OAKLAND, CA–(Marketwire – September 16, 2010) –  Every day thousands of patients are readmitted to hospitals because they did not get adequate follow-up care following their previous hospitalization. In fact, 18% of patients are readmitted to a hospital within 30 days of discharge — and as many as 76% of these readmissions are preventable. The most recent national figures on health care expenditures indicate that unplanned hospital readmissions cost Medicare $17.4 billion in a single year. In its latest report, “Technologies for Improving Post-Acute Care Transitions,” the Center for Technology and Aging examines how the use of a variety of existing technologies could dramatically reduce readmissions.

“Several technologies are widely available and have potential to support post-acute care transitions, but they are underutilized,” said David Lindeman, Ph.D., Director of the Center for Technology and Aging. “Home-use technologies help decrease readmissions in a variety of ways, including engaging patients and caregivers in ways that promote better communication, medication adherence, and monitoring of chronic conditions.”

The complete report is available for download at www.techandaging.org.

The report covers four post-acute care transition (PACT) technology focus areas. Included is information such as technology definitions, how they are used in the home, their impact on readmissions, and charts that compare basic features of various technologies.

• Medication adherence technologies
  • Non-adherence is responsible for 33% to 69% of medication related hospital readmissions.
  • Four categories are described in a chart that lists sample technologies, pros/cons of each, market stage, economics, and what function each fills in the medication adherence spectrum.
• Medication reconciliation technologies
  • “Med-rec” seeks to reduce adverse drug events. Twenty percent of discharged patients experience an adverse event and 2/3 of those are medication related.
  • A chart lists seven tools that help patients maintain an accurate list of medications, a description of each tool, and the organizations sponsoring them.

(More on medication optimization technologies is available in the Center’s report, “Technologies for Optimizing Medication Use in Older Adults.”)

• Remote patient monitoring (RPM) technologies
  • A chart shows RPM capabilities and applications.
  • A discussion of the VHA’s use of and research on Health Buddy.
  • A chart describing seven popular remote patient monitoring devices: Health Buddy, Telestation, Genesis DM, Intel’s Health Guide, LifeView, Ideal LIFE Pod, and Healthanywhere.

(More information is available in the Center’s report, “Technologies for Remote Patient Monitoring in Older Adults.”)

• Health information and communication technologies (ICT)
  • Personal health records and information — includes a description of the Stepping Stones Project of Whatcom County.
  • Web-based social networking — including a description of Tyze, www.tyze.org, which provides secure, online personal support networks.
  • Remote training and supervision technologies — includes a description of Rest Assured, and a Visiting Nurse Service of New York demonstration project.

According to the report, ICT enables timely access to vital health information. It points out that when ICT is used in conjunction with devices that monitor health parameters in the home, care becomes continuous rather than episodic. And, according to Dr. Lindeman, “care becomes patient-centered, rather than facility-centered.”

The report includes a description of four well-known care transition models with varying use of home-based technologies. The models are: the Care Transitions Intervention (www.caretransitions.org), Guided Care (www.guidedcare.org), the Transitional Care Model (www.innovativecaremodels.com/care_models/21/overview), and Geriatric Resources for Assessment and Care of Elders (www.medicine.iupui.edu/iucar/research/grace.asp).

The Center for Technology and Aging (www.techandaging.org) supports more rapid adoption and diffusion of technologies that enhance independence and improve home and community-based care for older adults. Through grants, research, public policy involvement and development of practical tools and best practice guidelines, the Center serves as an independent, non-profit resource for improving the quality and cost-effectiveness of long-term care services. The Center was established with funding from The SCAN Foundation (www.thescanfoundation.org) and is affiliated with the Public Health Institute (www.phi.org) in Oakland, CA.

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POCATELLO, ID–(Marketwire – September 16, 2010) –  TetriDyn Solutions, Inc. (OTCBB: TDYS), announced today that it has delivered a proven virtualization solution targeted specifically for hospital environments like Harms Memorial Hospital in American Falls, Idaho. The virtualization solution is built using the industry’s leading platforms for its customers to achieve energy savings, faster application and service delivery, full IT management automation, and higher levels of business continuity.

Virtualization improves the efficiency of IT resources by eliminating “one physical server to one application paradigm” by running multiple virtual machines on each physical machine. A typical datacenter’s budget spends two-thirds of the budget maintaining existing infrastructure needs. Using virtual machines, virtualization delivers more efficiency and better response to the dynamic needs of an organization. Servers, applications, and desktops can be virtualized in minutes, deploying when and wherever they are needed.

The design for the Harm’s virtual environment was developed after an initial assessment of the existing infrastructure was developed as a baseline. After securing grant resources from the State of Idaho specifically identified for improving business and revenue flow for critical access hospitals, TetriDyn and Harms began designing Harms’ new high-efficiency virtual environment. Susan Barger, Director of Development at Harms, stated, “TetriDyn Solutions provided us with the technical information enabling us to win a grant that solidified our infrastructure in preparation for the inevitable EMR implementation.”

TetriDyn’s IT Services department guided Harms by providing education and experience through the design, securing the best purchase prices, and implementing the right virtualization technology for their environment. The results were dramatic. Infrastructure servers are now fully leveraged by increasing their utilization. Servers were consolidated, reducing points of failure, all while achieving more energy-efficiency for a greener environment.

TetriDyn adheres closely to following the system engineering lifecycle for producing successful technology implementations. The end goals of which are to ensure that the customer’s needs or requirements are met and the project risk is substantially reduced.

About TetriDyn Solutions, Inc.
TetriDyn Solutions, Inc. (OTCBB: TDYS) specializes in providing business information technology (IT) solutions to its customers. TetriDyn Solutions optimizes business and IT processes by utilizing systems engineering methodologies, strategic planning, and system integration to add efficiencies and value to its customers’ business processes and to help its customers identify critical success factors in their business. For more information about the company, visit www.tetridyn.com.

RIVERSIDE, CA–(Marketwire – September 16, 2010) –  ONRAD, Inc., a leading radiology services provider, announces support for the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) by exhibiting at the Critical Access Hospital and Rural Health Clinic Conference in Kansas City, MO. 

Visit ONRAD at booth #221 to learn about the company’s complete teleradiology solution for critical access facilities, which can include standard teleradiology services, subspecialty teleradiology interpretations, professional radiology staffing, and technology consulting.

As a national radiology services provider, ONRAD’s team understands the challenges associated with staffing radiologists in rural locations. “ONRAD’s technology allows the radiology group to provide services to any location,” said Dr. Alix Vincent, Vice President of Medical Affairs at ONRAD. “We are even able to offer subspecialty expertise in the most difficult to staff areas including MSK and mammography.” 

“It is important that all patients have access to quality radiology services, regardless of where they are located, and ONRAD will continue to offer turnkey solutions to critical access hospitals at the most competitive prices,” said Dr. Vincent of the company’s dedication to working with rural facilities across the U.S.

About ONRAD: ONRAD is a full service physician-owned radiology provider offering customized radiology services including teleradiology solutions, professional radiology staffing, subspecialty teleradiology interpretations, and technology consulting. As a partner, ONRAD helps its customers be more competitive in their local markets by complementing and expanding the radiology services already in place, or providing a comprehensive solution.

About NRHA: The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) is a national nonprofit membership organization with more than 20,000 members. The association’s mission is to provide leadership on rural health issues. NRHA membership consists of a diverse collection of individuals and organizations, all of whom share the common bond of an interest in rural health.

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UTICA, NY–(Marketwire – September 15, 2010) –  CONMED Corporation (NASDAQ: CNMD), a medical technology company specializing in medical devices for surgical and patient monitoring markets, announced today that the Company will participate in the UBS Global Life Sciences Conference, on Monday, September 20, 2010 at 2:00 PM Eastern time. The event will be held in New York at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

Mr. Joseph J. Corasanti, President and Chief Executive Officer of CONMED, will discuss the Company’s business. The live webcast of CONMED’s presentation will be available at www.conmed.com in the Investor Relations – Events Calendar section of the website and will be available for replay through September 30, 2010.

