DENVER, CO–(Marketwire – October 26, 2010) – Dean Evans & Associates, Inc. (www.dea.com), maker of the EMS line of facility and resource scheduling software, has completed an ambitious benchmarking survey initiative that will provide participants with valuable metrics on their meeting and event management operations.

More than 150 customers filled out the inaugural Facilities and Services Benchmark Survey, which is believed to be the first cross-industry survey of its kind, as it provides comparison data both within the participant’s industry and across the many industries that DEA serves. While detailed results will only be sent to participants, an Executive Summary is available to the public.

“We deeply appreciate the eagerness participants showed and the time they invested in answering the benchmark survey questions. As a result, we’re able to offer important data to our current and future customers,” said Kevin Raasch, vice president of Dean Evans & Associates. “Each participant can use their customized survey report as a yardstick to measure their performance and identify areas for improvement.”

The survey compared individual organizations’ key metrics, such as bookings-to-scheduling staff ratios, overall space utilization and service order numbers with their industry standards as well as with responses across all industries, generating powerful insights into facility scheduling best practices.

“Individual measurements such as number of bookings per year, number of staff members by job function and average hours of operation per day can be very helpful in and of themselves,” said Raasch. “But combining two or more of those numbers to get stats like the number of hours per day that your scheduling staff spends making reservations or the average number of service orders that each of your catering staff members is involved in each day can be very enlightening — especially when compared to other organizations in your industry.”

The survey also asked a number of subjective questions including some designed to identify trends. Event volume expectations, desired software integrations and anticipated shifts in technology were among them.

The 2011 Facilities and Services Benchmark Survey will be sent to customers and selected prospective customers next spring. To request a free copy of the Executive Summary from this year’s survey, please visit www.dea.com and click Benchmark Survey Summary under Quick Links.

LOS ANGELES, CA–(Marketwire – October 26, 2010) –  MMRGlobal, Inc. (OTCBB: MMRF) (MMR) announced today it plans to offer U.S. Veterans the opportunity to maintain all their medical records and personal health information directly in a MyMedicalRecords Personal Health Record (PHR) located at www.MyBlueButton.org. The service will be provided at no cost for the first year as a thank you for their service to our country. Each account will cover the Veteran and up to nine additional family members to securely store personal health information, medical records and medical images in addition to any important document needed in an emergency.

On August 2, President Obama announced the “Blue Button” initiative (http://www4.va.gov/bluebutton) that allows U.S. Veterans to download their personal health information from their My HealtheVet account. On April 30, 2011, at a special event at the Playboy Mansion honoring Veterans and Operation Mend at the UCLA Health System Medical Center, MMRGlobal will launch its www.MyBlueButton.org website linking to its MyMedicalRecords Personal Health Record. The Company’s PHR can store the full range of medical records, from lab reports and doctor’s notes to immunizations and X-rays and other medical images, and also includes multiple special “lockbox” folders with secondary passwords for other important documents such as military discharge papers, gun permits, passports, birth and marriage certificates, insurance policies and deeds of trusts.

“We appreciate the sacrifices made for our safety and security by the brave men and women of our armed forces,” said Robert H. Lorsch, Chairman and CEO of MMRGlobal. “Although no commercial enterprise can fully repay them, we want to offer Vets the opportunity to use their ‘Blue Button’ to store their most important records with the safety and security of our advanced patented technologies on our www.MyBlueButton.org site. This way, Veterans can be assured that their records can be shared in any emergency with doctors in or out of the VA system from any Internet-connected computer anywhere in the world. At the same time, our system ensures the highest level of privacy because users maintain control over who has access to their records and the Company does not use third party intermediaries to retrieve data. And unlike any other product of its kind, users are protected by a one million dollar Cyber Liability policy protecting their important information.”

MMR’s MyBlueButton.org program rides on the back of the government’s “Blue Button” initiative and branding and augments the Administration’s national calling for all Americans to have a Personal Health Record by 2014. Delivering the most comprehensive PHR product in the marketplace today, the MyMedicalRecords system is built on an integrated telecommunications platform incorporating Internet, fax and phone to transmit and store personal health information and other important data in one central secure online account with a single sign-on. This provides for the ultimate flexibility in communicating and accessing information which the Company believes is necessary to accelerate widespread adoption of Personal Health Records by 2014.

The MyMedicalRecords PHR also offers other valuable tools to help Vets and their families have greater control over their health and better manage their lives overall. In addition to its ease-of-use and availability in both English and Spanish, the system includes a family health history, a drug database and drug interaction tool that can automatically check for interactions between over 20,000 medications and also food allergies, and a reference center containing information on 3,000 conditions and diseases. Importantly, there is a separate Emergency Login that medical personnel and authorized users can access to retrieve potentially life-saving information in a crisis situation; and each account also comes with its own inbound and outbound e-fax capability which further expands the options for quickly and easily sharing information.

According to Lorsch, “The service will be free for a year and then additional years’ subscriptions will be provided by our Company at prices well below the cost of the personalized voice fax telecommunications services embedded in every account. Our numbers show that 99 percent of all MyMedicalRecords users do not cancel the service after the initial period. I also plan to work through the Robert H. Lorsch Foundation Trust to identify non-profits that can underwrite services for Veterans and their families in subsequent years.”

About MMRGlobal, Inc.

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

Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements contained in this press release that refer to future events or other non-historical matters are forward-looking statements, and some can be identified by the use of words (and their derivations) such as “need,” “possibility,” “offer,” “development,” “if,” “negotiate,” “when,” “begun,” “believe,” “achieve,” “will,” “estimate,” “expect,” “maintain,” “plan,” “help” and “continue,” or the negative of such terms and other comparable terminology. MMRGlobal, Inc. disclaims any intent or obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on MMRGlobal, Inc.’s reasonable expectations as of the date of this press release and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. The information discussed in this release is subject to various risks and uncertainties related but not limited to changes in MMRGlobal, Inc.’s business prospects, its results of operations or financial condition, government regulation and changes in healthcare initiatives, and such other risks and uncertainties as detailed from time to time in MMRGlobal, Inc.’s public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

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DENVER, CO–(Marketwire – October 26, 2010) –  Eating Recovery Center (www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com), a national eating disorders recovery program providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia and bulimia, today announced that it will open a new behavioral hospital specifically designed to provide eating disorders care to children and adolescents. The hospital is slated to open in late November in Denver’s Lowry neighborhood. 

Eating Recovery Center’s newest treatment program will be led by a world-renowned expert in child and adolescent eating disorders, Ovidio Bermudez, MD, FAAP, FSAM, FAED, CEDS. Dr. Bermudez will serve as the hospital’s new medical director. It will operate under the direction of the treatment center’s CEO and co-founder, Kenneth L. Weiner, MD, CEDS, and its chief clinical officer, Craig Johnson, PhD, FAED, CEDS. 

“The child and adolescent hospital will offer comprehensive treatment for eating disorders for children and adolescents, males and females. Our comprehensive treatment model will blend traditional approaches like medical stabilization, psychiatric stabilization and nutritional rehabilitation with new approaches like Behavioral Family Therapy in the partial hospitalization phase of the treatment experience,” explains Dr. Bermudez. “We have carefully chosen an outstanding staff and, in addition, will use technologies to enhance patient care. Our goal is to be a center of excellence and to offer the best treatment to the patients and families we care for.”

The child and adolescent facility will offer a full spectrum of treatment options for children and adolescents ages 10 to 17, including inpatient, residential, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient and outpatient services. In addition to treating eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, the treatment center will address “eating disturbances,” which include such behaviors as extreme pickiness, food fears and food avoidance.

Eating Recovery Center’s multidisciplinary treatment team will work closely with families and referring professionals to collaborate on traditional treatment experiences such as nutritional rehabilitation, medical care and psychotherapy. Eating Recovery Center will also introduce such innovative approaches as:

• Utilizing technology, such as heart monitoring, movement monitoring and biofeedback, to monitor for overactive behaviors and manage anxiety in children and adolescents.
• Introducing Behavioral Family Therapy at a later point in the treatment continuum — after a traditional phase of treatment in 24-hour care — to allow patients to manage nutritional deficiencies and medical issues prior to collaboration with family.

“Recent studies have shown that the involvement of family in the treatment process has a positive impact on recovery,” explains Dr. Weiner. “We will work closely with families to integrate recovery-focused behaviors and sustainable changes into family life, enabling family members and loved ones to become agents of change for our patients.”

Eating Recovery Center’s child and adolescent hospital will be located at 8140 E. 5th Ave., Denver, Colo., and is now accepting patients from across the country.

About Eating Recovery Center
Eating Recovery Center is a national center for eating disorders recovery providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia and bulimia. Denver-based facilities include a licensed behavioral hospital treating adults, an outpatient office and a facility treating children and adolescents scheduled to open in November 2010. Under the personal guidance and care of Drs. Weiner and Bishop, and the newest additions to our leadership team — Drs. Craig Johnson and Ovidio Bermudez, our collaborative programs provide a full spectrum of services for children, adolescents and adults. Our integrated program offers patients from across the country a continuum of care that includes inpatient, residential, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient and outpatient services. Our compassionate team of professionals collaborates with treating professionals and loved ones to cultivate lasting behavioral change. For more information please contact us at 877-218-1344 or [email protected] or confidentially chat live on our website at www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com.

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HOUSTON, TX–(Marketwire – October 26, 2010) –  SHAPE, The Society for Heart Attack Prevention and Eradication (http://www.shapesociety.org), a nonprofit organization that promotes the early detection and treatment of heart attack risk in apparently healthy people, today awarded SHAPE Provider Certification to 10 medical providers from around the world. The newly certified providers include nine physicians in Lebanon and one registered nurse in Arizona.

“SHAPE Provider Certification focuses on best practices for reducing the incidence of acute coronary events and deaths from coronary artery disease, and we are pleased that medical providers around the world are finding it to be a valuable resource,” said JoAnne Zawitoski, chair of the SHAPE Board of Directors. “Through a rigorous process of training and examination, the program teaches how to identify clinically appropriate patients for non-invasive screening for coronary artery disease, which advances our mission of promoting the early detection of CAD.”

The nine newly certified physicians in Lebanon participated in a course facilitated by Hussain Isma’eel, M.D.

SHAPE Provider Certification adheres to the First SHAPE Guideline for screening to identify hidden CAD in apparently healthy patients. The SHAPE II Task Force will convene at the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2010 on November 13^th and is expected to recommend updates that incorporate what has been learned through research and medical practice during the four years since the First SHAPE Guideline was introduced.

In addition to SHAPE Provider Certification, SHAPE encourages best practices in heart attack screening through SHAPE Certified Centers of Excellence. Unlike traditional cardiovascular clinics that are primarily focused on preventing a second heart attack, SHAPE Certified Centers of Excellence focus on the prevention of a first heart attack.

SHAPE’s exhibit at the AHA Scientific Sessions 2010 (Booth #1708) will showcase updates to the SHAPE Guideline as well as the SHAPE Certified Centers of Excellence program and SHAPE Provider Certification initiative.

SHAPE Certified Providers

United States

Kelly Coracides, RN
Mercy Gilbert Medical Center
Gilbert, AZ

Lebanon

Mohammad Dghaili, MD
Alaeedine Hospital
Sarafand, Lebanon

Mohammad Sleiman, MD
Beirut, Lebanon

Samir Arnaout, MD
Beirut, Lebanon

Adel Dimassi, MD
Beirut, Lebanon

Ali Jaffal, MD
Nabatieh, Lebanon

Imad Marji, MD
Beirut, Lebanon

Jihad Chebbo, MD
Saida, Lebanon

Ali Mansour, MD
Beirut, Lebanon

Gilbert Abi Nader, MD
Beirut, Lebanon

About SHAPE
Based in Houston, the Society for Heart Attack Prevention and Eradication (SHAPE) is a non-profit organization that promotes education and research related to prevention, detection, and treatment of heart attacks. SHAPE is committed to raising public awareness about revolutionary discoveries that are opening exciting avenues to prevent heart attacks. SHAPE’s mission is to eradicate heart attacks in the 21st century. Additional information is available on the organization’s Web site at www.shapesociety.org.

