Hospitals and Health Systems News

WAYNE, PA–(Marketwire – July 14, 2010) – Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) recently published “Validation, Verification, and Quality Assurance of Automated Hematology Analyzers; Approved Standard–Second Edition” (H26-A2). This document covers portions of the life cycle of an automated multichannel hematology system and provides guidance for manufacturers’ validation, end-user laboratory verification, calibration, quality assurance (QA), and quality control (QC) through standardized approaches to ensure good science and clinical relevance.

Albert Rabinovitch, MD, PhD, NovoMetrics, Inc., and chairholder of the subcommittee that developed the document, says, “This new document applies the most current scientific and medically relevant approaches to assessment of automated hematology systems, replacing the shortfalls created by disparate individual sources. Beyond scientific presentation of theory, H26-A2 provides very detailed practical information (including appendices) on method evaluation that all readers will find useful. It serves as a model for clinical laboratory test systems in general, not just hematology.”

Historically, each complete blood count (CBC) instrument/reagent manufacturer developed its unique approaches to system validation and performance claims. This standard will help create better standardization among manufacturers, as well as assist practicing laboratories in developing consistent testing.

The intended audience includes manufacturers of such devices, end-user clinical laboratories, accrediting organizations, and regulatory bodies. End-user clinical laboratories will also find guidance for establishment of clinically reportable intervals (CRIs) and for QA for preexamination and examination aspects of their systems.

CLSI is a volunteer-driven, membership-supported, nonprofit organization dedicated to developing standards and guidelines for the health care and medical testing community through a consensus process that balances the perspectives of industry, government, and the health care professions. For additional information on CLSI, visit the CLSI website at www.clsi.org or call 610.688.0100.

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DENVER, CO–(Marketwire – July 14, 2010) –  Eating Recovery Center, a national eating disorders recovery program providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia and bulimia, today announced the opening of a new outpatient location. Enabling Eating Recovery Center to expand its outpatient recovery services, the new Denver, Colo. office will offer integrated care for eating disorders in a flexible outpatient setting. 

“This expansion allows Eating Recovery Center to offer patients a collaborative, team-based approach to outpatient eating disorder treatment,” said Kenneth L. Weiner, MD, CEDS, co-founder and medical director of Eating Recovery Center. “With access to a team of individual and family therapists, dietitians, and medical professionals, patients benefit from a well-rounded treatment experience that can help them achieve sustainable recovery.”

The outpatient clinical team works together to help individuals and families who are new to eating disorder treatment address disordered eating and body image issues before they have the chance to escalate. The clinicians are also committed to helping individuals who have been in a recovery program stay on track as they move into lower levels of care. The services offered include individual and family therapy, dietary counseling, psychiatric medical management, body image and aftercare eating disorder support groups, and an evening intensive outpatient program, which begins this month. 

The evening intensive outpatient program is an integrated option for individuals who require more structure than individual counseling provides. Participants meet Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 9 p.m. and take part in individual counseling, group therapy, nutrition education and multifamily therapy. They learn to break patterns that maintain their diseases and integrate sustainable changes into their lives. The timing of the program enables participants to integrate the skills learned in evening sessions into their daily lives.

“Eating disorders are complex conditions and every person’s experience with the disease is different,” explains Weiner. “The evening intensive outpatient program allows us to tailor treatment to the individual needs of each patient and promote successful recovery.” 

Eating Recovery Center also operates a licensed behavioral hospital for adults with severe eating disorders, and will open an adolescent treatment facility in the Denver Lowry neighborhood in October 2010. All services are guided by the leadership and clinical expertise of Weiner and Emmett R. Bishop, Jr., MD, CEDS, co-founders of Eating Recovery Center and nationally renowned experts who have separately founded numerous other eating disorder programs throughout the country.

The outpatient office is now open at 600 S. Cherry Street, Suite 600, in Denver, Colo. For more information or to make an appointment, please call 877-218-1344. 

About Eating Recovery Center
Eating Recovery Center is a national eating disorders recovery program, providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia and bulimia at the foot of the Rockies in beautiful downtown Denver, Colorado. Facilities include a licensed behavioral hospital treating adults, an outpatient office, and an adolescent facility scheduled to open in October 2010. Our integrated program offers patients from across the country a continuum of care that includes inpatient, residential, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient and outpatient services. Our compassionate team of professionals collaborates with treating professionals and loved ones to cultivate lasting behavioral change. For more information please contact us at 877-218-1344 or [email protected] or confidentially chat live on our website.

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SAN FERNANDO, CA–(Marketwire – July 14, 2010) – Precision Dynamics Corporation, the global leader in healthcare identification solutions, announced today the release of the new Securline^® Bar Code Blood Band, a blood recipient ID wristband system that provides automated patient identification for blood transfusion, specimen collection, and tracking. As the only snap closure bar code blood band on the market, the product allows caregivers and phlebotomists to apply the band to patients quickly, correctly, and securely.

The Securline^® Bar Code Blood Band uses serialized bar code ID and alpha-numeric codes to accurately match the right patient to the right blood. This improves patient safety by reducing identification related human errors that can occur during the blood transfusion process. The product’s 12 matching bar code labels (four on the wristband and eight on the detachable tail that is applied to blood tubes) can be applied to additional draw tubes, patient chart, transfusion requisition, and as a secondary label on blood bags. A clear, adhesive shield on the wristband’s information area protects the patient ID labels and bar code from moisture or solvents for accurate bar code scanning. Soft, latex-free material maximizes patient comfort and safety yet is also durable and strong.

In contrast to the other leading bar coded blood wristband on the market, the Securline^® Bar Code Blood Band features an easy-to-use snap style closure and secure bar code labels, saving hospital staff valuable time and unnecessary frustration. Mary Ann Sharpe, Blood Bank Manager at Research Medical Center which belongs to HCA Midwest Health System, stated, “Securline^® Bar Code Blood Bands are easy to apply because the bands snap closed just like our admission wristbands. The other bar code blood bands we were using before were complicated and our staff struggled with putting the bands on patients. Plus, the bar code labels on the Securline^® product are very secure and don’t peel off accidentally like we experienced with the other band.”

“Bar coding continues to bring improvements in patient safety as hospitals adapt the technology to reduce human errors,” said Kim Canchola, Product Manager for Precision Dynamics. “The added bonus is the increase in productivity as hospitals use sheeted labels with bar codes instead of writing patient ID info by hand. The Securline^® Bar Code Blood Band combines the sophistication and functionality of bar coding for blood transfusions with the simplicity and comfort of a high quality, non-transferable identification wristband. The positive response we’ve received from our customers about their experience with this product is rewarding because we know we’re helping solve their problems by doing what we do best — delivering first-class identification solutions.”

The Securline^® Bar Code Blood Band meets current Joint Commission, AHA, and HIPAA requirements. For more information, please visit: www.pdcorp.com/healthcare or contact PDC’s Customer Care at 800-772-1122.

About Precision Dynamics Corporation:
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. Our 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 support services.

IRVING, TX–(Marketwire – July 13, 2010) –  Redlands Community Hospital, a 205-bed facility located in Southern California, has joined VHA Inc., the national health care network and business cooperative that serves 1,400 not-for-profit hospitals across the nation. Redlands wants to enhance its ability to network with other providers in the region to develop solutions to challenges they all face, such as how to enhance clinical quality in the face of dwindling resources. 