CONMED Profile

CONMED is a medical technology company with an emphasis on surgical devices and equipment for minimally invasive procedures and patient monitoring. The Company’s products serve the clinical areas of sports medicine-arthroscopy, powered surgical instruments, electrosurgery, cardiac monitoring disposables, endosurgery and endoscopic technologies. Surgeons and physicians in a variety of specialties including orthopedics, general surgery, gynecology, neurosurgery, and gastroenterology use the Company’s medical devices. Headquartered in Utica, New York, the Company’s 3,300 employees distribute its products worldwide from several manufacturing locations.

Forward Looking Information

Certain statements made in the presentation may constitute forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and relate to the Company’s performance on a going-forward basis. They will be based upon management’s expectations and involve risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results, performance or trends, to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements therein or in previous disclosures. The Company believes that all forward-looking statements made by it have a reasonable basis, but there can be no assurance that management’s expectations, beliefs or projections as expressed in the forward-looking statements will actually occur or prove to be correct. In addition to general industry and economic conditions, factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: (i) the failure of any one or more of management’s assumptions to prove to be correct; (ii) the risks relating to forward-looking statements discussed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q; (iii) cyclical purchasing patterns from customers, end-users and dealers; (iv) timely release of new products, and acceptance of such new products by the market; (v) the introduction of new products by competitors and other competitive responses; (vi) the possibility that any new acquisition (and its integration) or other transaction may require the Company to reconsider its financial assumptions and goals/targets; (vii) increasing costs for raw material, transportation, or litigation; and/or (viii) the Company’s ability to devise and execute strategies to respond to market conditions.

CAMBRIDGE, MA–(Marketwire – September 15, 2010) –  BestNursingDegree.com, a comprehensive online resource for nursing education, today announced the recipients of the 2010 “Back to School” Nursing Scholarships.

Scholarships of $2,500 each were awarded to one current registered nurse enrolling in an RN to BSN program, and one aspiring registered nurse enrolling in a second degree nursing program. The winners, chosen from a pool of over 600 applicants, are Adelpha Abrahamson Larkin of San Carlos, California, and Sheryll Brown of Tallahassee, Florida. Recipients were selected on the basis of a number of factors, including academic achievements and extracurricular activities. “We are pleased to congratulate Adelpha and Sheryll on winning the scholarships,” said Joseph Deal, the founder of BestNursingDegree.com. “We had a large pool of well-qualified applicants, and we wish all of them the best of luck in their studies.”

The scholarship was created in response to the ongoing nursing shortage and is an effort to enable more students to pursue nursing education. The program was administered by Scholarship America, the nation’s premier administrator of private scholarships. The application process for the next round of the “Back to School” Nursing Scholarships will begin in March 2011.

About BestNursingDegree.com:

BestNursingDegree.com strives to be the most comprehensive nursing education resource on the Web. Its directory includes more than 7,700 on-campus and online nursing degree programs from more than 2,300 schools across the United States. The website also features expert articles, interviews and career information. For more information, please visit www.bestnursingdegree.com.

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WASHINGTON, DC–(Marketwire – September 15, 2010) –

About Surescripts
Surescripts operates the nation’s largest e-prescription network and supports the most comprehensive ecosystem of health care organizations nationwide. Surescripts was founded on the principles of neutrality, transparency, interoperability, efficiency, collaboration and quality. Surescripts connects prescribers in all 50 states through their choice of e-prescribing software to the nation’s leading payers, chain pharmacies and independent pharmacies. The Nation’s E-Prescription Network is available every day to healthcare providers in need of low-cost, electronic access to prescription and health information. By securely and reliably providing that information during emergencies and routine care, Surescripts is committed to saving lives, improving efficiency and reducing the cost of health care for all. For more information, go to www.surescripts.com and follow us at twitter.com/surescripts.

CALABASAS, CA–(Marketwire – September 15, 2010) – The McKenzie Institute has long been recognized as a leader in the professional development of physical therapists, especially in what has become known as the “McKenzie Method.” A recent partnership agreement with continuing education provider EDUCATA widens the scope of courses offered by the Institute to include EDUCATA’s interactive content, and exposes its own classes to the large number of EDUCATA members.

“Post-grad education for clinicians has been the cornerstone of our Institute since the mid 1950’s, when our highly-effective and evidence-based method of assessment, diagnosis and treatment for the spine and extremities was developed,” said Stacey Lyon, Executive Director of The McKenzie Institute USA. “Partnering with EDUCATA allows us to build on this foundation with additional courses that meet our standards of quality and boost our Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) Certification curriculum.”

“We are extremely proud of counting McKenzie among our partners,” said Dr. Marilyn Pink, EDUCATA President and CEO. “The Institute represents all that we value in the education of the therapist: a truly professional approach that delivers evidence-based content to PTs around the world.”

Under the terms of the agreement, EDUCATA courses will be accessed from the education channel at mckenziemdt.org and McKenzie courses will form part of EDUCATA’s catalog of offered classes.

About The McKenzie Institute: The McKenzie Institute USA, founded in 1982 as the first official branch and recognized as 501(c)3 not-for-profit, is one of 26 branches worldwide that train and certify physical therapists and other healthcare professionals through its multi-level educational curriculum. The Institute was proud to add an APTA and AAOMPT approved Fellowship Program in MDT in 2008.

About EDUCATA:  EDUCATA.COM is a unique, interactive, Web 2.0 education platform that delivers online learning. It offers a broad spectrum of courses from orthopaedics and pulmonology to geriatrics and oncology that are taught by top-ranked educators and experienced clinicians. EDUCATA’s partners include the World Confederation for Physical Therapy and many APTA chapters and sections. The company is a leader in providing continuing education for physical therapists and other medical professionals. 

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ATLANTA, GA–(Marketwire – September 15, 2010) –  The following is a letter to shareholders from the CEO of ALR Technologies.

Dear Shareholders:

As ALR Technologies (OTCBB: ALRT) is entering a new phase of business development, I am writing to report on our progress. The Company is preparing to launch the ALRT Health-e-Connect (HeC) System, a system that tracks adherence to care plans of patients with chronic conditions. The Company has extensive experience in developing medication reminders and ALRT has added the ability to remotely collect data from medical devices in the new HeC System.

A 510(k) was filed for the HeC System with the FDA on July 23, 2010. We expect clearance before the end of 2010. The HeC may be offered for sale in the U.S. when it receives 510(k) clearance.

Initially, our efforts will be focused on treatment of diabetes. This is because the disease has reached pandemic proportions globally. There are many complications related to the disease and it is the most expensive chronic condition to treat. 

The effectiveness of diabetes treatment can be measured by improvements in A1C (a long-term measure of control over blood glucose). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “in general, every percentage point drop in A1C blood test results (e.g., from 8.0% to 7.0%) can reduce the risk of microvascular complications (eye, kidney, and nerve diseases) by 40%.”¹ The ALRT HeC System has shown in a clinical trial to reduce A1C by 1.2%².

Using the HeC with current medical protocols could mean billions of dollars in savings for just the treatment of diabetes. 

Two landmark diabetes studies³ concluded that intensive glucose control could delay or possibly even prevent diabetes-related complications. The HeC System has shown to be a platform that can be successfully used for intensive glucose control.

Importantly, the HeC can be deployed for intensive glucose control for diabetes treatment without involving frequent time consuming and expensive visits with the patients. Therefore, the HeC would offer healthcare providers with an efficient way of treating patients and would also be affordable to payers. The HeC can easily be implemented for all who care for diabetes patients⁴.

Intensive glucose control puts a diabetes patient in charge of his condition. According to an estimate by Health Partners, a diabetes patient who is in control of his condition might incur $5,000 in costs per year, but a patient who is not could incur costs up to $45,000 annually⁵ due to emergency room visits and hospital stays — not to mention lost productivity.

The Company is currently pursuing reimbursement opportunities, which will allow healthcare providers to receive appropriate compensation for providing affordable intensive glucose control to their patients. This in turn will also benefit public and private healthcare insurers by helping them to realize substantial cost savings. The prospective reimbursement for intensive glucose control using the HeC could stimulate and accelerate early adoption of the HeC System by providing healthcare providers who treat diabetes patients with a new source of revenue.

ALRT is continuing to support clinical trials and research. In addition to the clinical trial mentioned above, a different pilot sponsored by the Company⁶ showed that average A1C scores dropped from 7.6 to 6.7 over a 3 month period. At the same time, average frequency of self-testing for blood sugar increased from 1.4 times per day to 3.1 per day. HeC is also designed to accurately measure the frequency of self-testing, and ALRT is supporting a new clinical trial to measure frequency of self-testing and its impact on A1C.