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OTTAWA, CANADA–(Marketwire – Oct. 26, 2010) – Accentus Inc. the leading provider of Transcription Services for the Canadian healthcare industry announced today that it is launching two new services – Document Imaging and Remote Coding. These new services together with the company’s well entrenched Transcription Service will allow Accentus to offer a completely Integrated Medical Document Management Solution.

“Accessibility, availability, and usability of patient health information are of paramount importance to providing the best possible healthcare,” said Stephen Rogers, Chief Executive Officer, Accentus Inc. “Our services help healthcare organizations electronically capture and manage patient data from multiple sources and make it available at the click of a button to healthcare professionals facilitating more immediate diagnosis and more timely access to data for trending and funding activities.”

Accentus will offer archival, near real-time and real-time document imaging services bringing significant efficiency gains to each step in the document imaging process to save clients time and money. Using patented software Accentus Document Imaging Services automate otherwise manual processes in the document preparation and scanning stages greatly reducing man-hours and human-error. Accentus will also take a multi-tiered approach supported by industry-leading logic and intelligence software to fully automate image processing. Many functions such as content understanding, indexing, forms recognition, electronic content separation and sorting, content identification and/or extraction, rules based workflow management, and, exception handling will be carried out electronically.

Through Accentus Remote Coding Services healthcare organizations will have access to a team of certified Health Information Management professionals fully trained on the ICD-10-CA coding standard, as well as, coding tools such as computer assisted coding and auditing software and regulatory compliance functionality with submission interface.

Accentus’ multifunctional document management platform, eDoc, will support both new services. eDoc’s, integrated electronic content management (ECM) functionality allows for easy search and retrieval of scanned images, the extraction and use of information contained within those images, secure web enabled remote or shared access to documents, and easy management of chart content deficiencies. It can greatly enhance existing hospital electronic health records systems that are image-enabled or can be integrated with those that are not.

Business Process Management software further enhances eDoc’s ECM capability. Healthcare organizations can improve efficiency and productivity by fully automating and streamlining business processes, electronically distributing tasks, implementing and enforcing business rules, documenting and measuring performance, and accessing data for real-time and historical reporting.

Accentus offers a transactional fee structure, partial to full outsourcing flexibility, a highly skilled workforce, end-to-end workflow management, comprehensive reporting, SaaS based technology platform to support services, strict adherence to both provincial and national (PIPEDA) standards, and a strong commitment to quality.

About Accentus Inc.

Accentus provides Integrated Medical Document Management Solutions for the creation of electronic health records. Leading hospitals, medical clinics, and independent physicians across Canada rely on Accentus to capture accurate and timely patient health information. Combining state-of-the-art technology, human resources, industry knowledge, and value-add services, Accentus, delivers outsourced or co-sourced medical document management solutions based on a pay- and scale- as-you-go business model. Accentus Enterprise Services meet the needs of hospitals and large clinics and Accentus MD, is a hospital calibre transcription service specifically tailored to meet the needs of individual doctors and group practices. Accentus was founded in 2001, is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, and privately funded.

PHILADELPHIA, PA–(Marketwire – October 26, 2010) –  Gemino Healthcare Finance (“Gemino”) today announced it has received a rating upgrade from rating agency DBRS to A from BBB. The rating change was based upon the historical performance of the loan portfolio, underlying collateral pools and the structural integrity of the transactions.

Mike Gervais, Chief Executive Officer of Gemino, said, “Obtaining the upgrade to A was another milestone for Gemino. It validates the quality of our clients, credit team, and overall business. We have funded over 40 deals since we launched Gemino in 2007 and are very focused on continuing to expand our business.”

Gemino Extends WestLB Credit Facility
Gemino also announced that it has received a two year extension on its credit facility with WestLB.

“We are excited about extending our facility with WestLB and having them continue to support the growth of our business. They have been a valuable partner the last three years through a difficult lending environment,” said Stacy Allen, Vice President of Operations and Treasurer for Gemino.

Matt Tallo, Executive Director for WestLB, said, “WestLB is happy to continue to support Gemino. We have an extensive history with the team and look forward to working with them as they grow their business.”

About Gemino Healthcare Finance (www.gemino.com)
Gemino, a privately held commercial finance company, provides senior loans to healthcare service providers throughout the U.S., with typical financing needs ranging from $2 million and up in the form of revolving lines of credit and term loans.

Based in Philadelphia, with offices in Atlanta, Dallas and Los Angeles, Gemino provides loans to growing healthcare companies for working capital, recapitalizations, acquisitions and other general corporate purposes.

About WestLB Structured Finance
WestLB develops sophisticated structured solutions through a team of highly experienced investment banking professionals. WestLB has a long-standing presence in the corporate, structured and project financing sectors supporting clients’ needs with capital commitments, advisory services and innovative financing solutions. The bank’s global relationships, coupled with its unique understanding of local economies, industries and cultures, help WestLB bankers consistently deliver high quality advice and service. For more information, please visit www.westlb.com.

About WestLB
WestLB AG is one of Germany´s leading financial services providers and offers the full range of products and services of a universal bank, focusing on lending, corporate and structured finance, capital market and private equity products and transaction services. WestLB has total assets of EUR 251.2 billion, as of June 30, 2010. For more information, please visit www.westlb.com.

In the United States, certain securities, trading, brokerage and advisory services are provided by WestLB’s wholly owned subsidiary WestLB Securities Inc., a registered broker-dealer and member of the NASD and SIPC.

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NEW YORK, NY–(Marketwire – October 26, 2010) –  Patients undergoing treatment for cancer at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital were recently treated to a vacation giveaway and a surprise visit by seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong.

The renowned cancer survivor and founder of LIVESTRONG was joined by LIVESTRONG President and CEO Doug Ulman and American Cancer Society CEO Dr. John Seffrin on a tour of the hospital’s chemotherapy infusion suite. In addition to personally interacting with the patients, the prominent visitors gained first-hand knowledge of the hospital’s quality-of-life initiatives for cancer patients. These include art, music, and massage therapy programs funded by the Helen Sawaya Fund, as well as the travel therapy program funded by Laura’s Journeys (www.laurasjourneys.org).

During the Sept. 22^nd visit, three vacations were awarded in the latest raffle from Laura’s Journeys, a support program for cancer patients at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt and other institutions within the Continuum Health Partners network, designed to encourage and facilitate recreational travel for patients along with their family members or friends. The three winners and a runner-up were drawn by Messrs. Armstrong, Ulman, Seffrin and previous Laura’s Journeys winner Rodney Carroll from over 80 entrants, all currently undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatments. Prior to the drawing, Mr. Carroll told patients and others in the infusion suite about the life-changing impact of his family’s week-long visit to Greece in late-spring.

The latest drawing’s grand prize went to Aida George, 41, a resident of Yonkers, N.Y. being treated for breast cancer. Ms. George won accommodations for seven nights in a fully-furnished, five-bedroom, three-bath vacation home, complete with a private swimming pool and hot tub. The accommodations were donated by Pytha Realty Group of Merritt Island, http://www.pytharealty.com. The winner will travel to Merritt Island with her husband, three children, and her mother, later this fall. In addition to relaxing at the house and beach, the family plans to travel to nearby Orlando, where they will go to Disney World and other theme parks, and visit with family members who live in that area. Laura’s Journeys is providing funding for the family’s travel expenses.

The second winner, who requested privacy, is a 58-year-old male from Westchester County undergoing treatment for colorectal cancer. He will travel with his wife this fall to the Berkshire Mountains for a two-night stay at The Summer White House, a bed & breakfast in Lenox, Mass. 

The third winner, Jean Scheller, a 44-year old resident of Weehawken, N.J. being treated for ovarian cancer, also won a two-night stay at the Summer White House, where she will travel with a friend this fall. In addition to the accommodations, Laura’s Journeys is providing both Berkshires trip winners with funds for meals and local attractions. 

Laura’s Journeys was created by Aberdeen, N.J. resident Bill Parness in memory of his wife Laura, who passed away in November 2008 at the age of 54 after a courageous battle with breast cancer. He developed the program based on the therapeutic benefits he and Laura derived from their extensive travels during the six years she was being treated for advanced breast cancer. Since its inception in late 2009, Laura’s Journeys has sent St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital patients on week-long cruises to the Caribbean and New England/Canada; week-long stays in Greece and Florida; and weekend getaways to the Berkshires. With these three latest trips, the program will have awarded nine vacations to patients in the space of a year. 

Laura Parness was a patient of Gabriel A. Sara, M.D., Medical Director of the Chemotherapy Infusion Suite and Executive Director of the Patient Services Initiative at Continuum Cancer Centers of New York, located at Roosevelt Hospital. As he was with Laura, Dr. Sara is a strong advocate for therapeutic travel for his patients.

“The benefits of our philanthropy programs — including Laura’s Journeys and the music, art and massage therapy programs funded by the Helen Sawaya Fund — are so immense that today, I can hardly imagine running the chemotherapy infusion suite without them,” said Dr. Sara. “Patients’ journeys are transformed as they feel they can play, dream and feel alive, all over again. The fact that LIVESTRONG and ACS chose to visit our unit because of our philanthropy program validates and reaffirms the power of our work. I hope it will help drum up financial support so we can continue to offer this life-altering support to our patients.”

He added: “Lance Armstrong’s visit was a very emotional experience for all of us. During his visit, he interacted with all of us and heard the testimonies of Fuad Sawaya and Bill Parness about their late wives, Helen and Laura, respectively. Lance was very engaged and curious to know more about these programs and how they have transformed the experience of patients and staff alike. During Lance’s interactions with every patient in our infusion suite, you could just feel that this was familiar territory and that he had been there, done that and survived a similar experience. It was touching to see him look into the patients’ eyes and inquire about their feelings. The patients, of course, were so moved. But the highlight of the visit was undeniably the Laura’s Journeys travel raffle. We always start by creating a certain atmosphere of festivity and playfulness. We gave out percussion instruments, and our music therapist played a Beatles song in the middle of the chemo suite, as guests, staff, patients and everyone began to sing. No one could believe this was a chemo suite in which 18 patients were receiving treatment.” 

In early 2010, LIVESTRONG announced they would recognize The Creative Center, a Manhattan-based group that runs the art therapy program at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt and 19 other New York area hospitals, as a “Model Program” and would work with them to expand their Artist in Residence program to 20 new cities across the U.S. This commitment makes LIVESTRONG the largest funder of the program and was the driving force behind Mr. Armstrong’s visit.

“The Creative Center provides patients with a connection to the things they like to spend time doing,” said Mr. Armstrong. “Being exposed to art and music has created a community among the patients that is inspirational. It has been amazing to see the result of LIVESTRONG‘s funding affecting patients in such an overwhelmingly positive way.”

MILWAUKEE, WI–(Marketwire – October 26, 2010) –  Prolitec Inc., a leading developer of air treatment and air care technologies, today announced the appointment of Suresh Bhandari, 45, as Director of Business Development.

 In his new position, Mr. Bhandari, who is based in the Washington, D.C. area, will be responsible for managing the company’s government sales effort nationwide.

Bhandari comes to Prolitec from First American Corporation, a Fortune 500 company and the leader in providing nationwide property information and analytics in support of the financial and real estate sectors, where he served as Director, Federal Solutions since 2007. In that capacity, he was responsible for managing sales, marketing and GSA/GWAC functions for the company’s federal business unit. 

 Prior to that, Bhandari established the Federal Practice for Global Consultants, a $200 million IT solutions and staffing company based in Herndon, Va. As General Manager, he directed all phases of the Federal Practice’s strategy, marketing, sales, operations, and client relationships.

Earlier in his career, Bhandari worked in sales and marketing at several software and information systems companies. He began his career in 1996 as a regional sales manager for Upspring Software, Inc., Lexington, Mass., and went on to serve as vice president of sales and marketing at Rjay Consultants, Inc., Sterling, Va.; director of marketing and strategic alliances at Invertix Corporation, Alexandria, Va.; and vice president, strategic relations, Artech Information Systems, McLean, Va., before joining Global Consultants in 2004.

Mr. Bhandari, a resident of Oakton, Va., earned a Master of Science degree in computer science from Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz.; a Bachelor of Engineering in computer engineering and science from Bangalore University, Bangalore; and, concurrently, a Diploma in Commerce, with emphasis on marketing & sales, commerce, accounting and mercantile law from Davars College of Commerce, Bangalore. 