“Most hospitals and health systems are drawn to VHA because of its supply chain management services, but that wasn’t a primary motivator for us,” said Jim Holmes, president and chief executive officer at RCH, which purchases about $25 million in supplies annually. “The health care marketplace is an increasingly challenging environment, and we determined that it would be best for RCH to be part of a larger network of hospitals, without giving up our local control. VHA provides that opportunity.”

The CEO of another VHA member hospital in California, Jim West at Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital in Whittier, actually sold Holmes on VHA. “I explained that being a member of VHA connects our organization to thought leaders and solutions that we need to improve performance. Being a member of VHA creates leverage and gives us clout we don’t have on our own. I think that discussion made the decision to join VHA easier for Redlands,” said West.

In addition to joining VHA’s national network, RCH is also joining VHA’s regional network, VHA West Coast, which links more than 90 hospitals in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada and one hospital in both Oregon and Washington. Through VHA, these organizations leverage their knowledge, purchasing clout and other resources to help each other improve.

“VHA creates connections and energy that enable hospitals to accelerate their performance,” said Rick Barnett, senior vice president of VHA’s West Coast office, located in Pleasanton, Calif. “We’re excited about having RCH in the VHA family. We’ve pursued the organization for two years, and we believe RCH will benefit through its membership, and it will deliver benefits to other members as the RCH team interacts with VHA peers.” 

About VHA

Based in Irving, Texas, VHA 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 more than 1,400 hospitals and more than 28,000 non-acute care providers nationwide. VHA was ranked by Modern Healthcare as the 7th best place to work in health care in 2009.

SAN DIEGO, CA–(Marketwire – July 13, 2010) –  International Stem Cell Institute (ISCI, www.iStemCelli.com) announced today the launch of highly effective Stem Cell Therapy treatments aimed at providing a better quality of life for those suffering with Cerebral Palsy (CP).

Details are available at www.iStemCelli.com/cerebralpalsy.html or calling 800-609-7795.

ISCI Executive Director Rita Alexander maintains, “Every parent wants their child to live a happy, healthy life as a baby, as a toddler, as a first grader. CP is a tremendously overwhelming condition — it’s really hard to understand the daily frustrations parents go through when a child is diagnosed with CP. And while the condition can’t be completely cured, our stem cell treatment is dramatically improving the quality of life for many children, much beyond their parent’s expectations. The results are truly amazing.”

Cerebral Palsy is not a disease like chicken pox or measles. It is an umbrella term for a group of related disorders stemming from different causes. The condition seriously affects muscle movement, and is caused by abnormalities in the brain. One million children in the US are afflicted with CP, and more will be diagnosed as we see an increase in the survival of premature infants and multiple births.

According to Alexander, CP is often associated with injury in the womb or during birth, and especially evident in premature infants. Alexander notes, “The earlier we can treat an infant or child with Stem Cell Therapy the greater the positive impacts on their future development.” She continues, “We’re working with very young children and infants. Stem Cell Therapy is a very gentle treatment, it’s gentle enough for a six month old baby.”

The procedure — safely and comfortably administering placental stem cells into several key parts of the body — is a leading-edge alternative CP treatment proving highly effective for infants and even older children afflicted with CP. Alexander relates, “The good thing is parents don’t have to wait for the new developments in this field, the procedure is available right now and affordable for most families.”

Stem cell therapy has been shown to relieve a wide variety of CP symptoms. Alexander claims, “We’re treating children with a variety of symptoms, like the lack of muscle coordination, those who have stiff and tight muscles or floppy muscles, children with exaggerated reflexes and children dragging one foot or walking on their toes.”

ISCI’s Stem Cell Therapy treatments are also being hailed as a potent medical tool in treating the seizures, difficulty with vision, hearing and speech, incontinence, and recurring lung infections that children can often experience with CP.

ISCI’s CP patient advocate, LeiMomi Ferrill, has personally seen impressive results with stem cell therapy in CP patients. “You’re heart really goes out to these parents and children. When a parent tells us their child can now roll over, or talk or balance a bit, they’re walking through a door where they feel there is hope for the very first time. We have one child, William, who was practically comatose and unable to communicate. He’s now telling his Mother he loves her, knows and calls his brothers by name, and is talking with his family about what he likes to eat.”

Alternative treatments currently being explored for CP include electrical stimulation — pulsing electricity into the motor nerves — and hyperbaric oxygen therapy in which high concentrations of oxygen are forced into brain tissues under pressure. Researchers at the University of Georgia are conducting the first ever FDA approved stem cell clinical trials for brain injuries. Dr. James Carroll, chief of pediatric neurology at the MCG School of Medicine, claims, “Stem cell therapies using cord blood have been used successfully for more than 20 years, but here we have a study which is breaking new ground in advancing therapies for brain injury.”

ISCI strongly supports scientific research on CP, especially the work of the Cerebral Palsy International Research Foundation (CPIRF), the leading nongovernmental organization funding advanced research in CP.

Patients and families with Cerebral Palsy are encouraged to learn about treatments by calling the International Stem Cell Institute at 800-609-7795 or online at www.istemcelli.com/cerebralpalsy.html.

About ISCI (www.iStemCelli.com)
ISCI is an innovator in stem cell therapy and regenerative medicine dedicated to providing a pathway to treatments which may improve health and quality of life for thousands of people with degenerative diseases around the world. Over 3,000 patients have safely undergone stem cell treatments. The company accepts patients globally, and is dedicated to the highest medical and ethical standards.

Disclaimer: Stem Cell Therapies offered for consideration by International Stem Cell Institute are not currently approved by the FDA and the treatments and procedures mentioned take place outside the USA. Stem Cell Treatments are not a cure for any condition, disease or injury, nor a substitute for proper medical diagnosis and care. The information contained in this press release and ISCI’s written materials should not be considered medical advice. It is intended to be used for educational and information purposes only.

AKRON, OH–(Marketwire – July 13, 2010) –  Hospitals can gain significant revenue by improving documentation of services and procedures and instituting better material management practices.

That’s the counsel from Ryerson Healthcare Consultants, medical revenue specialists and the nation’s leader in emergency department process improvement. The Ryerson organization serves clients with hospital charge capture experience gained through working with more than 540 hospitals in 40 states.

Whether they are working on clients’ surgical services or emergency department charge capture, Ryerson’s experts tailor improvement recommendations to fit each hospital’s specific challenges.

“OR and ED operations are uniquely complex, and staff in both areas tend to experience problems in properly documenting, coding and billing for all chargeable procedures and supplies,” said President Peter Ryerson. “Our team of hospital charge capture specialists includes people who have considerable experience as RNs in both areas, with track records of success in successfully improving their client hospitals’ revenues.”

Such experience and knowledge is invaluable for hospital charge capture improvement, the goal for the majority of Ryerson Healthcare Consultants’ clients. Ryerson said his team develops solutions that result in improvements to the charge protocol and hospital charge capture process.