At ALRT, we are excited and encouraged by the prospects for the Company and look forward to being an important partner in containing treatment costs of chronic diseases, especially diabetes in the U.S. and other countries. Thank you all for your continued support. As we move ever closer to bringing our vision to reality, we anticipate realizing the rewards from the great potential of the ALRT Health-e-Connect (HeC) System. A visit to our website, www.alrt.com, will give you a good representation of the capabilities and impact of our exciting product.

Yours truly,
ALR TECHNOLOGIES INC.

Sidney S Chan
Chairman & CEO 

About ALR Technologies Inc.
ALRT Health-e-Connect (HeC) System is the principal product of the Company. HeC is a web based application for medical professionals to improve compliance and adherence of care plans of patients in their homes. HeC is programmed to assist healthcare providers caring for diabetes patients. The platform will be expanded to cover patients with other chronic diseases. More information on ALR Technologies and its products can be found at http://www.alrt.com. 

This release contains certain “forward-looking statements” relating to ALR Technologies’ business, and these statements reflect the current views of ALR Technologies with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. When used, the words “estimate”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “believe” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. There are many factors that could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of ALR Technologies and its products to be materially different from any future results, performances or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Further management discussions of risks and uncertainties can be found in the company’s quarterly filings with the Securities Exchange Commission.

¹ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National diabetes fact sheet: general information and national estimates on diabetes in the United States, 2007. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008. (Page 11-12)
² Tildesley HD, Mazanderani AB, Ross SA; Effect of Internet therapeutic intervention on A1C levels in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with insulin; Diabetes Care. 2010 Aug;33(8):1738-40
³ DCCT and EDIC: The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial and Follow-up Study; National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) A service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK), NIH; http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/control/
⁴ ALR Technologies Inc. Press Release; http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Features-of-the-ALRT-Health-e-Connect-HeC-System-for-Intensive-Diabetes-Treatment-1306468.htm
⁵ Health Partners. Beyond Benefits. January 2006. http://www.healthpartners.com:747/media/beyondbenefits/BB0106_br.htm Last accessed 8/13/10
⁶ ALR Technologies Inc. Press Release; http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Average-A1c-Reduced-From-76-67-After-Three-Months-Initial-Report-ECHO-Employers-Coalition-927781.htm

MARKHAM, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Sept. 15, 2010) – Leisureworld Senior Care Corporation (TSX:LW) today announced that the Company’s dividend for September, 2010 will be $0.0708 per share, representing $0.85 per share on an annualized basis. Payment will be made on October 15, 2010 to shareholders of record September 30, 2010.

About Leisureworld

Leisureworld is the third largest licensed long-term care (LTC) provider in Ontario. The Company owns and operates 26 LTC homes, representing approximately 4,314 beds across Ontario, Canada. Leisureworld also owns and operates one retirement home with 29 beds and one independent living home with 53 apartments. Leisureworld subsidiaries include: Preferred Health Care Services, an accredited provider of professional nursing and personal support services, Ontario Long Term Care, a provider of purchasing services, dietary, social work, and other regulated health professional services, and Tealwood Developments, a provider of laundry services to the Leisureworld Homes.

PITTSBURGH, PA–(Marketwire – September 15, 2010) –  Privately owned Deaf-Talk LLC dba DT Interpreting, the industry leader in on-demand video sign language interpreting, announced today that, pursuant to a stock exchange agreement, it has completed a reverse merger with Morgan Equities Group, Inc., a public company. Over ten-years old, DT Interpreting provides around the clock nationwide in-hospital interpreting services for the deaf. The newly merged company is named Deaf-Talk, Inc. and trades under the symbol (PINKSHEETS: MGQG). Deaf-Talk markets its services as DT Interpreting.

“DT Interpreting is the largest, fastest-growing company in its field with almost 400 hospital installations concentrated in the eastern and southern United States,” stated David Stauffer, executive vice president. “The company, which derives a large portion of its revenue from three-year contracts, now plans to market its services throughout the US southwest and entire western seaboard, with emphasis on California and Texas.”

DT Interpreting President, Robert Fisher, added: “The company attributes its leading market position to the integration of solid technology with certified sign language interpreters, which makes the communication between health care professionals and the deaf easy and timely. This is particularly important in emergencies when a few short minutes could be the difference between life and death.”

In addition to its video sign language interpreting, DT Interpreting also offers on-demand over-the-phone interpreting in more than 150 languages, full-scale document translation services and transcription into Braille.

More information about DT Interpreting can be found on the Company’s website: www.dtinterpreting.com.

About DT Interpreting
Founded in 1999 and now the industry leader, publicly-traded DT Interpreting is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA with sales and customer service offices in Connecticut, Ohio and North Carolina. The Company provides on-demand video sign language and over the phone language interpretation, as well as full-scale document translation and translations into Braille.

Safe Harbor Statement: This release contains forward-looking statements with respect to the results of operations and business of Deaf Talk, Inc. dba DT Interpreting, which involves risks and uncertainties. The Company’s actual future results could materially differ from those discussed. The Company intends that such statements about the Company’s future expectations, including future revenues and earnings, and all other forward-looking statements be subject to the “Safe Harbors” provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

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ALISO VIEJO, CA–(Marketwire – September 15, 2010) –  ExtendCredit.com, an online provider of customer financing plans for small and mid-sized businesses, today announced a new program designed to help Veterinarians and Animal Hospitals looking for an alternative to conventional third-party financing offer their own extended payment terms to pet owners. ExtendCredit.com is seeking to enroll veterinarians and animal hospitals in ExtendCredit.com’s Pet Healthcare Payment Plan program while also educating pet owners to ask their pet’s doctor or local animal hospital to offer affordable payment plans for pet healthcare.

Veterinarians and animal hospital administrators can sign up for the new program at www.extendcredit.com/petcare-credit.html or by calling (888) 364-2808.

“We recognize that pets are part of the family, and like any family member, pets sometimes need an emergency medical procedure to relieve suffering from a very treatable illness or injury,” said Joe Simrell, Co-President, ExtendCredit.com. “But unlike other family members, pets aren’t covered by the family’s medical insurance and pet insurance typically does not cover enough of the bill. In today’s tough economy, pet owners face hard choices about how they intend to pay for an emergency surgical procedure for their pet. Using a veterinarian or animal hospital that offers our payment plan program, they can get authorized for the procedure and pay for it without breaking their budget.”

According to Simrell, most pet owners have no plan for dealing with a serious health issue for their pet or pets. Those that do, and use conventional third party financing or have a pet insurance plan, find that those options are often inadequate for their needs. He notes conventional third party financing approval rates have dropped off as the credit markets have tightened. Only a small number of those who apply for these programs today are eligible and most have to have a high credit score to qualify. And even then, only certain procedures are covered. With ExtendCredit.com’s Pet Healthcare Payment Plan program, extended payment terms are mutually agreed upon between the veterinarian/animal hospital and the pet owner and ExtendCredit.com handles everything from there.

When there’s a pet health emergency, usually from a pet that’s been struck by a car, most animal hospitals charge $100 to $300 for an examination fee. A surgical procedure can range $500 to $5,000 depending on the ailment. There’s an old expression: “can’t afford the Vet, can’t afford the pet.” For pet owners suddenly faced with an unexpected veterinarian bill, ExtendCredit.com’s advice is to ask about financing plans up front. And to encourage their Veterinarian and Animal Hospital to use ExtendCredit.com’s automated payment plan service.

While pet owners consider their pets part of the family, in the eyes of the law, a pet is property. But unlike having a watch or TV set repaired, Veterinarians and Animal Hospitals release pets to their owners when they are well enough to go home. It’s then very difficult to make sure a pet owner pays the cost of the pet’s care. With ExtendCredit.com payment plans, the pet owner gets a payment they can afford, while veterinarians and animal hospitals can earn additional revenue through modest finance charges.

Click here to watch a short video about the program, or to sign up for the program, Veterinarians and Animal Hospital administrators can go to www.extendcredit.com/petcare-credit.html or call (888) 364-2808.

About ExtendCredit.com
Based in Southern California, ExtendCredit.com is a fully automated, online service that makes it easy for small and mid-sized businesses to create and manage their own payment plans for professional services and products.

