rare diseases. Although rare diseases have small patient pools by definition, collectively, about 30 million Americans are estimated to have a rare disease.

What’s more, 80% of these rare diseases are genetic in nature, and 95% have no FDA-approved treatment.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

“Magnificent Seven” Stocks Down while Bitcoin Up

STATE OF THE UNION EVENING

***

  • Markets: Stocks rose yesterday as investors watched Jerome Powell tell lawmakers that he still expects to cut interest rates this year, just not right away.
  • Stock spotlight: Troubled regional lender New York Community Bancorp, which fell 40% before soaring back up after announcing it’s getting $1 billion from investors, including ex-Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s firm.

***

***

Meanwhile, Stocks tumbled on Tuesday as several of the “Magnificent Seven” tech giants shed some of their gains from earlier this year, dragging the entire market with them. One of those companies was Apple, which fell about 3% after a report suggested that iPhone sales in China have plunged in the first six weeks of 2024.

And, Bitcoin set a new record yesterday, briefly jumping past $69k before falling back down to ~$62k. The rally highlighted the crypto’s seemingly rapid recovery from the nail-in-the-coffin that was FTX’s demise in 2022.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

DAILY UPDATE: American Express Breached as Stock Markets Come Back

By Staff Reporters

***

***

American Express Co. has told an undisclosed number of cardholders that their account information may have been breached in a recent hacking of a merchant processor. Current and previously issued American Express Card account numbers, expiration dates and customer names may have been compromised, AmEx stated in a notice filed last week with Massachusetts regulators. 

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500® index (SPX) rose 26.11 points (0.5%) to 5,104.76; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® (DJI) gained 75.86 points (0.2%) to 38,661.05; the NASDAQ Composite® (COMP) added 91.95 points (0.6%) to 16,031.54.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) dropped about 3 basis points to 4.108%, near a four-week low.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) rose 0.04 to 14.50

Semiconductor shares were among the market’s strongest performers Wednesday, and utilities and consumer staples were also firm. Banks shares took pressure despite further declines in Treasury yields. In other markets, the U.S. dollar index (DXY) fell near a five-week low and Gold (/GC) futures extended a rally to a record above $2,160 per ounce, reflecting expectations for lower U.S. interest rates. 

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

DAILY UPDATE: UnitedHealth Group and Fidelity Investments Suffer Ransomware Attacks as Stock Markets Crash

By Staff Reporters

***

***

According to Fidelity, in documents filed with the Maine attorney general’s office, miscreants “likely acquired” information about 28,268 people’s life insurance policies after infiltrating Infosys.

***

***

Criminals have probably stolen nearly 30,000 Fidelity Investments Life Insurance customers’ personal and financial information — including bank account and routing numbers, credit card numbers and security or access codes — after breaking into Infosys’ IT systems.

***

***

Healthcare providers across the United States are struggling to get paid following the week-long ransomware outage at a key tech unit of UnitedHealth Group, with some smaller medical providers saying they are already running low on cash.

And, the nation’s health-care system continues to reel from a cyberattack that has crippled payments for tens of thousands of organizations as Daniel Gilbert writes in The Post.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500® index (SPX) dropped 52.30 points (1.0%) to 5,078.65; the Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased 404.64 points (1.0%) to 38,585.19; the NASDAQ Composite fell 267.92 points (1.7%) to 15,939.59.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) fell about 8 basis points to 4.137%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) rose 0.97 to 14.46.

With chip makers under pressure, the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) fell 2.1%, reversing part of a recent surge to a record high. Consumer discretionary and real estate shares also ranked among the weakest performers Tuesday. Banks were one of the few industries to buck the broader weakness, perhaps supported by further declines in Treasury yields. The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) almost fell to a four-week low near 4.11%. The KBW Regional Banking Index (KRX) jumped 4.3%. 

In other markets, bitcoin plunged almost 10% after climbing earlier Tuesday to a record above $69,000. The cryptocurrency had rallied as much as 36% over the last week of February. 

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

MEME-COINS: Dogwifhat?

***

***

Rallies from Artificial Intelligence related companies weren’t enough to keep the major indexes from falling yesterday. Meanwhile, bitcoin continued its journey toward the sky, getting close to an all-time record.

And it wasn’t the only cryptocurrency having a banner day: memecoins like dogecoin, pepe, and dogwifhat all soared.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

DOWN: Facebook, Threads, Instagram and Messenger

PARENT META OUTAGE

By Staff Reporters

***

***

Facebook, Instagram and Messenger have gone down in what appears to be a huge outage at parent company Meta.

Users found themselves unable to load the apps or websites as normal. On Facebook, affected users found they had been logged out and were unable to get on, while Instagram refused to work at all.

COMMENTS
***

***

OUR VIRTUAL BUSINESS MODEL: Financial and Management Consulting for Physicians

***

***

SPONSOR: http://www.MARCINKOASSOCIATES.com

***

***

OUR VIRTUAL CONSULTING BUSINESS MODEL 

Our virtual consulting model at DE MARCINKO & ASSOCIATES offer services to their clients primarily or entirely online, by phone or video-conference.

This means that no matter where you are or choose to live, you’re always just an email, telephone call or Zoom® conference away from a face-to-face meeting.

THE CONSULTATION IS VIRTUAL – THE INFORMATIONAL ADVICE IS REAL !

