Tuesday, October 31, 2023

Weave Introduces AI-Driven Voicemail Transcriptions for Healthcare Providers

 

Weave (NYSE: WEAV), a leading all-in-one experience platform for small and medium-sized healthcare practices, today announces the addition of AI-driven voicemail transcriptions to its platform.

Now available to Weave’s 27,000+ customers, Voicemail Transcription automatically transcribes voicemails from patients allowing for efficient, visible, and private reading experiences. With this update, users will now see the voicemail transcription when they click on the Voicemail tab within their Desktop Application or within the mobile app, improving overall user experience by making it faster to consume messages without having to listen to the audio, which can often be difficult in busy settings.

“AI has exploded in popularity over the past year, and we’re taking steps to ensure Weave is delivering state of the art offerings that empower our customers to enhance patient experiences and deliver top of the line care,” said Branden Neish, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Weave. “AI will only continue to grow in popularity and daily use, which will have a transformative impact on the future of the healthcare industry. Weave customers that have already implemented AI into their practices claim they save an average of an hour a day with the technology.”

In a new customer and consumer report conducted by Weave, the company found that patients are accepting of AI in healthcare settings and they see it leading to enhanced care and patient experiences. In fact, the majority of consumers (65%) are open to providers using AI tools in their practices. The report also found that consumers and providers are aligned with how they think AI will impact the healthcare industry, with two in three consumers (67%) and 3 in 4 (75%) healthcare providers believing that AI is likely to become a prevalent tool in healthcare.

“Artificial Intelligence is the catalyst for a new era in healthcare.” says Dr. Matt Nejad, DDS of Beverly Hills, CA. “Weave’s AI-enabled voicemail transcripts are a leap in this direction, providing automation and actionable insights that empower providers to focus on what truly matters: patient care.”
This announcement follows months of AI-driven activity from Weave to enhance features that allow healthcare providers to deliver quality care and improve patient experiences, including Email Assistant and Response Assistant. To learn more about Weave Voicemail Transcriptions and Phones, go to: https://www.getweave.com/weave-phones/ 

About Weave
Weave is a leading all-in-one customer experience platform for small- and medium-sized healthcare businesses. From the first phone call to the final invoice and every touchpoint in between, Weave connects the entire customer journey. Weave’s software solutions transform how local businesses attract, communicate with and engage customers to grow their business. In the past year, Weave has been named a G2 leader in Patient Engagement, Optometry, Dental Practice Management and Patient Relationship Management software. To learn more, visit getweave.com/newsroom/

Monday, October 30, 2023

Update on Henry Schein Data Breach

 


For those of you not in the dental field, Henry Schein, Inc is the largest dental supply company in the world.  They have multiple divisions that provide supplies, support, and equipment to the medical, veterinary, and dental industries.  They not only sell supplies, but manufacture some as well.  The company is a huge presence in the dental industry and has branches all across the US and the world.

A couple of weeks ago (Saturday October 14th to be precise), the IT team at Henry Schein noticed someting usual in their digital systems dealing with manufacturing and distribution.  Detecting these anomalies, the systems were shut down and taken offline.  Since that time, the company has been at work trying to rectify the situation, understand what happened, and get everything back up and running.  As you can well imagine, something like this has been incredibly disruptive to the company.  

In addition to selling physical goods and repair services, Henry Schein also has many electronic goods and services that they provide to clients.  Schein owns and operates the largest dental practice management software system on the planet, having purchased the company called Dentrix in the early 2000s.  Since that time they have also purchased several other PMS companies.  In addition to the software companies, Schein also offers many "add-on" pieces such as credit card billing, insurance claims submission, and patient communication platforms that interface with the PMS side.  Basically their are massive numbers of dental offices that depend on Henry Schein in myriad ways to keep them up and running as well as providing them means of billing.  So, not only do practices depend on Henry Schein for their supplies they also depend on them to keep their cash flows steady.