“In many, if not most, cases, it comes down to strengthening our clients’ documentation and billing processes,” Ryerson said. “We find that many hospitals lack the tools and information necessary to properly document, code and bill. The obvious result is billing that fails to capture all of the services that are rendered.”

He said refining the documentation and charge processes and training managers and staff in the proper procedures can result in significant gains in both OR and ED charge capture. In many cases, such gains can transform a money-losing surgical services or emergency department into a reliable profit center. 

Ryerson’s team also works on strengthening material management procedures. Relying on time-proven protocols, Ryerson develops best-practice material management processes and helps its client hospitals institute them. Ryerson also guides training of staff and managers in the value of remaining in compliance with the procedures.

“We also find that improving communication between the financial managers and the clinical staff pays great dividends,” he said. “When the financial people and clinicians understand each other’s roles in achieving profitability, we see time after time that this enhances the hospital’s ability to effectively cost and bill for provided services.”

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CHARLOTTE, NC–(Marketwire – July 13, 2010) –  Patient Care Technology Systems (PCTS), a subsidiary of Consulier Engineering, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSLR), today announced that Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center will add Amelior ORTracker® — a web-based workflow visibility and automation solution built to streamline patient flow and improve efficiency — in their Oregon City, OR Surgical Services Department. 

Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center is a 143-bed healthcare facility serving the Portland area since 1954. In October 2009, Willamette Falls Hospital officially became Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center when it joined the Providence Health and Services family.

The installation, expected to be complete by the fourth quarter 2010, will include the solution Amelior ORTracker — part of the Amelior Enterprise Visibility and Workflow Automation Suite™ which comprises department to facility-wide software solutions and services designed to more efficiently and safely orchestrate patient care through the real-time visualization of patient flow. Hospitals can scale their implementations by the entities they wish to track (patients, staff, movable medical equipment), purpose (patient flow, temperature monitoring, asset management, infection control) and by the scope of hospital workflow (surgical services, acute care, inpatient floors, outpatient services, enterprise-wide).

With the Amelior ORTracker system, Providence Willamette Falls can monitor, in real-time, the status of patients as they travel through the perioperative process from pre-op, inter-op, PACU (post anesthesia care unit) and post-op. They will have access to computer watch lists that will provide a comprehensive view of the cases for the day, including real-time patient and staff status and location. 

Providence Willamette Falls will join its “sister” facilities Providence Portland Medical Center and Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, which have been using Amelior ORTracker since 2003. In the last seven years, these facilities have seen a reduced time waiting between stages of care in a perioperative visit, enabling them to add-on cases and effectively increase departmental capacity; provided a quieter, more healing environment by decreasing the need for overhead pages and phone calls; and improved safety through the automatic tracking of key intervals such as the administration of antibiotics.

“It’s Providence’s goal to continue to provide the best care possible in all the communities we serve. This includes providing a consistent platform for patient and staff satisfaction,” said Deborah Tuke Bahlman, Providence Health & Services – Oregon Regional IT Director of Surgical Services. 

Tony Marsico, president and chief executive officer for PCTS says, “We have a long history of partnering with Providence, and we welcome the opportunity to implement Amelior ORTracker in another PH&S facility. Providence again shows their continued dedication to their community.”

PCTS has expanded their Amelior Enterprise Visibility and Workflow Automation Suite into other departments within the Providence Health and Services community in Oregon, including the Providence Heart and Vascular Institute and the radiology department at Providence St. Vincent.

About Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center
Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center is a not-for-profit acute care hospital operated by Providence Health & Services in Oregon City, OR. Established in 1954 as Doctors’ Hospital, the hospital moved to its current location in 1961 and has 143 licensed beds at its 243,000-square-foot (22,600 m²) facility. Providence Willamette Falls also operates several medical offices and clinics outside of Oregon City in other parts of Clackamas County. Previously known as Willamette Falls Hospital, the hospital merged with Providence in 2009.

About Patient Care Technology Systems
Patient Care Technology Systems, a subsidiary of Consulier Engineering, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSLR), helps health care providers to improve patient flow, increase capacity and improve patient and staff safety by visualizing the real-time location and status of people and equipment throughout their facility. PCTS solutions have supported over 2 million patient visits annually and have shown a proven return on investment in high turnover, high-acuity units such as the emergency department and perioperative suites. The Amelior Enterprise Visibility and Workflow Automation Suite™ is interoperable with all leading locating technologies, including active-RFID, infrared, ultrasound, ultra-wideband, Wi-Fi and ZigBee. PCTS customers have been recognized nationally for improvements in efficiency and clinical excellence. For more information, visit www.pcts.com. 

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. PCTS and CSLR caution you that any statements contained in this press release which are not strictly historical statements constitute forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those related to PCTS’s and CSLR’s expectations regarding continued business growth. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements, (copies of which may be obtained at the SEC’s website at: http://www.sec.gov) — could impact the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Readers should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. PCTS and CSLR disclaim any obligation to publicly update or revise any such statements to reflect any change in PCTS and CSLR’s expectations, or in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements may be based, or that may affect the likelihood that actual results will differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

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ANDOVER, MA–(Marketwire – July 13, 2010) –  Capsule, the leading provider of medical device connectivity, announced that they will be hosting a webinar on July 21, 2010 at 1:00pm Eastern Time on a number of issues hospitals are facing in reaching meaningful use criteria outlined in the HITECH provision of the ARRA. Featured in the webinar will be how medical device integration improves patient care and safety and helps meet Phase I, II and III meaningful use criteria including CPOE.

Ann Farrell, Principal at Farrell Associates, and Kevin Phillips, Partner Development Manager at Capsule, will engage in an interactive discussion about medical device integration and meaningful use. They will discuss why it is critical that real time data be available when hospitals are implementing CPOE technology. They will also discuss how medical device integration can affect the entire enterprise and help meet a number of patient care and safety goals and why it therefore should be placed on a hospital’s short term priority list.

Key topics that will be discussed include: the real benefits of medical device integration, how device integration can recover nursing hours, how can it improve overall patient care and safety, how it addresses hospitals’ key issues surrounding clinical workflow and CPOE, and how device integration can help meet Phases 1, 2 and 3 meaningful use criteria as outlined in the HITECH provision of the ARRA. The speakers are also encouraging participants to submit individual questions prior to the webinar by filling out a form on the registration page. For more information and to register and submit your questions right away click here: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/614983312

About Capsule’s Enterprise Device Connectivity Solution™
Capsule’s Enterprise Device Connectivity Solution is the only solution that will truly adapt to the environment it operates in. Its design gives hospitals the option to deploy connectivity throughout the enterprise so that all departments, not just high acuity, can enjoy the value that device integration has to offer. And it completely integrates with existing or planned caregiver work processes and allows a facility to leverage existing technologies. For more information about Capsule’s Enterprise Device Connectivity Solution, visit http://www.capsuletech.com.

About the Capsule Neuron™ platform
The Capsule Neuron is Capsule’s Next Generation Bedside Platform for managing device connectivity. It is a touch screen device equipped with its own docking station that provides a universal view and status of connectivity for all devices connected to a patient, including devices that are connected locally to a Capsule Neuron docking station and devices that are networked via the hospitals’ wired or wireless LAN. And the Capsule Neuron provides the basis for an expanding set of solutions to enable positive patient association, improved bedside workflow and enhanced patient safety. For more information about the Capsule Neuron visit http://www.capsuletech.com/our-solution-capsule-neuron.htm.