READ HERE: https://marcinkoassociates.com/virtual-networking/

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

DAILY UPDATE: Inflation and “Bumble” Down as Stock Markets Rise and UHC Hackers ID’d

By Staff Reporters

***

***

The Bumble dating app said this week that it plans to lay off 30% of its staff (about 350 employees) after a Q4 earnings report highlighted that profits are ghosting the company and Gen Z considers dating apps a turnoff. Bumble CEO Lidiane Jones, who took over in November when founder Whitney Wolfe Herd stepped down, said the cuts would save the company around $55 million. The company plans to invest in relaunching the app next quarter with new safety and AI features to entice all those looking for love.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500 index rose 26.51 points (0.5%) to 5,096.27, up 5.2% for the month; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® (DJI) added 47.37 points (0.1%) to 38,996.39, up 2.2% for the month; the NASDAQ Composite gained 144.18 points (0.9%) to 16,091.92, up 6.1% for the month.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) fell about 3 basis points to 4.244%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) dropped 0.44 to 13.40.

Chipmaker shares were among the strongest performers Thursday, helping lift the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) 2.7% to a record high close. Banks and food and beverage industries were also firm. Small-cap stocks also extended a recent upswing. The Russell 2000® Index (RUT) erased much of an initial surge to a 22-month high but still finished with a 0.7% advance, gaining 5.5% for the month.

***

***

Hackers that allegedly caused the UnitedHealth Group cyberattack reportedly posted on the dark web that they stole personal data and the records of “millions” of patients.

In a now-deleted post, the Blackcat ransomware group – also known as ALPHV or Noberus – said it stole several terabytes of data from UnitedHealth, which includes medical insurance and health data, Reuters reported, citing screenshots of the post.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

MOON: Investing for the Risk Tolerant Physician?

PRIVATIZING OUTER SPACE

***

***

Did you know that NASA remains laser-focused on getting humans back on the moon with its Artemis program. But with a budget one-tenth the size it was at the height of the Apollo program, the space agency is turning to the private sector to make it to the Moon, again.

IM’s Odysseus mission is part of the NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS), an initiative that partners the agency with private companies, allowing NASA to send data-collecting instruments to the moon aboard private spacecraft while spending significantly less money than if it had to send its own.

  • NASA paid $118 million to Intuitive Machines for Odysseus to take six high-tech research machines to the moon.
  • According to Thomas Zurbuchen, who led the creation of the CLPS program, this type of mission could cost half a billion to a billion dollars if led by NASA.

In December, India landed a spacecraft on the moon’s south pole for $75 million—less than the reported budget of Madame Web. But the trend of cheaper missions also means a higher likelihood of failure. Last month, the Peregrine lander from Astrobotic Technology—another company working with NASA via the CLPS initiative—failed to reach the moon after a fuel leak.

The company’s stock struggled after going public a year ago, but excitement around Odysseus made that a thing of the past: It has soared 300% since last month.

UPDATE: Shares of Intuitive Machines slumped 38% in post-market trading on Friday after the company said its moon lander Odysseus had “tipped over” sideways when the spacecraft descended on the lunar surface a day earlier.

Odysseus is “aliv

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

DAILY UPDATE: Bye-Bye Walgreens & Hello Amazon and Reddit

By Staff Reporters

***

***

On Tuesday, February 20th, the S&P Dow Jones Indices, which oversees additions and subtractions to the highly followed Dow Jones Industrial Average, announced that, as of the start of trading on Monday, February, 26th pharmacy chain Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ: WBA) would be getting the literal boot.

Meanwhile, e-commerce kingpin Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) will be taking its place.

And, Reddit filed to go public last week in an IPO that will resemble the platform itself—unusual, chaotic, and reliant on its opinionated users. Planned for next month, Reddit’s public listing will be the first social media IPO since Pinterest in 2019 and the first major tech IPO of the year.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

DAILY UPDATE: Consumer Spending Down While CVS Earnings Up

By Staff Reporters

***

To See What’s Next For Consumer Spending, Take a Closer Look at High ...
  • Stat: 0.8%. That’s how much consumer spending fell in January 204—a much bigger dip than expected (CNBC).

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

CVS reported strong results for its healthcare segment in 2023, showing a 10.2% increase in revenue compared to the prior year. Still, executives lowered the segment’s 2024 guidance in anticipation of rising medical costs, according to earnings released this month.

Finally, the US stock market reopens today after the long weekend, and everyone’s still talking about the Magnificent Seven. That’s because, according to a new report from Deutsche Bank, profits at these seven tech giants are greater than the profits of all publicly traded companies in nearly every G20 country. And in terms of market value, they’d be the second-largest national stock exchange in the world. Goldman Sachs sees this party lasting all night: It raised its 2024 target for the S&P 500 for the second time.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

DAILY UPDATE: Trump’s SPAC as the S&P 500 Records a New High

By Staff Reporters

***

***

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission allowed Donald Trump’s media and technology company to merge with a blank-check acquisition [SPAC] vehicle in a deal that currently values the parent of his social media app Truth Social at as much as $10 billion.

SPAC: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2022/06/13/spac-v-direct-listing-v-ipo/

***

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500 index rose 29.11 points (0.6%) to 5,029.73; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® (DJI) gained 348.85 points (0.9%) to 38,773.12; the NASDAQ Composite® (COMP) added 47.03 points (0.3%) to 15,906.17.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) fell more than 2 basis points to 4.242%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) lost 0.37 to 14.01.

Bank shares were among the market’s strongest performers with an assist from Wells Fargo (WFC), whose shares jumped more than 7% following reports a bank industry regulator had ended a penalty it imposed after a fake accounts scandal.

