News in brief - May 23, 2011

Amagine users to get lab service

Michigan physicians who use the American Medical Association's online platform Amagine will soon have a new service to help standardize lab orders and results.

Covisint, the Detroit-based company that partnered with the AMA to design the Amagine platform, and JVHL, a network of 129 hospital laboratories in Michigan, announced the launch of a tool that will convert all local lab terminology into a standardized language called LOINC (Logical Observation Identifier Names and Codes). The standardization will allow a seamless exchange of lab data, helping physicians meet meaningful use.

"Historically, hospital labs have developed their own unique in-house codes, which limited the utility of laboratory data outside each individual hospital's environment," said Jack Shaw, executive director of JVHL. "We are excited that we have been able to work with Covisint to create an affordable and workable model that will have a direct impact on improving patient care for Michigan residents."

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Humana co-brands Medicare products with Reader's Digest

Reader's Digest Assn., the parent company of Reader's Digest, will sell a Medicare supplement plan co-branded with Humana beginning this year in as-yet-unannounced select states, the companies announced May 10.

They intend to develop other Medicare products and make the plans available nationwide.

The plans will include vision and dental coverage, as well as discounted rates on Reader's Digest Assn. products and wellness-focused publications, a joint news release said.

The release said that as part of its effort to promote the products, Reader's Digest will publish a "guide to Medicare decision-making and senior health" set to appear on newsstands in September.

Reader's Digest is published in 22 languages and claims an audience of 30 million people for each print issue, which the company says makes it the most widely read magazine in the world.

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