MCHENRY, IL–(Marketwire – July 21, 2010) –  Medcor, Inc. announced its receipt of Staples’ Supplier of the Year award for Loss Prevention, recognizing Medcor’s contribution to improving health outcomes and controlling health costs. Medcor provides a 24/7 telephonic injury triage service for all Staples retail stores in North America. The service gives Staples employees immediate access to a registered nurse via a toll-free line to help determine the best course of action in the event of injury or illness at work. The service directs employees in first aid and self care, and makes referrals to appropriate off-site care for further treatment and diagnosis when necessary. More than 100 other vendors were considered in the selection process for this award. The award was presented to Medcor by Staples executives Wayne Jacobson and Dan Provost. Staples is the world’s largest office products company. 

“This is an important honor from an important client,” said Medcor President and CEO Philip Seeger, as he shared the award with nurses in Medcor’s call center in McHenry, Illinois. “Our nurses combine their experience and training with our software and clinical algorithms to deliver a very effective clinical intervention. The whole system is designed to work seamlessly within our client’s safety and risk management program.”

Medcor’s triage process is covered by three US patents, with additional patents pending. Medcor’s triage service is currently used by over 70,000 work locations from a variety of industries, including many national retailers. 

About Medcor

Medcor helps employers reduce costs of workers’ compensation and general health care. Medcor services include telephonic injury triage, on-site health and wellness clinics, outsourced safety staff, and employee screening. Medcor’s services are available 24/7 nationwide for worksites of any size in many industries. Headquartered in McHenry, IL, the company provides triage services to nearly 70,000 worksites in all 50 states and operates 163 on-site workplace clinics. Medcor’s triage methods are covered by U.S. & foreign patents, including U.S. No. 7,668,733; 7,716,070; & 7,720,692; other patents pending.

For more information, please contact: Kate Woldhuis at [email protected]

CINCINNATI, OH–(Marketwire – July 21, 2010) –  The Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) strategy being developed by Bracco Diagnostics, a leading provider of contrast media and related equipment to hospitals and imaging centers, was recently featured in a Gartner report on supply chain innovations in the healthcare industry titled “Case Study: Bracco Diagnostics Leverages Datalliance for Downstream Customer Alliances” published July 8, 2010. 

The case study discusses Bracco Diagnostics’ success with the first phase of their VMI program within its own distribution network, as well as the company’s strategy to offer VMI to key customers as a value-added service to manage inventory, prevent stock-outs, and optimize procure-to-pay processes. 

Addressing the challenges to collaborative supply chain processes such as VMI in the healthcare industry, the report lists the following as lessons learned:

• “Trading partners must be willing to collaborate on the development of improved business processes, increasing the level of trust by establishing bidirectional goals and measures.

• Both the hospital and upstream supplier must start by thinking from the patient back. They should then develop innovative solutions to age-old challenges, such as inefficient transactions, bloated network inventories and less-than-optimal customer satisfaction.

• There are a host of ancillary benefits to establishing robust VMI capabilities between trading partners. For example, the cycle time required to renegotiate supply contracts can be greatly reduced when both parties have a clear line of sight to expected volumes, supplier performance and customer satisfaction.”

The full report is available to Gartner clients at www.gartner.com/resId=1397037.

“VMI continues to expand in the healthcare industry and we’re proud to be working with forward-thinking suppliers like Bracco Diagnostics and others to leverage it as one means of bringing down the cost of patient care,” said Bob Jennings, Datalliance VP of Sales & Marketing. “This is another example of the many successful VMI programs within our customer community.” 

Earlier, Datalliance VMI was positively referenced in the AMR Research report titled “The Resurgence of Vendor Managed Inventory: A Landscape” published in October 2009. Visit www.datalliance.com/2009_dec_pr1.html for more information about that report, which is also available on the Gartner web site for companies with appropriate subscriptions. AMR Research is now part of Gartner.

About Datalliance
Datalliance is a leading provider of collaborative commerce services, and the world’s largest independent VMI service provider. Delivered via the Internet using the ‘Software as a Service’ (SaaS) model, Datalliance solutions make it easy for suppliers and their customers to establish sales and inventory management relationships that fully align business objectives, improve collaboration, and streamline supply chain operations. Datalliance manages billions of dollars in orders, millions of SKUs, and thousands of locations for leading Fortune 1000 companies in a number of industries. For more information about Datalliance, visit www.datalliance.com

TUSTIN, CA–(Marketwire – July 21, 2010) – Radient Pharmaceuticals Corporation (NYSE Amex: RPC), a US-based pharmaceutical company specializing in the research, development and sales of In Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) cancer tests, announced today it has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with AMDL Australia Pty Ltd. to market and commercialize RPC’s Onko-Sure™ in vitro diagnostic (IVD) cancer test in Australia and New Zealand.

Led by a strong management team of well-respected physicians and diagnostics professionals, AMDL Australia Pty Ltd. is an established, privately?owned distributor of healthcare products to laboratories, clinics, hospitals and other health care providers and research organizations throughout Australia and New Zealand. The company is the newest addition to Radient Pharmaceuticals’ portfolio of international distributors and under the terms of the agreement, will market, sell and distribute at minimum 3700 Onko?Sure IVD cancer test kits for use as a monitoring test for colorectal cancer (CRC) in Australia and New Zealand. AMDL Australia also holds responsibility for developing and executing a full-scale marketing strategy to drive product awareness and engage healthcare decision makers, thought?leaders, lab directors, physicians, patients and healthcare consumers in product purchases. Targeted distribution channels will include medical centers, hospitals, clinical laboratories, university labs.

According to Douglas MacLellan, Chairman and CEO of RPC, “We are extremely pleased to further expand the commercial availability of Onko-Sure through this partnership with AMDL Australia, a leading distributor in Australia and New Zealand. AMDL Australia has a well-established and significant sales force with a successful track record in these markets where we have not yet established a full commercial sales presence for Onko-Sure. Through this partnership, Onko-Sure will be available sooner and to more patients than otherwise possible in these selected markets.”

AMDL Australia’s Dr Chris Dirks remarked, “Epidemiological evidence estimates there are more than 13,000 new cases of CRC in Australia annually. CRC is a leading cause of cancer death in this country and through national cancer screening programs with the use of Onko-Sure we can enable health care providers with the ability to provide early detection, treatment and more vigilant monitoring, which in turn can lead to decreased mortality rates. We are pleased to be the exclusive distributor of Onko-Sure in the Australian and New Zealand markets.”

Onko?Sure is a simple, non?invasive, patent?pending and regulatory?approved in vitro diagnostic test that enables physicians and their patients to effectively monitor and/or detect certain types of cancers by measuring the accumulation of specific breakdown products in the blood called Fibrin and Fibrinogen Degradation Products (FDP). FDP levels rise dramatically with the progression of cancer. The test is approved for laboratory use in Australia and follows FDA clearance for the post treatment phase monitoring of patients with CRC. The test is a standard ELISA test can be requested for patients with CRC on regular pathology request forms by their physicians.

RPC Contact Information:
For additional information on Radient Pharmaceuticals, ADI and its portfolio of products visit the Company’s corporate website at www.Radient-Pharma.com. For Investor Relations information contact Kristine Szarkowitz at [email protected] or 1.206.310.5323.

About Radient Pharmaceuticals:
Headquartered in Tustin, California, Radient Pharmaceuticals is dedicated to saving lives and money for patients and global healthcare systems through the deployment of our Onko-Sure™ In Vitro Diagnostic cancer test. Our focus is on the discovery, development and commercialization of unique high-value diagnostic tests that help physicians answer important clinical questions related to early disease detection; treatment strategy; and the monitoring of disease progression, prognosis, and diagnosis to ultimately improve outcomes for patients. Radient Pharmaceutical’s current Onko-Sure™ cancer test is used to guide decisions regarding patient treatment, which may include decisions to refer patients to specialists, perform additional testing, or assist in the selection of therapy. To learn more about our company, people and potentially life-saving cancer test, visit www.radient-pharma.com.

Forward Looking Statements:
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: The statements contained in this document include certain predictions and projections that may be considered forward-looking statements under securities law. These statements involve a number of important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially including, but not limited to, the performance of joint venture partners, as well as other economic, competitive and technological factors involving the Company’s operations, markets, services, products, and prices. With respect to Radient Pharmaceuticals Corporation, except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this document are forward-looking statements involving risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements.

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EINDHOVEN, THE NETHERLANDS and GLOSTRUP, DENMARK–(Marketwire – July 21, 2010) – Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG)(AEX: PHI) and Dako, a Danish company specializing in tissue-based cancer diagnostics, today announced that they have signed an agreement to integrate a selection of Dako’s image analysis applications into Philips’ future digital pathology solutions.

“Anatomic pathology is an essential element of virtually every cancer diagnosis and the demand for it is ever-increasing. Our goal is to develop integrated digital solutions that enhance the operational efficiency and productivity of pathology departments, as well as increasing diagnostic confidence,” says Bob van Gemen, General Manager of Philips Digital Pathology. “I am convinced that our partnership with Dako, with its leading market position and expert knowledge in detecting and quantifying specific biomarkers in cancer tissue, will significantly accelerate our clinical applications development program.”

“We are very pleased to announce this collaboration with Philips, a leading company in the healthcare industry that is committed to entering the digital pathology market,” says Lars Holmkvist, CEO of Dako. “By joining forces with Philips, we will be able to deliver highly competitive diagnostic tools based on Philips’ extensive clinical expertise and technology know-how and Dako’s expertise in advanced staining and image analysis in order to benefit pathology laboratories, pathologists and ultimately patients.”

Currently, anatomic pathology workflows to examine tissue samples are based on the microscope, through which pathologists examine tissue sections mounted on glass slides and treated with different stains. The staining enhances the contrast between, or reveals the presence of, cellular and molecular components such as cell nuclei or specific proteins. Accurate interpretation of the results is critical to the diagnosis and staging of each individual patient’s disease and requires a great deal of skill and experience. Digitizing the images that pathologists normally view through a microscope may enable the introduction of objective and quantitative image analysis tools.

Dr. Clive Taylor, MD, PhD, Professor at University of Southern California, USA, and a renowned expert in pathology, expresses about the collaboration: “Digital pathology has been long in gestation, in comparison to radiology, where images also are the currency of practice, and where image acquisition, transfer, interpretation and storage is almost entirely digital. In part, this lag is because acquisition of histopathology images is dependent upon a 100 year old technique of ’tissue fixation’, sectioning and staining. In part, it is because, somewhat surprisingly, fully digitized histopathology images are much larger than CT files, and difficult to manage and analyze. Progress has been slow because there has been no single institution, or company, that embraces both of these areas. It is exciting that collaborations like that between Dako and Philips are now bringing diverse but appropriate expertise to bear on implementing a full digital pathology program.”