About Prolitec
Prolitec (www.prolitec.com) develops and deploys air-treatment and air care technologies for healthcare facilities, hotels, casinos, and other institutional and commercial facilities in the U.S. and 46 countries around the world. The company’s Aerobiology and Infection Control division is engaged in the development and deployment of airborne and surface antimicrobial systems to inhibit disease transmission. 

LINCOLN, NE–(Marketwire – October 26, 2010) –  MacPractice, the leading Apple developer of practice management and clinical software on Macs and iPhones for medical, dental and chiropractic offices, today announced the release of MacPractice iPad Interface with ePrescribe. The solution was designed with Apple’s Web App development tools to provide remote and network communication from the iPad to a medical, dental or chiropractic office that uses MacPractice MD, MacPractice 20/20, MacPractice DDS or MacPractice DC.

“Doctors have overwhelmed us with requests to use an iPad with MacPractice and particularly to ePrescribe,” said Mark Hollis, President of MacPractice. “Today, we are announcing an iPad replacement for the index cards used by so many physicians to record hospital rounds, but this product can perform much more than that for physicians, dentists, and chiropractors.”

Among the capabilities that come along with the new MacPractice iPad Interface with ePrescribe: doctors can create new patient records in MacPractice from the iPad and post procedures and diagnosis from outside the office or in an exam room, daily practice activity reports can be reviewed easily from outside the office, reminders and notes may be sent between the office staff and the doctor, and email may be sent to patients and referring providers. MacPractice users can also see their office schedule as well as patient photos and demographic information. In addition, doctors and assistants may now review and record patient vital statistics and chronic diagnoses, and review prescription history and allergies when seeing a patient, all on an iPad.

With MacPractice ePrescribe for iPad, MacPractice users have all of the same capabilities of ePrescribe for MacPractice on the desktop in their office. When they write a prescription on the iPad, it is added automatically to their patient’s record in the office.

Additional content including automated allergy, drug information and review, herbals, managed care formularies, drug interactions, and leaflets for patient education in 18 languages are available. Managed care connectivity, as an option, provides an all-doctor drug history.

“We are pleased to contribute to the improvement of healthcare in America by offering doctors an ePrescribe solution on the iPad that improves efficiency and can increase Medicare reimbursement,” said Hollis. “Doctors who wish to meet the ONC’s definition of Meaningful Use must ePrescribe, and providing the ability to write a script on an iPad makes it just that much easier for them.”

MacPractice iPad Interface with ePrescribe and MacPractice Interface for iPhone may be purchased together for $800. Doctors will receive a $300 discount with a new purchase of MacPractice. The annual support and enhancements fee for either Interface is $200, and for the use of both is $400. ePrescribe is free to MacPractice clients already enrolled for ePrescribe.

Subsequent to ONC-ATCB certification of MacPractice 4, MacPractice will also release companion native iPad apps including EMR/EHR functionality.

MacPractice leverages Apple’s legendary ease of use, stability and low-cost maintenance to create affordable, intuitive and flexible Mac-native software for doctors.

MacPractice, which is currently used in some 3,500 medical, dental, and chiropractic practices, combines a state-of-the-art EHR/EMR solution with practice management tools in an easy-to-use, intuitive system that can improve patient care, efficiency and productivity. For more information about MacPractice solutions, visit www.macpractice.com.

About MacPractice, Inc.
MacPractice, Inc. is a client-centric practice management and clinical software development firm, comprised of highly experienced and caring individuals, dedicated to the development and support of best-of-class Macintosh software, hardware and associated services for physicians, dentists, chiropractors and eye doctors. For more information, visit www.macpractice.com.

ST PAUL, MN–(Marketwire – October 26, 2010) –  St. Paul Heart Clinic announced today that the first patients in Minnesota have been implanted with the world’s first known non-blood contacting mechanical heart assist system designed to help reverse the heart failure process for people with Class III/IV ambulatory heart failure. The C-Pulse Heart Assist System, developed by Eden Prairie-based Sunshine Heart, was implanted in two patients at the Nasseff Heart Hospital in St. Paul as part of an FDA-approved IDE feasibility study.

When patients are first diagnosed with (Class I & II) mild heart failure, the first lines of treatment include lifestyle changes and drug therapy. If the disease progresses to moderate (Class III) heart failure, cardiologists often recommend implantation of a biventricular pace maker, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), or both. Following these treatments, however, there are few, if any, FDA-approved therapies until the disease progresses to advanced Class IV (severe) heart failure. This stage requires more complicated interventions, such as left ventricular assist devices (LVAD), which take over the pumping function of the heart; or ultimately, heart transplants.

“A primary focus at St. Paul Heart Clinic is to address and stabilize heart failure at its earliest possible stages, before patients require later stage LVADs or heart transplants,” said Dr. Alan Bank, M.D., Cardiologist and Medical Director of the Research Division at St. Paul Heart Clinic.

The C-Pulse heart assist system is implanted during open heart surgery by placing a cuff around the aorta as it exits from the heart. This unique balloon counterpulsation technology is designed to assist the left ventricle by reducing the workload required to pump blood throughout the body. In addition, it increases blood flow to the coronary arteries. Combined, these potential benefits may help reverse the heart failure process or maintain the patient’s current condition, thereby preventing the need for later stage heart failure devices, such as LVADs or transplants. The C-Pulse System is one of just a few devices under investigation that may help alleviate heart failure symptoms and prevent the disease from advancing to a condition in which an LVAD or transplant is needed.

To date, Dr. Bank and Dr. John Grehan, Cardiovascular Surgeon at Nasseff Heart Hospital, have treated two Class III heart failure patients with the C-Pulse Heart Assist System: a 70-year-old male from Stillwater who was implanted with the device on September 24th, and a 64-year-old male patient from Faribault who was implanted on October 5th. The patients were just the 14th and 15th respectively in the United States implanted with C-Pulse, and the 20^th and 21^st in the world to receive this therapy. Both were discharged from the hospital within 8 days and have reported a reduction of shortness of breath and an increase in activity during their recovery. “I am impressed with the immediate effects provided by the C-Pulse and I look forward to seeing how patients improve over time,” added Dr. Bank.

St. Paul Heart Clinic is currently the only non-LVAD and transplant cardiology practice in the country with access to this technology that is participating in the C-Pulse IDE feasibility study. The study, which is expected to conclude later this fall, is available to men and women between the ages of 18 to 75 who suffer from moderate heart failure and for whom standard drug therapy has failed. The study will monitor each patient’s performance with the C-Pulse System at one-month, three-month and six-months following implantation.

“St. Paul Heart Clinic is an ideal cardiology practice to participate in the feasibility of the C-Pulse system,” said Dave Rosa, CEO of Sunshine Heart. “C-Pulse presents the opportunity for non-LVAD/transplant centers to potentially offer a therapy for Class III and Class IV ambulatory patients.”

If you or someone you know is interested in participating in the C-Pulse clinical trials, please contact Glenda Morris, APRN at [email protected] or (651) 726-6967. To learn more about Sunshine Heart’s FDA-approved IDE feasibility study, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.

About St. Paul Heart Clinic
St. Paul Heart Clinic is one of the largest, most advanced heart clinics in the region, serving patients throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. The clinic’s 31 cardiologists work in close partnership with primary care physicians to provide comprehensive cardiovascular care to their patients. The clinic’s subspecialties of heart care include noninvasive cardiology, interventional cardiology, electrophysiology, advanced imaging and research. For more information, please visit: www.stphc.com.

About United Hospital
United Hospital, part of Allina Hospitals & Clinics, is the largest hospital in the Twin Cities east metro area. It is a non-profit hospital providing a full range of health care services to more than 200,000 people each year. United offers a wide range of health services including a birth center, cardiac care in the Nasseff Heart Center, emergency care, oncology, orthopedics, neurosciences and epilepsy, a pain center, rehabilitation, medical imaging and surgery. More information about United Hospital can be found at www.unitedhospital.com.

About Sunshine Heart^®
Sunshine Heart^® (ASX: SHC), a global medical device company focused on innovative technologies for the treatment of moderate heart failure, is commercializing the C-Pulse^® Heart Assist System, a minimally invasive, implantable, non-blood contacting, heart assist therapy for the treatment of moderate heart failure. The Company has received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct a 20-patient U.S. clinical trial with the C-Pulse^® System and the study has achieved eighty percent enrollment as of October 2010. Sunshine Heart is a Delaware-based Corporation headquartered in Minneapolis with a subsidiary presence in Australia. The Company has been listed on the ASX since September 2004. For more information, please visit www.sunshineheart.com.

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BOCA RATON, FL–(Marketwire – October 26, 2010) – David H. Fater, CEO of Vicor Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB: VCRT), today announced that the Company has received approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the University of Mississippi Medical Center for a study to assess concussions in competitive athletes using its PD2i Analyzer™. The study will be conducted in collaboration with the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) and Belhaven University. Vicor Technologies is a biotechnology company focused on the development of innovative, non-invasive medical devices using its patented, proprietary PD2i^® nonlinear algorithm and software. Vicor is currently in the process of commercializing diagnostics that accurately risk stratify specific target populations for future pathological events, including congestive heart failure patients for cardiac death resulting from arrhythmia or pump failure, diabetics for diabetic autonomic neuropathy (DAN), and trauma victims for imminent death absent immediate lifesaving intervention.

“We’re pleased to have approval from UMMC’s IRB permitting us to commence this important study of concussion status in competitive athletes — a first for the PD2i Analyzer™. Being able to effectively assess the extent of a concussion and risk of follow-on pathological events in athletes will enable all involved in assessing the extent of harm incurred during competitive play to better determine player need for advanced care and/or player ability to continue to play unharmed. With this approval, we will begin enrolling patients for this important and exciting clinical research study with an NCAA school, which could lead to other similar studies in the future,” stated Mr. Fater.

The IRB reviews research to ensure that the federal regulations for protecting human research participants outlined in UMMC policy, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) regulations (45 CFR 46) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations (21 CFR Parts 50 & 56), as well as other requirements, are met. 

About Vicor Technologies, Inc.
Vicor Technologies is a biotechnology company creating innovative non-invasive diagnostics employing its patented, proprietary point correlation dimension algorithm (PD2i^®). The PD2i^® nonlinear algorithm is a deterministic, nonlinear measure of electrophysiological potentials that predicts future pathological events with a high degree of accuracy in target populations.

Vicor currently has three products employing the PD2i^® nonlinear algorithm. The PD2i Analyzer™, which has FDA 510(k) marketing clearance, measures heart rate variability; physicians performing diagnostic tests with the PD2i Analyzer™ are able to receive reimbursement under existing CPT codes. The PD2i VS™ (Vital Sign), in clinical trials under a collaborative effort with the U.S. Army Institute for Surgical Research, risk stratifies combat and civilian trauma victims. The PD2i CA™ (Cardiac Analyzer), in multiple clinical trials, identifies patients at risk of cardiac death.

Vicor anticipates additional applications employing the PD2i^® nonlinear algorithm to enable early detection and risk stratification for a variety of other disorders and diseases. Additional information is available at www.vicortech.com.

Disclaimer
The appearance of name-brand institutions, such as the University of Mississippi Medical Center Institutional Review Board, NCAA, and the U.S. Army Institute for Surgical Research, in this media release does not constitute endorsement by institutions of the information, products or services contained therein.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Forward-looking statements in this press release are based on current plans and expectations that are subject to uncertainties and risks, which could cause our future results to differ materially. The following factors, among others, could cause our actual results to differ: our ability to successfully complete the normal range study for PD2i^®values; our ability to generate revenues from the sale of the PD2i Analyzer™; our ability to obtain FDA approval of our 510(k) submission to secure a claim for the PD2i CA™(Cardiac Analyzer) for assessing patients undergoing tests for cardiovascular disease and our ability to obtain marketing clearance from the FDA for the PD2i VS™ (Vital Sign) for military and civilian applications; our ability to develop additional applications for the PD2i^®algorithm; our ability to continue to receive financing sufficient to continue operations and complete critical clinical trials; our ability to continue as a going concern; our ability to successfully develop products based on our technologies; our ability to obtain and maintain adequate levels of third-party reimbursement for our products; the impact of competitive products and pricing; our ability to receive regulatory approval for our products; the ability of third-party contract research organizations to perform preclinical testing and clinical trials for our technologies; the ability of third-party manufacturers to manufacture our products; our ability to retain the services of our key personnel; our ability to market and sell our products successfully; our ability to protect our intellectual property; product liability; changes in federal income tax laws and regulations; general market conditions in the medical device and pharmaceutical industries; and other matters that are described in Vicor’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009 and subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of the press release, and we assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements or the reasons why actual results could differ.

