DHA taps Amwell, Leidos for ‘Digital First’ initiative
The Defense Health Agency has awarded Amwell and Leidos a new contract to develop a hybrid healthcare technology platform for the Military Health System’s ‘Digital First’ efforts.
WHY IT MATTERS
The deal will leverage the Amwell Converge platform to help DHA healthcare teams deliver more seamless “personal, virtual and automated” healthcare services for the MHS, officials say.
The DHA task order has a term of 22 months, if all options are exercised, with a total value of up to $180 million for Leidos Partnership for Defense Health, which is expected to deliver Amwell Converge.
That platform will replace the MHS Video Connect service, starting at five initial locations – followed by a phased rollout across the enterprise. Amwell will also deliver other automated care programs, such as behavioral health offerings and integrated core telehealth tools.
THE BIG TREND
The DHA’s Digital First initiative brings new capabilities and capabilities to MHS GENESIS, the Army’s advanced electronic health record. The Converge platform is already embedded in existing clinical workflows that care teams rely on, including those within the core EHR that powers MHS GENESIS.
At HIMSS23 last April, DHA leaders described the digital-first initiative and its goal to make MHS care delivery “more precise, personalized, predictive, preventive and participatory,” as Army Lt. Gen. Dr. Telita Crosland described it.
Military leaders discussed virtual care and MHS Genesis with HIMSS TV this spring.
The goal is to better serve the MHS community, which includes 9.6 million active duty service members, family members and retirees – improving the mental health and well-being of beneficiaries while reducing the burden on care teams, healthcare costs are reduced and the use of DHAs is optimized. clinical resources.
“Digital First is focused on DHA’s purpose of better outcomes, new processes, innovation and increased standardization based on evidence,” Jason McCarthy, Leidos Senior Vice President, Military and Veterans Health Solutions, said in a statement. “As part of our overall MHS GENESIS efforts to improve the patient experience, we, together with Amwell, look forward to providing near real-time self-service support and hybrid care options for our customers and those they serve.”
ON THE RECORD
“With this agreement, we are pleased to offer our unique capabilities and help improve access to quality care for the MHS community of users,” said Dr. Ido Schoenberg, chairman and CEO of Amwell. “We are grateful for their service and honored to have been selected to work with Leidos to support the Department of Defense as it strives to adopt and expand the benefits of hybrid care into the military health care system.”
Mike Miliard is editor-in-chief of Healthcare IT News
Email the writer: mike.miliard@himssmedia.com
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS publication.