A fast pathology slide scanner and an associated image management system form the basis of Philips’ proposed integrated solutions for digitizing pathology workflows. The Philips-Dako collaboration will initially focus on leveraging Dako’s image analysis software for tissue-based breast cancer diagnosis using its reagents for staining HER2, Estrogen Receptor (ER), Progesterone Receptor (PR), p53 and Ki-67 proteins. The detection and quantification of these proteins in biopsy tissue are highly relevant for the classification of breast cancers and the selection of appropriate therapy. Philips and Dako will also explore the possibility of extending the collaboration to include image analysis software for immunohistology-based prostate and colon cancer diagnostics.

About Royal Philips Electronics
Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG)(AEX: PHI) is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people’s lives through timely innovations. As a world leader in healthcare, lifestyle and lighting, Philips integrates technologies and design into people-centric solutions, based on fundamental customer insights and the brand promise of “sense and simplicity”. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips employs more than 116,000 employees in more than 60 countries worldwide. With sales of EUR 23 billion in 2009, the company is a market leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as lifestyle products for personal well-being and pleasure with strong leadership positions in flat TV, male shaving and grooming, portable entertainment and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.

About Dako
Dako, based in Denmark, is a global leader in tissue-based cancer diagnostics. Hospital and research laboratories worldwide use Dako’s know-how, reagents, instruments and software to make precise diagnoses and determine the most effective treatment for patients suffering from cancer. Employing more than 1000 people and being present in more than 80 countries, Dako covers essentially all of the anatomic pathology markets globally. Dako is owned by a private equity fund, EQT. www.dako.com

NEW YORK, NY–(Marketwire – July 21, 2010) –  Allied Healthcare International Inc. (NASDAQ: AHCI) (AIM: AHI) will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the financial and operating performance for its fiscal 2010 third quarter ended June 30, 2010 on Tuesday, August 3, 2010, at 10:00 AM Eastern Time / 3:00 PM UK Time. The call will be hosted by Sandy Young, Chief Executive Officer, and Paul Weston, Chief Financial Officer. The Company will issue its earnings press release prior to the call.

Dial-In Information
Allied invites all those interested in listening to management’s discussion of the results to join the call by dialing (877) 407-8031 for domestic participants and (201) 689-8031 for international participants. Participants may also access a live webcast of the conference call through the “Investors” section of Allied Healthcare’s Website: www.alliedhealthcare.com. 

A telephone replay will be available for one week following the call by dialing (877) 660-6853 for domestic participants and (201) 612-7415 for international participants. When prompted, please enter account number 286 and conference ID number 353906. A webcast replay will also be available and archived on the Company’s website for ninety days.

ABOUT ALLIED HEALTHCARE INTERNATIONAL INC.
Allied Healthcare International Inc. is a leading provider of flexible healthcare staffing services in the United Kingdom. Allied operates a community-based network of over 110 branches with the capacity to provide carers (known as home health aides in the U.S.), nurses, and specialized medical personnel to locations covering approximately 90% of the U.K. population. Allied meets the needs of private patients, community care, nursing and care homes, and hospitals. For more news and information please visit: www.alliedhealthcare.com.

MELVILLE, NY–(Marketwire – July 21, 2010) –  FONAR Corporation (NASDAQ: FONR), The Inventor of MR Scanning™ announces new breakthrough results for the FONAR UPRIGHT® Multi-Position™ MRI. The medical journal “Brain Injury” (July 2010:24(7-8):988-994) has just released the exciting results of a study of 1200 neck pain patients. The study was published by 10 authors from distinguished universities in the U.S. and around the world (University of Oregon, University of Aarhus, Denmark, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, Columbia University, Portland State University) of their results from the scans of 1200 patients. Their study reported that 150% more whiplash patients (Table II – % CTE Trauma Patients) had demonstrable radiographic pathology when scanned upright than when they were scanned lying down (recumbent). Their investigation also reported that “patients with a history of motor vehicle crash-associated neck pain have a substantially higher frequency of cerebellar tonsillar ectopia (CTE)* of 1mm or more than non-traumatic subjects” when examined by the FONAR UPRIGHT® MRI. The authors were Michael D. Freeman, Scott Rosa, David Harshfield, Francis Smith, Robert Bennett, Christopher J. Centeno, Ezriel Kornel, Ake Nystrom, Dan Heffez and Sean S. Kohles.

As the authors reported, the frequency of these fallen cerebellar tonsils (CTE)* was found “4 times more often” in neck pain patients who had experienced whiplash trauma versus neck pain patients that had not experienced recent trauma, when the FONAR UPRIGHT® MRI scanner was used.

The authors further reported, “CTE (tonsil ectopia) was found 2.5 times more often in the upright trauma vs. the recumbent group” if the patients were scanned in the FONAR UPRIGHT® Multi-Position™ MRI. In sum the anatomic origin of the patient’s whiplash symptoms was successfully visualized 2.5 times more frequently when the patient was scanned upright in the FONAR UPRIGHT® Multi-Position™ MRI than when he/she was scanned lying down in the conventional recumbent-only MRI.

The upright MRI examination, therefore, now makes it possible to provide definitive radiographic evidence and image characterization of the pathology giving rise to a patient’s whiplash symptoms so that it can be medically treated. For the first time, definitive anatomic evidence of the injuries sustained by whiplash victims in a motor vehicle accident can be provided. Currently, as the authors point out, some claim that patient whiplash pain is “non-pathologic chronic pain” engendered by “psychosocial factors such as litigation.” The newly published results from the FONAR UPRIGHT® Multi-Position™ MRI establish that this is not correct.

The July 2010 published report of 1200 neck pain patients that were examined in both the recumbent position in a conventional MRI and upright in the FONAR UPRIGHT® Multi-Position™ MRI establishes a “new standard of care” for victims of automotive whiplash injuries wherein the patients’ injuries can now be anatomically visualized and specifically defined so that the most expedient medical treatment can be provided.

Overall, the pathologic anatomy responsible for the patient’s whiplash symptoms was successfully identified in 23.3% of whiplash trauma patients (Table II, Brain Injury, July 2010: 24 (7-8):998) when the patient was scanned upright in the FONAR UPRIGHT® Multi-Position™ MRI. The cause of the patient’s symptoms was identified after a whiplash injury only 9.3% of the time (Table II) when the patient was lying down in a conventional recumbent-only MRI, a difference of 2 1/2 times or 150%.

Raymond V. Damadian, M.D., president and founder of FONAR said, “it has been published(1) that there are approximately 3,000,000 REAR IMPACT(2) crash related (or CAD(3)) INJURIES(2) in the U.S. annually. Accordingly, the publication by M.D. Freeman and co-authors in the July 2010 issue of “Brain Injury” has established that of the 3,000,000 motor vehicle CAD injuries occurring annually in the U.S. 700,000 (23.3%) would exhibit cranio-cervical anatomic changes associated with their symptoms when examined upright in the FONAR UPRIGHT® Multi-Position™ MRI, while only 279,000 would have their pathology detected by a conventional lie-down MRI. At the rate of 3,000,000 CAD whiplash injuries per year, 420,000 patients each year would have the pathology responsible for their symptoms go undetected if they were examined solely in a conventional recumbent-only MRI.”

Dr. Damadian further stressed, “the sudden rise in the incidence of patients suffering from the Chiari syndrome (cerebellar tonsil ectopia) is a fairly recent occurrence that needs to be addressed by both the medical and automotive professions. As Galasko et. al. from the University of Manchester, Salford, U.K., reported regarding the change in the incidence of whiplash disorders following the 1982 enactment of seat-belt legislation in the U.K. (J. Musculoskeletal Pain, Vol 8. (1/2) pgs 15-27), the incidence of whiplash associated disorders (WAD) rose “far in excess of general road traffic accident cases,” and as they also reported, “rose at an alarming rate”.

“Consequently,” Dr. Damadian stated, “it is very important that the approximately 3,000,000 people per year in the U.S. involved in the rear end auto collisions that give rise to whiplash injuries, receive an UPRIGHT® MRI examination soon after the accident. This will assure that a cerebellar tonsil ectopia has not resulted from the accident so that they can be protected going forward, and protected before they become symptomatic. If found to have CTE, they can then be warned by their physicians to exercise especial caution whenever driving and to have devices like the head restraint impact suppressor cushions installed (add On Head Rest, www.addonheadrest.com) to prevent the whiplash reaction from occurring again in the event of a collision. 

“A real concern,” added Dr. Damadian, ” is that a subsequent auto-accident for a patient who had developed tonsil ectopia from a prior auto accident, but did not develop symptoms from the ectopia, can subsequently develop symptoms from even a MINOR subsequent accident. Wan, et. al. (Wan, M. J., Nomura, H., Tator, C. H. Neurosurg. 2008; 63: 748-753.), described a symptomatic “conversion” of previously asymptomatic Chiari Type 1 following MINOR(2) head and neck trauma” (Freeman, M. D. et. al. Brain Injury, July 2010: 24 (7-8):989.

Considering that long term studies have shown that some patients suffered frequent residual symptoms 17 years after the accident, mostly comprising neck pain, radiating pain and headaches, (Eur. Spine J. 2002; 11:227-34), this publication in “Brain Injury” clearly demonstrates the need and the superiority of the FONAR UPRIGHT® Multi-Position™ MRI for imaging patients involved in motor vehicle crashes that sustain whiplash injuries.

* Cerebellar tonsillar ectopia (CTE) constitutes downward displacement of the cerebellum of the brain into the opening in the bottom of the skull, the foramen magnum, through which the spinal cord exits the skull. The downward displacement can result in compression of the medulla of the brain, fourth ventricle and cerebellar vermis, giving rise to neck pain, chronic recurrent occipital headaches, upper extremity weakness and “drop attacks”. While afflicting a low percentage of Chiari 1 patients, such patients can be subject to instantaneous unpredictable losses of consciousness known as “drop attacks” in which the standing patient, without warning, suddenly collapses to the floor.

(1) Foreman, S. M., Croft, A. C. (eds) third edition. Whiplash injuries: The cervical acceleration/deceleration syndrome. Baltimore: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 2001, Pg. 359.

(2) Capitalization added.

(3) Cervical Acceleration/Deceleration syndrome aka “whiplash”.

To obtain a copy of the article published in the peer-reviewed journal, “Brain Injury,” please contact FONAR at 631-694-2929×451 or by email at [email protected]. You may also use a search engine such as Google and search for the journal article entitled “A case-control study of cerebellar tonsillar ectopia (Chiari) and head/neck trauma (whiplash).

For investor and other information visit: www.fonar.com.

UPRIGHT® and STAND-UP® are registered trademarks and The Inventor of MR Scanning™, Full Range of Motion™, pMRI™, Dynamic™, Multi-Position™, True Flow™, The Proof is in the Picture™, Spondylography™ Spondylometry™ and Upright Radiology™ are trademarks of FONAR Corporation.

This release may include forward-looking statements from the company that may or may not materialize. Additional information on factors that could potentially affect the company’s financial results may be found in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

IRVINE, CA–(Marketwire – July 19, 2010) –  The Cystinosis Research Foundation has named three prominent researchers to its Scientific Review Board, which reviews and recommends applications for grants to study the rare and fatal metabolic disease and develop new treatments and a cure. Cystinosis afflicts about 2,000 persons, mostly children, worldwide.