About Capsule
For more than 12 years, Capsule has been the world’s leading, award-winning provider of solutions for medical device connectivity. The company has established market leadership through its FDA 510(k) cleared software and medical grade hardware products, its unique expertise in device protocols and firmware, and through its strong partnerships with major medical device manufacturers and HIS companies. Capsule’s solutions are proven, with over 617 installations at leading healthcare facilities worldwide and its technology is secure, with the largest installed device driver library. Furthermore, Capsule is continually recognized as the leader in the industry receiving the Frost & Sullivan Global Technology Leadership Award as well as the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 and Fast 500 EMEA Awards. And, with the introduction of the Capsule Neuron™ platform and Enterprise Connectivity Solution, Capsule will continue to be the leader, by working with our partners to develop and implement solutions that meet the short and long term patient safety needs of hospitals today. For more information about Capsule, visit the company’s Web site at http://www.capsuletech.com/ or contact the U.S. Marketing & Public Relations department at 978-482-2337.

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ROCKVILLE, MD–(Marketwire – July 13, 2010) –  MarketResearch.com has announced the addition of GBI Research’s new report “Surgical Equipment Market to 2016 – Emerging Economies to Provide Future Growth Opportunities,” to their collection of Surgical Equipment market reports. For more information, visit http://www.marketresearch.com/product/display.asp?ProductID=2718784.

GBI Research’s medical equipment report, “Surgical Equipment Market to 2016 – Emerging Economies to Provide Future Growth Opportunities” provides key data, information and analysis on the global surgical equipment market. This report on medical technologies provides data on market landscape, competitive landscape and market trends information on three surgical equipment market categories — Electrosurgical Devices, Hand Instruments and Surgical Sutures. The report provides comprehensive information on the key trends affecting these categories, and key analytical content on the market dynamics. The report also reviews the competitive landscape, key pipeline products and technology offerings.

This report is built using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research and in-house analysis by GBI Research’s team of industry experts.

The global surgical equipment market has grown steadily during the last decade due to an increase in the number of hospitals and the rise in the number of surgical procedures performed both in the developed and emerging economies. In the future, the number of surgical procedures performed in the emerging economies is expected to grow at a faster rate than in developed economies, due to the higher economic growth forecasts for the emerging economies.

The surgical equipment market is highly competitive and fragmented with a healthy mix of international and local players. The addition of new hospitals and an increase in the number of operating rooms in existing hospitals in the emerging economies provide growth opportunities for both established players and new entrants.

Topics covered in the report include…

• Key geographies covered include the US (United States), Canada, the UK (United Kingdom), Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, China, India, Australia, and Brazil.
• Market size and company share data for three surgical equipment market categories – Electrosurgical Devices, Hand Instruments and Surgical Sutures.
• Annualized market revenues data from 2002 to 2009, forecast forward for 7 years to 2016. Company share data for 2009.
• Qualitative analysis of key market trends, market drivers, and restraints by each category within the surgical equipment market.
• The report also covers information on the leading market players, the competitive landscape, and the leading pipeline products and technologies.
• Key players covered include Ethicon, Covidien, B. Braun, ERBE Elektromedizin, CONMED Corporation and Integra LifeSciences.

For more information, visit http://www.marketresearch.com/product/display.asp?ProductID=2718784.

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WINCHESTER, CA–(Marketwire – July 12, 2010) –  Michael Cooper is a Vietnam veteran from Tampa, Florida. Having served in the U.S. Army from 1970-73 as a helicopter flight engineer, Cooper saw more than his share of combat. “My father was a WWII Army veteran so the decision to serve my country came easily,” says Cooper. He also knows firsthand what it’s like to be hospitalized, adding, “It’s the boredom that’s the worst. All the free time you have between appointments is the hardest to deal with.” Cooper recalls coming out of surgery and the first thing he was asked was if he would like to assemble a craft kit. The individual offering the kit was a Craft Care Specialist (CCS), employed by national nonprofit Help Hospitalized Veterans (HHV) and stationed at the Tampa VA medical center.

As a patient, Cooper went on to enjoy working with many of the arts & crafts provided by HHV and later decided to volunteer in the craft clinic. His help with HHV craft kits has now come full-circle, as Cooper himself is now employed as the CCS at the Tampa VA Medical Center. “I never dreamed I’d have this job. It’s such a joy to be of service to other veterans. It’s particularly rewarding to help those who are feeling down. Every day I get to witness new sparks of life. For some veterans, work on the arts and crafts brings about improvement of fine and gross motor skills, while others enjoy increased attention spans. Cognitive improvements have even been seen in brain injury patients. Every week somebody’s life is changed,” adds Cooper. “We utilize the HHV kits throughout the hospital and favorites include model cars and motorcycles, leather and sun catchers.”

“Perhaps the most intriguing benefit the arts & crafts provide is the impact they’re having in the pain care clinic,” said Cooper. “You wouldn’t believe it, but people with significant pain find their tolerance level increases while working on the arts & crafts. It’s as if the diversion tricks the brain and for that period of time the patient is able to find relief and comfort.”

HHV is the largest supplier of free therapeutic arts and crafts kits to our nation’s VA and military hospitals. Since the organization was founded in 1971, over 25 million therapeutic arts and crafts kits have been donated to hospitalized veterans absolutely free of charge with over $3.5 million worth donated to the Tampa VA medical center since their inception to the program.

For more information on HHV programs and services please visit www.hhv.org or call toll-free 1-888-567-VETS.

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WEST HARTFORD, CT–(Marketwire – July 12, 2010) –  ORLive, the vision of improving health, presents a live hip replacement surgery featuring the Continuum Acetabular System and the Fitmore Hip Stem from Zimmer. Earlier in the week ORLive will premiere an update to the Hepatocellular Carcinoma program presented by NewYork-Presbyterian, including information on living donor liver transplant options.

This week ORLive also invites you take part in the latest installment of the Virtual Brain Tumor Board, and to watch and learn from this month’s featured channel of no-visible-scar surgeries.

NEW ON ORLIVE

NEW VIDEO: Program Update: Hepatocellular Carcinoma – Living Donor Liver Transplant

Premieres Tuesday July 13 – In March of this year the Center for Liver Disease and Transplantation of NewYork-Presbyterian presented a special program that highlighted research findings on the diagnosis, treatment and survival rates of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), from. Now they’re updating this information with new segments on living donor kidney transplant.

HCC, the most common form of liver cancer, is diagnosed in about 24,100 people each year. Watch this webcast to learn more about the latest advances in the diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer.

Viewers will be able to interact and ask questions via the ORLive website. Learn more about this live video broadcast on ORLive.com.

LIVE SURGERY – The Anterior Supine Approach to Total Hip Arthroplasty

Live Wednesday, July 14, 2010, 7PM EDT

ORLive and Zimmer will present a live Total Hip Arthroplasty featuring the Continuum Acetabular System and the Fitmore Hip Stem. The surgery will be performed by Dr. Jonathan Yerasimides, University of Louisville Department of Orthopaedics, Louisville, KY and will be moderated by Dr. Hari Bezwada, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Philadelphia, PA. The broadcast will last one hour and will show the entire surgical procedure. This opportunity allows for firsthand insight of the safe and effective implantation and surgical procedure involved with the Continuum Acetabular System and the Fitmore Hip Stem.