Energy companies also posted outsized gains behind a rebound in crude oil prices. Also, small-cap shares extended a sharp upswing as the Russell 2000® Index (RUT) gained 2.5% and ended at its highest level since late December.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

VIAMEDIS: French Company Health Data Breach

By Staff Reporters

***

***

Viamedis did not state how many people were affected by the breach, but it did confirm that it manages third-party payments for 84 complementary health insurance companies which when combined, service 20 million people.  As soon as the data breach was spotted, Viamedis disconnected its third-party payment management platform.

“Beneficiaries will be able to continue to use their carte vitale and their third-party payment card, the temporary disconnection from the Viamedis platform will only have an impact on certain health professionals, in particular opticians and audio-prosthetists,” it said.

Speaking to Agence France-Presse (AFP), Viamedis General Director, Christophe Cande, said the attack wasn’t ransomware, but rather a successful phishing attack against one of the company’s employees. 

“To date, we do not have the number of insured individuals impacted; we are still in the process of investigation,” Cande said. 

Viamedis filed a complaint with the public prosecutor, and notified other relevant authorities. For healthcare professionals, it said it would notify them on the details of exposed data later.

Via BleepingComputer

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

META: Stock Up!

By Staff Reporters

***

***

2022 was a rough year for Meta. Inflation and high interest rates dinged the company, and Apple made changes to its operating system that made it harder for brands to target customers, and rival TikTok kept on growing. Meta’s stock price fell more than 60%.

But the company saw a dramatic turnaround of its fortunes in 2023. Its full-year net income rose 69% over 2022 to $39.1 billion. Its diluted earnings per share went from $8.59 to $14.87, a 73% YoY jump. Q4 2023 was especially good for Meta: Its net income more than tripled and its revenue rose 25%.

And for the first time, the company gave out cash dividends to investors. Technology analyst Ben Barringer described the move to CNBC as a “symbolic moment” that showed Meta viewed itself as a “mature, grown-up business.”

Meta’s success, though, required paring down. It reduced operating expenses in 2023 by laying off some 20,000 people, slashing its headcount by 22%. It spent $2.5 billion on “facilities consolidation,” or reducing its office footprint. The changes were part of a plan to make the company “leaner” so it would be better able to weather volatility over the next five to 10 years, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

SNAP: Employee Staff Layoffs

By Staff Reporters

***

***

According to Wikipedia, Snapchat is an American multimedia instant messaging app and service developed by Snap Inc., originally Snapchat Inc. One of the principal features of Snapchat is that pictures and messages are usually only available for a short time before they become inaccessible to their recipients. The app has evolved from originally focusing on person-to-person photo sharing to presently featuring users’ “Stories” of 24 hours of chronological content, along with “Discover”, letting brands show ad-supported short-form content. It also allows users to store photos in a password-protected area called “my eyes only”. It has also reportedly incorporated limited use of end-to-end encryption, with plans to broaden its use in the future.

Snapchat was created by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown, former students at Stanford University. It is known for representing a mobile-first direction for social media, and places significant emphasis on users interacting with virtual stickers and augmented reality objects. In July 2021, Snapchat had 293 million daily active users, a 23% growth over a year. On average more than four billion Snaps are sent each day. Snapchat is popular among the younger generations, particularly those below the age of 16, leading to many privacy concerns for parents.

***

So yesterday, Snap laid off 10% of its staff. The job cuts, which amount to roughly 540 people, are Snap’s largest since 2022. Ad revenue at the social media giant has slowed since Apple changed its privacy policy, making it harder for advertisers to access user data.

Meta also suffered from the changes but has rebounded after the company laid off thousands of workers as part of CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s “year of efficiency.” Snap’s layoffs prolong a ghastly start to 2024 for the tech industry, which has endured 32-K job cuts already this year, as per the Layoffs.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

Digital Entrepreneurial Health for Aging Populations

THE FUTURE OF ELDER CARE FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL DOCTORS?

By Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA

***

***

I was delighted to read a scientific paper that goes beyond just detailing a complex topic and encourages us to broaden our horizons, imagine what the future of elder care could hold and define our roles in shaping it’s future.

It was sent to me my colleague Bertalan Meskó, MD PhD [The Medical Futurist]

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

HOSPITAL OPERATING MARGINS: Non-Profits Still Down

By Staff Reporters

***

***

Operating margins at not-for-profit hospitals are expected to “gradually improve” in 2024 but will still lag far behind pre-pandemic levels, according to a January report from credit rating agency Fitch Ratings.

Median operating margins for not-for-profit hospitals dipped to record lows during the pandemic, falling to 0.2% in 2022, according to the agency, which has yet to report numbers for 2023. In 2019, the median not-for-profit hospital operating margin was 2.4%, according to Moody’s.

Despite signs that margins are improving, they’re still “nowhere near” where they were pre-2020, and a “larger expense base will keep huge gains unlikely,” according to Fitch.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

“2024 will not be markedly better and certainly not the V-shaped recovery we’re hoping for,” Kevin Holloran, senior director and sector head at Fitch, said in a statement.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

***

DENTISTRY: Ransomware e-Dental Records

By Darrell Pruitt DDS

***

***

The ransom one pays to extortionists is only part of the costs. Now there are also legal liabilities to paying.

We will be hearing much more about ransomware in dentistry soon.

Guaranteed.

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

DAILY UPDATE: The Magnificent Seven Stocks

By Staff Reporters

***

***

Tech giants highlight busiest earnings week of the season: Five of the Magnificent Seven—Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Meta, and Alphabet—will deliver their Q4 results, and we advise you against taking a shot every time AI is mentioned. On Wednesday, Boeing is scheduled to give an update on how the 737 Max 9 debacle will impact its 2024 forecasts. In all, 106 S&P 500 companies will report this week, including Starbucks, Pfizer, GM, and Big Oil.