Joining the CRF’s Scientific Review Board are: Drs. Stephanie Cherqui of The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, Calif.; Allison Eddy of the University of Washington, Seattle, Wash. and Francisco Emma of the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital in Rome.

Leaving the CRF’s Scientific Review Board and retiring from a historic career in metabolic disease research is Dr. Jerry Schneider, M.D., who was Professor of Pediatrics and Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of California, San Diego. He is a developer of the two breakthrough treatments for cystinosis, which he began studying in 1965.

“We are fortunate to have such pre-eminent scientists advising us on funding cystinosis research. Over the years, they have made valuable contributions to cystinosis research and are committed to finding improved treatments and a cure,” said Nancy Stack, President and co-founder of the CRF.

She added that the lifelong research on cystinosis by Dr. Schneider “has brought us to the threshold of a new treatment and a cure. He has encouraged and mentored new researchers who now, in turn, have dedicated their careers to cystinosis. Cystinosis patients and their families owe him eternal gratitude,” Stack said.

Dr. Cherqui, Ph. D., an assistant professor at The Scripps Research Institute, is credited with developing a breakthrough cell and gene therapy regimen that has improved cystinosis in mice. She is a member of the CRF Gene Therapy Consortium. Dr. Cherqui worked in Paris with a group led by Dr. Corinne Antignac that identified the cystinosis CTNS gene. Her 2002 doctoral thesis was on molecular studies of cystinosis and the generation of the mouse model for cystinosis. Dr. Cherqui is a member of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy. She has authored 12 publications on cystinosis, including a cover article in the October issue of the scientific journal “Blood.”

Dr. Eddy, M.D., professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington, is internationally recognized for her work on the cellular and molecular basis of kidney fibrosis and progressive kidney disease. She is the director of the Tissue and Cell Biology Research Center at Seattle Children’s Research Institute and in 2009 was elected to the Council of the International Society of Nephrology. Dr. Eddy holds the Robert O. Hickman Endowed Chair in Pediatric Nephrology at the University of Washington. She is a graduate of the McMaster University Medical School in Canada.

Dr. Emma, M.D., is head of Pediatric Nephrology at the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital in Rome, Italy, and president of the Italian Society of Pediatric Nephrology. Dr. Emma’s laboratory research on cystinosis has been focused on studying cell mechanisms that regulate the expression of the CTNS gene and different isoforms of the cystinosin protein. He recently began studying the therapeutic potentials of stem cells for treatment of cystinosis with the support of the CRF. Dr. Emma received his medical degree from the Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium. He trained at Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.

Cystinosis is a metabolic disease that slowly destroys every organ in the body, including the liver, kidneys, eyes, muscles, thyroid and brain. There is a medicine that prolongs the children’s lives, but there is no cure. Most cystinosis sufferers succumb to the disease or its complications by age 40.

In patients with cystinosis, the amino acid cystine accumulates in the tissue due to the inability of the body to transport cystine out of the cell. This causes development of crystals, resulting in early cell death. There is a medication but, as yet, no cure for the disease.

Twice a year the CRF announces worldwide calls to the scientific community for research proposals. Since 2003, the CRF’s Scientific Review Board has played a key advisory role for 78 research grants totaling $11.8 million to scientists studying cystinosis in North America and Europe. Currently, there are 48 CRF-funded studies underway along with 13 CRF research fellows in the United States, Canada, France, Italy, Belgium, Ireland, Germany and The Netherlands.

The CRF is the leading funding source for cystinosis research. The foundation recently approved requests totaling $988,759 for seven new grants. Every dollar raised by the CRF is committed for medical research. Administrative costs are privately underwritten.

Nancy Stack and her husband, Geoffrey, a managing director of the SARES REGIS Group, an Irvine real estate company, have a daughter, Natalie, 19, with cystinosis.

For more information about Cure Cystinosis International Registry and the Cystinosis Research Foundation of Irvine, Calif., call Zoe Solsby at (949) 223-7610 or visit www.cystinosisresearch.org.

HOUSTON, TX–(Marketwire – July 19, 2010) – Leading the charge in minimally invasive treatments for common hand and upper extremity conditions and injuries plaguing both men and women in society today, hand and upper extremity specialist, Dr. Evan Collins approves the use of new minimally invasive XIAFLEX® in the treatment of his patients suffering from Dupuytren’s Contracture.

The new injectable treatment first introduced in Europe recently received FDA approval for use in the United States and is now offered by a small group of specially trained orthopedic specialists. Dr. Collins, who was among the first to introduce the Percutaneous Needle Fasciotomy, also known as needle aponeurotomy (NA), in the treatment of Dupuytren’s Contracture nearly two years ago will offer the new XIAFLEX® treatment at The Methodist Hospital – Texas Medical Center.

XIAFLEX® is the first FDA-approved non surgical treatment for Dupuytren’s Contracture, enzymatically disrupting collagen when injected directly into a Dupuytren’s cord. Collagen disruption results in improved range of motion.

“There has been a great deal of work done in recent years to address the debilitating effects of Dupuytren’s Disease. This is among the first non surgical injection procedures approved by the FDA in the United States. We hope to restore range of motion to patients suffering from severe Dupuytren’s contractures, without the risks and recovery time of even the most advanced surgical procedures currently used to address them,” said Dr. Collins.

“Many people choose to live with the condition, which can dramatically affect even the most basic daily activities, because they are not comfortable with the treatments we have had to date. This non surgical approach may be a more appealing option for them,” Collins added.

Dupuytren’s disease is a progressive condition which causes the fibrous tissue of the palmar fascia (cords) to shorten and thicken. Eventually this will result in nodules causing fingers to contract, distorting the hand and reducing hand function. 

A Weill Cornell assistant professor and former Chief of Hand & Upper Extremity at Baylor College of Medicine, Dr. Evan Collins is awarded some of the highest nationally recorded patient satisfaction scores. He is featured among H Texas and Texas Monthly magazines’ recognized doctor’s listings and internationally renowned for his research in common hand and wrist conditions, tendinopathies, carpal tunnel syndrome, osteoarthritis and other debilitating joint conditions. 

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ORLANDO, FL–(Marketwire – July 19, 2010) –  WellCity, Inc. (http://www.WellCity.com), a wellness-related social network and subsidiary of WellTek, Inc. (OTCBB: WTKN), today announced it will host a national conference call on July 22, 2010 at 9:30 pm EDT to present an important message from David George, CEO of WellCity.

The Company is rallying all network marketers to listen in on why WellCity is the single most effective medium today for creating optimum health and long-term wealth.

Subject: Important Message from David George, CEO of WellCity
Date: Thursday, July 22, 2010
Time: 9:30 pm EDT
Telephone Dial In: 1-760-569-7676
Access Code: 239460#
Self Mute/Unmute: *6

Skype Dial In: Add freeconferencecallhd.7676 to your Skype contacts
Use the Skype Dial Pad to enter the Access Code: 239460# Self Mute/Unmute *6

Note: Using Skype for these calls has additional steps than a standard Skype call.
To locate the Skype keypad to enter your access code when calling the conference, select the contact first and then the green Dial button. In the same area as the Dial button, next to the volume to the right, you will see a round drop down icon. Click on the icon and select Display Keypad from the drop down menu. After the call is connected, wait for the prompt and enter your access code using the Skype keypad followed by the # key.

About WellCity Incorporated
WellCity is a social utility where health- and wellness-minded ‘residents’ can closely commune with one another; receive support, information and encouragement from their ‘neighbors’ and from a league of leading professional experts; shop for health and wellness-oriented product and services; compete in WellCity’s proprietary 90-Day Wellness Challenge; and even enjoy income opportunities by leveraging their personal network. For more information on the Company, please visit www.WellCity.com.

About WellTek Incorporated
WellTek is a global health, fitness and wellness company that provides proven solutions to help address some of the world’s most pressing and costly health and wellness challenges. The Company owns and operates WellCity, Inc., a premiere wellness-related social utility that helps ‘residents’ live longer, feel better, look younger and enjoy life more as they age. The Company’s subsidiary, MedX Limited, manufactures, markets and distributes the most advanced medical exercise equipment to the medical and fitness markets. Through its wholly owned subsidiary Pure HealthyBack, Inc., WellTek is redefining healthcare delivery by providing health plans, self-insured employer groups, and consumers with a viable non-surgical, lower cost treatment for patients who are seeking lasting relief from chronic neck and back pain. For more information on the Company, please visit www.WellTekinc.com. 

Certain statements contained in this press release, which are not based on historical facts, are forward-looking statements as the term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are subject to substantial uncertainties and risks in part detailed in the respective Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, that may cause actual results to materially differ from projections. Although the Company believes that its expectations are reasonable assumptions within the bounds of its knowledge of its businesses, expectations, representations and operations, there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from their expectations. Important factors currently known to management that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include the Company’s ability to execute properly its business model, to raise additional capital to implement its continuing business model, the ability to attract and retain personnel — including highly qualified executives, management and operational personnel, ability to negotiate favorable future debt facilities and capital raises, and the inherent risk associated with a diversified business to achieve and maintain positive cash flow and net profitability. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information contained in this press release will, in fact, occur. 

TAMPA, FL–(Marketwire – July 19, 2010) – Zimek Technologies (www.zimek.com) today announced the formation of the Zimek Global Health Foundation, a 501-C-3 non-profit organization, created to focus public awareness of increasing infection rates and bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotic drugs, according to Jen Grosman, President of the Board of Directors for the Foundation.

The Zimek Global Health Foundation will conduct infection control medical peer reviews on reducing infection rates utilizing Zimek’s automatic touchless decontamination systems, lab testing, pilot case studies, infection control technology research and development, as well as distribute Zimek decontamination systems to underprivileged population centers and disaster stricken areas across America and internationally. Zimek Global Health Foundation will seek out partnerships with key non-profit, emergency and charitable organizations to coordinate distribution of Zimek’s infection control technology.

“As President of the Board of Directors for Zimek’s Global Health Foundation, we are extremely excited to create meaningful public awareness for the need of life-saving infection control technology and to continue our important research and development capabilities to prevent the spread of infectious diseases,” said Jen Grosman.

Zimek Technologies (www.zimek.com), based in Tampa, Florida, has been developing and marketing its patented automatic Micro-Mist™ decontamination technologies for more than five years. Zimek’s industry-leading technologies are used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Fire and EMS departments, healthcare facilities, public health agencies, transit systems, correctional facilities and local law enforcement agencies across America.

OAKLAND, CA–(Marketwire – July 19, 2010) –  The Center for Technology and Aging today announced grants to five organizations for remote patient monitoring (RPM) technology projects that will demonstrate how RPM improves the quality and efficiency of chronic disease management and post-acute care of older adults. Each project involves a coordinated effort among patients, families and caregivers.

“RPM technologies make a huge difference in the quality of life for those living with chronic conditions,” said David Lindeman, PhD, director of the Center for Technology and Aging. “These projects will underscore the need to reform reimbursement policies and make possible wider adoption of these technologies in public programs — Medicare and Medicaid — as well as among private insurers and health care systems.”