Viewers will be able to interact and ask questions via the ORLive website. Learn more about this program, and request a reminder on ORLive.com.

ORLIVE REFERRALS – Week of July 12, 2010

Each week ORLive highlights on-demand videos for our membership and visitors. 

No Visible Scar Surgery Referral: Advances in Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery: Journey from HALS to NOTES from Covidien

CME Referral: Advances in Pancreatic Cancer Care from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital

Viewer’s Referral: Aortic Aneurysm Repair from Baptist Health Miami

HIGHLIGHTS

NOW ON-DEMAND – German Language Broadcast to Europe, Featuring ConforMIS iUni^® G2 Patient Specific Partial Knee Replacement System

Now Available On-Demand

Originally broadcast live from the University of Wuerzburg Orthopedic Center for Musculoskeletal Research, this video features a partial knee replacement surgery using the ConforMIS iUni G2 system. The broadcast featured Dr. Wolfgang Fitz of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dr. Ulrich Nöth and Dr. Maximilian Rudert, both of the University of Wuerzburg Orthopedic Center for Musculoskeletal Research, presenting and performing the surgery. Learn more about this broadcast, presented entirely in German, at http://www.orlive.com/conformis-inc-/videos/n-chste-generation-patienten-spezifischer-knieoberfl-chenersatz-mit-conformis-iuni-sup-/sup-g2-17-00-uhr-mez-1

Viewers are still able to interact and ask questions via the ORLive website. Learn more about this program, and request a reminder on ORLive.com.

NOW ON-DEMAND – Advances in Treating Pediatric Epilepsy

Now Available On-Demand

If a child’s seizures can’t be controlled with medications, surgery may be the solution. See how the Neurosurgical team at NewYork-Presbyterian Phyllis & David Komansky Center for Children’s Health is making advancements in epilepsy. Hosted by Philip Stieg, MD, PhD, and featuring Jeffrey Greenfield, MD, PhD, Samual Weinstein, MD, and Theodore Schwartz, MD, this program goes in depth into the latest surgical advancements and options for patients. 

Viewers of this video are invited to interact with the surgeons via the ORLive website, and to join the community and receive regular updates from the NewYork-Presbyterian Phyllis & David Komansky Center for Children’s Health on pediatric epilepsy.

SUPPLEMENTAL CONTENT – VOX ORLive

Explore robotic assisted mitral valve surgery with cardiac surgeon Dr. Lynn Seto in the current episode of VOX ORLive, an audio podcast featuring the latest advancements in medicine, surgery, and medical technology.

About ORLive

ORLive is the leading provider of video communication channels to the healthcare community. Working collaboratively with hospitals and device manufacturers, ORLive produces and distributes customized, interactive, video programs that demonstrate the latest advances in medicine, surgical techniques and product innovations. The ORLive broadcasting network provides an intimate look at over 650 live and on-demand surgeries to a global audience, streaming over 50,000 hours of programming each month. The ORLive network can be found on-line at www.ORLive.com.

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LOS ANGELES, CA–(Marketwire – July 12, 2010) –  MMRGlobal, Inc. (OTCBB: MMRF) (www.mymedicalrecords.com) today announced it has entered into an agreement with Benchmark Financial Groups to help fund the Company’s deployment of MMRPro, including the specially configured Kodak 520MDPro scanner designed exclusively for distribution with the MMRPro system. MMRPro is the Company’s complete end-to-end electronic document and patient record chart management system designed to provide healthcare professionals with an easy-to-use and cost-effective solution to digitize, store, retrieve and electronically share medical records (www.mmrmdvideos.com).

Robert H. Lorsch, MMRGlobal Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, “This credit facility is designed to ensure the Company can maintain sufficient inventories of Kodak 520MDPro scanners and Capture Pro software to support Kodak’s domestic and international sales teams, the recently announced sales agreement with National Payment Providers (NPP), and the Company’s direct sales efforts without the need to use the Company’s existing credit line with The RHL Group or its pending equity line. NPP currently sells billing services to more than 168,000 healthcare clients and will offer MMRPro as part of its services.” 

“This program will also provide the resources necessary to expand the Company’s training, installation and customer support personnel for MMRPro Services,” Lorsch added.

MMRGlobal, Inc. is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. In addition to the MMRPro solution for healthcare professionals, the Company’s suite of information technology products includes the MyMedicalRecords Personal Health Record and MyEsafeDepositBox electronic vault. To view demonstrations of the Company’s products, visit www.mmrtheatre.com. 

About MMRGlobal, Inc.

MMRGlobal, Inc., through its wholly-owned operating subsidiary, MyMedicalRecords, Inc. (“MMR”), provides secure and easy-to-use online Personal Health Records (“PHRs”) and electronic safe deposit box storage solutions, serving consumers, healthcare professionals, employers, insurance companies, and professional organizations and affinity groups. MyMedicalRecords enables individuals and families to access their medical records and other important documents, such as birth certificates, passports, insurance policies and wills, anytime from anywhere using the Internet. The MyMedicalRecords Personal Health Record is built on proprietary, patented technologies to allow documents, images and voicemail messages to be transmitted and stored in the system using a variety of methods, including fax, phone, or file upload without relying on any specific electronic medical record platform to populate a user’s account. The Company’s professional offering, MMRPro, is designed to give physicians’ offices an easy and cost-effective solution to digitizing paper-based medical records and sharing them with patients in real time. MMR is an Independent Software Vendor Partner with Kodak to deliver an integrated turnkey EMR solution for healthcare professionals. MMR is also an integrated service provider on Google Health. To learn more about MMRGlobal, Inc. and its products, visit www.mymedicalrecords.com and view the videos at www.mmrtheatre.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release that are not strictly historical in nature constitute “forward-looking statements.” Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results to be materially different from historical results or from any results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the risk the Company’s products are not adopted or viewed favorably by the healthcare community, risks related to the current uncertainty and instability in financial and lending markets, timing and volume of sales and installations, length of sales cycles and the installation process, market acceptance of new product introductions, ability to establish and maintain strategic relationships, ability to identify and integrate acquisitions, relationships with licensees, competitive product offerings and promotions, compliance with and changes in government laws and regulations and future changes and initiatives in the healthcare industry, undetected errors in our products, risks related to third party vendors, risks related to obtaining and integrating third-party licensed technology, acceptance of the Company’s marketing and promotional campaigns, risks related to a security breach by third parties, maintaining, developing and defending our intellectual property rights including those pertaining to our biotechnology assets, uncertainties associated with doing business internationally across borders and territories, and additional risks discussed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company is providing this information as of the date of this release and, except as required by law, does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. 