Release 10-21

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LOUISVILLE, KY–(Marketwire – October 26, 2010) –  All radiology practices specialize in the art of seeing — but St. Paul Radiology (SPR) has demonstrated that its vision extends far beyond x-rays and CT scans. The large radiology practice was the first of its kind in St. Paul, Minnesota 85 years ago; it was also a regional leader in adopting the most advanced equipment, techniques and services.

SPR’s most far-sighted move, however came with its debut of Emergency Radiology Services, LLC (ERS). The new subsidiary serves hospitals and radiology practices around the country, delivering remote, on-demand teleradiology consultations on a 24/7 basis along with a full range of business support services including practice management, accounting/finance and billing.

The opening of ERS turned what was already a large practice — St. Paul Radiology has seven standalone imaging centers serving hundreds of thousands of patients — into an enterprise with clients in all 50 states. Forty SPR billing specialists, in fact, now process claims from over 350,000 new patients every year.

“Once ERS caught on, our business exploded,” said Karla Krey, Billing IT Supervisor for St. Paul Radiology. “We started looking for ways to improve the efficiency of our clearinghouse services which, at the time, couldn’t handle the growing workload.”

Krey noted that remittances were a particular problem. Some individual Medicaid remittances were as long as 500 pages and each had to be posted manually. SPR needed a more sophisticated, comprehensive revenue cycle management partner that could speed such labor-intensive processes while also reducing the inevitable errors that found their way into submitted claims. At an industry conference, the St. Paul Radiology billing team asked for clearinghouse recommendations during a luncheon for attendees. “Several people told us that they used ZirMed,” Krey remarked. “That got us to take a look.”

ZirMed, a Web-based revenue cycle management software provider, covers the entire payment process from eligibility to claims management, check processing and cash management. It also offers a spectrum of reporting and analytical tools that help billing managers optimize claims payment. “ZirMed’s ERA [Electronic Remittance Advice] capabilities were very attractive to us,” said Krey. “We knew that the ability to auto-post remittances from virtually any payer and post them automatically in the system would save us hundreds of man-hours every month.”

Within months of working with ZirMed’s software as a service solutions, the SPR billing staff experienced not only a decrease in remittance work, but also a reduction in rejected claims caused by submission errors. “ZirMed helped us increase out productivity tremendously,” said Krey. “With our new auto-posting capability we were able to take a several-day process and complete it in just a couple of hours.”

St. Paul Radiology’s billing efficiency took a further step forward when it signed on with healthcare IT support company Harmony Healthcare IT. “Harmony has given us a number of ideas to improve our billing workflow. They also helped us quickly resolve some hardware issues we had onsite,” Krey stated. “Their customer service, whether on the phone or in person, is exceptional.”

The combination of ZirMed and Harmony has helped St. Paul Radiology maintain, or even increase, its efficiency levels at every point along its dramatic growth curve. Initial studies showed the introduction of ZirMed resulted in a 35-40% decrease in Accounts Receivable days — an improvement that Krey credits to ZirMed’s claims management solution and robust edits.

“ZirMed is our ‘holding tank’ for claim scrubbing before claims are submitted,” she pointed out. “It makes a huge difference in how quickly we can get paid. With just one payer alone, our remittance cycle dropped from a month to two weeks.”

While claims management and auto-posting are the two biggest pieces for St. Paul Radiology, it has added other services from the ZirMed solution suite. By replacing three other vendors for credit card payments with ZirMed’s “Z-Pay” Web-based credit and debit card solution for patient payment, it has simplified its paperwork, reduced the number of dedicated phone lines, and allowed card payments to be made from any PC. Krey also points to ZirMed’s Physician’s Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) dashboard that allows physicians to track PQRI payments and deal with an otherwise extremely complex payment system.

“We’re currently considering other ZirMed revenue cycle additions such as eligibility verification and printing and mailing services,” she noted. “I can’t say enough about the efficiencies ZirMed provides. It removes the tedious work and allows us to use our staff for more productive purposes.”

Showcasing at MGMA Annual Conference:
ZirMed will be demonstrating its revenue cycle management solutions at the MGMA Annual Conference, October 24-27 in New Orleans, from its exhibit at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Booth #838. For more information about ZirMed, visit the company’s MGMA exhibit or visit www.zirmed.com.

About ZirMed:
Founded in 1999, ZirMed is a nationally recognized leader in delivering revenue cycle management solutions to healthcare providers. ZirMed enables healthcare providers to leverage the power of technology to cure administrative burdens and increase cash flow. ZirMed solutions include eligibility verification, credit/debit card processing, check processing, claims management, coding compliancy and reimbursement management, electronic remittance advice, patient statements, patient e-commerce solutions, provider credentialing, and lock box services. ZirMed solutions are designed to complement provider workflow and to provide innovative, creative and flexible solutions for healthcare’s most pressing administrative challenges. For more information about ZirMed, visit www.zirmed.com/pr.

About Harmony Healthcare IT:
Harmony Healthcare IT delivers strategic planning, tactical execution and day-to-day support for healthcare information technology. Services include technical software support for practice management and electronic health records, HL7 integration, legacy data management, electronic data interchange, reimbursement analysis, financial and clinical, analytics, telecommunications, and a variety of IT services. In ambulatory and acute care settings, Harmony helps to safeguard patient information, ensure cash flow, and increase productivity. For more information, visit www.harmonyhit.com.

LONG ISLAND CITY, NY–(Marketwire – October 25, 2010) – Sirona (NASDAQ: SIRO), the dental technology leader, today announced that the Company will report its fiscal 2010 fourth quarter and full year financial results on Thursday, November 18, 2010, at 6:30 AM E.T. Sirona’s management team will host an investor conference call at 8:30 AM that morning. A presentation relating to the call will be available at http://ir.sirona.com

To access the call, domestic participants may dial 866 730 5771 at least 10 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin. International participants may dial 857 350 1595. Participants will be required to provide the Conference ID number 67107595.

A live webcast of the presentation will be available at http://ir.sirona.com. The webcast will be archived for a period of twelve months.

About Sirona Dental Systems, Inc.

Sirona, the dental technology leader, has served dealers and dentists worldwide for more than 130 years. Sirona develops, manufactures, and markets a complete line of dental products, including CAD/CAM restoration systems (CEREC), digital intra-oral, panoramic and 3D imaging systems, dental treatment centers and handpieces. Visit http://www.sirona.com for more information about Sirona and its products.

LOUISVILLE, KY–(Marketwire – October 25, 2010) –  ZirMed^®, a leading national provider of revenue cycle management solutions, today announced the creation of its free iPad application that is now available for download from the iTunes^® store. Current ZirMed customers wishing to immediately start checking patients in easier can download the app and integrate it with their existing account. New customers with iPads can download the App for use with a free ZirMed account.

Upon arrival to their doctor’s office, patients can use ZirMed’s Patient Kiosk App to enter and/or verify their personal information. The device can be used as a handheld, or can be mounted on a stand or other installation for stationary use. ZirMed Patient Kiosk will auto-populate patient information for repeat users, while first-time users will use the unique iPad interface to enter their information. After confirming or entering their demographic information, patients then enter symptoms and any other information they want to securely and privately convey to their physician or provider. Upon completion all information is sent wirelessly to ZirMed’s system and is available immediately.

“Our App for iPad is intended to replace the ubiquitous check-in clipboard presented to patients every day,” said Kevin Weinstein, Vice President of Marketing for ZirMed. “Patient data entry via the iPad decreases errors which can result in delays in care and unnecessary usage of staff time and resources. Integration with ZirMed’s system through electronic check-in is a first step in moving towards a 100% electronic practice.”

The App was created in-house by ZirMed’s technical team, and meets security accreditations including HIPAA compliance. Data passed from the iPad to the practice’s account in ZirMed is encrypted and only viewable by the practice’s designated ZirMed user(s).

Future planned capabilities of ZirMed’s App include real-time insurance eligibility verifications based on patient entered data, and financial services such as collection of co-payments directly from the iPad.

“ZirMed’s iPad App is further evidence of our technological capabilities in healthcare revenue management,” added Weinstein. “The App provides streamlined benefits for practices, and patients enjoy using its simple interface that turns a previously tedious task into something more fun and engaging.”

Showcasing at MGMA Annual Conference:
ZirMed will be showcasing its solutions October 24-27 at the MGMA Annual Conference, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. ZirMed will be demonstrating its revenue cycle management suite in Exhibit Booth 838. For more information about ZirMed, visit the company’s MGMA exhibit or www.zirmed.com.

About ZirMed:
ZirMed is a nationally recognized leader in delivering revenue cycle management solutions to healthcare providers. ZirMed enables healthcare providers to leverage the power of technology to cure administrative burdens and increase cash flow. ZirMed solutions include eligibility verification, credit/debit card processing, check processing, claims management, coding compliancy and reimbursement management, electronic remittance advice, patient statements, patient e-commerce solutions, provider credentialing, and lock box services. ZirMed solutions are designed to complement provider workflow and to provide innovative, creative and flexible solutions for healthcare’s most pressing administrative challenges. For more information about ZirMed, visit www.zirmed.com.

NEW YORK, NY–(Marketwire – October 25, 2010) –  The market for infusion pumps has exceeded six billion dollars, which has encouraged over 100 companies to participate in the market, according to a recent report from healthcare market research publisher Kalorama Information. Kalorama’s new report, “Infusion Pump Markets (Large Volume, Ambulatory, Insulin, Enteral and Other Pumps),” estimates a worldwide market for infusion pumps of nearly $6.3 billion in 2010.

Infusion pumps are used to infuse necessary fluids, which include medications and/or nutrients, to a patient’s circulatory system, often where continuous monitoring and treatment by a nurse or other healthcare staff would be expensive, impractical, or unreliable. According to Kalorama Information, the market will increase just over three percent from last year due to growing competition in the field, declining hospital budgets and government restraints. But growth rates will be higher in specialty areas such as insulin delivery.

“This is a high dollar, low growth market with a lot of competition,” said Bruce Carlson, publisher of Kalorama Information. “That should be daunting for new entrants, but in the area of specialty pump markets there is more room for a niche player to develop and market a product.”

B. Braun, Care Fusion, Covidien and Hospira are among the large companies participating in this market. Medtronic is an example of a company that participates in the specialty areas of insulin infusion and implantable pumps. 

Profiles of key companies, market estimates and forecasts by product segment, as well as information on products and trends in the industry, can be found in Kalorama Information’s “Infusion Pump Markets (Large Volume, Ambulatory, Insulin, Enteral and Other Pumps).” The report is available at:
http://www.kaloramainformation.com/redirect.asp?progid=79883&productid=2824936.

About Kalorama Information
Kalorama Information supplies the latest in independent market research in the life sciences, as well as a full range of custom research services. We routinely assist the media with healthcare topics. Follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/kaloramainfo) and LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2177845&trk=hb_side_g).

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ATLANTA, GA–(Marketwire – October 25, 2010) –  Medical device company Atlanta Catheter Therapies, Inc. (ACT) is generating high interest in its innovative intravascular catheterization which integrates drug delivery. The company has been selected to present at the upcoming 14^th Annual Tennessee Valley Venture Forum (TVVF) as well as the Southeast BIO (SEBIO) Investor Forum.

The TVVF will be held October 27 at the Crowne Plaza in Knoxville, Tennessee. Southeast BIO (SEBIO) Investor Forum being held November 3-4, 2010 at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead in Atlanta, Georgia.

ACT is focused on developing innovative catheter technologies for the treatment of vascular disease and restenosis. ACT’s lead product, an innovative catheter that integrates drug delivery with vascular catheterization, has completed the prototyping phase.

The Occlusion Perfusion Catheter™ (OPC) allows endovascular specialists who have already cleared blocked blood vessels to then immediately circumferentially infuse the media with an agent or live cell to reduce or eliminate restenosis (re-blockage). The OPC follows the same guide wire used by the debulking catheter to deliver anti-restenosis agents or drugs and other therapies directly and precisely to the treatment site.