ExtendCredit.com puts the business in control of their customer financing making it an effective, affordable, easy-to-use alternative to the high cost and complexity of bank and credit card lending in today’s tightened credit market. Businesses control the terms offered and who gets approved, while ExtendCredit.com provides all the tools needed to be successful, stay in control, and fully comply with lending laws.

ExtendCredit.com is used by businesses throughout the United States, most notably in the healthcare, animal care, services, and retail industries. ExtendCredit.com is a division of BillWise, Inc., and is headquartered in Aliso Viejo, California. More information is available at www.extendcredit.com.

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SAN FERNANDO, CA–(Marketwire – September 15, 2010) –  Precision Dynamics Corporation, the global leader in healthcare identification solutions, has been awarded a 3-year contract extension from Amerinet for patient wristbands, allowing Amerinet customers to lock in significant potential savings. Amerinet is a leading national healthcare group purchasing organization with more than 2,500 acute care hospitals and 25,000 alternate care members in its network of healthcare providers.

The Contract VH2100 for wristbands is active through October 31, 2013. It provides Amerinet clients with access to Precision Dynamics’ leading line of ID solutions for accurate, reliable and easy-to-use positive patient identification throughout the continuum of care, helping to prevent errors and improve clinical outcomes.

The agreement will help Amerinet clients continue to enhance their operating margins and cash flow. New cost savings include a committed Tier that will pass on a minimum savings of 10% off the standard Amerinet contract for those members who meet the requirements of Precision Dynamics’ PowerPlus™ Purchasing Program.

“As a partner with Amerinet for over 10 years, Precision Dynamics shares Amerinet’s goal of providing high quality care through positive ID solutions, while reducing costs and streamlining operations in healthcare,” said Gary Hutchinson, President and CEO of Precision Dynamics. “We look forward to our continued collaboration to provide positive ID and positive outcomes.”

Precision Dynamics was awarded the wristband contract as part of Amerinet’s intensive contract selection process, which focuses on delivering high quality, cost-effective solutions to the healthcare industry. Precision Dynamics is also under contract with Amerinet for its labeling solutions (contract VH05600).

About Precision Dynamics Corporation (PDC):
The Leading Provider of Positive ID and Positive Outcomes™
With more than 50 years of experience, Precision Dynamics provides accurate, reliable, and easy-to-use healthcare ID solutions that empower the flawless delivery of care and enhance outcomes across all major hospital functions. PDC products are used in all of the leading hospitals worldwide and comprise a comprehensive range of wristband and labeling systems that provide positive ID and positive clinical outcomes.

Precision Dynamics products meet important guidelines of the Joint Commission, World Healthcare Organization, FDA, AHA, and HIPAA. As the developer of the first single-piece patient wristband, the first bar code wristband system, and the first Smart Band^® RFID wristband system, Precision Dynamics solutions are an integral part of some of the most successful patient safety initiatives. As an ISO 9001 certified company, Precision Dynamics follows a systematic, world-standard approach to ensure superior product design, manufacturing, and customer supper services. Precision Dynamics constantly thrives to better understand customer needs and measures performance through vehicles such as its Customer Council and Customer Survey Program. For more information, call 800.772.1122 or visit www.pdcorp.com/healthcare.

About Amerinet
As a leading national healthcare group purchasing organization, Amerinet strategically partners with acute and alternate care providers to reduce costs and improve quality through its performance solutions. Built on a foundation of data, savings and trust, and supported by a team of clinical and supply chain experts, Amerinet enriches healthcare delivery for its members and the communities they serve. To learn more about the Amerinet difference, visit www.amerinet-gpo.com.

Precision Dynamics Corporation, product names, company names, marks, logos and symbols mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Precision Dynamics Corporation. All other product names, company names, marks, logos and symbols mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective owners.

LONDON, ENGLAND–(Marketwire – Sept. 15, 2010) – George Michael’s accident highlights the possible dangers of driving with cannabinoids in the blood. Under UK law this in itself is not an offence, however, if the driver is impaired due to the cannabinoids, then this creates an offence.

The UK has recently approved the use of a cannabinoid spray for the treatment of spasticity in patients with Multiple Sclerosis. 

The Summary of Product Characteristics of this compound, which is the information that the regulatory authority approves to give to doctors, states in relation to Sativex and driving that ‘Sativex may produce undesirable effects such as dizziness and somnolence which may impair judgement and performance of skilled tasks. Patients should not drive, operate machinery or engage in any hazardous activity if they are experiencing any significant CNS effects such as dizziness or somnolence. Patients should be aware that Sativex has been known to cause a few cases of loss of consciousness’.

The Patient Information Leaflet which patients are given says that ‘You must not drive or use machinery when you first start to take Sativex and until you are established on a stable daily dose. Sativex may cause you to feel sleepy or dizzy, which may impair your judgment and performance of skilled tasks. It has also rarely been reported to cause a brief loss of consciousness. Once you are more used to taking Sativex and your dose is stable, you should still not drive or use machinery if Sativex causes effects such as sleepiness or dizziness that could impair your ability to perform these tasks. If you are not sure, do not drive or operate machines’.

Dr Malcolm VandenBurg who has given many medico legal opinions involving patients who have been prosecuted for driving with active and inactive cannabinoids in the system has given many opinions for the defence where patients have been prosecuted when their blood only contains inactive cannabinoids and there has been no evidence of impairment states that “thus patients are not told not to drive and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) seem content with this warning. That is like telling people who have drank alcohol that they are safe to drive unless they themselves feel impaired. How can that be right? 

The argument put forward is that the spray produces such a low concentration and clinical evidence suggests patients are unlikely to be effected, however, plasma levels in some patients reach concentrations which may impair driving skills and it is possible that they will not be aware of this.

The manufactures and MHRA also took into account the research evidence which did not show in many patients substantial impairment. However, some will be impaired. To leave it up to the patient is absurd.” 

Dr Malcolm VandenBurg wonders about the difference between legal Sativex and illegal smoking because as in the UK it is illegal to drive under the influence of substances such as illegal cannabis, it is interesting to know what position the courts will take if patients have accidents while their blood or urine shows they have cannabis in the body related to the prescription medicine.

If they are impaired, it is likely they could be prosecuted. It is interesting to postulate, but not useful as to what view the court will take.

“How can it be legal to drive when impaired after smoking cannabis and not be illegal to drive after using prescription cannabis? The manufacturers and MHRA have created this paradox. They should have warned patients not to drive.” 

Dr Malcolm VandenBurg points out that the product licence holders and the MHRA obviously accept that Sativex may be psychoactive but wonders why these same warnings are not given in the Summary of Product Characteristics and the Patient Information Leaflet, they are clearly different. How can doctors be told something different from patients.

“Despite the obvious psychoactivity of Sativex, the manufacturers and MHRA argue that they have taken the warning from other psychoactive medications such as the benzodiazepines where it is left up to the patient. However, although the warning to doctors is similar, the warning to patients is far more complicated. They thus acknowledge there is some danger. However, this could also be argued to be inadequate and our roads would certainly be safer if there was zero tolerance to both cannabis and benzodiazepines.”

NEEDHAM, MA–(Marketwire – September 14, 2010) –  The Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Medical Research Foundation (AMRF), a private foundation funding collaborative translational science programs, announced today an important new publication in the September 8, 2010 online issue of the journal Science Express. The paper, co-authored by AMRF-funded scientists Victor Velculescu of Johns Hopkins University and Dennis Slamon of the University of California, Los Angeles, identifies two genes not previously implicated in ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC). This finding provides two novel targets for the development of new drugs to treat this aggressive form of ovarian cancer that is generally resistant to current therapies.

“The collaboration among Drs. Velculescu, Slamon and their other Adelson Medical Research Foundation-funded colleagues brings together distinguished laboratories with capabilities in cancer genomics, genetics, and the treatment of cancer in women to uniquely analyze ovarian tumors,” said Dr. Miriam Adelson, Trustee and Executive Director of the Foundation. “This is an example of our Foundation’s unique collaborative model in action,” noted Sheldon G. Adelson, Trustee of the Foundation and Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Las Vegas Sands Corp. “By funding collaborative teams from a number of major biomedical research institutions and a variety of scientific disciplines, we are bringing new insights to some of the most challenging areas of cancer research,” Dr. Adelson elaborated.