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RIVERSIDE, CA–(Marketwire – July 12, 2010) – ONRAD Inc., a leader in radiology solutions, including teleradiology, on-site coverage, and technology services, is proud to announce the launch of their new website, which makes it easier for users to navigate and find information on all the company’s radiology solutions. “The new site is a better reflection of ONRAD and provides all the important information about our service offerings,” said Ryan Pahler, Director of Sales and Marketing. The site includes full information on ONRAD’s newest service offerings including on-site radiology coverage, which is available to new and current customers. Users will also find additional information on new Subspecialty Teleradiology interpretation services for Orthopedic and Neurology groups on top of the teleradiology services that they already provide. 

The ONRAD blog (onradinc.wordpress.com) and Twitter (twitter.com/onradnews) pages are also live. “Our goal for the social media pages is to create a space where industry leaders can share information and ideas,” says Pahler, “they’re not intended to be another billboard for our advertising messages, but a place where we can build a community to support others in the industry.” 

“2010 has been a record year so far for ONRAD,” said Brian Phelan, ONRAD’s President and COO. “The foundation of our success has been our ability to address the needs of the radiology community through our flexibility and customizable service offerings,” said Phelan in reference of the company’s recent headlines including the acquisition of a subspecialty radiology provider, and introduction of additional service offerings that include billing operations and on-site staffing solutions. “ONRAD began as a traditional teleradiology provider, but has evolved into a true radiology solutions company.”

As a partner, ONRAD provides more than just teleradiology interpretations. The executive team develops strategies to help customers be more competitive in their local communities. ONRAD’s unique solutions are customized for each customer to help increase profitability and improve patient care.

For more information on ONRAD Inc. visit www.onradinc.com

To read more on this topic, visit: http://www.onradinc.com/?page_id=1818

About ONRAD Inc:

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

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MUNDELEIN, IL–(Marketwire – July 9, 2010) –  Looking to support guidelines from APIC, SHEA, CDC and the Joint Commission for preventing catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), Medline Industries, Inc. will be showcasing its evidence-based ERASE CAUTI program and urological products at the upcoming Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) Annual Scientific Meeting in New Orleans, LA, July 12. 

CAUTI is one of the most common healthcare-associated infections, not only comprising 40 percent of all institutionally acquired infections, but also eight percent of infections in the home care setting. Studies show that one in four patients receives an indwelling urinary catheter at some point during their hospital stay and up to 50 percent of these catheters are placed unnecessarily.

During the three-day exhibition, Medline will demonstrate its ERASE CAUTI program, a revolutionary new approach to managing catheters and reducing CAUTI. Based on the same criteria the CDC used in developing their new CAUTI prevention guidelines, the ground-breaking ERASE CAUTI program features a reengineered one-layered catheter tray coupled with an evidence-based clinical education program.

The Medline clinical team will also be conducting a series of live, multimedia overviews of its cutting edge competency validation tools for assessing and sustaining staff results. The interactive competency programs are available to staff anytime via Medline University, Medline’s online education resource, and can be easily incorporated into the annual skills competency program for a facility’s nursing staff.

Among the additional CAUTI prevention products available in the booth (#1907) for demonstration during the show are exam gloves and hand hygiene compliance tools that support aseptic technique and the BioCon 500 Scanner, which can be used in place of a urinary catheter to assess bladder volumes and reducing the number of catheterizations. Avoiding unnecessary catheter use is a primary strategy for preventing CAUTI.

Additional information on the ERASE CAUTI program is available on Medline’s website at www.medline.com/erase.

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, Ill., 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.

Medline has a growing network of 32 distribution centers around the country, as well as an expanding, dedicated transportation fleet with over 200 vehicles in a variety of sizes to fit customers’ specific delivery needs. The fleet is equipped with the latest navigation devices for enhanced order tracking and communication.

PHOENIX, AZ–(Marketwire – July 8, 2010) –  Brenda J. Fox, MS, ATR-BC, a therapist from the Gatehouse Academy, recently presented a 2.5 hour session in Phoenix, Arizona to introduce how the use of art and art therapy enhances the power of play in play therapy. The participants learned how different art materials are used and can be incorporated into the play therapy session. Each member was also able to participate in an experiential art therapy technique, which can be used with any age group.

The workshop accomplished the following five objectives for the play therapists in attendance:

1. Learn how the use of art therapy enriches and supports play therapy.
2. Understand the benefits of art therapy and play.
3. Discover how various art mediums work in the play therapy session.
4. Learn when to use art material as a therapeutic intervention in play therapy.
5. Learn how to explore anger through experiencing a “hands on” art therapy technique to be used in play therapy.

“We are very proud of the work Brenda has been able to accomplish here at Gatehouse Academy and outside of our drug rehab program,” states Mike Baldassare, Director of Admissions. “She is an integral part of our addiction treatment team and has helped countless residents here get well through the power of Art Therapy.” Brenda currently works with young adults recovering from substance abuse at the Gatehouse Academy in Arizona. Fox has also worked with women with eating disorders and has facilitated family art therapy groups at in-patient settings. Her experience includes speaking at conferences and workshops, teaching didactics, group facilitation, individual therapy, leading retreats, and writing articles on art therapy featured in the Arizona Republic and Seventeen Magazine.

For more information, visit www.gatehouseacademy.com.

About Gatehouse Academy

Gatehouse Academy is a co-educational long term drug rehab program and addiction treatment center exclusively for young adults ages 17 to 25 with chemical dependency and dual diagnosis disorders. Residents are taught responsibility, accountability, life skills, social skills, and work ethic, while receiving an equal blend of therapeutic and clinical services. Twelve-step recovery is the foundation of the program and daily meetings are attended in the community.

MUNDELEIN, IL–(Marketwire – July 8, 2010) –  Medline Industries, Inc., the nation’s largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of healthcare supplies, announced today the signing of a cost management prime vendor agreement for distribution services with Southeast Supply Solutions, LLC (SESS) based in Tampa, Fla. The five-year agreement, which began June 1, 2010, is anticipated to save SESS’ member hospitals an estimated $18 million over the term of the contract.

SESS, a limited liability corporation owned by select VHA Southeast members located throughout Florida and Alabama, enables members to align supply chain strategies that leverage aggregated supply volume to drive supply chain cost reductions and improve operating efficiencies.

Medline is expected to generate more than $360 million in medical and surgical distribution sales from the partnership over the term of the agreement.

According to Sidney Hobbs, Medline’s Vice President of National Accounts, “Medline will provide full distribution services to SESS members, which together comprise 18 hospitals. Medline will drive cost savings to SESS through operational efficiencies and cost reductions throughout the distribution channel and from Medline brand product purchases. Medline will distribute products direct to the healthcare facilities from its Orlando distribution center and a new distribution facility in Alabama, expected to open in 2011.”

Medline will also deliver cost savings by reducing distribution fees on other national brand products and product standardization. In addition, Medline will provide enhanced reporting capabilities and offer comprehensive product utilization, clinical education and practical solutions to help the facility control costs and improve patient care and safety.

“The commitment by the SESS members to Medline sets the foundation for current and future operation efficiencies resulting in lower supply chain costs,” said James Etherton, Director Materials Management, Bay Medical Center and SESS Operating Committee Chairman.