Fed meeting and jobs report: As if those earnings won’t keep Wall Street on its toes, the Fed will wrap up its first meeting of the year on Wednesday and the January jobs report will drop on Friday. Chair Jerome Powell will almost certainly keep interest rates unchanged for now, but investors are keen to hear whether he predicts a rate cut in March. On the jobs front, US employers are expected to have continued hiring briskly in January, despite the wave of high-profile layoff announcements.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

THANK YOU

***

***

DAILY UPDATE: U.S. GDP and Microsoft

By Staff Reporters

***

***

The US GDP grew 3.3% in Q4, per the Commerce Department, annihilating Wall Street’s expectations of 2% growth. For the year, the US economy expanded 2.5% in 2023, up from 1.9% in 2022. That also outpaced Wall Street’s estimates from the beginning of the year. The growth was driven by strong consumer spending made possible by rising wages and a sturdy job market, even as the country dealt with inflation. That, too, improved in Q4: Prices increased 2.7% on an annual basis, down from a 5.9% increase the year prior. The GDP smash adds more fuel to the expectation that the Fed will cut interest rates this year.

The cuts across Xbox and Activision Blizzard account for 8% of Microsoft’s video game division. The tech giant closed on its $69 billion acquisition of Call of Duty-maker Activision Blizzard in October and has since made several leadership changes. CEO Bobby Kotick stepped down in December, and now Blizzard President Mike Ybarra has decided to leave, according to an internal memo obtained by The Verge. An upcoming survival game has also been canceled. The cuts come as several gaming-related companies, including Twitch, Discord, Unity, and Riot Games, have conducted layoffs.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

***

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

DAILY UPDATE: Mobile Payment Fraud Up as Economy Grows and Stock Markets Extend Gains

By Staff Reporters

***

***

Alarmed by a surge in fraud draining bank accounts through popular mobile payment apps like Venmo, Cash App and Zelle, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Jr., has sent scathing letters to the CEOs of each company, demanding immediate action to protect consumers.

In the letters, Bragg described the crimes as involving an unauthorized user gaining access to unlocked devices, then stealing significant sums of money from bank accounts by making purchases with the mobile payment apps and using financial information from them to open new accounts.

***

And, the U.S. economy expanded at a 3.3% annualized pace in the final quarter of 2023, the Commerce Department said on Thursday.

Why it matters: It’s much stronger growth than economists expected and caps a year of economic resilience as the nation avoided a projected recession.

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500 index rose3.95 points (0.1%) to 4,868.55; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® (DJI) lost 99.06 points (0.3%) to 37,806.39; the NASDAQ Composite gained 55.97 points (0.4%) to 15,481.92.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) increased about 4 basis points to 4.18%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) rose 0.59 to 13.14.

Tech-related strength helped boost the NASDAQ-100® (NXD), which includes the NASDAQ’s largest non-financial companies, by 0.6% to a record close. Energy shares were also strong behind continued gains in WTI Crude Oil (/CL) futures, which rose 1.4% and settled near a two-month -high after the Energy Information Administration reported a 7.5% drop in U.S. oil production last week, reflecting disruptions from winter storms. Small-cap shares lagged as the Russell 2000® Index (RUT) fell 0.7%.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

***

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

PODCAST: Hospitals Post Laboratory Test Prices on EMRs

By Eric Bricker MD

***

***
COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

                       ***

***

***

COMPETITION: Apple, MSFT & Google

Chat-Bots

By Staff Reporters

***

***

Microsoft just unseated Apple yesterday as the world’s most valuable publicly traded company…and then gave the throne right back. The AI-fueled stock rally that Microsoft has enjoyed for months finally buoyed the software company’s market capitalization to $2.9 trillion Thursday-Firday morning, briefly edging past Apple’s $2.89 trillion. Apple had been the most valuable company in the world for a year and a half, and on-and-off for more than a decade.

Apple was back on top by midday, but Microsoft’s momentary reign—the fourth time it’s briefly overtaken Apple since 2018—indicates that the tables may be turning between these longtime rivals.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

***

Employees in its streaming divisions, Google cut about a thousand roles across its Assistant and core engineering teams, The Verge reported. The company is also reportedly removing 17 “underutilized” features from its voice-activated Google Assistant software, which launched in 2016 to compete with Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa. Google announced last year that it would integrate its generative AI chatbot, Bard, into Assistant.

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

DOWN: Digital Health Care Funding

By Dr. David Edward Marciniko MBA CMP

SPONSOR: http://www.MarcinkoAssociates.com

***

***

DEFINITION: According to the Food and Drug Administration [FDA], the broad scope of digital health includes categories such as mobile health (mHealth), health information technology (IT), wearable devices, tele-health and tele-medicine, and personalized medicine. From mobile medical apps and software that support the clinical decisions doctors make every day to artificial intelligence and machine learning, digital technology has been driving a revolution in health care. Digital health tools have the vast potential to improve our ability to accurately diagnose and treat disease and to enhance the delivery of health care for the individual. Digital health technologies use computing platforms, connectivity, software, and sensors for health care and related uses. These technologies span a wide range of uses, from applications in general wellness to applications as a medical device. They include technologies intended for use as a medical product, in a medical product, as companion diagnostics, or as an adjunct to other medical products (devices, drugs, and biologics). They may also be used to develop or study medical products.