“This study implicates PPP2R1A as a novel oncogene and ARID1A as a novel tumor suppressor gene in OCCC, neither of which had previously been implicated in ovarian cancer,” noted Dr. Kenneth H. Fasman, Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of AMRF. “This opens the door for two new directions in cancer drug discovery,” Fasman said.

Victor E. Velculescu, M.D., Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Oncology and Director of Cancer Genetics at the Ludwig Center for Cancer Genetics and Therapeutics of the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. He has co-authored many seminal papers on cancer genomics with his Hopkins co-authors Bert Vogelstein and Kenneth W. Kinzler. Dennis J. Slamon, M.D., Ph.D., is director of Clinical/Translational Research, and director of the Revlon/UCLA Women’s Cancer Research Program at the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is Professor of Medicine, chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology and Executive Vice Chair for Research for UCLA’s Department of Medicine. For 12 years, Slamon and his colleagues conducted the laboratory and clinical research that led to the development of the new breast cancer drug Herceptin, which targets a specific genetic alteration found in about 25 percent of breast cancer patients. Drs. Velculescu and Slamon are members of the Adelson Medical Research Foundation’s ovarian cancer research collaboration.

The Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Medical Research Foundation, established in 2006, is a private foundation committed to a model of open and highly integrated collaboration among outstanding investigators who participate in goal-directed basic and clinical research to prevent, reduce or eliminate disabling and life-threatening illness. The Foundation creates a culture of scientific discovery, evaluation, and clinical application directed by the experiences of scientists who are not bound by searching for the cure of any single disease. Programs within the Foundation are defined in broad terms. The Adelson Program in Cancer Research pursues therapies targeted to the mechanisms that make cells malignant, and the Adelson Program in Neural Repair and Rehabilitation seeks to manipulate the regeneration of axons in the brain, spinal cord and peripheral nerves.

For additional information on the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Medical Research Foundation, please visit www.adelsonfoundation.org/AMRF.

MUNDELEIN, IL–(Marketwire – September 14, 2010) – Medline Industries, Inc., the nation’s largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of healthcare supplies, announced today the signing of a three-year national agreement with Premier Purchasing Partners, the group purchasing unit of Premier, Inc., to provide surgical mesh biomaterials used in soft tissue reinforcement to the more than 2,200 U.S. hospitals and 58,000 healthcare sites that are members of the Premier healthcare alliance. The agreement, which takes effect October 1, 2010, includes MotifMESH^® and VitaMESH^® products for the repair and reinforcement of hernia and other fascial defects.

“We’re very pleased to have been chosen for this contract award based on our shared values of providing great patient care while reducing overall healthcare costs,” said Marc Lessem, Medline’s Vice President of Advanced Wound Care. “Our innovative surgical mesh solutions give Premier members an efficient and effective way to improve patient outcomes in this growing arena.”

Ventral hernia repairs account for approximately 420,000 hernia repair operations annually in the U.S.¹ When a ventral hernia occurs, it usually arises in the abdominal wall where the muscle has weakened or where a previous surgical incision was made.² 

MotifMESH^® is an ideal mesh for ventral hernia repair because it is made from a unique “condensed” polytetrafluoroethylene (cPTFE) polymer. It has a macroporous structure which allows rapid incorporation into the abdominal wall while offering a reduction in adhesion formation to the cPTFE surface. It is the thinnest mesh available for ventral hernia repair at nearly 10X thinner than the two most commonly promoted intra-abdominal meshes.

More common than ventral hernias are inguinal (or groin) hernias, which account for approximately 700,000 hernia operations annually in the U.S.³ Statistically, the lifetime chance of having an inguinal hernia is 27 percent for men and 3 percent for women.⁴ The surgical operation is intended to repair a protrusion of abdominal-cavity contents occurring through the inguinal canal. VitaMESH is a strong, lower weight, transparent and easy to manipulate condensed polypropylene material making it a perfect choice for both laparoscopic and open hernia repairs. It is comprised of large interstices providing excellent visibility through the mesh forming a strong, fibrous wall.

About Premier, Inc.
The Premier healthcare alliance includes more than 2,200 U.S. hospitals and 58,000-plus other healthcare sites working together to improve healthcare quality and affordability. Premier maintains the nation’s most comprehensive repository of clinical, financial and outcomes information and operates a leading healthcare purchasing network. A world leader in helping deliver measurable improvements in care, Premier works with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the United Kingdom’s National Health Service Northwest to improve hospital performance.

About Medline Industries, Inc. 
Medline, the nation’s largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of healthcare products, manufactures and distributes more than 100,000 products to hospitals, extended care facilities, surgery centers, home care dealers and agencies. Headquartered in Mundelein, IL, Medline has more than 900 dedicated sales representatives nationwide to support its broad product line and cost management services.

Over the past five years, Medline has been the fastest growing distributor of medical and surgical supplies in the U.S., serving as the primary distributor to over 450 major hospitals and healthcare systems. As a leading distributor, Medline offers a comprehensive array of consulting and management services encompassing the supply chain and logistics, utilization and standardization, business tools and enhanced reporting capabilities, and on-staff clinicians.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN–(Marketwire – September 14, 2010) –  Flu shot season is here and Health Fair 11 is ready to hold its annual Flu Fighter clinics. But before you head out to get your annual vaccination, there are some important changes to know about.

1. Flu Fighter clinics have new host sites. In September, MVNA nurses will be giving flu shots at all Minnesota Life Time Fitness locations. In October, vaccinations will be available at all YMCA centers in the Twin Cities and western Wisconsin. Club memberships are NOT required to attend Flu Fighter clinics.

2. Everyone is currently eligible to get a flu shot.  The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has changed its vaccination directives for this year. Priority groups have been eliminated. The CDC encourages everyone to be vaccinated as soon as flu shot clinics begin.

3. Most will only need one shot this year. The H1N1 influenza vaccine is contained in this year’s seasonal flu vaccine. Parents should consult with medical professionals to determine if their children will need more than one dose of seasonal flu vaccine. 

Vaccinations are given by registered nurses working for the Minnesota Visiting Nurse Agency. The MVNA is a nonprofit organization that uses all proceeds from the Flu Fighter clinics to fund its nursing care programs for thousands of Minnesotans who are ill, disabled, living in poverty, or in need of home care services. Learn more about MVNA and its services at www.mvna.org

Flu Fighter clinic dates & hours
Minnesota Life Time Fitness clubs — September 16 – 18 & September 23 – 26, 2010

Thursdays & Fridays: 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Saturdays: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

 Metro area YMCA centers — October 14 – 16 & October 21 – 23, 2010

Thursdays & Fridays: 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. Saturdays: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Flu Fighter clinics are open to anyone age 3 and older. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

COST
Most health insurance plans will cover the cost of a seasonal flu shot. Bring your insurance card if you have one of these plans: Medicare, UCare, Advantra Freedom, Aetna, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Cigna, Health Partners, Humana, Labor Care, Medica, MCHA-Medica, MHP, MN Health Care, Preferred One, Select Care, Unicare, and United Health Care.

People paying cash will be charged $26. FluMist ® nasal vaccine will be available for $32.

The Flu Fighter clinics are made possible by Health Fair 11, a nonprofit organization that operates with the support of KARE 11 TV, North Memorial, and UCare. Since 1998, more than 850,000 flu shots have been administered at Health Fair 11’s Flu Fighter clinics.

PITTSBURGH, PA–(Marketwire – September 14, 2010) –  pihms, Inc. (www.pihms.com), a leading provider of integrated software solutions for tracking, measuring and managing human capital through pihms Leave Management, pihms Safety Solutions, and pihms Care Solutions, announced today that it has signed another new client contract and two relationship renewal and service expansions.

New Client
pihms’ new client contract is to provide Leave and Case Management support tools for the more than 15,000 U.S. based employees of the $10+ billion U.S. affiliate of a global company.

The Company reported that its newest client began its vendor selection with the goal of providing better internal customer service to its employees as they navigate through the process of requesting and securing approval for leaves. Patrick J. Kalnas, President and CEO of pihms, said, “Of great importance to this client, was the fact that our Leave and Case Management solution is not only customer friendly for both employee and management, but will help their organization reduce costs related to inappropriate and excessive leaves.”