In addition to the OPC, the company is attacking the problem of vascular disease by developing leading edge technology for atherectomy, thrombectomy and other catheter-based devices. ACT currently has seven devices in its product development pipeline, including the OPC.

Southeast BIO (SEBIO) is a regional nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering the growth of the Southeast’s life sciences industry. Presenting companies, which represent the best life science deals in the Southeast, are determined by a Selection Committee comprised of regional and national venture capitalists. Since 1999, companies that have participated in the SEBIO Investor Forum have raised over $2.5 billion in public and private offerings, making it the region’s most successful venue for linking industry investors with the Southeast’s top life sciences companies.

About Atlanta Catheter Therapies
Atlanta Catheter Therapies is an early stage research and development medical device company with an innovative and targeted portfolio of catheter technologies for the treatment of vascular disease and restenosis. Learn more at www.atlcath.com.

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IRVING, TX–(Marketwire – October 25, 2010) –  VHA Inc., the national health care network, anticipates hosting nearly 100 supply chain executives from health systems across the nation, representing VHA regional supply networks at its first ever VHA SupplyNetworks™ Executive Summit, Oct. 27-29, at the Hilton Dallas at Southlake Town Square, Southlake, Texas.

Designed to promote peer-to-peer information sharing, the member-focused event will examine the latest innovative strategies and best practices that accelerate network savings and showcase the specific successes of VHA SupplyNetworks. The highly participatory program will include panel discussions, round tables and case studies and will feature remarks from leaders at VHA, Novation and VHA member organizations. 

“We find that both the savings and operational efficiencies we have realized from belonging to the Upper Midwest Consolidated Service Center have made an enormous difference in helping us maintain a healthier bottom line, despite today’s difficult environment,” said Kris Peterson, director, Supply Chain and Support Service, CentraCare Health System, St. Cloud, Minn. “The Summit promises to provide additional ideas about how to improve our network’s performance.” 

VHA members are joining regional VHA SupplyNetworks to aggregate their spending, reduce their supply chain costs and increase their operational efficiencies beyond what they could achieve individually. On average, members annually save between 8% and 12% through network contracts. Participants in VHA’s 25+ regional supply networks act as single entities to gain control of their supply chain by leveraging the power of economies of scale.

Through VHA SupplyNetworks, members:

• Accelerate supply savings through commitment and aggregation
• Reduce costs through network participation, operational consolidation and shared resources
• Maintain control over the targeted areas for supply savings
• Take advantage of VHA’s expertise in the formation and facilitation of networks
• Establish peer-to-peer connections to rapidly apply best practices and drive innovation

While members retain the ability to make independent decisions about product purchases, they agree as a group to aggressively pursue product standardization whenever possible.

“Hospitals are being squeezed from every direction and at the same time they are being held accountable for doing more than ever before for their patients, so they have to look ways to reduce costs without reducing staff,” said Taylor White, senior vice president, VHA SupplyNetworks. “Not only do they offer members the opportunity to reduce costs through aggregated volume and identify and promote opportunities for standardization, VHA supply networks also promote operational efficiencies that are unique to the health care industry.”

In their most mature form, VHA SupplyNetworks enable members to pursue higher value activities, such as centralized ordering and centralized logistics. VHA Supply Networks also provide innovative platforms for product utilization discussions because the collective expertise of the network members enables the hospitals to reach a clinically supportable consensus about which medical products to buy.

About VHA
VHA Inc., based in Irving, Texas, is a national network of not-for-profit health care organizations that work together to drive maximum savings in the supply chain arena, set new levels of clinical performance and identify and implement best practices to improve operational efficiency and clinical outcomes. In 2009, VHA delivered record savings and value of $1.47 billion to members. Formed in 1977, through its 16 regional offices, VHA serves 1,400 hospitals and more than 30,000 non-acute care providers nationwide. VHA was ranked by Modern Healthcare as the 38^th best place to work in health care in 2010.

IRVINE, CA–(Marketwire – October 25, 2010) –  Medical offices owned by hospitals and health systems are the leaders in adopting electronic healthcare records (EHR) technology, according to the latest results of an ongoing survey released today by SK&A, A Cegedim Company, a leading provider of healthcare information solutions and research.

Results from the biannual survey, “Physician Office Usage of Electronic Healthcare Records Software,” show the greatest jump in adoption rates between January and October 2010 was with medical offices owned by hospitals and health systems.

According to the report, EHR adoption at hospital-owned offices grew from 44.1 percent to 54.9 percent (10.8% increase), and adoption at heath-system-owned offices grew from 50.2 percent to 61.2 percent (11% increase). Overall, U.S. medical office EHR adoption has grown from 36.1 percent to 38.7 percent, a 3 percent increase.

“It’s not surprising healthcare-system and hospital-owned medical offices have the highest adoption rates across the board,” said Proteus Duxbury, a managing consultant with PA Consulting Group, an international management and systems technology consulting firm. “Recently added exceptions to Stark Safe Harbor laws have made it possible for primary care physicians to receive aid from healthcare systems, or use the same EMRs, so they become the early adopters who can take the leap of faith with EMR technology.”

As the 2011 incentive payments for the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009” near, U.S. physicians are steadily beginning to purchase and implement healthcare information technology systems. According to business research and consulting firm Frost & Sullivan, the rate of EHR adoption among physicians is expected to increase over the next two to five years due to a combination of changes caused by healthcare reform, doubling 2009 EHR market revenues of $1.3 billion to an estimated $2.6 billion in 2012.

SK&A assumed a leading role in measuring medical-office adoption rates of EHR in August 2008 when it officially started the survey targeting every medical office in the U.S. Today, through its comprehensive survey methodology, SK&A offers deep insight for understanding adoption trends, validating the EHR market size and opportunity, and supporting the execution of sales and marketing campaigns.

“The results of the latest survey indicate substantial opportunities for EHR solution providers. Most of the opportunity is associated with small, mid-size, and privately owned practices that have yet to purchase and install EHR systems,” said Dave Escalante, SK&A’s Vice President of Data and Information Solutions. “SK&A’s EHR database is able to identify all the medical offices and physicians in the U.S. that represent a business opportunity for our health IT clients, allowing them to develop sales and marketing strategies and target by geography, specialty, office size, ownership, affiliation and other variables.”

SK&A is actively measuring the EHR brands that have been deployed in medical offices and the types of EHR software functionality being used by physicians in the office. The most commonly used EHR functions are electronic patient notes (28.4%), electronic labs/x-rays (27.3%) and electronic prescribing (25.9%). In addition, SK&A’s survey identifies the medical offices that have not adopted an EHR and is recording their expected timeframes for adoption, the primary factors and decision makers for making EHR purchases, and the awareness of available government incentives.

Other findings of the current report include:

• Physician offices with more exam rooms, more physicians on staff and higher daily patient volumes have the highest EHR adoption rates.
• Physician specialties with the highest adoption rates are radiology (59.9%), pathology (59.8%), aerospace medicine (59.5%), dialysis (59.3%) and emergency medicine (57.6 %).
• Northern (40.9%) and Southern (40.1%) states have the highest rates of adoption.
• The top three leading states for adoption are Minnesota (62.6%), Utah (55.4%) and Wisconsin (52.3%).

SK&A’s report is an ongoing study of U.S. physician offices, featuring EHR adoption data and summarized market research from 213,500 medical offices representing 643,000 physicians. In addition, SK&A is able to identify the IT-purchasing decision makers at the practice- and group-headquarter level who would most likely be responsible for making the EHR-solution decisions.

Editor’s Note: For a copy of the summary findings for publication, please contact Jack Schember, SK&A Director of Marketing, at 800-752-5478, ext. 1259.

About SK&A, A Cegedim Company:
SK&A is a leading provider of healthcare information solutions and research. SK&A, as part of Cegedim’s global OneKey® offering, researches and maintains contact and profiling information for over two million healthcare practitioners, including 800,000-plus prescribers. SK&A also offers the only 100-percent telephone-verified database of email addresses of U.S. prescribers and professionals working at active healthcare sites. SK&A’s customers include many of America’s most recognized healthcare, life sciences and pharmaceutical companies. Please visit www.skainfo.com for more information or www.skalivecounts.com for counts and ordering. 

About Cegedim:
Founded in 1969, Cegedim is a global technology and services company specializing in the healthcare field. Cegedim supplies services, technological tools, specialized software, data flow management services and databases. Its offerings are targeted notably at healthcare industries, life sciences companies, healthcare professionals and insurance companies. The world leader in life sciences CRM, Cegedim is also one of the leading suppliers of strategic healthcare industry data. Cegedim employs 8,600 people in more than 80 countries and generated revenue of EUR 874 million in 2009. Cegedim SA is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: CGM).
To learn more, please visit: www.cegedim.com

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MASON CITY, IA–(Marketwire – October 25, 2010) – CURRIES Hollow Metal Doors and Frames, an ASSA ABLOY Group brand and an industry leader, is pleased to announce the availability of MicroShield^® antimicrobial technology on all factory finished doors and frames.

Bacterial contamination is an important issue in hygiene-sensitive facilities such as hospitals, clinics, and schools. Safeguarding your building with surfaces that suppress bacteria growth between normal cleaning procedures can be an extra countermeasure in the fight against the spread of germs. MicroShield antimicrobial technology is a silver-based resin that continuously destroys organisms in three ways — by attacking the cell wall, interrupting metabolism, and preventing reproduction.

CURRIES embeds the antimicrobial properties into the painting process so this durable finish won’t rub off. “MicroShield technology gives our customers and end-users another barrier of protection in the fight against the spread of germs and bacteria,” says Dean Peterson, Director of Sales Administration. “And with the coating already applied to the prefinished doors when they arrive at the job site, the protection process is seamless to everyone involved.”

When combined with the MicroShield offerings from ASSA ABLOY Group hardware brands, CURRIES MicroShield doors and frames will provide any facility with a total door opening antimicrobial solution.

For more information on CURRIES MicroShield doors and frames, please visit our website at www.curries.com or contact your local ASSA ABLOY Door Security Solutions sales team.

About CURRIES
Founded in 1958, CURRIES is an industry leader in the manufacture of hollow metal doors and frames. The company supplies a full line of custom and standard products for new and retrofit construction projects in the commercial, educational and healthcare markets. For more information, visit www.curries.com.

About ASSA ABLOY 
ASSA ABLOY is the global leader in door opening solutions, dedicated to satisfying end-user demands for security, safety and convenience.

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NEW ORLEANS, LA–(Marketwire – October 25, 2010) –  Sage Healthcare Division, a unit of Sage North America, announced today at the MGMA 2010 Annual Conference that its electronic health record and practice management solution, Sage Intergy Meaningful Use Edition v 6.2, has been tested and certified under Drummond Group’s Electronic Health Records ONC-ATCB program. 

Drummond Group Inc. is an ONC Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ATCB) that provides meaningful use certification for EHR systems and applications. When a complete EHR system or EHR module(s) is certified by Drummond Group, the eligible providers and hospitals can use this certified EHR technology as part of their criteria for qualifying for Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) incentive payments.

“For Sage, the goal is not simply to meet the meaningful use criteria, but to exceed them by delivering in a way that enhances provider workflows, ensures a satisfying user experience and contributes to quality of care,” said Betty Otter-Nickerson, President of Sage Healthcare Division. “Attaining meaningful use certification is just one phase in our continued, yet renewed, commitment to delivering market leading products to physicians, and shows our customers that we are helping them move forward in the new healthcare economy.

“Sage chose to test with the Drummond Group for meaningful use certification because it is an independent certification agency. Certifications are its core competency,” said Otter-Nickerson. “Sage also will continue to maintain its existing comprehensive ambulatory EHR certification. Having two vendors testing our products provides a greater degree of confidence that our software meets the requirements of our customers, and we believe it provides greater credibility in the market.”

Sage Healthcare Division is a major provider of EHR and practice management software and solutions, serving approximately 80,000 physicians in North America. Certification of the Sage Intergy Meaningful Use Edition means clients seeking federal incentives will be technologically prepared to do so.

“Drummond Group has more than 10 years of software testing experience in several industries and we are pleased to bring that experience to the HIT marketplace. It is a privilege to carry out testing and certification in Electronic Health Records for HHS,” said Rik Drummond, CEO Drummond Group Inc. 