For those doctors who are reading this in hope of finding out more about those business services your office may be dependent on, let me tell you that according to the company "Henry Schein has determined that the practice management software used by its clients has not been disrupted."

Schein is working relentlessly to get things fixed and back to working order as soon as humanly possible. 

I also want to state that I have been at many Schein sponsored technology summits over the years.  These are events the company sponsors where we meet with them, learn about new things they are implementing, and offer suggestions on product enhancements or new products.

In the not too distant past Schein spent about a 1/2 day of one of these summits to showcase their focus on digital security.  They brought in some of their digital security experts who walked us through the different ways they protected their data as well as providing the work history and qualifications of these experts.  I was impressed.  The team was loaded with folks who had incredibly amazing schooling and work histories.  Many had worked with 3 letter government agencies.  I came out of that meeting with a high regard for Schein's focus on security.  I remember thinking that even though NO system is 100% "hack-proof", I felt that Schein was doing about as much as possible to lock things down on their end.

I mention that here because I'm sure that there are customers reading this and I want to make sure those affected understand that Schein is doing everything they can to fix this.  I also want to emphasize how important maintaining security is.  Schein is a huge company with a name and a bank account that most likely was very interesting to the criminals involved.  They would be an understandable target.  While a small dental office would not be a target as lucrative as Schein, it's a target nonetheless.  Make sure you do all you can to prevent cyber related incidents.

The other point I want to emphasize is that I feel Henry Schein has been *very* transparent throughout this incident.  It seems that the *normal* protocol for companies hit with a cybersecurity incident is to delay and diffuse until the storm from the media has passed.  While that is probably good for the company's PR side, it is not good from the side of those users affected or potentially affected by having the data at risk.  Around April-May of 2022 the ADA was hit with a breach and it was almost impossible to get information from them regarding the incident.

I have been impressed with the transparency Schein has shown throughout this incident.

As I write this, the main Schein site for ordering is *still* offline with a popup window that offers suggestions on how to still order until they have things back together.  The team at Dental Products Report has an article that discusses the current situation as well as an update on things to this point.  You can read that article here.  














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Monday, October 23, 2023

DMG Launches NEW DentaMile Desk MC System


 

Plug-and-play system is designed to let dental professionals embrace digital dentistry effortlessly 

Ridgefield Park, New Jersey – October 18, 2023 DMG introduces the DentaMile Desk MC system, a complete and validated solution tailored for dental practices and small dental laboratories venturing into the world of dental 3D printing. This all-in-one system comprises a 3D printer, a washing unit, and a curing unit, creating a seamlessly integrated trio. 

The DentaMile Desk MC system delivers impressive performance and high precision in a convenient compact size. Seamlessly integrated with plug-and-play technology, the system ensures effortless coordination and immediate usability. 

The first component of the DentaMile Desk MC system is the DentaMile Desk MC-5 DLP printer. Its compact shape fits anywhere, yet it offers a spacious 5” x 3” x 3.5 build platform area for the simultaneous production of multiple devices. This user-friendly printer is compatible with all standard dental CAD programs (STL files). 

Additionally, the DentaMile Wash MC unit provides fast and fully automatic cleaning of the 3D-printed devices via highly efficient preset programs and its generously-sized cleaning container. Its magnetic mixer and removable basket ensure a thorough isopropyl alcohol cleaning of both devices. 

Lastly, the DentaMile Cure MC, is also designed with compactness and user-friendliness in mind. This curing unit’s Omni 360° technology – an advanced ultraviolet LED arrangement – ensures uniform curing of 3D-printed devices. The dual-frequency technology, featuring two wavelengths, adequately cures a variety of resins. 

The DentaMile Desk MC system can be used with DMG’s LuxaPrint suite of light-curing 3D printing resins and with DentaMile connect, the Company’s cloud-based design software with easy step-by-step guided workflows and an algorithm that automatically nests and slices print jobs. The DentaMile Desk MC system also comes with DentaMile CAM MC nesting and slicing software to prepare files for 3D printing. 