The U.S. health care system could reduce costs by nearly $200 billion during the next 25 years if RPM tools were utilized to care for patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and chronic wounds or skin ulcers. Eight of 10 older Americans have one or more chronic diseases.

The Center’s RPM initiative goals are to demonstrate that these technologies can be used more widely because they reduce: the use of ER’s and hospitals by older adults, the need for those with chronic illness to move to intensive higher-cost care settings, and the burden on family and professional caregivers.

RPM includes a wide variety of technology, such as point-of-care monitoring devices — weight scales, glucometers, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, and blood pressure monitors — which become part of a fully integrated health data collection, analysis, and reporting system between the devices, patients, and clinicians.

The grantees are:

• Sharp HealthCare Foundation (www.sharp.com/sharp-foundation) — Working with senior and home health agencies, this project will monitor patients who have five or more chronic conditions — which may include CHF, peripheral artery disease, COPD, atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease — with the goal of reducing unplanned hospital readmission rates.

• New England Healthcare Institute (www.nehi.net) — Using the Electronic House Call System (ExpressMD Solutions) and in collaboration with the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, Atrius Health, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, this Massachusetts-based project seeks to demonstrate clinical and financial benefits from the use of RPM technologies as evidenced by reducing hospital readmissions.

• Centura Health At Home (www.centurahealthathome.org) — In collaboration with an internal physician group, telehealth video technologies (inLife and Life View, made by American TeleCare) will be used to enhance 24/7/365 call center response for Centura Health at Home patients in Denver, Colorado. The goal is to reduce re-hospitalizations and to improve quality of life for patients who have diabetes, COPD, or CHF.

• AltaMed Health Services (www.altamed.org) and Stamford Hospital (www.stamfordhospital.org) — This project will expand use of RPM technology (HoneyWell’s HomMed device) with low-income seniors in East Los Angeles, California and Stamford, Connecticut who have CHF, diabetes, COPD, or hypertension. The goal is to promote better self-management habits and healthy behaviors while also establishing a new healthcare para-professional position, the “Telehealth Technician,” through community college training programs.

• California Association for Health Services at Home Foundation (www.cahsah.org) — In collaboration with several home care agencies, this project will use Intel’s Health Guide to monitor patients with chronic disease conditions or those needing post-acute care follow-up. The goal is to reduce avoidable 30-day readmissions, hospitalizations, and emergency department visits for Medi-Cal patients; and to inform public policy concerning RPM technology and Medi-Cal programs operating under federal waivers.

“One of the Center’s goals is to assure that funded projects aren’t ‘one and done,’ but are designed to be replicated,” said Lindeman. “Each grantee has identified ways to make sure their project can continue beyond the one?year grant period, can be broadly adopted by others, and is integrated within our long?term care system.”

The five $100,000 grants will be supplemented with a total of over $1,746,000 in matching funds. Individual project details and the Center’s RPM Position Paper are available at the Web site, www.techandaging.org.

The Center for Technology and Aging (www.techandaging.org) supports the rapid adoption and diffusion of technologies that enhance independence and improve home and community-based care for older adults. Through grants, research, 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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LOUISVILLE, KY–(Marketwire – July 19, 2010) –  This week at ICAD 2010, Neuronetrix for the first time publicly demonstrated their COGNISION™ System, an innovative platform which enables objective assessment of cognitive function. The demonstration focused on the COGNISION™ System’s ability, using a non-invasive technology called event-related potentials (ERP), to accurately measure the cognitive performance of a patient’s brain.

The demonstration was particularly important in light of a report presented by a select group of Alzheimer’s specialists from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the Alzheimer’s Association which proposed new diagnostic guidelines for Alzheimer’s disease. The report titled, “Redefining Alzheimer’s Disease,” proposes a new understanding of the disease which more closely matches clinical progression with a range of disease biomarkers. It also includes patients who meet clinical and cognitive criteria but who are negative for certain genetic, molecular, or structural biomarkers. “This is a tremendous opportunity for Neuronetrix as our test directly measures the electrical activity associated with cognition and is independent of biochemical pathways,” said Mauktik Kulkarni, Director of Research and Clinical Studies for Neuronetrix.

The new criteria also facilitates the tremendous drug development effort for disease modifying therapies for Alzheimer’s. Drug companies will now have a more reliable way of identifying those Alzheimer’s sufferers who might benefit from new drug therapies. The criteria also lays the groundwork for using positive changes in certain biomarkers as measures of drug effectiveness. “Because the COGNISION™ System could be used to measure progressive cognitive as well as drug response, we had tremendous interest from several of the large pharmaceutical companies at the conference,” said K.C. Fadem, Chief Operating Officer for Neuronetrix.

Neuronetrix previously completed a pilot clinical study with Alzheimer’s patients and healthy controls at the Sanders-Brown Alzheimer’s Disease Center at the University of Kentucky. The study validated the high data quality and ease-of-use of the COGNISION™ System in a clinical setting. Neuronetrix will soon be initiating a large multi-center clinical study which will validate their ERP biomarkers as an accurate and reliable measure of cognitive impairment. The company is planning a longitudinal follow up study which will validate their ERP biomarkers as a measure of progressive cognitive decline. “Because of the low cost, ease of use, and measurement potential of the COGNISION™ test, ERP testing could become a standard of care for those patients who develop cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease,” said K.C. Fadem.

About Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is a chronic neurodegenerative disease of the brain which eventually leads to death. Today, Alzheimer’s disease affects over five million Americans with 500,000 new cases reported each year. Medicare/Medicaid spending exceeds $100 billion on beneficiaries with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

About Neuronetrix
Neuronetrix is an emerging med-tech company focused on revolutionizing the diagnosis of patients with neurologic disorders by providing accurate and meaningful diagnostic information to physicians early in the disease process.

Information about Neuronetrix is available at http://www.neuronetrix.com or by contacting K.C. Fadem at [email protected] or (502) 561-9040.

CLARKSTON, MI–(Marketwire – July 19, 2010) –  RDM Associates, a specialized accounting and business consulting firm based in Clarkston, Mich., has announced the appointment of Cynthia Sikina to the newly-created position of CEO, according to company president and founder Rick Miller.

“We’re thrilled to have Cindy joining RDM Associates,” said Miller. “She brings well-rounded senior management talent and experience which are an exceptional fit with our goals and strategies. We’ve had the opportunity to work with Cindy in the past and we’ve been very impressed with her executive skills. Our accounting services model is non-traditional and technology intensive — concepts she relates to. I know that she will be a great asset to our firm as we work together to manage the next phase of our growth and expand our range of client services.”

Ms. Sikina’s responsibilities encompass the overall management of the firm’s business, including overseeing strategic planning, client services, new business and staff development. 

Since 2007, Ms. Sikina served as senior vice president and chief financial officer for Detroit’s Karmanos Cancer Institute & Center, where she was responsible for all aspects of fiscal management. Previous management positions have included COO/CFO for Wayne State University’s Physician Group from 2001-2007; director of financial services for the University of Michigan Medical School and other positions since 1992; and prior various financial planning and accounting roles for industrial companies beginning in 1981.

Prior to her role as CFO at KCI, Ms. Sikina served as a member of the KCI Board of Directors and its Finance and Executive committees for 6 years. She has also served as a member of the Karmanos-Crittenton Health Services Board of Directors.

She received an MBA with distinction from the University of Michigan Graduate School Of Business Administration in 1989 and is a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society for high scholastic achievement. She earned a BBA degree with distinction from U of M in 1981 and received the CPA Certificate of Examination.

Ms. Sikina lives with her husband, Mark Sikina, in Novi.

DALLAS, TEXAS–(Marketwire – July 19, 2010) – The following corrects and replaces the release sent on July 19, 2010 at 6:00 am ET. The phone number stated in the contact information and last paragraph of the release should have read “(214) 613-3133” instead of “(806) 553-6166”.

Odyssey and VistaCare Hospice in Texas can help you learn more about the type of care required in the final stages of life. 

“People appreciate the care hospice provides,” said Dr. Luis Gonzales, M.D., a National Medical Director for Odyssey Hospice and VistaCare Hospice. “Over 98% of family members tell us they would recommend hospice in Texas to others, and oftentimes our patients and families tell us they wish they’d been told about hospice in Texas sooner. Despite this, there are a lot of misconceptions among people who have not experienced the support hospice in Texas provides.”

One of the major misconceptions is that hospice is a location where one goes to live out the very last days of their life.

But in fact, hospice in Texas is a philosophy of care, and not a specific location at which to receive it. According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), 69% of hospice patients receive care in what they consider their home. The remainder are cared for in a hospice inpatient facility or hospital. Odyssey Hospice and VistaCare Hospice in Texas provide care wherever the patient’s home may be – a house, assisted living community, nursing home, or even during a brief hospital stay.

“The reality is that most people – medical professionals or otherwise – often equate hospice with death, but the truth is that hospice in Texas is about life” said Dr. Gonzales. “This lack of understanding can lead to a large number of people who are served by hospice in Texas for only a few days. Unfortunately, in these cases the patient and their loved ones don’t receive all of the benefits hospice offers.” Hospice is designed by Medicare to be a 6 month benefit, with the ability to provide care beyond that time for persons who remain eligible. Hospice in Texas is about quality of life.

Hospice in Texas provides compassionate, patient-centered care that offers medical expertise, comfort and support for those nearing the end of life, while also offering assistance for their loved ones. Hospice in Texas is delivered by a team of professionals who are experienced and committed to providing specialized care to persons seeking comfort, relief from symptoms, and gentle guidance.

Odyssey Hospice and VistaCare Hospice provide personalized care based on the needs of each patient and family. As one of the most experienced providers of hospice in Texas and throughout the United States, Odyssey and VistaCare offers CareBeyond, clinical programs for persons coping with specific illnesses. Developed by multidisciplinary team members, Odyssey and VistaCare hospice in Texas recognizes that patients with lung disease, for example, are treated differently, and have very different needs from, dementia patients. Using evidence based clinical practices, CareBeyond offers additional, specialized care to meet unique needs. 

Those who are approaching the end of life typically fear dying in pain, dying alone and are concerned about their loved ones. Hospice in Texas helps with each of these concerns. At Odyssey Hospice and VistaCare Hospice in Texas, our team of professionals is committed to serving patient and caregiver needs, whether they are physical, emotional or spiritual. Hospice is there when care and support are needed most.

With the early involvement of hospice, pain and symptoms are managed quickly so that people are comfortable. Only then can they work on other important aspects of their life. When chosen earlier, hospice in Texas provides greater benefits that are received for a longer period of time, including the opportunity for reflection and closure.

Hospice in Texas also provides bereavement care for up to 13-months for surviving family members. Care may include phone calls, newsletters, memorial services, connection to community resources and support. 

If you would like to receive more detailed, local information about hospice in Texas, please click here for information pertaining to hospice in Houston, or here for more information regarding hospice in Dallas. Odyssey & VistaCare also have hospice locations, providing in-home and/or inpatient treatment, throughout Texas. 