Client Renewals and Expansions
The first current client, an integrated energy utility company, is renewing the pihms services provided to their onsite employee health clinic, and expanding the relationship by adding pihms’ integrated comprehensive Leave and Case Management Solutions for their entire base of U.S. employees. 

The other client, the North American entity of a global automotive corporation, is continuing its five plus year utilization of pihmsSafety Solutions™ for its multiple U.S. manufacturing facilities. The enhanced relationship will also now include the client’s 30+ Non-Manufacturing facilities across the U.S.

“The objective of each of these long time clients is to continue to leverage pihms’ proven track record and expertise, and allow its management to have more time to focus their energy on customers and business growth. The pihms relationship with these clients is a great example of how the pihms suite of solutions can be configured and expanded to meet the growing needs of the client,” Kalnas said.

About pihms:
pihms, Inc. is a Software as a Service (SaaS) provider focusing on best practices for tracking, measuring and managing human capital. pihms’ unique (and patented) process takes employee health, safety, leave management, and case management information from disparate sources and delivers it to the right decision makers at the right time. The workflow ensures that best practices are used to remain compliant with all FML and OSHA regulations. pihms, Inc. is headquartered in Pittsburgh with offices in Atlanta and Glasgow, Scotland. For more information visit the pihms website at www.pihms.com.

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IRVING, TX–(Marketwire – September 14, 2010) – Boston-based Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, one of the East Coast’s most prestigious academic medical centers and a major teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, has joined VHA Inc., the national health care network. In joining VHA, BIDMC links with a large and growing network of hospitals and health systems across the country that work together to improve quality, increase efficiencies and control costs.

“Supply costs are the second biggest expense category in our budget. We’re seeking to aggressively manage costs as part of our commitment to provide the best health care possible in a responsible, cost-effective manner,” said Eric Buehrens, executive vice president and chief operating officer at BIDMC. “We are constantly looking to achieve and sustain supply chain excellence.” 

“VHA’s network includes some of the best health care organizations in the nation, so we’re excited to have Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center join,” said Curt Nonomaque, VHA’s president and CEO. “We have a demonstrated track record of helping health care organizations drive clinical and operational improvements and connect with other members to create mutual benefits. We look forward to doing the same for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.”

BIDMC began its search for a new health care group purchasing organization in 2009 as the organization considered ways to drive efficiency in response to toughening economic realities and the pending demands of health care reform, said Robert Cherry, vice president of Support Services. He noted that BIDMC spends about $300 million annually on supplies, but expects VHA membership will enable BIDMC to identify and achieve significant savings over the next 18 months on commodity products, pharmaceuticals, their top spend categories overall and endomechanical devices. 

About VHA

VHA Inc., based in Irving, Texas, is a national network of not-for-profit health care organizations that work together to drive maximum savings in the supply chain arena, set new levels of clinical performance and identify and implement best practices to improve operational efficiency and clinical outcomes. Formed in 1977, through its 16 regional offices, VHA serves 1,400 hospitals and more than 30,000 non-acute care providers nationwide. VHA was ranked by Modern Healthcare as the 7th best place to work in health care in 2009.

ALEXANDRIA, VA–(Marketwire – September 14, 2010) –  Good food, good music, and good conversation — three key ingredients to many Hispanic/Latino family gatherings. But what is missing from many of those get-togethers is a life-saving conversation about the family’s medical history. This Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15), the American Diabetes Association is encouraging people to discuss any family history of diabetes, a conversation that could help stop diabetes before it starts.

Type 2 diabetes disproportionately affects Hispanics/Latinos. In fact, the rates of type 2 diabetes are almost double that of non-Hispanic whites. More than 10% of Hispanics/Latinos in the United States have been diagnosed with diabetes.

“It is particularly important for Hispanics/Latinos to know they are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes,” said Lorena Drago, RD, CDE, American Diabetes Association volunteer. “It is common for families to have multiple members with diabetes, but they never talk about it. These family discussions are necessary so everyone knows their risk, especially the younger generations.”

If current trends continue, 1 in 2 minorities born today will develop diabetes. Oftentimes type 2 diabetes is not diagnosed until one or more of its complications have begun to develop, including blindness, nerve damage or heart disease. Hispanics/Latinos are at higher risk for developing these complications.

The good news is type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed with healthy eating and exercising. “By exercising 150 minutes a week, such as 30 minutes 5 days a week, and losing 5 %-10% of your body weight, you could reduce your chances of developing type 2 diabetes by 58%,” said Drago. “By making changes gradually, instead of all at once, you can stop type 2 diabetes from developing or stop diabetes complications from occurring.”

The American Diabetes Association offers various family-friendly resources to help people successfully make lifestyle changes to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes or diabetes complications.

• MyFoodAdvisor™ — Available in English and Spanish at www.diabetes.org/myfoodadvisor, this award-winning online tool provides nutrition information for people with diabetes, those at risk, and anyone who wants to lose weight. Users can track what they eat, find healthier alternatives and search recipes. The comprehensive database includes many culturally appropriate foods for Hispanics/Latinos.

  “MyFoodAdvisor can help you explore different types of foods. For example, eating one extra serving of fruits or vegetables a day is a small change you can make to get you and your family started towards a healthier meal plan,” commented Drago.

• Feria de Salud Por Tu Familia — Feria is the Association’s outdoor community event which captures the festive elements of a street fair but maintains the important aspects of choosing and managing a healthier lifestyle for the entire Hispanic/Latino family. This family event includes music, dancing, nutritional information, cooking demonstrations and a variety of product and service booths. Visit www.diabetes.org/feria for event listings in your area.

  “Feria can arm you with information to help stop diabetes and its complications in its tracks. The event provides you and your family with creative ways to become active, new ideas for healthy recipes, and greater awareness of what resources are available in the community,” said Drago.

• Stop Diabetes® — People from around the country are joining the Association’s movement to Stop Diabetes once and for all. By visiting www.stopdiabetes.com, calling 800-DIABETES, or texting* JOIN to 69866, you can find out how to become involved in the movement. There are opportunities for every member of the family to share, act, learn and give and help stop diabetes.

  “Whether you want to join the Stop Diabetes movement for yourself or a loved one, it is important that we stand up together against this disease and say the status quo is no longer acceptable. Too many people and their loved ones have suffered from diabetes’ terrible toll. Joining the movement is the first step to say enough is enough,” commented Drago.

  *Standard data and message rates apply.

The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight to stop diabetes and its deadly consequences and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. Founded in 1940, our mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit www.diabetes.org. Information from both these sources is available in English and Spanish.

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WASHINGTON, DC–(Marketwire – September 14, 2010) –  ECG Management Consultants, Inc., one of the nation’s premier healthcare management consulting firms, announces the return of Mr. Franklin D. Campbell, Principal, to the company’s Academic Healthcare Division. Mr. Campbell’s return to the firm further expands the breadth and depth of expertise and geographic reach within ECG’s Academic Healthcare Division.

Commenting on the hire, Mr. Stephen F. Messenger, Managing Partner and head of ECG’s Eastern Healthcare practice, said, “It is great to be welcoming back such a talented ECG alum. Frank adds a considerable capability and experience to an already strong team of professionals devoted to the needs of our academic healthcare clients.”

Based in the Washington, D.C., office, Mr. Campbell will focus on academic healthcare/integrated system strategy, finances, and operations. As a proven academic healthcare executive and consultant, his experience includes specific expertise in strategic/business planning, governance and organizational design, financial analysis, and physician/hospital/medical school alignment strategies.

Since departing ECG in 2007, Mr. Campbell most recently served as director within the health industries practice of another national consulting firm focusing exclusively in services to academic medical centers and their component organizations: schools of medicine, teaching hospitals, faculty practice organizations, research organizations, and other academic entities, such as schools of allied or public health. Prior to this, Mr. Campbell served for two years as the senior executive with strategic responsibility for the Temple University Health System and Temple University School of Medicine. During Mr. Campbell’s initial tenure with ECG, he spent 10 years consulting to academic medical centers throughout the United States.

Mr. Campbell holds a master of health administration degree from Washington University School of Medicine and Olin Graduate School of Business and a master of business administration degree, with a concentration in Production and Operations Management, from the University of New Mexico, Robert O. Anderson Graduate School of Management. He completed his bachelor of arts degree at Boston College.