Sage Intergy Meaningful Use Edition is a comprehensive clinical, financial and administrative solution that empowers physicians to advance the quality and efficiency of care they deliver. The Sage Intergy family of products includes integrated practice management, electronic health records, clinical and business intelligence, and a Web-based portal for online patient engagement. Providers can access Sage Intergy Meaningful Use Edition from multiple practice locations, from home, or other remote locations either through a central patient database server, or as a Sage-hosted solution on a monthly subscription basis.

Sage Intergy Meaningful Use Edition easily tracks the details of a patient’s clinical history, shares and manages clinical information and combines complex medical practice functions into easy-to-navigate menus. Sage Intergy features centralized financial operations including billing, reporting, task management, and fully integrates with EDI services, Sage Intergy Practice Portal, Sage Intergy RIS and Sage Practice Analytics.

About Sage Healthcare Division
Sage Healthcare Division provides integrated electronic health records, EDI applications and practice management systems to approximately 80,000 physicians and thousands of ambulatory care practices throughout North America. These systems enable physicians and practice managers to better manage their practices and improve profitability. Sage Healthcare Division is based in Tampa, Fla., and is a division of Sage North America. For more information, please visit www.sagehealth.com or call (877) 932-6301.

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 approximately 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.

Sage Intergy Meaningful Use Edition v 6.2 is 2011/2012 compliant and has been certified by an ONC-ATCB in accordance with the applicable certification criteria adopted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. This certification does not represent an endorsement by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or guarantee the receipt of incentive payments.

Sage Software Healthcare LLC, Date Certified: Oct. 22, 2010, Certification ID number: 10192010-4814-8, Clinical Quality Measures Certified NQF0013, NQF0421/PQRI128, NQF0041/PQRI110, NQF0024, NQF0028, NQF0038, NQF0031, NQF0034, NQF0059. Additional software relied upon for certification: email software, Windows OS, compression software, where applicable the certification criteria to which each EHR modules has been tested and certified.

(C) 2010 Sage Software, Inc. All rights reserved. Sage, the 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.

IRVING, TX–(Marketwire – October 25, 2010) – VHA Inc., the national health care network, has been named the 38th best place to work in health care by Modern Healthcare magazine. VHA is one of only 16 companies that have been ranked within the top 100 for three consecutive years and one of only six Texas-based health care-related companies to be included in this list. 

The magazine compiled this year’s list using information collected from thousands of health care workers at more than 300 health care companies nationwide, including hospitals, suppliers and service companies. Modern Healthcare asked a series of detailed questions related to:

• Leadership and planning
• Culture and communications
• Quality of working environment
• Training and development
• Compensation and benefits

VHA has 852 employees in Irving and an additional 662 employees throughout its 16 regional offices nationwide. VHA’s employee base includes 160 nurses, pharmacists and doctors, as well as many others who have worked in various roles in hospitals and in the health care industry.

About VHA
VHA Inc., based in Irving, Texas, is a national network of not-for-profit health care organizations that work together to drive maximum savings in the supply chain arena, set new levels of clinical performance and identify and implement best practices to improve operational efficiency and clinical outcomes. In 2009, VHA delivered record savings and value of $1.47 billion to members. Formed in 1977, through its 16 regional offices, VHA serves 1,400 hospitals and more than 30,000 non-acute care providers nationwide. VHA was ranked by Modern Healthcare as the 38th best place to work in health care in 2010.

MAYNARD, MA–(Marketwire – October 25, 2010) –  Healthcare organizations are moving steadily toward electronic health record (EHR) adoption to improve patient care but, at the same time, are aware of downtime’s potential to erode EHR’s benefits, according to a Stratus Technologies–ITIC survey.

More than 70 percent of healthcare organizations surveyed have either implemented on-premise EHR systems or plan to. The number rises to 81 percent when outsource EHR providers are factored in. While only 6 percent of respondents are in the process of deploying an EHR system now, 35 percent plan to launch an on-premise system within the next year and 37 percent within the next 20 months.

“The survey results show that the majority of healthcare organizations clearly recognize how electronic health records can reduce overhead expenses and improve patient care,” said Laura DiDio, principal at ITIC. “They also understand that those benefits are contingent on maximum uptime, and where downtime would have the most serious effect.”

Uptime’s importance is clear in responses to questions about disruptions to patient care and important administrative processes. Only 11 percent said that inability to access EHR files would cause minor disruptions; 64 percent said there would be notable disruptions, mainly administrative; processing insurance claims and scheduling patient appointments were the most frequently cited at 67 and 53 percent. However, nearly half the respondents — 49 percent — said EHR system disruptions can increase the potential for patient data recording errors and 32 percent said it could cause errors in prescribing medications.

Despite the broad awareness of uptime’s importance, almost 20 percent of respondents were still unsure how inaccessible health records would affect administration and patient care.

“It’s heartening to see that most healthcare IT professionals understand their uptime needs, though we still need to be concerned about the 20 percent that doesn’t seem to grasp the issue, or have yet to begin an EHR evaluation or implementation,” said Nelson Hsu, senior director, Avance product line. “Uptime isn’t a ‘nice to have’ in medical applications. If a healthcare organization can’t see where interrupted access to patient medical records affects care, then they don’t understand why they need reliable hardware and software infrastructures that provide continuous uptime. Without that, their EHR projects — on premise or outsourced — lead to business disruption and the potential for compromised patient care.”

To see the full survey results, please visit: http://www.stratus.com/~/media/Stratus/Files/About/PressReleases/2010/20101025-ppt.ppt.

Also, Hsu will speak on the role of high uptime technology in EHR applications at the Healthcare IT Solutions Exchange conference on Oct. 26 at the Doubletree Hotel, 5400 Computer Drive, Westborough, Mass. His session, “It’s Not Meaningful If It’s Not Available,” will examine:

• how electronic health records are transforming the role of IT in healthcare;
• why server availability needs greater attention; and
• how to address the cost barrier. 

Case studies will demonstrate how providers met their ultimate goal of patient-centered care that in improves quality, affordability and outcomes for patients.

About Stratus Technologies
Stratus delivers the best uptime in the industry for the applications its customers depend on most for their success. With its resilient hardware and software products, monitored and managed with proactive service, Stratus helps to save lives and to protect the business and reputations of companies, institutions, and governments the world over. To learn more about worry-free computing, visit www.stratus.com.

© 2010 Stratus Technologies Bermuda Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stratus is a registered trademark of Stratus Technologies Bermuda Ltd. The Stratus Technologies logo is a trademark of Stratus Technologies Bermuda Ltd. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.

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SEATTLE, WA–(Marketwire – October 25, 2010) – Is there customer service in healthcare? When it comes to the billing process, many would say ‘no.’ As more patients deal with the burden of bill payments, healthcare providers are being challenged with maintaining patient relationships through improved communication, while increasing revenue during a sometimes difficult billing process. Most healthcare institutions regularly deal with a handful of insurance companies, but as a greater portion of financial responsibility for medical services moves toward patients, few are well-equipped to manage the payment process for literally thousands of individual consumers.

In this complimentary Webinar, Gregory VandenBosch, president at MedDirect, and Dr. George Gellert, MD, on behalf of Varolii Corporation, will share how the right conversation can inform patients about their healthcare expenses and increase payments more easily. They will also explain how effective revenue cycle management, helps healthcare organizations be more patient-centric and cost-effective at the same time. The session will also share real-world examples of how MedDirect and Varolii are revolutionizing the way providers and patients communicate.

WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2:00 – 2:30 p.m. ET / 11:00 – 11:30 a.m. PT

WHAT: A complimentary Webinar highlighting how MedDirect helps patients manage their health expenses to resolve more accounts and improve patient satisfaction. The Webinar will help attendees discover:

• Why patients are reluctant to pay (it’s not what you think)  
• How healthcare providers can improve account resolution and improve patient satisfaction simultaneously
• Why the key findings from FierceHealthcare’s “Revenue Cycle Management 2010 Survey” matter

WHO: Gregory VandenBosch, president at MedDirect, helps leading healthcare providers increase patient-pay revenue and offload the retail revenue cycle process. Prior to co-founding MedDirect in 2000, VandenBosch worked in the banking industry and later joined ES Financial, Inc. He is a graduate of Hope College with a degree in Economics.

WHO: Dr. George Gellert, MD, is a physician epidemiologist and executive with 20 years of experience in health information and communication. Dr. Gellert is the former Chief Medical Officer and EVP for HCORP Inc. and Senior VP of Strategic Alliances at WebMD.

REGISTER: https://www.varolii.com/go/2010/rcmwebinar

BETHESDA, MD–(Marketwire – October 25, 2010) –  GetWellNetwork, Inc. today announced that All Children’s Hospital, a premiere children’s hospital in St. Petersburg, Florida, is giving each of its young patients access to an interactive bedside TV system that will not only entertain them, but educate and encourage them to take an active role in their health recovery. All Children’s Hospital is using GetWellNetwork’s pediatric solution called GetWell Town™ to provide its patients and families with the tools they need to become knowledgeable and engaged in their health care. 

Key features of GetWell Town are the clinical tools that help nurses and doctors deliver better patient-centered care. For instance, important messages about prescribed medications can be sent to patients even while they’re enjoying a movie or playing a game. The GetWell Town system can be programmed to interrupt entertainment content with actionable messages from their caregivers. In this way, although GetWell Town entertains its patients with superior internet browsing capabilities, e-mail, games and movies, it is always running clinical applications in the background that lead to better patient outcomes. 

“Using the bedside TV as a mechanism to engage young patients in their health care is a smart approach because we know kids will turn it on as soon as they’re in their rooms. We’re particularly impressed with the unique, kid-friendly design that really takes into account how today’s kids learn and absorb information,” said David Gardner, director of eHealth, All Children’s Hospital. “GetWellNetwork has worked with us every step of the way to ensure a smooth transition to our new facility; they’ve been a great partner.”

All Children’s is also leveraging GetWell Town in other areas of the hospital in addition to patient rooms. For children who come to the hospital for periodic blood transfusions or dialysis treatment for kidneys, the hospital has set up GetWell Town in treatment rooms to help make that time productive yet, fun. 

“The new hospital building is a tremendous expression of All Children’s dedication to the young patients and families they serve and we are honored to be a part of this,” said Shannon O’Neil, MSW, Director of Pediatrics, GetWellNetwork, Inc. “As children become better informed about their health, we believe better patient outcomes will result — which is why this partnership is so important.”

About GetWell Town
GetWell Town was developed in collaboration with GetWellNetwork’s National Children’s Hospital Task Force, comprised of 15 pediatric facilities across the U.S. as well as direct input from pediatric patients and their families. GetWell Town is designed to complement the kid-friendly spaces that children’s hospitals have worked hard to create and features exclusive content in partnership with KidsHealth® from Nemours.

About GetWellNetwork
GetWellNetwork, Inc. uses the bedside TV to entertain, educate and empower hospital patients and caregivers to be more actively engaged in their care. This patient-centered approach improves both satisfaction and outcomes for patients and hospitals. GetWellNetwork is the leader in interactive patient care solutions and exclusively endorsed by the American Hospital Association. More information about GetWellNetwork can be found at www.GetWellNetwork.com.

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NEW ORLEANS, LA–(Marketwire – October 25, 2010) –  MMRGlobal, Inc. (OTCBB: MMRF) (www.mmrglobal.com) today announced plans with Kodak to deploy a new version of the MMRPro system (www.mmrprovideos.com) operating through a proprietary customized interface on the new KODAK Scan Station Pro 550 at Booth 1709 at the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) Annual Conference. MMRPro (www.mmrpro.com) is supported by Kodak’s transactional scanning solution(s) to help physician offices and other small practices get a firm handle on converting patient billing, forms and medical charts into digital, easily managed and accessed files. The new KODAK Scan Station Pro 550 incorporates the power of KODAK Capture Pro Software to enhance direct connection to MMRPro Software, MMRGlobal’s secure, web-based document management and imaging solution. This enables easy capture and access to paper-based patient documents and charts with the utmost security — extremely important to healthcare professionals and their patients.

“The MMRPro software solution directly addresses the document imaging and management needs of small medical offices, group practices, surgery centers and small hospitals that rely heavily on using transactions-based processes and forms, including patient billing, prescription data, and medical charts,” said Robert H. Lorsch, Chairman and CEO of MMRGlobal. “Using MMRPro today makes it easier for physicians to ultimately transition to a full-blown certified EMR system. This helps doctors qualify for stimulus dollars from the government and, additionally, from MMR’s proprietary stimulus program which can reward physicians with payments that could be far in excess of the government’s stimulus program.”