For more information about DMG, please visit https://www.dmg-america.com/. 



Thursday, October 19, 2023

PreXion Launches New X-Ray Sensor Along With 3-in-1 Imaging System

 



PreXion Launches New X-Ray Sensor Along With 3-in-1 Imaging System

PreXion, Inc., a leading provider of dental imaging solutions, has announced the launch of two new products: the Evolve Sensor intraoral dental digital imaging sensor and the PreXion3D Evolve CBCT, PAN and CEPH. These new products expand PreXion's dental imaging portfolio and offer clinicians advanced features and capabilities to improve patient care.

Evolve Sensor

The Evolve Sensor is a high-definition intraoral digital imaging sensor that provides clinicians with the precision they need for accurate and safer diagnoses. The sensor is fully compatible with all x-ray equipment available on the market and features user-friendly software designed to provide a smooth transition to digital imaging.

PreXion3D Evolve CBCT, PAN and CEPH

The PreXion3D Evolve CBCT, PAN and CEPH is a 3-in-1 imaging system that provides clinicians with a complete dental imaging solution in a single product. The system combines cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), panoramic (PAN) and cephalometric (CEPH) imaging into a single unit, providing clinicians with the ability to capture all of the necessary images for diagnosis and treatment planning in a single session.

The PreXion3D Evolve features a number of advanced features, including:

High-resolution imaging

Low radiation dose

A fast scan time

A user-friendly interface

A comprehensive software package

Benefits for Clinicians

The Evolve Sensor and PreXion3D Evolve offer clinicians a number of benefits, including:

Improved image quality: Both products produce high-resolution images that provide clinicians with a clear and detailed view of the patient's dentition.

Increased efficiency: The Evolve Sensor's fast scan time and the PreXion3D Evolve's ability to capture all of the necessary images in a single session can help clinicians to streamline their workflows and improve patient throughput.

Reduced radiation exposure: Both products use low-dose radiation technology to minimize the patient's exposure to radiation.

Enhanced patient care: The Evolve Sensor and PreXion3D Evolve can help clinicians to provide more accurate and comprehensive diagnoses and treatment plans, leading to better patient outcomes.

The Evolve Sensor and PreXion3D Evolve are significant additions to PreXion's dental imaging portfolio. These new products offer clinicians advanced features and capabilities to improve patient care.


Wednesday, October 18, 2023

REMastered Sleep Aims to Disrupt Sleep Industry with Preventative Airway Health Device for Children

 


REMplenish JrTMMyo-Nozzle is designed to help children establish an optimal foundation of airway health by strengthening their airways to improve breathing and sleep 

Minnesota-based REMastered Sleep is launching its newest product aimed at helping children ages three to nine years old breathe and sleep better. The REMplenish JrTM Myo-Nozzle is a smaller version of the popular REMplenish Myo-Nozzle designed especially for children to strengthen their 

REMplenish Jr Myo-Nozzle is a small drinking device that comes incorporated into a water bottle or can attach to a straw. The REMplenish Jr requires the user to push their tongue up rather than sucking in with their cheeks to get the water flowing. This unique mechanism provides targeted exercise repetitions effectively strengthening the tongue and airway muscles. 

”There is an airway health epidemic, with over 1 billion people suffering from sleep-related breathing disorders. Our modern soft food diets have resulted in smaller and weaker airways impacting our ability to breathe and sleep,” Anders Olmanson, CEO of REMastered Sleep said. “By providing this simple solution, we can change the trajectory of a child's airway health for a lifetime of better breathing and sleep.” 

Healthcare professionals have been using the REMplenish Jr Myo-Nozzle and have reported meaningful results. “I have seen great improvement in my younger patients who use REMplenish Jr. You can see the difference in their facial structures, the way they swallow and their tongue posture,” Karindy Ong, a speech language pathologist in Texas said. “I can’t wait to see how it can help more kids improve their growth and development, airway, and sleep.” 