About ECG Management Consultants, Inc.
ECG offers a broad range of strategic, financial, operational, and technology-related consulting services to healthcare providers. As a leader in the industry, ECG provides specialized expertise in developing and implementing innovative and customized solutions that effectively address hospital/physician relationships, strategic and business planning, specialty program development, information technology, and the complexities of the academic healthcare enterprise. ECG has offices in Boston, San Diego, Seattle, St. Louis, and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.ecgmc.com.

PALMETTO, FL–(Marketwire – September 14, 2010) –  TrinityCare Senior Living (OTCBB: TCSR) today announced that it has completed the transaction anticipated in a definitive agreement for a business combination via the acquisition of 100% of the outstanding capital stock of SeaBridge Freight, Inc., a Tampa Bay area based company which is the pioneer in creating the U.S. Marine Highway Industry, providing the most environmentally friendly, safe, cost efficient container-on-barge, blue water, intermodal freight service through geographical advantaged routes. The stockholders of SeaBridge received newly issued shares of common stock of TrinityCare; management of SeaBridge assumed their role as management of TrinityCare and commenced the process of changing the corporate name to SeaBridge Freight Corp.

“This business combination with SeaBridge Freight is a significant milestone for TrinityCare Senior Living, Inc. that is crucial to the future success of the Company. We fully believe in their business model providing smart, efficient and environmentally friendly freight services to strategic markets, and are excited to be part of the future of SeaBridge Freight as shareholders,” stated Donald W. Sapaugh, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TrinityCare Senior Living, Inc.

About TrinityCare Senior Living

TrinityCare Senior Living (“TrinityCare”) develops, owns, and manages quality senior living facilities that focus on enriching the faith of the residents and providing state-of-the-art independent living, assisted living, memory care and adult day care services in a single location. TrinityCare operates three facilities in Texas and Tennessee. For more information please visit www.trinitycare.com.

About SeaBridge Freight Corp.

SeaBridge Freight Corp. is the pioneer in creating the U.S. Marine Highway Industry, providing the most environmentally friendly, safe, cost efficient container-on-barge, blue water, intermodal freight service through geographical advantaged routes. The Company provides container-on-barge, break-bulk and out-of-gauge freight transport service between Port Manatee of Tampa Bay, FL and Port Brownsville, Texas. Utilizing a direct water route that is drastically shorter than a land route, the Company presents a more environmentally friendly alternative that economically connects the Mexico/ South Texas and Southeastern US markets. As a reliable alternative freight transportation option for shippers the Company’s services can be integrated with third party logistics providers, truckers and intermodal rail carriers to significantly lower freight costs. SeaBridge Freight Corp is headquartered in Palmetto, Florida.

Forward-Looking Statements

The information in this news release includes certain forward-looking statements that are based upon assumptions that in the future may prove not to have been accurate and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including statements related to the future financial performance of the Company. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations or any of its forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Factors that could cause results to differ include, but are not limited to, successful execution of growth strategies, product development and acceptance, the impact of competitive services and pricing, general economic conditions, and other risks and uncertainties described in the Company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA–(Marketwire – Sept. 14, 2010) –

Editors Note: There is a photo associated with this press release.

The Top Healthcare and Health Insurance Leaders in the Nation will gather in Los Angeles at the National Healthcare Reform Conference, September 20-22^nd, 2010, together to discuss the negatives and positives of healthcare reform and the challenges and, obstacles and the health reform bill will have on the health insurance and healthcare industry. Senior Leaders from health insurance companies, consulting firms, and healthcare providers will for the first time to discuss the upcoming implementation deadline of September 23rd for some of the new rules becoming effective under National Healthcare Reform. 

Jonathan Edelheit, Chairman of National Healthcare Reform Conference said, “It is indeed a great pleasure to see that leading employers, insurance companies, governmental entities, insurance agents and healthcare providers are all coming to the congress to find out how healthcare reform affects them and what new rules and regulations they need to comply with.” 

Many leading private and government organizations have expressed admiration on steps taken by Mr. Edelheit and his team to create such an important and extensive congress. As the congress is the dedicated gathering of experts on important subject.

The conference will address issues such as the new mandated minimum loss ratios, pre-existing condition clauses, new rules and regulations employers, insurance companies and healthcare providers must comply with. The healthcare reform congress will also address new mandated benefit for employees and insured.

“Bringing together a dynamic and diverse group of health care leaders, government officials and industry experts, this Conference will engender thoughtful and timely discussion about how the landscape of health care is changing. I am pleased to be a part of this important opportunity to address the challenges and implications of the health care law for all Americans,” said Therese Vaughan, CEO of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). 

Adding more to the topic Mr. Edelheit, also Editor-in-Chief of the Healthcare Reform Magazine added “Undeniably, without the up to date information, many employers and agents will find themselves in non-compliance with the new law, and will not be able to evaluate positive steps. Hence, I am content to see that Insurance leaders are gathering to discuss possible challenges, opportunities and issues related to the country’s growth.

National Healthcare Reform Conference is organized by the National Healthcare Reform Magazine, http://ww.healthcarereformmagazine.com, which is the only magazine and publication that addresses the effect, outcome and the future of healthcare reform. 

The finalized agenda is available at: http://healthcarereformconference.com/agenda.html.

The finalized list of speakers is available at: http://healthcarereformconference.com/speakers.html.

2010 National Healthcare Reform™ Conference Speakers are:

Brady Jensen, Group Manager, Global Benefits, Microsoft Corporation

Dr. Joseph P. Annis, Secretary, Board of Trustees, American Medical Association

Dr. Therese (Terri) Vaughan, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Insurance Commissioners

Robert Moffit, Senior Fellow in Domestic and Economic Policy Studies, The Heritage Foundation

Cheryl Matheis, Senior V.P. Health Strategy, AARP

Terry K. Headley, President Elect, National Association of Insurance & Financial Advisors (NAIFA)

Stuart Barton, President, American Seniors Association

William (Bill) Barcellona, V.P. Government Affairs, California Association of Physicians Groups

Dr. Raymond Fabius, Chief Medical Officer, Healthcare & Science Business, Thomson Reuters

Michael Gibbons, Chairman, National Restaurant Association

Neil Trautwein, VP-Employee Benefits Policy Counsel, National Retail Federation

Christopher Khoury, Consultant, Head of Research Healthcare Practice, Gallup, Inc.

Melissa Boudreault, Director of Dell State Health Services, DELL

Brian N. Anderson, Consultant, Milliman, Inc.

Michael Bertaut, Senior Healthcare Intelligence Analyst, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana

Janet Trautwein, Executive Vice President and CEO, National Association of Health Underwriters

Barry Hall, Principal, Buck Consultants

Devon M. Herrick, Senior Fellow, Ph.D., National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA)

Lee D. Reichenbach, Market Manager, Hewitt Associates, West Coast Health Management Practice

Matt Hendrickson, MD, Vice Chair, PNHP, Physicians for National Health Program

Shelly Ten Napel, Senior Associate, State Coverage Initiatives, Academy Health

Craig Froude, President, WebMD Health Services

Eric D. Johnson, Regional Sales Manager, First Horizon Msaver

Rajiv Sabharwal, Chief Solutions Architect, Health & Life Sciences Practices, Infosys Technologies

Rob Thurston, President, HR Consulting Group

Ed Bray, Director of Compliance, Burnham Benefits Insurance Services

Andre Chasse, Director of Benefits, CoreLogic Inc., (Formerly The First American Corporation)

Kristi West, Sr. Manager, Benefits, SPHR-CA, GPHR,  Irvine Company

Kim Buckey, Compliance Lead, HighRoads

Denise Gott, VP of Sales,  LTC Financial Partners

Marcia Wagner, Principal, The Wagner Law Group

Greg Greenwood, PhD., MBA, President & CEO, Human Capital Specialists

David Ries, General Counsel, Human Capital Specialists

Andy Smith, M.D., Vice President/Chief Medical Officer, Saint Francis Memorial Hospital

Jeff Peters, President, Surgical Directions

Jean Patrick Tsang, President, Bayser Consulting

The National Healthcare Reform Conference is a stream of the Employer Healthcare Congress. http://www.employerhealthcarecongress.com . Together with four streams 1) Corporate Wellness Conference http://www.corporatewellnessconference.com 2)Voluntary Benefits and Limited Medical Conference http://www.voluntarybenefitsconference.com 3) Self Funding Employer Healthcare & Workers Compensation Conference http://www.selffundingconference.com and 4) the National Healthcare Reform Conference, The Employer Healthcare Congress is one of the largest US healthcare conferences in the country with over 1,000 attendees and up to 130 exhibitors and sponsors.