To learn more about hospice in Texas, please visit http://local.odsyhealth.com, or call (214) 613-3133.

MUNDELEIN, IL–(Marketwire – July 19, 2010) –  A new VHA case study whitepaper released today by Medline Industries, Inc. details how the company used observational studies and context-based design to build human factors and social behaviors into its redesigned Foley Catheter Management tray.

The whitepaper, Social Practice and Clinicians’ Meaning of Urinary Catheter Insertions, showed that the redesigned tray significantly influenced the clinician’s ability to provide high quality care by creating a greater focus on providing patient comfort, maintaining sterile technique and decreasing the time of the entire insertion process. The observational study was comprised of three separate three-day observations of clinicians conducting catheterizations in the emergency department, medical/surgical floors and operating rooms at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children’s Hospital, Spokane, WA.

“Health care manufacturers are often overlooked when clinicians redesign clinical practices. Yet, the design of a product can be key to helping clinicians improve clinical performance and patient education,” said Trent Haywood, MD, JD, Senior Vice President of Clinical Performance and Chief Medical Officer for VHA and lead investigator. “For example, Medline chose to redesign the urinary catheter tray based upon the observational data uncovered in the clinical setting. Such design emphasis shows how manufacturers can be a key partner in quality and safety.” 

The unique partnership between Medline and the VHA research team highlights how industry vendors can partner with healthcare providers to develop a comprehensive system that incorporates proper procedures and social behaviors that are easy to adopt in everyday practice.

Medline launched its ERASE CAUTI program, which is based on the same criteria the CDC used in developing their new CAUTI prevention guidelines, last fall. Soon after the tray’s introduction, Medline met with the VHA Clinical Performance team to discuss studying the tray and how it’s used in actual clinical practice. Emphasis was put on understanding the objectives of catheter insertions from the clinician’s perspective, clarifying the actual practice that unfolds and identifying areas where the catheter management system aided the clinician or failed to aid the clinician based upon the clinician’s perspective on the practice.

Findings summarized in a case study whitepaper showed that clinicians preferred the benefits of the single layer tray which did not require steps related to maneuvering and positioning with a two layer tray. They also preferred the change to swab sticks that decreased the number of steps in the prepping and cleansing of the perineum. Clinicians retained the patent-pending patient education card for the patient or placed it in location where the patient might review it — a departure from previously observed behavior where the education was discarded without much attention. Clinicians also used the full-colored photography packaging to better explain the procedure to patients.

“Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs) want to help their staff reduce variability in the procedures that are done so that the potential to make an error decreases,” said Connie Yuska, Medline’s Vice President of Clinical Services and a former CNO. “We redesigned the tray taking into account the interaction between the patient and the clinician and facilitate learning — things that challenge nursing leaders every day.”

The VHA whitepaper, as well as additional information on the ERASE CAUTI program, is available for download 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.

TAMPA, FL–(Marketwire – July 19, 2010) – Sage North America Healthcare Division, providing practice management software and services to more than 80,000 physicians in North America, today announced several tools it is providing to practices, clients and members of the healthcare community to help them navigate the final Stage 1 meaningful use rules recently announced under the 2009 HITECH Act.

The final rule details the requirements physicians must satisfy to be eligible for financial incentives for the adoption and meaningful use of healthcare information technology under the HITECH Act.

“With the Stage 1 finalized rules, time is of the essence as healthcare providers race against the clock to prepare for and comply with the criteria,” said Betty Otter-Nickerson, President of Sage Healthcare. “With more than three decades of experience in this industry, we continue to be a knowledgeable and trusted source of information for our clients.”

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act was created to promote the adoption and meaningful use of health information technology and includes more than $20 billion to aid in the development of a robust IT infrastructure for healthcare and to assist providers and other entities in adopting and using health IT.

Along with the Stage 1 meaningful use rules, a separate final rule was published establishing comprehensive guidelines that vendors’ products must meet for functionality, interoperability and security. Along with a third final rule released in June establishing a temporary certification program for testing and certification of vendor systems, the critical pieces are all in place to implement Stage 1 of the three-stage federal EHR incentive program designed to improve healthcare outcomes and patient care.

Tools of Success: Sage Meaningful Use White Paper, e-Consults and Webinar
Otter-Nickerson said she and Sage are aware of the confusion and questions surrounding meaningful use, the financial incentives, and how EHRs will drive efficiency and cost savings in today’s healthcare economy. To that end, Sage has developed several tools to help physicians and practices navigate the meaningful use landscape.

“We are dedicated to serving physicians and their practices, and we remain true to our mission of helping small and midsized ambulatory physician practices fulfill their ambitions, both with regard to using technology and to succeeding in a changing healthcare economy,” said Otter-Nickerson.

For physicians and practices seeking information about meaningful use rules, Sage North America Healthcare Division will host a one-hour public webinar on meaningful use and the final rule, featuring a 30-minute question and answer session. This free event, “Understanding Meaningful Use,” will take place Aug. 10, 2010, from noon to 1 p.m. EST. For more information or to register, visit www.SageHealth.com/MUFinalRule.

Webinar speakers will include Betty Otter-Nickerson, President, Sage Healthcare Division; Michael Burger, Sage Senior Director of Clinical Product Management; and Brenda Pawlak, Senior Manager of Health Policy at Manatt Health Solutions.

In addition, Sage is making a free white paper available to anyone interested in meaningful use. The white paper details how meaningful use may or may not affect practices differently and includes information about incentives and what it means to meaningfully use EHRs in the current healthsphere. The white paper will be available at the Sage Meaningful Use webinar.

Sage will also host several “e-consults” — web-based informational sessions for practice managers and physicians interested in learning more about meaningful use, the rules, and technology and electronic records in the practice space. For more information, please visit www.sagenorthamerica.com

“Now that the final rule has been released, we will continue to support and offer guidance in response to the needs of our clients and physicians while offering the market’s most competitive products,” said Otter-Nickerson.

Meaningful Use Webinar details:
Date: Tuesday, August 10
Time: Noon to 1 pm EST
Title: Understanding the “Meaningful Use” Final Rule
Cost: Free of charge
Registration URL: www.SageHealth.com/MUFinalRule
Moderator: Elizabeth W. Woodcock, MBA, FACMPE, CPC
Speakers:
Betty Otter-Nickerson, President, Sage Healthcare Division
Michael Burger, Sage Senior Director of Clinical Product Management
Brenda Pawlak, Manatt Health Solutions, Senior Manager of Health Policy

View Sage Healthcare Division YouTube interviews.

View Sage Healthcare Division information.

About Sage North America
Sage North America is part of The Sage Group plc, a leading global supplier of business management software and services. Sage North America employs 4,000 people and supports 3.1 million small and midsized business customers including more than 80,000 physicians. The Sage Group plc, formed in 1981, was floated on the London Stock Exchange in 1989 and now employs 13,100 people and supports 6.2 million customers worldwide. For more information, please visit the website at www.sagenorthamerica.com.

© 2010 Sage Software, Inc. All rights reserved. Sage, Sage Software, Sage logos and the Sage product and service names mentioned herein are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sage Software, Inc. or its affiliated entities. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

LONG ISLAND, NY–(Marketwire – July 19, 2010) –  SciMeDent Health, Corp. f/k/a Trend Exploration, Inc. (“TRDX” or the “Company”) (PINKSHEETS: TRDX) today announces to its shareholders that its negotiations are progressing well towards a definitive agreement with Genesis Biopharma, Inc. (“Genesis”) to acquire an exclusive worldwide sublicense for a new compound in development for the treatment of Painful Diabetic Neuropathy (PDN).

The Company expects the definitive agreement and subsequent closing to be finalized in a reasonably short period of time.

Dr. Jan Stahl, CEO of TRDX, commented: “We are pleased to be nearing completion of negotiations with Genesis. Additionally, plans for funding the development of Genesis’ PDN solution are progressing. We look forward to the successful completion of these key milestones in the near future.”

About Genesis Biopharma, Inc.

Genesis Biopharma, Inc. (www.genesisbiopharma.com) is a Canadian corporation founded in 2007 to exploit the commercial potential for the therapeutic use of peptidomimetic (modified amino acid peptides) compounds. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, which are found in every cell of every living thing on Earth. Proteins consist of extremely long and complex amino acid chains. In contrast, a peptide is a short string of amino acids, joined by chemical bonds (also called “amide bonds”).

About SCIMEDENT f/k/a Trend Exploration, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: TRDX)

SciMeDent (www.scimedenthealth.com) is a company focused on being a leading developer and marketer of products and services for medicine, dentistry and life sciences. SciMeDent plans to achieve growth initially through mergers and acquisitions.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

A number of statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including the sufficiency of existing capital resources, technological or industry changes and uncertainties related to the development of the Company’s business model. The actual results the Company may achieve could differ materially from any forward-looking statements due to such risks and uncertainties.

TIBURON, CA–(Marketwire – July 19, 2010) –  NovaVision, Inc., headquartered in Boca Raton, Fla., filed for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in the State of Florida (Case #10-21343-PGH) on April 28, 2010 after more than seven years of continuous operation. The bankruptcy trustee has engaged The Magnum Group, Inc., to solicit offers for NovaVision’s assets which include the NovaVision Visual Restoration Therapy (VRT) system, a neuroplacticity platform that has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of stroke, traumatic brain injury, amblyopia (“lazy eye”) and optic nerve damage. 

NovaVision has received a total investment of $49,200,000 since its founding in 2003 and has generated revenues of approximately $1,000,000 each year for the past three years. The company’s non-invasive computer-based neuroplacticity products have treated more than 3,000 patients worldwide. NovaVision estimates the total market opportunity for its portfolio of products to exceed 300,000 units in U.S. optometry, ophthalmology, neurology, and primary care practices as well as rehabilitation centers. 

“NovaVision was the first company to commercialize a non-invasive, computer-based therapeutic model to help the large population of patients that have lost visual functionality and independence due to stroke or brain injury,” said Holger Weis, former Chief Financial Officer for NovaVision. “While it is extremely unfortunate that NovaVision has fallen victim to the current economic environment, there remains huge market potential to keep these treatments alive in the marketplace while continuing to commercialize the numerous patents and discoveries that NovaVision has invested nearly fifty million dollars to advance.”

NovaVision was founded in 2003 by Bernhard Sabel, PhD, who led the original research team that published a double-blind placebo controlled clinical study in Nature Medicine in 1998. This landmark study, as well as many subsequent studies, has validated VRT as a clinically proven treatment to restore lost vision resulting from stroke, traumatic brain injury, or other acquired brain injuries. In 2003, NovaVison’s Visual Restoration Therapy was granted 510(k) clearance by the U.S. FDA for the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions.

VRT treatment has been offered at leading neurological, eye and rehabilitation centers throughout the U.S. and Europe and it can be prescribed by eye doctors, neurologists or physiatrists. Data from a recent retrospective study showed that more than 70 percent of U.S. patients who underwent a six-month treatment protocol with NovaVision VRT showed significant improvement in their vision. 