REMplenish Jr is available now. Visit remasteredsleep.com to place your order, see a video about how it works or find more information.   

About REMastered Sleep: 

Minnesota-based REMastered Sleep is on a mission to eliminate preventable airway health issues. Their journey began in 2020 with an idea to help the estimated 1 billion people suffering from sleep-disordered breathing with REMplenish targeting snoring and sleep. Inspired by a didgeridoo study and backed by myofunctional therapy research, the patented REMplenish Myo-Nozzle was created. By now targeting issues in early childhood, the potential to prevent future generations from sleep and breathing disorders is within reach. Learn more at remasteredsleep.com. 


Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Henry Schein Suffers CyberSecurity Incident

 


This past Saturday, October 14, 2023 Henry Schein suffered a cybersecurity incident.  I want to give credit to the company for coming forward immediately to let customers and the industry know about the incident.

Usually a company waits months before letting anyone know, but Schein has made this announcement quickly and honestly.  Good for them!  While no company ever wants to have something like this happen, I'm proud of HS for being rapidly truthful about the situation.

Here is their official statement:

This email is to inform you of an important operational matter. Please note that this is an operational email and is not a marketing message, therefore, it is going to those that are opted in, and to those that have previously opted-out. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. 

Throughout our more than 90-year history, Henry Schein has been committed to serving your needs as a valued partner. We regret to inform you that on Saturday, October 14, we determined that a portion of our manufacturing and distribution businesses experienced a cybersecurity incident. Henry Schein promptly took precautionary action, including taking certain systems offline and other steps intended to contain the situation. 

We have engaged outside cybersecurity and forensic information technology experts to help investigate any data impact and respond to this situation. Henry Schein also has notified relevant law enforcement authorities. 

The precautionary action to take down certain systems has led to temporary disruption of some of Henry Schein’s business operations, and we are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible so that we can continue to provide the service you have come to expect. 

We have determined that the Henry Schein One practice management software used by our clients has not been disrupted. Other Henry Schein businesses are also unaffected, and these businesses will communicate separately with customers. 

If you have an urgent question about an order or any other additional inquiries, please call your Field Sales Consultant, email us at custserv@henryschein.com, or call us at 1-800-372-4346. 

The Henry Schein Service Department and Installation teams remain fully operational during this period. We are steadfastly committed to supporting your office needs. Kindly bear with us if you experience any interruptions or delays when reaching out to our dispatch hub due to higher-than-normal call volume. We appreciate your understanding. 

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this incident may have on your business. We will provide updates when additional information becomes available and, as always, we thank you for your support.

Monday, October 16, 2023

OraQ TM ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS



Transforming practice growth and case acceptance with Artificial Intelligence


OraQ announced today the official launch of its commercial operations in North America, offering dentists a state-of-the-art clinical decision support system that harnesses the analytical power of artificial intelligence and machine learning.

“We are so excited to launch OraQ's technology to dentists everywhere, giving them software that drives precision patient care and has been shown to increase treatment acceptance rates by up to 30%. Said CEO and co-founder, Dr. Amreesh Khanna.

Unlike other Artificial Intelligence platforms available today OraQ’s FDA and Health Canada approved platform is far more than just an imaging tool. According to co-founder Dr. Mike Parchewsky, “OraQ is a comprehensive treatment planning technology that analyzes the complete patient profile to uncover treatment opportunities that might otherwise be missed.”

"After years of working with disparate dental data, we have harnessed the power of AI to provide useful insights to clinicians and patients." said co-founder and Chief Technical Officer, Wayne Madhlangobe.

With its interactive patient portal, dentists are finding improved patient engagement through enhanced trust and transparency. The result is a better experience for both patient and clinician.

“Our impact and vision are about helping Dentists every day and anywhere deliver a patient experience that will be fulfilling and create lasting and meaningful relationships with their patients!", says Dr. Khanna.

For more information, visit www.OraQ.ai.