Cite: http://tinyurl.com/2jbafuc7

***

As many investors predicted, digital health funding took a dive in 2023, according to Rock Health’s year-end funding report. Startups got creative to stay afloat but many digital health founders will have to “face the music” in 2024, the VC firm’s analysts say.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

Editor’s Note: I am on the Advisory Board of Medblob™a start-up based in Boston, MA. The digital mission of Medblob™ is to improve community and national health by allowing patients to better manage their health, providers to better treat their patients, and researchers to have the best information to discover cures to the most prevalent and pernicious diseases.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

DAILY UPDATE: The “Magnificent Seven” Technology Stocks PLUS Uber

By Staff Reporters

***

SPONSOR: http://www.MarcinkoAssociates.com

***

  • Markets: The Magnificent Seven technology mega-cap stocks—Microsoft, Apple, Alphabet, Nvidia, Tesla, Meta, and Amazon—have surged 75% this year, while the other 493 companies in the S&P 500 have gained 12%. The Magnificent Seven now account for nearly 30% of the entire index’s value, per the WSJ.
  • Stock spotlight: Speaking of the S&P 500, it’s getting a prominent new member—Uber will join the index today. With a market cap of $127 billion, Uber is the most valuable company that hadn’t yet been included in the S&P 500, and it celebrated by notching a 52-week high last week.
  • CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Refer a Colleague: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

Your referral Count: 0

Thank You

***

***

MICRO-CERTIFICATIONS: Physician Insider Knowledge for Financial Advisor Success?

Micro-Credentials on the Rise

KNOWLEDGE RICHES IN NICHES

DR. DAVID EDWARD MARCINKO MBA CMP

SPONSOR: http://www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org

***

***

Do you ever wish you could acquire specific information for your career activities without having to complete a university Master’s Degree or finish our entire Certified Medical Planner™ professional designation program? Well, Micro-Certifications from the Institute of Medical Business Advisors, Inc., might be the answer. Read on to learn how our three Micro-Certifications offer new opportunities for professional growth in the medical practice, business management, health economics and financial planning, investing and advisory space for physicians, nurses and healthcare professionals.

Micro-Certification Basics

Stock-Brokers, Financial Advisors, Investment Advisors, Accountants, Consultants, Financial Analyists and Financial Planners need to enhance their knowledge skills to better serve the changing and challenging healthcare professional ecosystem. But, it can be difficult to learn and demonstrate mastery of these new skills to employers, clients, physicians or medical prospects. This makes professional advancement difficult. That’s where Micro-Certification and Micro-Credentialing enters the online educational space. It is the process of earning a Micro-Certification, which is like a mini-degree or mini-credential, in a very specific topical area.

Micro-Certification Requirements

Once you’ve completed all of the requirements for our Micro-Certification, you will be awarded proof that you’ve earned it. This might take the form of a paper or digital certificate, which may be a hard document or electronic image, transcript, file, or other official evidence that you’ve completed the necessary work.

Uses of Micro-Certifications

Micro-Certifications may be used to demonstrate to physicians prospective medical clients that you’ve mastered a certain knowledge set. Because of this, Micro-Certifications are useful for those financial service professionals seeking medical clients, employment or career advancement opportunities.

Examples of iMBA, Inc., Micro-Certifications

Here are the three most popular Micro-Certification course from the Institute of Medical Business Advisors, Inc:

  • 1. Health Insurance and Managed Care: To keep up with the ever-changing field of health care physician advice, you must learn new medical practice business models in order to attract and assist physicians and nurse clients. By bringing together the most up-to-date business and medical prctice models [Medicare, Medicaid, PP-ACA, POSs, EPOs, HMOs, PPOs, IPA’s, PPMCs, Accountable Care Organizations, Concierge Medicine, Value Based Care, Physician Pay-for-Performance Initiatives, Hospitalists, Retail and Whole-Sale Medicine, Health Savings Accounts and Medical Unions, etc], this iMBA Inc., Mini-Certification offers a wealth of essential information that will help you understand the ever-changing practices in the next generation of health insurance and managed medical care.
  • 2. Health Economics and Finance: Medical economics, finance, managerial and cost accounting is an integral component of the health care industrial complex. It is broad-based and covers many other industries: insurance, mathematics and statistics, public and population health, provider recruitment and retention, health policy, forecasting, aging and long-term care, and Venture Capital are all commingled arenas. It is essential knowledge that all financial services professionals seeking to serve in the healthcare advisory niche space should possess.
  • 3. Health Information Technology and Security: There is a myth that all physician focused financial advisors understand Health Information Technology [HIT]. In truth, it is often economically misused or financially misunderstood. Moreover, an emerging national HIT architecture often puts the financial advisor or financial planner in a position of maximum uncertainty and minimum productivity regarding issues like: Electronic Medical Records [EMRs] or Electronic Health Records [EHRs], mobile health, tele-health or tele-medicine, Artificial Intelligence [AI], benefits managers and human resource professionals.

Other Topics include: economics, finance, investing, marketing, advertising, sales, start-ups, business plan creation, financial planning and entrepreneurship, etc.

How to Start Learning and Earning Recognition for Your Knowledge

Now that you’re familiar with Micro-Credentialing, you might consider earning a Micro-Certification with us. We offer 3 official Micro-Certificates by completing a one month online course, with a live instructor consisting of twelve asynchronous lessons/online classes [3/wk X 4/weeks = 12 classes]. The earned official completion certificate can be used to demonstrate mastery of a specific skill set and shared with current or future employers, current clients or medical niche financial advisory prospects.

Mini-Certification Tuition, Books and Related Fees

The tuition for each Mini-Certification live online course is $1,250 with the purchase of one required dictionary handbook. Other additional guides, white-papers, videos, files and e-content are all supplied without charge. Alternative courses may be developed in the future subject to demand and may change without notice.

***

Contact: For more information, or to speak with an academic representative, please contact Ann Miller RN MHA CMP™ at: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com [24/7] -OR- 770-448-0769[9:00 – 5:00 EST].