“Visual field defects are common after brain insults such as stroke and traumatic brain injury and they cause significant disability,” said neurologist Jose G. Romano, MD, FAHA, Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology, Director, Cerebrovascular Division, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. “In my experience, VRT has positively impacted the majority of patients treated with improvements in reading, mobility and avoidance of injuries. Techniques such as VRT are an important addition to the limited rehabilitation options available to these patients.”

The Company has also developed devices that aid in the diagnosis of visual field deficits, including an Inpatient Device for assessment and therapeutic use in rehabilitation centers and the Head Mounted Perimeter, a portable and ADA-compliant instrument to aid in the assessment of visual field deficits. Additional indications for VRT include age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. 

“VRT is the only restorative therapy available for patients suffering from visual field loss following stroke or trauma,” said Michael Rosenberg, MD, Director of Neurology and Neuro-ophthalmology, New Jersey Neuroscience Institute at JFK Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey. “I have been providing VRT to my patients for more than five years with results similar to published research in which 70 percent of patients achieved marked improvements in visual function. It is my sincere hope that I will again be able to offer VRT as a treatment option very soon.”

NovaVision maintains a strong and broad based portfolio of patent protection on its methods and apparatus in the form of issued patents and applications, both domestically and internationally. In the U.S., the Company has a total of five issued patents and 12 pending applications. The international patent portfolio includes one issued patent and more than 30 pending applications. NovaVision’s wholly-owned European subsidiary, NovaVision AG, located in Magdeburg, Germany is also available for sale. 

To learn more about NovaVison’s assets and patents, please contact Randy McDonald, Managing Director and President of The Magnum Group, Inc. at [email protected] or (415) 435-5550.

About The Magnum Group

Founded in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1980, The Magnum Group, Inc. is the largest business development firm serving the ophthalmic (vision care) industry. Specializing in acquisition and financing agreements, strategic alliances, joint venture, licensing and distribution contracts, The Magnum Group represents both Buyers and Sellers and has managed more than $250 million in transactions since 1995. For more information, please visit http://www.themagnumgroup.com/

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MARKHAM, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – July 19, 2010) – Extendicare Real Estate Investment Trust (“Extendicare REIT” or “Extendicare”) (TSX:EXE.UN) today announced it will hold a conference call and live audio webcast on Friday, August 6, 2010, at 10:00 a.m. (ET) to discuss financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2010.

Following the issuance of the news release on August 5, 2010, Extendicare will post a copy, along with an update of the supplemental information package, on its website www.extendicare.com under the investors/financial reports section.

The call will be hosted by Tim Lukenda, President and Chief Executive Officer; Doug Harris, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and Paul Tuttle, President of Canadian Operations. Following management’s presentation, there will be a question and answer session for analysts and institutional investors.

To participate in the August 6, 2010, conference call, please dial 1-888-789-9572 or 416-695-7806 followed by the passcode 7354234#. The conference call will also be accessible via webcast at www.extendicare.com under the investors/presentations & webcasts section. A replay of the call will be available approximately two hours after completion of the live call until midnight on August 20, 2010. To access the rebroadcast dial 1-800-408-3053 or 416-695-5800, followed by the passcode 3683111#.

About Us

Extendicare REIT is a leading North American provider of long-term and short-term senior care services through its network of owned and operated health care centers. We employ 37,700 qualified and experienced individuals dedicated to helping people live better through a commitment to quality service that includes post-acute care, rehabilitative therapies and home health care services. Our 258 senior care centers in North America have capacity for approximately 28,900 residents. Extendicare REIT is a specified investment flow-through trust (SIFT) that has been subject to the SIFT tax since January 1, 2007.

VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA–(Marketwire – July 16, 2010) – Vigil Health Solutions Inc. (TSX VENTURE:VGL)(“Vigil”) today announced that it has entered into an aggregate $200,000 loan agreement with British Columbia Discovery Fund (VCC) Inc. and GrowthPoint Capital Corp. The loan is secured by all of Vigil’s property and is due and payable on December 31, 2010. The loan is convertible at the option of the lenders into Vigil’s common shares at a rate of one common share for each $0.10 of indebtedness ($0.20 if Vigil’s proposed consolidation announced below occurs). Any common shares issued on conversion of the loan will be subject to a four month hold period from today’s date. The obligations of Vigil and the lenders under the loan agreement are conditional upon receipt of acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange of the loan.

Vigil will seek shareholder approval at its Annual General and Special Meeting of shareholders to be held on August 24, 2010, to consolidate its common shares at a ratio of one new share for each twenty outstanding common shares. In order to be effective, the consolidation resolution must be approved by at least three-quarters of the shareholder votes cast at the meeting and be accepted by the TSX Venture Exchange. The purpose of the share consolidation is to facilitate future financings and strategic initiatives by Vigil. Vigil currently has 100,046,135 common shares outstanding. If the consolidation is approved, Vigil will have approximately 5,002,306 common shares outstanding. Vigil’s name will not be changed in connection with the proposed consolidation.

MUNDELEIN, IL–(Marketwire – July 16, 2010) – Medline Industries, Inc., the company who produced the original Pink Glove Dance, is looking for breast cancer survivors in the San Francisco area who want to be part of the next Pink Glove Dance video. The original video has become an internet sensation, generating almost 11 million views on YouTube since its release last November. The video features healthcare workers at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland, Ore. dancing while wearing pink gloves.

When and where will it be?
Filming will take place Saturday, July 24^th at 3:00 p.m. in the big field just east of Fort Point Pier, with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.

What are the qualifications to participate?
Participants need to be breast cancer survivors and willing to dance wearing pink gloves. No special dancing skills required. A choreographer will be there to teach simple routines.

How long will it take?
Approximately two hours.

How do I sign up?
Details of the video shoot and registration can be found online at www.pinkglovedance.com/sign-up.
Although participants can just show up on the day of the event, participants are encouraged to register online. 

Details of the day, and any weather updates, will be posted on www.pinkglovedance.com.

Why is this video being made?
The first video was created to help spread the word about breast cancer awareness and the importance of the healthcare worker who takes care of breast cancer patients. It was so successful and generated so much positive attention that hospitals around the country called to see if they could be part of the next video. So the idea of a sequel was developed that not only included hospital workers but breast cancer survivors too. 

Why pink exam gloves?
As a way to extend Medline’s breast cancer awareness campaign, the company developed a pink glove called Generation Pink™. Gloves are also the first point of contact between the healthcare worker and the patient. And, the fact the glove is pink, Medline hoped would get people talking about breast cancer. When the gloves were launched in October, Medline committed to donating $1 of every case purchased to the National Breast Cancer Foundation to fund mammograms for individuals who cannot afford them. In the past five years, Medline has donated almost $500,000 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. 

MADISON, WI–(Marketwire – July 16, 2010) – TomoTherapy Incorporated (NASDAQ: TOMO) maker of advanced, integrated radiation therapy solutions for cancer care, today announced that James Cook University Hospital (JCUH) in Middlesbrough, England began treating cancer patients with the TomoTherapy^® Hi·Art^® treatment system last month. The TomoTherapy treatment system, which enables delivery of state-of-the-art CT image-guided intensity modulated radiotherapy (IG-IMRT), reinforces the hospital’s leadership in cancer care for the people of the North East of England. 

Among the first people to be treated was a 55-year-old female patient from Middlesbrough with breast cancer and an unusual chest anatomy. “We could not have treated this woman on a conventional linear accelerator treatment machine, nor with surgery, so it’s extremely satisfying to know we can now offer this quality of treatment to a wider range of patients,” said Karen Pilling, the superintendent radiographer in charge of the TomoTherapy system at JCUH. “The start-up from training through to treating our first patients has been very smooth and easy, and we are benefiting from the reduced set-up time required by the TomoTherapy treatment system. With integrated CT image guidance we are able to see the treatment plan with isodose contours overlaid onto the daily CT images, giving us extra reassurance that the treatment is the most accurate possible.” 

The TomoTherapy treatment system delivers radiation therapy in continuous helical rotations around the patient’s body. By enabling precise IMRT, the system allows clinicians to conform treatment to the shape of the tumor while helping to reduce radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissue and critical structures. In addition, TomoTherapy technology allows the radiotherapy staff to directly CT image the soft tissues and tumour immediately prior to treatment, and make any necessary adjustments, thereby ensuring greater accuracy for high precision techniques where internal anatomy might change throughout the course of treatment.

Dr. Peter Dunlop, clinical oncologist and clinical director of the James Cook oncology service, outlining his reasons for choosing the TomoTherapy platform stated, “We felt it was extremely important to have fully integrated image guidance and intensity modulation, and we believe TomoTherapy provides that most effectively. It produces the best conformality available. The design of the system is such that there are no junctions, no matching fields, minimized risk of dose calculation mistakes, no uncontrolled hotspots, no gantry collisions and no more electron mode errors. For patients, the megavoltage CT (MVCT) set-ups ensure that we are accurately targeting their tumours. We have found the operation is smooth and treatments are comfortable for patients because they are often quicker than with conventional IMRT, especially in complex head and neck cases.”

Christopher Walker, head of Radiotherapy Physics at James Cook, responsible for all technical and medical physics aspects of this advanced technology, stated, “Procurement of the TomoTherapy system has provided Middlesbrough with an ‘off the shelf’ technical solution to the challenges faced in delivering high quality radiotherapy. The TomoTherapy solution has allowed us to leapfrog to a position of excellence in cancer care in the U.K. The system has a small physical footprint coupled with a reduced radiation shielding requirement compared to conventional machines. We were able to install it in a pre-existing treatment room, which was considered obsolete by present day conventional radiotherapy standards. As a result, TomoTherapy technology has allowed us to provide additional treatment capacity without the need for an expensive new build whilst maximising the efficiency of the existing facility. Installation and acceptance testing passed quickly and seamlessly allowing the physics team to concentrate on the clinical commissioning process. This process was reduced to a relatively simple validation exercise as all the beam data required for patient treatment planning was already pre-loaded in to the dedicated planning computer. The collaborative approach presented by TomoTherapy has allowed us to rapidly introduce advanced treatment methodologies in a safe and controlled way. The whole process was greatly enhanced by the support and training offered to us both by TomoTherapy and Oncology Systems Limited.”

James Cook University Hospital, as a publicly funded National Health Service hospital, has firmly embraced this radiotherapy technology as the most advanced treatment in its arsenal and as a cost-effective approach for treating technically complex cases.

“At an extremely difficult economic time, particularly within the public sector, James Cook has above all, upheld its belief in the unsurpassed quality of treatment brought by TomoTherapy,” says Julie Mead, director and clinical advisor at Oncology Systems Ltd. “The whole oncology team, with support from the Trust Management, has worked hard to secure this new technology for the people of the North East of England. Now with its TomoTherapy system in place, James Cook has become a leader in the UK NHS with the ability to offer world class radiotherapy for its patients.”

TomoTherapy technology is developed and manufactured by TomoTherapy Inc. and is supplied in the U.K. by Oncology Systems Limited, based in Shrewsbury, England.