MMRPro also includes an e-prescribing module and an integrated patient portal, enabling patients to have timely access to their personal health information through MyMedicalRecords’ secure personal health records technology (www.mymedicalrecords.com). Patients can quickly and conveniently upload their health information to an MMR account in real time using any Internet-connected device.

“Meaningful use of electronic health records requires doctors to make personal health information available to their patients through a personal health record or patient portal by 2014. We believe that our patented product offering will exceed HIPAA requirements and is more user-friendly than any other PHR available today,” added Lorsch.

The transactional KODAK Scan Station Pro 550 features a customized solution using the capture and output capabilities found in KODAK Capture Pro Software, including barcodes, OCR, MICR and others. The new scanner incorporates an intuitive GUI touch panel allowing users to work seamlessly with the MMRPro Software, enabling the user to scan patient-related healthcare documents directly into MMRPro with the push of a single button. The MMRPro Software also allows updates for patient files via fax, e-mail or telephone messages, through secure, staff-based permissions.

“The solution with MMR is an example of how Kodak works with its network of Independent Software Vendor partners to create strategic, specific applications that do more at the point of capture,” said Brian Bagan, Director, Business Development, Document Imaging, United States and Canada, Kodak’s Business Solutions and Services Group. “Medical offices and other industries can use transactional scanning solutions to help automate their internal business processes, as well as improve the information sharing practices across offices.”

KODAK Products are backed by KODAK Service and Support, which is made up of more than 3,000 professionals reaching more than 120 countries. It is a leading multi-vendor integrated services provider, delivering consulting, installation, maintenance and support services for the commercial printing, graphic communications, document imaging, data storage, and retail industries. KODAK Service and Support professionals are uniquely qualified to provide services that control costs, maximize productivity, and minimize business risk.

About MMRGlobal, Inc.

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

Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements contained in this press release that refer to future events or other non-historical matters are forward-looking statements, and some can be identified by the use of words (and their derivations) such as “need,” “possibility,” “offer,” “development,” “if,” “negotiate,” “when,” “begun,” “believe,” “achieve,” “will,” “estimate,” “expect,” “maintain,” “plan,” “help” and “continue,” or the negative of such terms and other comparable terminology. MMRGlobal, Inc. disclaims any intent or obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on MMRGlobal, Inc.’s reasonable expectations as of the date of this press release and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. The information discussed in this release is subject to various risks and uncertainties related but not limited to changes in MMRGlobal, Inc.’s business prospects, its results of operations or financial condition, its relationship with Kodak, government regulation and changes in healthcare initiatives, and such other risks and uncertainties as detailed from time to time in MMRGlobal, Inc.’s public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

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NEW YORK, NY–(Marketwire – October 25, 2010) –  Crystal Research Associates, LLC announced today it has issued an Executive Informational Overview® (EIO®) on Radient Pharmaceuticals Corporation (RPC) (NYSE Amex: RPC). The full 64-page report can be found at www.crystalra.com.

Radient Pharmaceuticals Corporation (“Radient” or “the Company”) together with its wholly-owned subsidiary AMDL Diagnostics Inc. (ADI), is an in vitro (IVD) company commercializing Onko-Sure® (formerly DR-70®) — a non-invasive, IVD test kit that detects and monitors up to 19 types of cancer. Onko-Sure® helps physicians answer important clinical questions related to early disease detection and progression in order ultimately to improve patient outcomes and survival. The distinctive feature of Radient’s Onko-Sure® blood test is that it measures the accumulation of specific breakdown products in serum (blood) called fibrin and fibrinogen degradation products (FDPs). Research has found that FDP levels rise dramatically as cancer progresses. A potentially life-saving IVD cancer test, Onko-Sure® is currently cleared to monitor colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment/recurrence in the U.S.; to detect and monitor lung cancer in Canada; for use as a general cancer marker in Australia, Europe, India, Taiwan, and Vietnam; and for use in CRC patients in South Korea. Radient is working to obtain additional regulatory clearances for indications in the U.S. and abroad. Radient’s subsidiary, ADI, operates research and development and quality control laboratories and an ISO 13485:2003-certified manufacturing facility for Onko-Sure® production.

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 its Onko-Sure® In Vitro Diagnostic cancer test. The company’s 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 patient outcomes. 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.

About Crystal Research Associates, LLC:
Crystal Research Associates, LLC is an independent research firm that provides institutional-quality, fee-based research to small- and mid-cap companies. Crystal Research Associates’ unique and novel product, the Executive Informational Overview® (EIO®), is free of investment ratings, target prices, and forward-looking financial models. The EIO® presents a crystal clear, detailed report on a company (public or private) in a manner that is easily understood by the Wall Street financial community. The EIO® details a company’s product/technology/service offerings, market size(s), key intellectual property, leadership, growth strategy, competition, risks, financial statements, key events, and other such fundamental information. Crystal Research Associates has offices in New York City, West Palm Beach, Montréal, and Toronto. Crystal Research Associates has been compensated by the Company in cash of sixty-one thousand U.S. dollars and four hundred thousand, four-year warrants for its services in creating this report, for updates, and for printing costs.

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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SAN CLEMENTE, CA–(Marketwire – October 25, 2010) –  Micro Identification Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB: MMTC) (MIT) announces that on October 27, 2010 at 1:00 PM (PDT) it will conduct a Webinar on the operation of the MIT 1000 Rapid Microbial Identification System. The objective of the Webinar is to demonstrate the speed and operational simplicity of performing bacteria identification (ID) tests using the MIT 1000 System and to give a brief education on the non-biological light scattering technology that is used to obtain an ID. The Webinar will be conducted by MIT’s Chief Technical Officer, Dr. David Haavig. Attendees may register for the Event at https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/183951526. 

Michael Brennan, MIT’s Chairman and CEO, stated that “Based on feedback from current users and investors regarding our last Webinar, MIT plans to provide periodic Webinars to update the Company’s business and product achievements.” Mr. Brennan further stated, “We are certain the attendees at our upcoming Webinar will be impressed with both the technology and simplicity of use of our System.” 

About Micro Identification Technologies:

MIT is a California-based public company that has developed and patented a rapid microbial identification (ID) System that revolutionizes the pathogenic bacteria ID process and can annually save thousands of lives and tens of millions of dollars. The System IDs bacteria in minutes, not days, and at a significant per test cost savings when compared to any conventional method. It does not rely on chemical or biological agents, conventional processing, fluorescent tags, gas chromatography or DNA analysis. The process is totally GREEN requiring only clean water and a sample of the unknown bacteria. Revenues for all rapid testing methods exceed $5 billion annually — with food safety accounting for over $3 billion — having expanded at a rate of 9.2 percent annually since 1998. Current growth projections are at 30 percent annually with test demands driven by major health, safety and homeland security issues. www.micro-identification.com

MIT has demonstrated the ability to detect and identify, within several minutes, the microbes Escherichia coli, Listeria, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, and other pathogenic bacteria. MIT has performed over 300 tests for the identification of the aforementioned contaminants and scored 95% accuracy. The System can currently identify 23 species of bacteria and is easily expandable. The identification process has been verified by North American Science Associates, Inc. (NAMSA), an independent, internationally recognized biological testing laboratory. The NAMSA Test Report is available from the Company and, in MIT’s opinion, demonstrates the accuracy, speed and cost effectiveness of the System over conventional processes. www.namsa.com

This release contains statements that are forward-looking in nature. Statements that are predictive in nature, that depend upon or refer to future events or conditions or that include words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” and similar expressions are forward-looking statements. These statements are made based upon information available to the Company as of the date of this release, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results could differ materially from our current expectations. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to dependence on suppliers; short product life cycles and reductions in unit selling prices; delays in development or shipment of new products; lack of market acceptance of our new products or services; inability to continue to develop competitive new products and services on a timely basis; introduction of new products or services by major competitors; our ability to attract and retain qualified employees; inability to expand our operations to support increased growth; and declining economic conditions, including a recession. These and other factors and risks associated with our business are discussed from time to time within our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

BRAMPTON, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – 25 oct. 2010) – En vue d’élargir sa gamme de produits médicaux inédits sur le plan technologique pour la réparation de l’aorte par technique endovasculaire, la société Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE:MDT), a annoncé aujourd’hui le lancement au Canada du système Captivia(MC) pour la pose du greffon endoprothèse thoracique Valian(R), un traitement minimalement effractif des anévrismes et d’autres lésions de l’aorte thoracique. Le système de pose Captivia est offert à l’échelle internationale depuis l’automne 2009.

Le système de pose Captivia comporte un mécanisme de saisie des pointes rehaussant le contrôle du greffon endoprothèse thoracique Valiant lors de son déploiement, ainsi qu’un enduit hydrophile appliqué sur le greffon pour faciliter l’accès à l’artère iliaque et la pose de l’endoprothèse par le biais du système vasculaire des patients. Le nouveau système Captivia Valiant permet aux médecins de traiter facilement et avec précision un vaste éventail d’anatomies à l’aide d’un greffon endoprothèse ultraconfortable pour ainsi atteindre des résultats cliniques optimaux. Le système de greffon endoprothèse thoracique Valiant et le système de pose Captivia sont tous deux en phase de recherche aux États-Unis, alors que leur utilisation est restreinte aux essais cliniques approuvés par la Food and Drug Administration.

Le docteur François Dagenais, chirurgien cardiaque à l’Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec, a effectué 17 implantations du greffon endoprothèse thoracique Valiant à l’aide du système de pose Captivia. Le docteur Dagenais est un chef de file de renommée mondiale en réparation endovasculaire thoracique; il a été un pionnier de ce traitement non effractif au Canada.

“Le système de pose Captivia de l’endogreffon thoracique Valiant permet un déploiement précis”, a expliqué le docteur Dagenais. “Particulièrement dans les limites d’un débit cardiaque élevé et d’un arc aortique angulé, le système Captivia minimise l’effet de manche à air et le déploiement asymétrique occasionnel associé à ce type d’intervention. Un tel mécanisme de dégagement contrôlé peut réduire le détachement embolique en réduisant la manipulation de l’arc et en prévenant le recouvrement par inadvertance de sa ramification. De plus, l’endogreffon Valiant du système Captivia est recouvert d’un enduit hydrophile facilitant son insertion dans l’artère iliaque serrée ou sinueuse.”

Indiqué pour le traitement de diverses lésions de l’aorte thoracique, le greffon endoprothèse thoracique Valiant s’est imposé comme le système minimalement effractif de choix pour la réparation de l’aorte thoracique par technique endovasculaire à l’extérieur des États-Unis. Après quatre années d’expérience clinique, plus de 15 000 patients ont ainsi reçu un greffon endoprothèse thoracique Valiant à l’échelle mondiale. 

“Compte tenu de l’adoption et de l’usage de plus en plus répandus de notre greffon endoprothèse thoracique Valiant, le système de pose Captivia constitue une autre amélioration procurant aux médecins un outil d’accès et de pose exceptionnellement simple, en plus de la précision et du contrôle lors du déploiement”, a déclaré M. Tony Semedo, vice-président et directeur général des Innovations endovasculaires, une unité intégrée au groupe des produits cardiovasculaires de Medtronic. “Lorsqu’on l’adjoint au greffon endoprothèse thoracique Valiant, qui se distingue toujours par sa grande conformité, le nouveau système élargit les possibilités de traitement endovasculaire pour inclure davantage de patients atteints de maladies complexes de l’aorte.”

À titre de pionnière de la technique endovasculaire pour les réparations de l’aorte, Medtronic est en tête de l’industrie des greffons endoprothèses depuis les années 90. Plus de 175 000 patients ont été traités à l’aide de ses dispositifs. La société propose la plus vaste gamme de greffons endoprothèses. De ceux-ci, mentionnons les greffons endoprothèses abdominaux et thoraciques Talent(R) offerts aux États-Unis, ainsi que les greffons abdominaux Endurant(R) et thoraciques Valiant(R) à l’extérieur des États-Unis.

Medtronic a comme mission de faire évoluer le traitement des maladies cardiovasculaires en collaboration avec les grands cliniciens, chercheurs et scientifiques du monde entier.

