Today on HITshow:







Pharma makes a major sleep medicine bet, and CMS advances national provider directory plans. Today's HITshow Daily spotlights Alkermes' $2.1 billion Avadel acquisition, CMS proof-of-concept contracts for unified provider data, and WeightWatchers' new employer GLP-1 model. Then in our second half, AI safety standards for mental health chatbots, and Bain research showing health systems are prioritizing primary care expansion and AI operations.







HOST: RHONDA BROOKS







📍 Pharma Acquisition — Logan Stokes







Alkermes acquires Avadel Pharmaceuticals for $2.1 billion. The deal gives Alkermes immediate access to LUMRYZ, an FDA-approved once-nightly narcolepsy treatment generating $265-275 million in annual revenue with 3,100 patients on therapy.







📍 Interoperability — Nate Collier







CMS awards proof-of-concept contracts to Availity, CAQH, Palantir, and Gainwell Technologies ($1 million each) to develop prototypes for a national provider directory.







📍 Employer Benefits — Peter Betterworth







WeightWatchers launches RxFlexFund at HLTH—a new employer model offering flexible funding for GLP-1 medications without breaking benefit budgets. The program addresses surging demand for drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy (often $1,500+ monthly) while helping employers manage costs through flexible coverage rather than all-or-nothing decisions.







📍 AI Safety Standards — Anika Shah







Spring Health introduces VERA-MH the first open, evidence-based standard for AI chatbot safety in behavioral health. The framework addresses concerns about hallucinations, inappropriate responses, and lack of clinical oversight in mental health AI applications, giving health systems and payers an evaluation framework before deployment.







📍 Strategic Research — Teresa Vaughn







Bain and Company survey reveals 77% of health system executives plan to expand primary care footprint over the next 5-7 years through owned practices and employed providers. Survey of 60 executives from systems with $1+ billion revenue shows heavy AI investment to address workforce shortages and administrative burden.







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