***

“23andMe” Hacked & “Neuralink” Device Defective?

By Staff Reporters

***

***

In a significant breach of privacy, hackers gained access to the DNA relatives data of 6.9 million users on 23andMe, posing serious questions about the security measures in place for our most personal data.

Meanwhile, Neuralink, the brain-computer interface company, faced disturbing reports about its clinical trials. Allegedly, up to a dozen monkeys suffered severe adverse effects, including brain swelling and partial paralysis, after being implanted with the Neuralink device.

Neuralink Corp. is an American company that is developing brain computer interfaces (BCIs) as of 2022. Founded by Elon Musk and a team of seven scientists and engineers, Neuralink was launched in 2016 and was first publicly reported in March 2017.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

DAILY UPDATE: Healthcare Artificial Intelligence Safety as the DJIA Sets Record

By Staff Reporters

***

SPONSOR: http://www.MarcinkoAssociates.com

***

Twenty-eight healthcare companies, including CVS Health , are signing U.S. President Joe Biden’s voluntary commitments aimed at ensuring the safe development of artificial intelligence (AI), a White House official said yesterday. The commitments by healthcare providers and payers follow those of 15 leading AI companies, including Google, OpenAI and OpenAI partner Microsoft to develop AI healthcare models responsibly.

***

***

Health insurance company Humana is being accused of allegedly wrongfully denying care to elderly patients, who are enrolled in Medicare Advantage Plans, using an augmented intelligence model “to override” physicians’ orders on “necessary care patients require,” according to a new lawsuit.

The lawsuit, filed by two Humana Medicare Advantage Plan customers on December th 12 in Kentucky, claims that Humana uses an AI model called nH Predict, and it allegedly has a high error rate. And allegedly, despite knowing that it’s inaccurate, the company still uses it.

Related: CVS, Kroger and Rite Aid face unsettling medical privacy concerns

***

***

Here is where the major benchmarks ended:

The S&P 500 index was up 12.46 points (0.3%) at 4,719.55; the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 158.11 points (0.4%) at 37,248.35; the NASDAQ Composite® (COMP) was up 27.59 points (0.2%) at 14,761.56.

  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) was down about 11 basis points at 3.923%, falling under 4% for the first time since early August.
  • The CBOE® Volatility Index (VIX) was up 0.25 at 12.44.

Financial shares remained among the market’s strongest post-FOMC gainers, reflecting ideas that lower interest rates will boost profit margins for banks. Goldman Sachs (GS) rallied nearly 6%, the second-best gain among Dow companies, and hit a 23-month high. The KBW Bank Index (BKX), which includes major companies like Bank of America (BAC) and Citigroup (C) as well as several regional lenders, surged 5% to a nine-month high.

Also, the small-cap Russell 2000® Index (RUT) continued to outgain large-cap counterparts, rising 2.7% to a 4 ½-month high.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Refer a Colleague: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

Your referral Count: 0

Thank You

***

***

DAILY UPDATE: Norton Healthcare Hacked – Pharma Chains Give Health Data to Police and the Stock Markets Climb

By Staff Reporters

***

SPONSOR: http://www.MarcinkoAssociates.com

***

Kentucky-based healthcare provider Norton Healthcare has confirmed that it has suffered a significant ransomware attack that may have put the data of millions of its patients at risk. In a filing to the Maine Attorney General on December 8th, the healthcare giant said that 2.5 million individuals had been affected by the breach.

***

***

Meanwhile, the nation’s largest pharmacy chains have handed over Americans’ prescription records to police and government investigators without a warrant, a congressional investigation found, raising concerns about threats to medical privacy. Though some of the chains require their lawyers to review law enforcement requests, three of the largest — CVS Health, Kroger and Rite Aid, with a combined 60,000 locations nationwide — said they allow pharmacy staff members to hand over customers’ medical records in the store.

The policy was revealed in a letter sent to Xavier Becerra, the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.).

HIPAA anyone?

***

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500 index was up 21.26 points (0.5%) at 4,643.70; the Dow Jones Industrial Average®(DJI) was up 173.01 points (0.5%) at 36,577.94; the NASDAQ Composite® (COMP) was up 100.91 points (0.7%) at 14,533.40.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) was down about 3 basis points at 4.206%.
  • The CBOE® Volatility Index (VIX) was down 0.56 at 12.07.

Technology shares were among Tuesday’s strongest performers despite a 12% drop in Oracle (ORCL), which plunged after reporting lighter-than-expected quarterly revenue late Monday. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) posted its highest close since January 2022.

Financial shares were also firm. Energy shares were under pressure because WTI Crude Oil futures (/CL) extended a slump below $70 per barrel and settled at its lowest price since late June.

Here is where the major benchmarks ended:

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Refer a Colleague: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

Your referral Count: 0

Thank You

***

***

The UK Questions Microsoft & OpenAI as Aetna Medicaid Aids Hungry Homeless

By Staff Reporters

***

SPONSOR: http://www.MarcinkoAssociates.com

***

United Kingdom Regulators Looking into Microsoft’s Partnership with OpenAI

A British watchdog is asking for feedback on whether Microsoft’s $13 billion, 49% stake in the ChatGPT-maker’s for-profit division constitutes a merger, the WSJ just eported. So, if the agency decides to launch a formal investigation into whether the partnership creates an unfair advantage in the artificial intelligence industry, it could eventually force the companies to change how they operate.