About the Healthcare Reform Magazine

The healthcare reform journal is a monthly publication focusing on how healthcare reform affects employers, insurers, insurance agents, healthcare providers and patients and will peel back the onion of the thousands of pages of healthcare reform bill to look at how different aspects of health care reform will really work.
http://www.healthcarereformmagazine.com.

To view the photo associated with this press release, please visit the following link: http://www.health-plan-news.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/d90c1a6dd8than08.jpg.jpg.

LAKE MARY, FL–(Marketwire – September 14, 2010) – PediaVision, a company dedicated to solving the critical problem of undiagnosed vision problems affecting thousands of children, today announced that Seminole County Public Schools has expanded its vision screening program to help identify more children whose vision problems could potentially threaten their ability to learn and inhibit academic performance. The school system is expanding its PediaVision screenings and instituting annual exams to include even more children in the district. Fifty-one schools in the district are now screening their entire schools, not just required grade levels. Also, with the help of local doctors and VisionQuest, parents unable to afford vision services for their kids can now receive eye glasses and vision exams at lower costs.

According to Prevent Blindness America, one in four school-aged children has a vision problem significant enough to affect learning. If caught early, most vision issues in children can be corrected providing them a better quality of life.

Since August 2009, Seminole County Public Schools has screened nearly 5,000 students with PediaVision devices, referring approximately 25-30 percent of them to eye care specialists. PediaVision is the only binocular vision device that produces highly accurate vision screenings with instant results for children of any age. The software produces written results and recommendations as to whether or not a subject should be referred to an eye care specialist. Conducted from three feet away, screenings are simple, non-invasive and as easy as taking a picture.

Britt Smith, executive director for exceptional student support services for Seminole County Public Schools, says while school districts in Florida and across the country face intense pressure to improve academic performance, many simply don’t realize the severity of undiagnosed vision problems and how they can negatively impact students. He selected PediaVision because of its accuracy, ease of use and the ability to screen large populations of students without having to increase personnel. He urges school districts to re-evaluate current vision screening methods and consider state-of-the-art technology to help kids.

“Traditional vision screening methods are inadequate. PediaVision screening devices offer accurate, instant results allowing thousands of kids across the district to be examined by eye care specialists and reap immediate benefits. We want students to get the help they need and break those barriers. Unfortunately, we all find ways to accommodate vision issues without properly identifying the underlining cause of the problem,” said Smith who was shocked when his 15-year old son failed a restricted driver’s license vision exam.

“This wasn’t an issue of a parent not taking his child to the doctor or lack of medical care access; it was a matter of accurate detection. I would trust the PediaVision device more than any other vision screening method I know of, and I love that we don’t have to increase staff to screen more kids,” he added.

Esther West, 2^nd vice district governor of district 49A, says Alaska’s main goal is to eradicate preventable blindness and has been responsible for more than 13,000 screenings in the state. For the last four years, the Lions of Alaska have used 14 devices and they recently ordered 12 more for their community health care center facilities in rural Alaska.

“With PediaVision, we can quickly tell if children have Amblyopia or ‘lazy eye’ and if we get them treatment early enough, it’s curable. If I had to compare PediaVision with our original screener, it’s the winner hands down. Before PediaVision, screening was a very cumbersome process because we had to wait for pictures to be interpreted by doctors to get results. With PediaVision, it takes more time to enter the data than it does to get results, and they’re very accurate,” said West.

She also said that it’s very easy to train people how to screen. “If you can type and follow instructions, you can screen with this device. PediaVision is unbelievable. It’s absolutely the best thing we’ve ever worked with.” 

West recalls how a PediaVision screening helped a student conquer behavioral problems in the classroom. “He frequently caused trouble because he couldn’t see. But nobody knew it. He was trying to take the attention away from himself so people wouldn’t know. We screened him and got him glasses. When I went back to the school a few months later, he ran up to me, grabbed my legs and said I was the lady who gave him his eyes.” According to national studies, approximately 70 percent of juvenile delinquents have a vision issue.

Wyoming also selected PediaVision for its Lions Early Childhood Vision project to reach large populations of children with developmental disabilities. The project is committed to ensuring all children in the state of Wyoming receive the highest quality eye care. Currently using 19 PediaVision devices, the state can now screen children in rural communities who are typically hard to reach.

Rebecca Allen, project coordinator, said they are thrilled with the device because it allows them to get quick, accurate readings even on the most difficult of children. “Children with developmental disabilities are 5 times more likely to have vision difficulties. In Wyoming, we’re working closely with parents and doctors to ensure that kids who are having vision difficulties are quickly identified and can get the help they need in a timely manner. With PediaVision, we trust the screenings. Parents are so ecstatic that they’re making immediate appointments for their kids to be seen by the eye doctor. We have very good follow up, and the kids who need help are getting it right away.”

PediaVision’s CEO David Melnik commented, “We are extremely pleased that schools and community projects across the U.S. have selected PediaVision. They are truly leading the way to bring revolutionary change in vision screening. Eighty percent of a child’s learning is visual, so a child’s ability to clearly see in the classroom is critical. We would like to encourage all schools, local communities, and national and state legislators across the country to consider new vision screening technology to help prevent vision problems in children.”

About PediaVision
PediaVision is dedicated to solving the critical problem of undiagnosed vision problems and transforming the lives of thousands of children each day by helping private medicine and public health systems provide thorough, automated and objective vision screening.

The company was initially founded by a team of optometrists and ophthalmologists. These medical professionals were confronted daily with the impact of permanent vision loss in children.

PediaVision has a proven technology and a management team with medical expertise and a strong track record of transforming industries. For more information about PediaVision, and to help the fight against undiagnosed vision problems in children, please visit www.pediavision.com.

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DURHAM, NC–(Marketwire – September 14, 2010) –  Mi-Co, the Mobile Data Collection company, today announced that it has received a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant award from the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health. The funded project is to develop a healthcare software solution in conjunction with Dr. Amy Abernethy, Director of the Duke University Cancer Care Research Program. The Digital Pen based solution will enable more efficient capture of medical oncology progress notes and clinical trials data, simultaneously. Mi-Co’s Mi-Forms for Digital Pen, already used in several Fortune 500 companies, leading hospital systems, and government agencies will soon provide even more possibilities for partners and customers in the healthcare arena.

The project titled “Clinical trials data collection during patient care using a novel technology solution” will begin immediately in conjunction with Dr. Amy Abernethy and other physicians at Duke University using Mi-Co Mi-Forms software technology and Digital Pen hardware developed by Anoto Group AB. According to Dr. Abernethy, “Within the Duke Cancer Care Research Program, we have previously used Mi-Co’s pen-based technology for our electronic data collection because it allows us to efficiently and accurately capture patient data, such as extensive progress notes, and share that data electronically with all members of the clinical and research team quickly and easily, in a way that supports our workflow and interaction with patients. Keyboard-based applications and regular paper simply cannot match the ease of use and efficiency of this technology, which solves a key problem for us and provides an important ‘bridge‘ from paper to electronic health records. Doctors are writers, not typers.”

For a recently released article about alternative data input options for electronic medical record (EMR) systems that suggests ways to overcome barriers to EMR adoption, please contact [email protected].

For more information about Mi-Forms and the Mi-Co solution for mobile electronic data collection in Clinical Trials and Healthcare, please contact Mi-Co through www.mi-corporation.com or [email protected].

The project described is supported by Award Number R43CA150466 from the National Cancer Institute. The content is solely the responsibility of Mi-Co and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Cancer Institute or the National Institutes of Health.

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TORONTO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Sept. 14, 2010) –

Attention Health and Medical Editors

On September 23, 2010, media are invited to an in-depth briefing with senior scientists on current stem cell research activity. Toronto’s McEwen Centre is one of the top regenerative medicine research facilities in the world and a leader internationally in the generation of reproducible heart cells. Research at the McEwen Centre also holds important implications for diabetes, lung disease and diseases of the blood as well as neurodegenerative disease.

Join us to learn more about the most recent developments in stem cell research at the McEwen Centre.