About James Cook University Hospital 
Based in the north east of England, JCUH is an NHS Foundation Trust and large district general hospital. The hospital was opened in October 2003 and has a capacity of 1,007 beds. It incorporates the full range of all acute and elective medical and surgical specialties including cardiac surgery, cardiology, renal medicine / haemodialysis, neurosurgery, vascular surgery and the regional spinal injuries unit. The radiotherapy and oncology service delivers an integrated service to a population of approximately one million, extending through Teesside, South Durham and North Yorkshire.

About Oncology Systems Limited 
Oncology Systems Limited (OSL), is a privately owned limited company based in Shrewsbury, England. OSL is an exclusive supplier of radiation therapy technology to the UK and Ireland. It distributes TomoTherapy^® cancer treatment technology to the UK’s NHS and private radiotherapy facilities, and to both public and private providers in the Republic of Ireland.

About TomoTherapy Incorporated 
TomoTherapy Incorporated develops, markets and sells advanced radiation therapy solutions that can be used to treat a wide variety of cancers, from the most common to the most complex. The ring gantry-based TomoTherapy^® platform combines integrated CT imaging with conformal radiation therapy to deliver sophisticated radiation treatments with speed and precision while reducing radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissue. TomoTherapy’s suite of solutions include its flagship Hi·Art^® treatment system, which has been used to deliver more than three million CT-guided, helical intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment fractions; the TomoHD^™ treatment system, designed to enable cancer centers to treat a broader patient population with a single device; and the TomoMobile™ relocatable radiation therapy solution, designed to improve access and availability of state-of-the-art cancer care. TomoTherapy’s stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol TOMO. To learn more about TomoTherapy, please visit TomoTherapy.com.

©2010 TomoTherapy Incorporated. All rights reserved. TomoTherapy, Tomo, TomoDirect, TQA, the TomoTherapy logo and Hi·Art are among trademarks, service marks or registered trademarks of TomoTherapy Incorporated in the United States and other countries.

BEVERLY HILLS, CA–(Marketwire – July 16, 2010) –  After the completion of one quarter since the acquisition of the Bella Vita Clinic in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Therma-Med Inc. (PINKSHEETS: THRA) is pleased with the steady progress that has been evident throughout the transition period and are optimistic about the continued growth of the clinic. The clinic is picking up steam as we move into the second quarter of ownership, it has been established that the Bella Vita clinic is a revenue generating acquisition, and is an active contributor to Therma-Med Inc.’s overall growth plan. The clinic is actively in the process of hiring an additional Chiropractor, Massage Therapist and Naturopathic Doctor to its existing staff, in order to position themselves at the forefront of wellness centers in the area. The additional support will allow the clinic to operate at extended hours, conveniently catering to all patients, and the added services available will certainly attract patients that are searching for a “1 stop wellness retreat.”

The Therma-Med Inc. business model of implementing support services and making key revenue producing acquisitions is without question showing results on a small scale as is demonstrated with the Bella Vita Clinic. While taking these steps to grow operations at this recently acquired clinic, plans continue to move forward in accordance with the company’s business plan of targeting, researching, and implementing Thermal Imaging, medical support services and nutraceutical sales at additional key revenue generating clinics across North America.

About Therma-Med Inc.:
Therma-Med Inc. provides alternative medicinal procedures, premium nutritional supplements, medicinal products and current medical support services by making them available to patients through their clinics and online through e-commerce purchasing applications. Therma-Med Inc., through highly specialized Thermal Imaging and breakthrough alternative procedure clinics, is poised to become a healthcare industry leading company, providing the alternative medicine approach to good health, as well as providing patients with an adjunctive diagnostic procedure that effectively pursues and exposes the benefits of early detection and prevention of various medical conditions. Therma-Med Inc. utilizes thermal imaging systems that incorporate state-of-the-art infrared technologies and proprietary software to accurately and cost-effectively measure physiological changes in the human body, allowing patients of all walks of life access to a proactive form of maintaining good health and quality of life through early detection and prevention.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information:
Except for statements of historical fact relating to the Corporation, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as “potential,” “estimate,” “plan,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “believe,” “anticipate” and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions “may” or “will” occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. The Corporation undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions should change. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

IRVINE, CA–(Marketwire – July 15, 2010) –  Sun Healthcare Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SUNH) invites investors to listen to a conference call with Sun’s senior management on Thursday, July 29, 2010, at 10 a.m. Pacific / 1 p.m. Eastern to discuss the Company’s earnings for the second quarter of 2010.

To listen to the conference call, dial (888) 437-9315 and refer to Sun Healthcare Group. A recording of the call will be available from 4 p.m. Eastern on July 29, 2010, until midnight Eastern on Aug. 30, 2010, by calling (888) 203-1112 and using access code 1833674.

About Sun Healthcare Group, Inc.

Sun Healthcare Group, Inc.’s (NASDAQ: SUNH) subsidiaries provide nursing, rehabilitative and related specialty healthcare services principally to the senior population in the United States. Sun’s core business is providing inpatient services, primarily through 166 skilled nursing centers, 16 combined skilled nursing, assisted and independent living centers, 10 assisted living centers, two independent living centers and eight mental health centers. On a consolidated basis, Sun has annual revenues of $1.9 billion and approximately 30,000 employees in 46 states. At March 31, 2010, SunBridge centers had 23,205 licensed beds located in 25 states, of which 22,423 were available for occupancy. Sun also provides rehabilitation therapy services to affiliated and non-affiliated centers through its SunDance subsidiary, medical staffing services through its CareerStaff Unlimited subsidiary and hospice services through its SolAmor subsidiary.

COLUMBIA, SC–(Marketwire – July 15, 2010) –  BDI Pharma, Inc. (BDI), the nation’s fastest growing national distributor of biotech therapies, announced that, in spite of the uncertainty of the nation’s current economic climate, Sales Revenues continued to rise during the first two (2) fiscal quarters of 2010. This expansion of business represented an increase of fifteen percent (15%) above that for the same period in 2009 and exceeded the company’s forecasted growth for the first six (6) months of the year. The Specialty Biopharmaceutical class of products, primarily in the clinical areas of Oncology and Infectious Disease, served as the primary driver for Sales Revenue during this period. Also notable were gains within the Protein Biotherapeutics class, specific to the Hemophilia and Hyper-Immune product lines.

In addition, BDI Pharma realized significant growth in staffing through new hires during Q2 2010. Over the past ninety (90) days, the size of the company’s Biopharmaceutical Sales Staff grew by twenty percent (20%). The company also experienced growth within the BDI Promotions Division (the company’s Advertising and Promotional Division), as well as the Corporate Customer Service Division and established a new specialty sales division during the past quarter.

“Growth, at BDI Pharma, is not just an objective, it is an expectation and, as such, it is something for which we plan and prepare,” said William A. Shirey, III, Executive VP. “The key to BDI Pharma’s growth can be found in our commitment to incorporate a relatively simple matter — the strategic allocation of corporate resources — and to merge it with something far more difficult — the actual expense of those resources in a conscientious manner. Many companies adopt the former, but ultimately bend in response to market pressure and lose their will to integrate the latter. At BDI Pharma, we apply both with equal veracity as we strive to supply substantial, quantifiable value to our customers and manufacturing trade partners, alike.”

About BDI Pharma, Inc.

Since 1995, BDI Pharma, Inc. (formerly known as Blood Diagnostics, Inc.) has built an exceptional reputation as the industry trusted source for products and service. The company has exhibited an exemplary track record providing an unparalleled level of customer service, market data and product integrity to both its customer base and trade partners. Such commitment to the product channel has earned BDI recognition as “ADR,” or Authorized Distributor of Record, for the manufacturers it represents. BDI’s specialty pharmaceutical focus is evident in its commitment to biotherapeutics, chemotherapies, vaccines and plasma protein therapies, including albumin, IVIG, coagulation factors, high-titer immune globulins, and injectables. 

BDI Pharma defines its customer-centric approach to serving the nation’s healthcare community through innovative inventory supply solutions, unparalleled customer service, extensive product knowledge, 24/7 emergency availability and urgent need delivery. An open-access resource for reference material, educational literature, market data and online ordering, BDI Pharma’s home web page www.bdipharma.com has become an industry renowned point of reference. Proprietary programs for product consignment (www.consignadvantage.com), influenza vaccine pre-booking (www.securiflu.com), vaccine ordering (www.securivax.com) and purchasing/reward programs (www.qoreprogram.com and www.securigam.com) round out a family of solutions tailored to the needs of the healthcare community at large.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA–(Marketwire – July 15, 2010) –  With the innovative use of several emerging technologies, San Francisco-based digital healthcare agency Eveo made a big impression at the 2010 ASCO trade show. The 46th Annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) was held in Chicago, June 4-8, 2010, where more than 30,000 oncology specialists from around the world gathered to discuss the latest innovations in research, quality, practice and technology in cancer. Eveo (www.eveo.com) partnered with marketers to create customized, engaging programs that improved the overall quality of customer interactions and led to a dramatic increase in booth traffic.

Eveo’s Stereoscopic 3D Animation Video was viewed by over 1,000 participants at ASCO. In addition, the multi-touch technology and “Build a Patient” program were showstoppers as they deepened customer engagement and improved retention. Eveo also released several new applications for the iPhone and iPad that enabled health care providers to stay connected with their customers in a whole new way. “We knew the technologies we had in place were going to be a hit at ASCO,” says Eveo CEO and founder Olivier Zitoun, “but we didn’t expect the reaction to be as big as it was. The traffic in the booths was remarkable.”

Ensuring success at trade shows is no easy task. To maximize the potential for success, Eveo recommends following these simple best practices:

1. Start planning for the launch of new technologies early in the booth planning process. The more time you spend up front, the more smoothly everything will go.
2. Perform live technology testing for new programs as part of the booth planning and set up process. This is often overlooked, but an important key to success.
3. Train reps and booth personnel on new technologies prior to the show. Reps should be focused on demonstrating exciting new technologies, not learning them as they go.
4. Optimize booth staffing by utilizing reporting and tracking for all show displays.
5. Send post-conference surveys to customers and corporate participants to learn about what worked and what didn’t.
6. Make sure there are clear signs and directions for each display, especially if it is a new technology.
7. To maximize ROI, develop programs that reps can use in the field after the show or health care providers can access digitally and/or via mobile devices. 

To enlist Eveo’s help in your next tradeshow, contact [email protected]. For a full list of Eveo’s services, visit http://eveo.com/what-we-do/.