And, following OpenAI’s dramatic firing and rehiring of CEO Sam Altman last month, Microsoft was given a “nonvoting observer” seat on the OpenAI board.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

***

Aetna Better Health of Georgia has invested $510,000 in 17 local organizations that offer services for individuals experiencing food insecurity and homelessness across the state of Georgia.

“A holistic approach to health care starts with ensuring each individual has stable and consistent access to healthy, nutritious foods, as well as a safe place to live,” said Sonya Nelson, division president at Aetna Medicaid. “By partnering with local organizations committed to improving the quality of life for all Georgians, we can help ensure people’s most basic needs are fulfilled and they’re able to prioritize care for themselves and their families.”

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Refer a Colleague: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

Your referral Count: 0

Thank You

***

***

TELE-HEALTH: The “Smile Direct Club” Frowns

By Staff Reporters

***

7.2 The Skull – Anatomy and Physiology

***

SmileDirectClub is the latest casualty of what some have dubbed a startup Mass Extinction Event.

The telehealth company that attempted to revolutionize traditional orthodontics just announced that it was winding down operations less than three months after it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. At its peak, SmileDirectClub was valued at $8.9 billion and had raised $427 million as a private company before going public in 2019.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/082610254

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

***

The Perfect Holiday Gift [The “Business of Medical Practice”]

Third Edition of Classic Text Now Available

[Transformational Health 2.0 Skills for Savvy Doctors]

By Ann Miller RN MHA [Executive-Director]

Product Details

For the first time anywhere, we offer our loyal ME-P readers and subscribers an exclusive first look at the new book: The “Business of Medical Practice” from the Institute of Medical Business Advisors Inc, in Atlanta, GA www.MedicalBusinessAdvisors.com

Synopsis

Now in its 3rd edition, the book explores a variety of issues and seeks to answer these questions:

  • Does Health 2.0 enhance or detract from traditional medical care delivery, and can private practice business models survive?
  • How does transparent business information and reimbursement data impact the modern competitive healthcare scene?
  • How are medical practices, clinics, and physicians evolving as a result of rapid health- and non-health-related technology change?
  • Does transparent quality information affect the private practice ecosystem?

A Tool for all Stakeholders

Answering these questions and more, this newly updated and revised edition is an essential tool for doctors, nurses, and healthcare administrators; management and business consultants; accountants; and medical, dental, business, and healthcare administration graduate, doctoral students and virtually all stakeholders of the healthcare industrial complex.

Management and Operational Strategies for Private Practice

Written in plain language using nontechnical jargon, the text presents a progressive discussion of management and operation strategies. It incorporates prose, news reports, and regulatory and academic perspectives with Health 2.0 examples, and blog and internet links, as well as charts, tables, diagrams, and Web site references, resulting in an all-encompassing resource. It integrates various medical practice business disciplines-from finance and economics to marketing to the strategic management sciences-to improve patient outcomes and achieve best practices in the healthcare administration field. With contributions by a world-class team of expert authors, the third edition covers brand-new information, including:

  • The impact of Web 2.0 technologies on the healthcare industry
  • Internal office controls for preventing fraud and abuse
  • Physician compensation with pay-for-performance trend analysis
  • Healthcare marketing, advertising, CRM, and public relations
  • eMRs, mobile IT systems, medical devices, and cloud computing
  • and much more!

Front Matter: Front Matter BoMP – 3

Assessment

Please send any question/and or comments directly to us at: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

Conclusion

Your thoughts and comments on this ME-P are appreciated. Feel free to review our top-left column, and top-right sidebar materials, links, URLs and related websites, too. Then, subscribe to the ME-P. It is fast, free and secure.

Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Medical Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

OUR OTHER PRINT BOOKS AND RELATED INFORMATION SOURCES:

HOSPITALS: http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781466558731
CLINICS: http://www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781439879900
BLOG: www.MedicalExecutivePost.com
FINANCE: Financial Planning for Physicians and Advisors
INSURANCE: Risk Management and Insurance Strategies for Physicians and Advisors

Product DetailsProduct DetailsProduct Details

WHY: Your Medical Internet Marketing Campaign Still Isn’t Effective?

THE THREE VITAL ELEMENTS

SPONSOR: http://www.MarcinkoAssociates.com

***

***

A strong online presence is crucial for any medical or healthcare businesses, but many are struggling to figure out where to invest their marketing dollars. It is important to diversify marketing efforts and not rely solely on one channel, as changes in the industry are inevitable. Search marketing, direct marketing, and social media are three key components that healthcare organizations should incorporate in their marketing campaigns.

  1. Search marketing has evolved over the years with changes in Google’s algorithms and the saturation of the market, requiring a focus on quality content and the expertise of an expert.
  2. Direct marketing is becoming more popular, with lead generation companies and email marketing being effective and budget-friendly tactics. Social media is constantly evolving and increasing in price, with networks like Facebook and Twitter pushing paid advertisements.
  3. While social media should not be the focal point of a healthcare organization’s marketing campaign, it is an integral component that can contribute to search engine rankings.

***

***

Overall, a well-rounded marketing strategy that incorporates these three elements is crucial for success. A strong online presence is crucial for healthcare businesses, and diversifying marketing efforts across search marketing, direct marketing, and social media is important for success. Search marketing has changed with Google’s algorithms and increased ad costs, while direct marketing and social media have become more popular. Social media also affects search engine rankings.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

GEMINI: Google’s Large Language Model Released

LLM

By Staff Reporters

***

Gemini: Google's Latest AI Challenging GPT-4 - YouTube
  • About a year after OpenAI’s launch of ChatGPT brought the simmering artificial intelligence race to a boil, Google’s highly anticipated AI model, Gemini, has finally joined the competition. Released yesterday, Gemini is a large language model (LLM) that Google CEO Sundar Pichai and executives at the company’s DeepMind AI division say will revolutionize generative technology for business and daily life.