About Southeast Supply Solutions (SESS)
SESS, a limited liability corporation owned by eight VHA Southeast members, enables members to align supply chain strategies that leverage aggregated supply volume to drive supply chain cost reductions and improve operating efficiencies while maintaining the highest quality of care for the communities. The eight member owners of SESS include: Baptist Health (Montgomery, AL); Baptist Health Care Corporation (Pensacola, Fla); Bay Medical Center (Panama City, Fla); Citrus Memorial Health System (Inverness, Fla); DCH Healthcare Authority (Tuscaloosa, Ala); Lakeland Regional Health Systems, Inc. (Lakeland, Fla); Parrish Medical Center (Titusville, Fla); University Community Hospital, Inc. (Tampa, Fla).

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, Ill., 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 health care 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.

NEW YORK, NY–(Marketwire – July 8, 2010) – SREH Scientific News International (PINKSHEETS: SREH) (www.scientificnewsroom.com) announces today confirmation to attend the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Scientific Assembly to be held at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado September 29^th – October 2^nd, 2010. The conference, held annually, is the premier event for AAFP members covering Clinical topics, Population-based care, Patient-based care and Clinical Procedure Topics with a multitude of sub-categories therein to suit medical professionals from around the country.

The American Academy of Family Physicians is one of the largest national medical organizations, representing more than 94,700 family physicians, family medicine residents and medical students nationwide. Founded in 1947, its mission has been to preserve and promote the science and art of Family Medicine and to ensure high-quality, cost-effective health care for patients of all ages. The Mission of the AAFP is to improve the health of patients, families and communities by serving the needs of members with professionalism and creativity. Initiatives include advocacy, practice enhancement, education and health of the public.

SREH CEO Tony Dibiase believes, “This will be an excellent way to kick-off the Fall Conference season for SNI’s exclusive coverage on the medical industry. Our medical writers have pre-approved press credentials and will be in attendance to feature the meeting highlights for our trademarked publication, The Podium Report. Over 90,000 AAFP members will receive the preliminary news report via email and be able to access the complete meeting highlights on www.scientificnewsroom.com on demand. This is beneficial to both those that are not able to attend and for those that did attend and would like a re-cap. Either way, the information becomes exponentially productive when implemented with our soon to be released Doctor2Doctor social networking platform.”

This year’s Assembly includes new features such as The Learning Gallery, with presentations on important, medically relevant issues; exhibitor’s products, products in clinical development, disease state data, and physician-sponsored evidence-based studies. It also will feature an unparalleled opportunity for exhibitors to showcase the latest in technology, products, equipment, and services related to the specialty of family medicine.

“This is the first of many events on our calendar for the year in building the information database and accessible archives for medical professionals everywhere,” states Dibiase. “With more information comes increase in industry position and overall profitability with the ability to further cross-implement the cutting-edge features of SNI such as the iPhone/iPad news feed application and SNI’s one-of-a-kind social networking matrix, Doctor2Doctor, among others. As always, we continue to be the only independent medical news company in the world that manages to deliver both quality and quantity with integrity as a subscription-based provider with no influence from sponsors. We expect to see our paid member base increase significantly over the next few months as we continue to announce company developments, meeting attendance, and key strategic relationships.”

CUTTING EDGE MEDICAL MEETING NEWS EXCLUSIVELY AT Scientific News International! (www.scientificnewsroom.com) is SREH’s premier all-in-one platform for medical conference and news information focusing on Cardiology, Gastroenterology, Hematology, Nephrology, Oncology, Primary Care, Rheumatology and Urology. The site is the web’s only online resource for medical professionals with access to the latest, cutting edge data presented at major medical meetings worldwide. Staffed by global medical writers, SNI reports the most current research and therapy findings directly. The site’s profitability is IP and subscription-based without bias from any medical or pharmaceutical provider. 

In the beginning, there was… Fishing, Manga, global tide reports and more! Get your iPhone Mobile2Earth (www.mobile2earth.com) app now. Choose from the iPhone King James Bible, fishing reports worldwide, Japanese e-books and comics and so much more! Get ready, as Mobile2Earth unleashes phase 1 of its iPhone app releases for mass consumption. 

Safe Harbor: This release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. Actual performance and results may differ materially from that projected or suggested herein due to certain risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, ability to obtain financing and regulatory and shareholder approvals for anticipated actions.

CLARKSVILLE, TN–(Marketwire – July 8, 2010) –  Premier BPO, Inc. today has announced that they have entered into an agreement with JT Healthcare Services, LLC for the purposes of establishing a Chinese based Joint Venture to provide back office billing and data management services. This Joint Venture is expected to support JT Healthcare Services, LLC’s planned revenue cycle management business in service to U.S. Hospitals.

Premier BPO, Inc. is a leading provider of BPO and KPO services to North American and European Companies. From its headquarters in Clarksville, Tennessee, Premier BPO delivers its services to the world’s best companies from multiple geographies including China, The Philippines and Pakistan. Premier lowers the cost and improves the quality of a client’s back office operations. Premier was founded in 2003 by an industry savvy team of Senior executives, with over 125 years direct combined experience in the outsourcing and off shoring industry who have implemented hundreds of programs, covering thousands of highly educated, deeply skilled agents, in multiple countries across the globe.

Premier has created a strategic relationship with the Chinese government to provide training and facility cost deferrals, building a “center of excellence” specifically dedicated to Medical Billing in Kunshan, China, approximately 45 kilometers from Shanghai, and has access to an extremely large, highly educated work force in the Jiangsu Province which has 115 Colleges and Universities supplying hundreds of thousands of English literate graduates.

JT Healthcare Services, LLC is positioned to be a leading provider of full revenue cycle outsourcing (RCO) services to healthcare providers through aggressive organic and acquisitive growth. Their founding management team consists of seasoned executives that pioneered the industry and built successful RCO businesses with integrated technology offerings. Through this joint venture with Premier BPO, JT Healthcare will leverage a BPO model using scale and automation to elevate service levels while lowering costs and increasing profit margins for hospitals and physician groups in this $50B revenue cycle processing market with huge untapped scale opportunities. Most revenue cycle processing is still performed in-house at hospitals with inefficient and sub-scale back-office operations suffering from economic and governmental pressure to reduce costs and focus on clinical operations.

The partnership created by Premier and JT Healthcare Services will provide end-to-end RCO services which will provide the perfect solution for this crippling drain on health care providers.

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LONDON–(Marketwire – July 8, 2010) –   Frederic H. Moll, M.D., co-founder and executive chairman of the board of directors for Hansen Medical, Inc., will present at the Royal Society of Medicine’s (RSM) annual Medical Innovations Summit on July 11, 2010.

What: Dr. Moll will highlight the success and benefits of the company’s Sensei® X Robotic Catheter System and its Artisan™ Extend Control Catheter. The Sensei X Robotic Catheter System allows physicians to instinctively position robotic catheters in difficult anatomical locations within the heart in a stable and controlled manner. The system consists of a physician workstation capable of controlling a robotic arm, which is attached near the foot of the procedure table. The robotic arm maneuvers the Artisan Control Catheter. Studies demonstrate that use of Hansen Medical’s robotic platform help to increase safety and reduce both radiation and fluoroscopy exposure.

When: Sunday, July 11, Session 4, 12:30 – 13:30, followed by a Q&A session with all speakers.