ABOUT EVEO
For innovative e-marketing strategies and powerful digital solutions, many of the world’s leading pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device companies depend on Eveo, a full-service independent digital healthcare agency headquartered in San Francisco. Founded in1999, Eveo is led by CEO Olivier Zitoun and a seasoned management team with extensive backgrounds in healthcare and interactive. Eveo’s core capabilities encompass all facets of digital marketing, as well as non-traditional web solutions, video production, 3D animation, tradeshow solutions, mobile applications, multi-touch experiences and more. The agency has a staff of over 150, with field offices in Chicago, New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia. Over the course of its ten years in business, Eveo has collected over 70 industry awards and in 2010 was named the #1 Independent Digital Healthcare Agency in the U.S. (based on 2010 Agency List ranking agencies by revenue). Eveo is redefining the e in e-marketing. Visit: www.eveo.com

ORLANDO, FL–(Marketwire – July 15, 2010) –  WellCity, Inc. (http://www.WellCity.com), a wellness-related social network and subsidiary of WellTek, Inc. (OTCBB: WTKN), today announced a strategic partnership with XOOMA Worldwide (http://www.XoomaWorldwide.com), a global network marketing company, in which the two companies have collaborated to bring more than 200,000 new users, cutting edge wellness products, a robust infrastructure and a major distribution system into WellCity. The agreement serves as a catalyst for both companies to carry out its rapid expansion plans.

As part of the relationship, XOOMA will provide exclusive support with product distribution and logistics, one of XOOMA’s strongest assets. The two companies also agreed to work on future product development together.

“Our collaboration with WellCity is about joining our global mission of Changing the Health of a Generation with a true innovator in social networking,” said Ron Howell, President and CEO of XOOMA Worldwide. “We believe that the combination of WellCity and XOOMA’s strengths will be incredibly attractive to our distributors as well as WellCity ‘residents.'”

Randy Lubinsky, Chairman and CEO of WellTek, noted, “XOOMA provides WellCity with an immediate global platform and 200,000 new ‘residents,’ exposing us to a much larger audience. It’s a global brand that people already recognize.” Lubinsky continued, “The superiority of XOOMA products is consistent with the Gold Standard of our other brands. Partnering with XOOMA is a natural progression to our tactical expansion initiative and integrates well into WellTek’s growing portfolio of trusted health, fitness and wellness brands.”

About XOOMA Worldwide
XOOMA Worldwide is a global network marketing company distributing cutting edge health and wellness products: including vitamins and minerals, functional health beverages and weight loss and skin care products to over 60 countries around the world. XOOMA’s Scientific Advisory Board provides education and guidance on health related topics and peer-reviewed scientifically supported nutritional applications for prevention and optimal health support.

About WellCity Incorporated
WellCity is a social utility where health- and wellness-minded ‘residents’ can closely commune with one another; receive support, information and encouragement from their ‘neighbors’ and from a league of leading professional experts; shop for health and wellness-oriented product and services; compete in WellCity’s proprietary 90-Day Wellness Challenge; and even enjoy income opportunities by leveraging their personal network. For more information on the Company, please visit www.WellCity.com.

About WellTek Incorporated
WellTek is a global health, fitness and wellness company that provides proven solutions to help address some of the world’s most pressing and costly health and wellness challenges. The Company owns and operates WellCity, Inc., a premiere wellness-related social utility that helps ‘residents’ live longer, feel better, look younger and enjoy life more as they age. The Company’s subsidiary, MedX Limited, manufactures, markets and distributes the most advanced medical exercise equipment to the medical and fitness markets. Through its wholly owned subsidiary Pure HealthyBack, Inc., WellTek is redefining healthcare delivery by providing health plans, self-insured employer groups, and consumers with a viable non-surgical, lower cost treatment for patients who are seeking lasting relief from chronic neck and back pain. For more information on the Company, please visit www.WellTekinc.com. 

Certain statements contained in this press release, which are not based on historical facts, are forward-looking statements as the term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and are subject to substantial uncertainties and risks in part detailed in the respective Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, that may cause actual results to materially differ from projections. Although the Company believes that its expectations are reasonable assumptions within the bounds of its knowledge of its businesses, expectations, representations and operations, there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from their expectations. Important factors currently known to management that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include the Company’s ability to execute properly its business model, to raise additional capital to implement its continuing business model, the ability to attract and retain personnel — including highly qualified executives, management and operational personnel, ability to negotiate favorable future debt facilities and capital raises, and the inherent risk associated with a diversified business to achieve and maintain positive cash flow and net profitability. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information contained in this press release will, in fact, occur. 

SAUNDERSTOWN, RI–(Marketwire – July 15, 2010) –  The Federal government issued new rules Tuesday that will reward doctors and hospitals for the “meaningful use” of electronic health records, a top goal of President Obama. The rules significantly scale back proposed requirements that the health care industry had denounced as unrealistic.

What: subject matter expert: impact of new government standards for EHRs on small physician practices

Why: Doctors and hospitals could receive as much as $27 billion over the next 10 years to buy equipment to computerize patients’ medical records. A doctor can receive up to $44,000 under Medicare and $63,750 under Medicaid, while a hospital can receive millions of dollars, depending on its size

Who: Amazing Charts founder and CEO Dr. Jonathan Bertman, one of the nation’s leading experts on EHR/EMR systems and issues/trends impacting small and medium-sized physician practices.

Amazing Charts, due to its industry-leading usability and satisfaction ratings in multiple studies and $995 price tag is the EHR-of-choice for small practices (used by more than 3600 practices in the U.S. alone)

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BETHESDA, MD–(Marketwire – July 15, 2010) –  

*MEDIA NOTE: Study will be presented at the Washington State Convention Center on Saturday, July 17, at 7:30am.

Essential foot care by a podiatrist has now been statistically proven to reduce hospitalization and amputation in adults with diabetes, according to a first of its kind study conducted by Thomson Reuters. The study will be presented by Vickie R. Driver, MS, DPM, during the American Podiatric Medical Association’s (APMA) 98th Annual Scientific Meeting in Seattle, July 15-18, 2010. The presentation will highlight the dramatic impact that as few as one visit to a podiatrist can have on patients with diabetes.

The study, which was sponsored by APMA, examined records for more than 32,000 patients with diabetes, ages 18-64, and compared health and risk factors for those who had podiatry visits to those who did not. Researchers found that care by a podiatric physician (defined as at least one preventative, pre-ulcer visit) was associated with a nearly 29 percent lower risk of amputation and 24 percent lower risk of hospitalization. Diabetic foot complications are the leading cause of non-traumatic lower limb amputation in the U.S. 

“The results of this study undeniably support visits to a podiatrist being critical to a diabetes patient’s health and well being,” said APMA member Dr. Driver. “No longer can care by a podiatrist be considered optional for those with diabetes, and the earlier a podiatrist is included in the diabetes management team, the better quality of life for the patient and greater health-care cost savings for all involved. This study clearly allows us to understand both the clinical and economic value of a podiatrist, in the team approach to saving diabetic patients’ feet.”

The study was conducted using Thomson Reuters’ MarketScan Research Databases, which house fully integrated, de-identified health-care claims data extensively used by researchers to understand health economics and outcomes. Studies based on MarketScan data have been published in more than 130 peer-reviewed articles in the past five years.

Lead researcher Teresa Gibson, PhD, director of health outcomes research at Thomson Reuters said, “Using the MarketScan Databases, we statistically matched patients with diabetes and foot ulcers who had visited a podiatrist with like patients who had not. The analysis of the data indicates that patients who had seen a podiatrist in the year prior to the onset of a foot ulcer had significantly lower rates of any amputation and hospitalization than those who had not.”

For additional information on the study, visit www.apma.org/diabetesstudy.

Media interested in attending the presentation during the APMA 98^th Annual Scientific Meeting should contact Angela Berard at [email protected] or 301-861-9342.

Founded in 1912, the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) is the nation’s leading and recognized professional organization for doctors of podiatric medicine (DPMs). DPMs are podiatric physicians and surgeons, also known as podiatrists, qualified by their education, training and experience to diagnose and treat conditions affecting the foot, ankle and structures of the leg. The medical education and training of a DPM includes four years of undergraduate education, four years of graduate education at an accredited podiatric medical college and two or three years of hospital residency training. APMA has 53 state component locations across the United States and its territories, with a membership of close to 12,000 podiatrists. All practicing APMA members are licensed by the state in which they practice podiatric medicine. For more information, visit www.apma.org.

Thomson Reuters is the world’s leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals. We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial, legal, tax and accounting, healthcare and science and media markets, powered by the world’s most trusted news organization. With headquarters in New York and major operations in London and Eagan, Minnesota, Thomson Reuters employs 55,000 people and operates in over 100 countries. For more information, go to www.thomsonreuters.com.

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SALT LAKE CITY, UT–(Marketwire – July 15, 2010) –   When Patrick Treend was a member of the Florida Marlins organization, he faced some pretty stiff competition as an up-and-coming pitcher. Now, he’s making a pitch to become the voice of our nation’s Child Care and Early Education insurance industry.

Treend, President of Security Planning & Insurance Corporation, which for more than 30 years has been one of the nation’s most-trusted insurance Agencies, has quickly become one of the most highly respected advocates in the child care industry. He oversees the day-to-day operations of the parent company’s two primary entities, Child Care Insurance Professionals and Charter School Insurance Professionals, the preferred choice for insurance in early education and child care.

“My general philosophy is to work as our client’s voice, their advocate,” says Treend. “We strive to get the most competitive rates and coverage without any allegiance to any one carrier. Generally speaking, child care and early education has very little competition, little to no national resources and no voice as it relates to insurance services. In most cases, people are taken advantage of because of the lack of competition and overall lack of insurance professionals that focus on this market.”

Due to his vast insight and expertise on the current trends within the child care industry, Treend is asked to speak at all of the regional conferences for the prestigious National Child Care Association (NCCA). He was recently in Atlanta to address his constituents on the state of the health care industry.

On the new legislation for Health Care Reform: “Under the new Health Care Reform Law, small businesses will find major changes to how they must provide health coverage and how much they must pay for it,” claims Treend. “I remain concerned that any advances under the new reform bill will be eroded by the unchecked rise of health care costs that were not adequately addressed in the legislation.”

Added Treend, “As it relates to Child Care and small businesses in general, it will have a huge impact for the smaller centers. The majority of the smaller centers cannot afford a traditional group plan and, if they could, the employee base cannot afford their employee portion. The only thing that the reform bill will do in the near future is make the process more confusing and costly.”

For Treend to be asked to voice his opinions has not been uncommon since making his pitch to the insurance industry in 2002. After quickly rising in ranks at Liberty Mutual Group and Zion’s Insurance Agency, Treend set his strike zone on child care and early education, revamping Security Planning & Insurance Corporation by making it the first insurance Agency of its kind to focus exclusively on providing packaged insurance to private and independent Charter Schools and Child Care Centers nationwide.

Child Care Insurance Professionals and, more recently, Charter School Insurance Professionals, are already considered ahead of their time and are the preferred choice for child care and charter schools looking for cost savings, favorable terms, targeted service and exceptional follow-through.

“Child Care and Charter Schools now have the convenience of dealing with one insurance Agency that handles all their policies, creating a significant cost savings. Our firm’s business model of targeted insurance programs and packages, particularly in the commercial child care industry, has taught us the value of market specificity. We believe focusing on a specific market niche enables us to provide targeted service and benefits that an individual school or an independent provider would not be able to access,” said Treend. 

For more information on Child Care Insurance Professionals and Charter School Insurance Professionals, visit their respective sites at www.ChildCareInsuranceProfessionals.com and www.CharterSchoolInsurancePros.com or call (888) 812-9992.

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