The tech is a family of three models that Google is slowly looping into its suite of services:

  • Gemini Nano is mainly for mobile devices. As of yesterday, Google Pixel 8 Pro owners could enlist Gemini Nano to summarize audio recordings or draft automatic message replies.
  • Gemini Pro is a midsize offering designed for more complex tasks. Pro now powers Google’s chatbot, Bard, but the AI tech isn’t available to Google Cloud customers until Dec. 13.
  • Gemini Ultra, the powerhouse version geared toward data centers and large companies, will launch next year and underpin “Bard Advanced,” a new chatbot that will be able to simultaneously process text, images, audio, and video, according to Google’s prerecorded demonstrations.

If Gemini can do what Google promises, it could chip away at OpenAI’s lead in the LLM space.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

HEALTHCARE Innovation and Practice Management on the Move

By Staff Reporters

***

Online therapy company Talkspace will provide free virtual mental health services to more than 400,000 adolescents and teens in New York City after inking a deal with the city. The new program, dubbed TeenSpace, will connect teens to a licensed therapist through phone, video and text.

***

***


The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has announced funding awards of $80.5 million to support four new studies focused on disparities in maternal health. They will take into account clinical and social factors that contribute to inequities and will compare interventions in various settings.


And … Ayble Health, a digital health platform for patients with chronic gastrointestinal conditions, is working with the Mayo Clinic Complex Care Program to offer a hybrid care model that matches patients with the appropriate virtual and in-person care based on acuity and need.

***

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

DAILY UPDATE: Hospital Ransomware Attack as Stock Markets Mixed Ahead of Inflation Reading

By Staff Reporters

***

SPONSOR: http://www.MarcinkoAssociates.com

***

A ransomware attack has caused a health care chain, which operates 30 hospitals in six states, to move patients from some of its emergency rooms to other hospitals, while putting certain procedures on pause, the company announced.

According to a statement from Ardent Health Services, the attack happened on November 23rd. The company said as a result of the attack, it took its network offline and suspended user access to its information technology applications, including the software used to document patient care.

***

***

Here is where the major benchmarks ended:

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500® index was down 4.31 points (0.1%) at 4,550.58; the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 13.44 points at 35,430.42; the NASDAQ Composite ® was down 23.27 points (0.2%) at 14,258.49.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) was down about 8 basis points at 4.261%.
  • CBOE ® Volatility Index (VIX) was up 0.29 at 12.98.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***

“BREAKING NEWS” Cigna and Humana to Merge?

By Staff Reporters

***

***

Cigna and Humana are in talks for a combination that would create a new powerhouse in the health-insurance industry. The companies are discussing a stock-and-cash deal that could be finalized by the end of the year, assuming the talks don’t fall apart.

***

***

A combination of the managed-care providers would be huge, given Cigna’s market value Wednesday morning of about $83 billion and Humana’s of roughly $62 billion.

***

***

Cigna and Humana previously explored merging in 2015, but Humana instead struck a deal with another rival, Aetna, that was blocked by a judge on antitrust grounds, leaving Aetna to be scooped up by CVS in 2018. Another deal that would have combined Cigna with Anthem, now known as Elevance Health, also died after an adverse antitrust ruling.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

Editor’s Note: Medicare Advantage plans are pretty popular with both lawmakers and ordinary Americans — they now enroll about 31 million people, representing just over half of everyone in Medicare, by KFF’s count. Across the country, doctors are grumbling about claim denials and onerous pre-approval requirements by Medicare Advantage plans. Some hospitals and physician practices are so fed up they’re refusing to accept the plans — even big ones like those offered by United Healthcare, Cigna and Humana.

“The insurance companies running the Medicare Advantage plans are pushing physicians and hospitals to the edge,” said Chip Kahn, president and CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals, which represents the for-profit hospital sector.

And, just last week, the industry’s largest lobbying group, the American Hospital Association, fired off a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services warning that some insurers seem intent on circumventing new rules put in place by the Biden administration aimed at reining in some prior authorization and claim denials.

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

DAILY UPDATE: Apple Credit Card, Drug Prices and the Modest Stock Markets

By Staff Reporters

***

SPONSOR: http://www.MarcinkoAssociates.com

***

Apple is pulling the plug on its credit card partnership with Goldman Sachs Group, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday. The tech giant recently sent a proposal to the Wall Street bank to exit the contract in the next 12 to 15 months, the report said, citing people briefed on the matter.

***

Senators Elizabeth Warren (Democrat) and Mike Braun (Republican) sent a letter to the US Department of Health and Human Services last week, asking it to investigate whether large insurance companies are hiking prescription drug prices at pharmacies they own

***

***

Here is where the major benchmarks ended:

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500® index (SPX) was up 4.46 points (0.1%) at 4,554.89; the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 83.51 points (0.2%) at 35,416.98; the NASDAQ Composite® (COMP) was up 40.73 points (0.3%) at 14,281.76.
  • The 10-year Treasury yield was down about 6 basis points at 4.33%.
  • The CBOE® Volatility Index (VIX) was little-changed at 12.69.

Semiconductor and transportation shares were among the weakest performers Tuesday, and regional banks were also under pressure. Small cap stocks also lagged. The Russell 2000® Index (RUT) fell about 0.4% for its lowest close in a week.

Retailers and utilities were among the firmest sectors. In other markets, the U.S. Dollar Index (DXY) weakened to its lowest level since mid-August, reflecting expectations that U.S. interest rates have peaked.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

***