Where: The Royal Society of Medicine, 1 Wimpole Street, London W1G0AE, UK.

About The Medical Innovations Summit 2010: The Royal Society of Medicine has always been the home of medical education and is fast becoming a vital source of information on medical innovation. The RSM is eager to ensure its members and guests are kept updated and informed on the latest developments in medicine and healthcare. This year’s program features guest speakers from around the world with an intensive focus on the latest medical breakthroughs. For additional information, visit http://www.rsm.ac.uk/innovations or contact:

Carmel Turner
Media Manager, RSM
020 7290 2904
07949516471

About Hansen Medical: Hansen Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ: HNSN), based in Mountain View, California, USA, develops products and technology using robotics for the accurate positioning, manipulation and control of catheters and catheter-based technologies. The company’s Sensei® system and its Sensei X Robotic Catheter System are compatible with fluoroscopy, ultrasound, 3D surface map and patient electrocardiogram data. In the European Union, the Sensei and the Sensei X systems are cleared for use during Electrophysiology (EP) procedures, such as guiding catheters in the treatment of Atrial Fibrillation (AF). The remote navigation platform was cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for manipulation and control of certain mapping catheters in EP procedures. The safety and effectiveness of the Sensei and Sensei X systems for use with cardiac ablation catheters in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias, including AF have not been established. Additional information can be found at www.hansenmedical.com.

Hansen Medical, Heart Design, Hansen Medical & Heart Design, and Sensei are registered trademarks, and Artisan is a trademark of Hansen Medical, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

SAN MATEO, CA–(Marketwire – July 7, 2010) –  AtHoc, Inc., the pioneer and leader in network-centric emergency mass notification systems, today announced that the United States Army Garrison Walter Reed and Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) will deploy its award-winning AtHoc IWSAlerts™ system to help alert personnel in the event of an emergency and to rapidly communicate mission-critical information. The planned implementation of AtHoc’s technology will support as many as 10,000 military and civilian personnel at WRAMC, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. 

The AtHoc network-centric mass notification system will be deployed onsite behind Walter Reed’s NIPRNet firewall and will run using Microsoft-based servers and databases. The AtHoc solution will use the garrison’s existing IP network services and will leverage a centralized, Web-based architecture to deliver reliable and secure emergency notifications to all personnel. The system is fully compliant with the Department of Defense’s (DoD’s) Unified Facilities Criteria and the National Fire Protection Association Alarm and Signaling Code (NFPA 72) for net-centric emergency mass notification.

The AtHoc system will deliver alerts through the telephone, with text messaging, and with intrusive audio/visual pop-up alerts to personnel connected to the IP network via desktop, laptop and any other networked device. Alert responses from recipients will be captured and reported to emergency managers in real time to provide an enterprise personnel accountability picture of the safety and status of all personnel. 

In addition to mass emergency alerting, the AtHoc system can be used for healthcare-specific scenarios such as a personnel recall in the event of mass casualty incident, or to quickly disseminate accurate information when dealing with a disease outbreak. 

AtHoc is the No. 1 provider of network-centric mass notification systems to the U.S. military and is currently deployed at 185 installations, protecting more than 1.3 million personnel worldwide. AtHoc specializes in enterprise deployments supporting entire geographically dispersed organizations — major commands, regions and services — from a private cloud application, hosted at internal DoD data centers. This new agreement is the latest in a series of significant DoD medical deployments by AtHoc. Recent deals include the U.S. Army Irwin Health Care Clinic at Fort Riley and Lyster Army Medical Clinic at Fort Rucker.

“The agreement with Walter Reed continues the successful rapid adoption of AtHoc IWSAlerts by the U.S. Army to support their command (IMCOM) emergency mass notification initiatives,” stated (Ret.) Army Col. David Brown, director of Army operations for AtHoc. “The scale of this deployment is significant as it clearly demonstrates the enterprise-class capabilities of the AtHoc platform and its ability and flexibility to address the unique requirements of an Army garrison and an Army medical center.”

AtHoc’s innovative solution represents the evolution of mass notification technology to a third generation able to leverage existing IP networks to (a) communicate emergency information rapidly to all connected devices; (b) integrate and unify disparate existing mass notification capabilities; (c) provide bi-directional communication allowing collection of feedback from all personnel; and (d) achieve enterprise-level scalability and processes. The result is the most effective enterprise-wide mass notification capability with the best cost-to-benefit ratio. 

About AtHoc
AtHoc is the pioneer and recognized leader in providing network-centric emergency mass notification systems to military, homeland security, government and commercial organizations. AtHoc’s products are used for physical security, force protection, personnel accountability, recall and regulatory compliance. Millions of end-users worldwide, in organizations such as the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, NASA, UCLA, Microsoft, Boeing and Raytheon rely on AtHoc’s unified notification systems for their emergency alerting and critical communication needs. AtHoc has partnered with market leaders including Microsoft, Cisco, Dell, Harris, Siemens, Northrop Grumman, MIR3, Lockheed Martin and others to bring these notification solutions to the public and commercial markets.

For more information on AtHoc, please visit http://www.athoc.com.

CHICAGO, IL–(Marketwire – July 7, 2010) –  The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN^®) Board of Directors approved an overall passing standard of 55, with no individual section of the test at a scoring level below 50, for the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic). This decision is consistent with the previous passing standards recommended for other English language tests and the level of English proficiency needed to perform entry-level nursing safely and effectively. This recommendation also supports the NCSBN policy position on international nurse immigration, which states that “domestic and international nurses need to be proficient in written and spoken English skills.”

NCSBN has approved similar passing standards on English language proficiency tests for the Test of English as a Foreign Language Computer-based Test (TOEFL CBT) in 2003 and for a version of the TOEFL Internet-based Test (TOEFL iBT^®), as well as for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS^™) examination. NCSBN is now providing its member boards with another option for evaluating English language proficiency of licensure applicants by setting a minimum English proficiency requirement with PTE Academic. Given the number of internationally educated nurses who seek licensure in the U.S., defining a legally defensible passing standard, documenting the procedures used to identify that standard, and making the standard available to boards of nursing and other interested parties is a benefit to member board jurisdictions.

PTE Academic was developed to measure the English communication skills of nonnative English-speaking students in an academic environment. Owned and developed by Pearson, the test was cross-validated in several countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia and the U.S., to ensure that the test is representative of and measures international academic English. PTE Academic measures four English language skills via integrated test items: Writing, Speaking, Reading and Listening. For more information about PTE Academic, visit http://pearsonpte.com/PTEAcademic.

“Setting an English Language Proficiency Passing Standard for Entry-Level Nursing Practice Using the Pearson Test of English Academic,” an NCSBN NCLEX Technical Brief, can be found on the NCSBN website at https://www.ncsbn.org/1233.htm.

The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) is a not-for-profit organization whose members include the boards of nursing in the 50 states, the District of Columbia and four U.S. territories — American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands and the Virgin Islands. There are also four associate members.

Mission: The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN), composed of Member Boards, provides leadership to advance regulatory excellence for public protection.

The statements and opinions expressed are those of NCSBN and not the individual member state or territorial boards of nursing.

National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc.
111 E. Wacker Drive, Suite 2900
Chicago, IL 60601-4277