Au sujet de Medtronic

Medtronic, Inc. (www.medtronic.com), dont le siège social se trouve à Minneapolis, est le chef de file mondial de la technologie médicale visant à soulager la douleur, rétablir la santé et prolonger la vie de millions de gens, à l’échelle planétaire.

Au sujet de Medtronic du Canada Ltée 

Medtronic du Canada Ltée vend, entretien et distribue les produits de Medtronic au Canada : des instruments médicaux pour le traitement des maladies cardiaques et vasculaires et du diabète, pour la chirurgie de la colonne vertébrale, la neurochirurgie ainsi que pour la chirurgie oto-rhino-laryngologique. Medtronic du Canada, dont le siège social se trouve à Brampton, en Ontario, emploie quelque 420 Canadiens répartis dans son centre d’opérations de Mississauga, ses bureaux régionaux de Vancouver et Montréal. Elle exploite également une usine de mise au point et de fabrication de cathéters d’ablation pour la fibrillation auriculaire (FA) – Medtronic CryoCath – dans la région métropolitaine de Montréal.

Toutes les déclarations sur les résultats financiers anticipés sont assujetties à des risques et à des incertitudes, tels qu’ils sont énoncés dans les rapports périodiques de Medtronic déposés auprès de la Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission des valeurs mobilières des États-Unis). Les résultats réels pourraient différer sensiblement des résultats anticipés.

BRAMPTON, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Oct. 25, 2010) – Adding to its market-leading portfolio of innovative medical technology for endovascular aortic repair (EVAR), Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE:MDT), announced today the Canadian launch of the Captivia(TM) Delivery System for the Valiant(R) Thoracic Stent Graft, a minimally invasive treatment for aneurysms and other lesions of the thoracic aorta. The Captivia Delivery System has been available internationally since the fall of 2009 and was approved by Health Canada on August 3, 2010.

The Captivia Delivery System features tip capture for enhanced control of the Valiant Thoracic Stent Graft during deployment and a hydrophilic coating applied to the graft cover to facilitate iliac access and delivery through patients’ vasculature. The new Valiant Captivia system enables physicians to treat a wide range of anatomies with a highly conformable stent graft, with accuracy and ease of delivery to achieve optimal clinical results. Both the Valiant Thoracic Stent Graft and Captivia Delivery System are investigational in the United States, where their use is limited to clinical trials approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Dr. Francois Dagenais, cardiac surgeon at the Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec in Quebec City, has performed 17 Valiant Thoracic Stent Graft implantations with the Captivia Delivery System. Dr. Dagenais is a global thought leader on thoracic endovascular repair and has pioneered this non-invasive treatment in Canada.

“The Captivia delivery system for the Valiant thoracic endograft allows for precise deployment, explained Dr. Dagenais,” Especially within the high cardiac output and angulated aortic arch the Captivia system minimizes the “windsock effect” and the asymmetric deployment occasionally encountered in this procedure. Such a controlled release mechanism may reduce embolic dislodgement by reducing arch manipulation and avoid inadvertent arch branch coverage. In addition, the Captivia Valiant endograft is covered with a hydrophilic coating facilitating insertion of the endograft in tight or tortuous iliac anatomy.”

Indicated for the treatment of a variety of thoracic aortic lesions, the Valiant Thoracic Stent Graft has emerged as the minimally invasive “system of choice” for thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) outside the United States. In four years of clinical experience, more than 15,000 patients worldwide have received the Valiant Thoracic Stent Graft. 

“Given the widespread acceptance and growing use of our Valiant Thoracic Stent Graft, the Captivia Delivery System represents an enhancement that provides physicians with outstanding ease of access and delivery, as well as deployment accuracy and control,” said Tony Semedo, vice president and general manager of Endovascular Innovations, part of the CardioVascular business at Medtronic. “Combined with the Valiant Thoracic Stent Graft, which retains its hallmark attribute of conformability, the new system will expand endovascular treatment to more patients with complex aortic disease.”

A pioneer of EVAR, Medtronic has been an innovator and leader in the stent graft industry since the 1990s, with more than 175,000 patients treated with its devices. The company offers the broadest portfolio of stent grafts. Among these are the Talent(R) Abdominal and Thoracic Stent Grafts in the United States, as well as the Endurant(R) Abdominal and the Valiant(R) Thoracic Stent Grafts outside the United States.

Medtronic is committed to advancing the treatment of cardiovascular disease through collaboration with leading clinicians, researchers and scientists worldwide.

About Medtronic

Medtronic, Inc. (www.medtronic.com), headquartered in Minneapolis, is the global leader in medical technology – alleviating pain, restoring health, and extending life for millions of people around the world.

About Medtronic of Canada Ltd. 

Medtronic of Canada sells, services and distributes Medtronic products in Canada: medical devices used in cardiovascular medicine, diabetes, spinal and neurosurgery, and ear, nose and throat surgery. Medtronic of Canada employs over 420 Canadians, it is headquartered in Brampton, Ontario, has regional offices in Vancouver and Montreal and an atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation catheter manufacturing facility – Medtronic CryoCath – in the Montreal metropolitan area.

Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic’s periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.

LUND, SWEDEN and LEIDEN, THE NETHERLANDS–(Marketwire – October 25, 2010) –  NeuroVive Pharmaceutical and to-BBB, the Dutch drug brain delivery company, are entering into a joint program to develop therapies for stroke and other acute neurodegenerative diseases by combining their technologies.

NeuroVive Pharmaceutical is engaged in research and development of nerve cell-protecting and regenerative cyclosporin-based pharmaceuticals for the treatment of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and other neurological diseases. The Company’s first product NeuroSTAT®, is a novel, cremophor-free, cyclosporin-A lipid emulsion.

“The collaboration with to-BBB opens up the possibility of treating brain disorders beyond TBI. There is a tremendous unmet medical need in treating patients with acute neurodegeneration such as stroke, cardiac-arrest-induced brain damage and spinal cord injuries, where one can expect the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to significantly prevent drug penetration to the central nervous system (CNS)”, says Dr Eskil Elmér, CSO of NeuroVive.

Pieter Gaillard, CSO of to-BBB, adds: “The BBB is indeed a significant obstacle in the treatment of CNS disorders. to-BBB’s proprietary G-Technology^® can safely enhance drug delivery to the brain and we are excited to address this with NeuroVive’s cyclosporin-based pharmaceuticals”.

“Currently there are no approved pharmacological or cellular primary neuroprotective treatments for stroke and spinal cord injuries. Consequently, the need to develop treatment for acute degenerative disorders has never been greater than it is today. The deal with to-BBB has the potential to generate drugs for large markets in CNS diseases such as stroke”, says Mikael Brönnegård, CEO of NeuroVive.

“We are very pleased to collaborate with NeuroVive,” says Willem van Weperen, CEO of to-BBB. We are convinced that synergies in research and clinical platforms as well as business and commercial strategies between to-BBB and NeuroVive will result in a very strong partnership that will benefit patients with these devastating CNS diseases”.

NeuroVive is funding the initial development up to preclinical Proof of Concept, after which the two companies have agreed to develop and commercialize the product jointly.

About NeuroVive

NeuroVive Pharmaceutical AB is a Swedish drug development company. NeuroVive’s primary mission is to develop drugs which protect nerve cells. The company is currently conducting clinical trials with NeuroSTAT®. In addition to introducing NeuroSTAT® as the first cyclophilin-D-inhibiting mitochondrial protectant, NeuroVive is researching and developing variants of cyclophilin-inhibiting cyclosporins and new ways of transporting these drugs across the blood-brain barrier to the central nervous system. NeuroVive Pharmaceutical AB (publ) shares are listed on the Swedish trading platform AktieTorget (www.aktietorget.se). The AktieTorget market is focused on emerging, entrepreneurial businesses and offers an electronic trading system supplied by the OMX Nordic stock exchange in Stockholm, Sweden.

About to-BBB

to-BBB is a Dutch biotechnology company in the field of enhanced drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier. The company is developing novel treatments for brain disorders by combining existing drugs with its proprietary brain drug delivery platform. The company’s vision is that the treatment of currently unserved brain diseases will be best achieved by safely enhancing the blood-to-brain delivery of drugs.

to-BBB is headquartered in The Netherlands at the Leiden Bio Science Park and established a fully owned subsidiary, to-BBB Taiwan Ltd., in Taipei, Taiwan.

LOUISVILLE, KY–(Marketwire – October 24, 2010) –  ZirMed^®, a leading national provider of revenue cycle management solutions, today announced several significant company milestones.

This month, ZirMed processed its 750 millionth healthcare transaction. The company currently processes over 20 million monthly transactions that include patient payments, claims, remittances and eligibility verifications.

“We now process as many transactions in a month as we did in all of 2004,” said Jerry Merritt, president and chief executive officer of ZirMed Inc. “Our substantial organic growth is self-funded, not inflated by acquisitions. We have achieved growth through our partner relationships and integration of our solution into practice management and EMR systems.”

Over the last five years, ZirMed’s revenue has grown at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 39%.

To help manage and accelerate ZirMed’s growth, the company recently added two new senior executives.

Kevin Weinstein joins ZirMed as Vice President of Marketing and will oversee industry relations, messaging and new opportunity generation as well as managing the company’s brand. He was previously Vice President of Marketing and Sales Operations at Allscripts. Mr. Weinstein also worked as a management consultant with Oliver Wyman and earlier oversaw the investment process for an early stage venture capital fund. Mr. Weinstein earned a Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Colgate University.

Kraig Brown joins ZirMed as the Vice President of Sales and will lead sales execution for the company. Mr. Brown comes to the company from PGi, a web, video conferencing and document delivery company, where he was Senior Vice President of Sales. While at PGi, Mr. Brown oversaw inside and web based sales, building significant industry partner relationships with companies such as Cisco Webex, Adobe, and Microsoft. Prior to joining PGi, Mr. Brown was Senior Vice President of Sales at Xpediate Consulting, a high-growth private company focused on healthcare compliance. Kraig Brown received his Bachelor of Science in Education at the University of Georgia and his Master of Arts at David Lipscomb University.

Showcasing at MGMA Annual Conference:

ZirMed will be showcasing its solutions October 24-27 at the MGMA Annual Conference, at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. ZirMed will be demonstrating its revenue cycle management solutions in Exhibit Booth #838. For more information about ZirMed, visit the company’s MGMA exhibit or visit www.zirmed.com.

About ZirMed:
ZirMed is a nationally recognized leader in delivering revenue cycle management solutions to healthcare providers. ZirMed enables healthcare providers to leverage the power of technology to cure administrative burdens and increase cash flow. ZirMed solutions include eligibility verification, credit/debit card processing, check processing, claims management, coding compliancy and reimbursement management, electronic remittance advice, patient statements, patient e-commerce solutions, provider credentialing, and lock box services. ZirMed solutions are designed to complement provider workflow and to provide innovative, creative and flexible solutions for healthcare’s most pressing administrative challenges. For more information about ZirMed, visit www.zirmed.com.

SUN VALLEY, CA–(Marketwire – October 22, 2010) –  XTend Medical (PINKSHEETS: XMDC), a company that specializes in delivering life changing medical technology to healthcare organizations globally, has secured the BioHarp patents as the agreement reached through mediation stated. The company released the following statement:

“XTend’s patent counsel, Knobbe, Martens, Olsen, & Bear, LLC, has successfully been able to secure the transfers of the patents associated with the BioHarp to XTend Medical. Now that the company has secured these patents, it can now move quickly to begin the commercialization of the BioHarp Medical device. The company has been in contact with several manufacturers interested in working closely with XTend to produce the BioHarp device. In addition, XTend continues to receive interest from numerous global distributors looking to bring the BioHarp into various countries for implementation into their healthcare programs wherein the BioHarp could play a large role in their future healthcare plans. In addition, veterinarian distributors in the U.S. and Europe feel the BioHarp could prove to be a valuable tool in pet care and have expressed a keen interest in working with XTend to sell and distribute the BioHarp. As the company progresses forward, exploring all of the opportunities presented for the BioHarp should assist the company in reaching its full potential in 2011 and beyond.”

About XTend Medical

XTend Medical is a company that specializes in the sales, manufacturing and distribution of the latest in medical devices and telemedicine solutions for the healthcare industry. Their dedication to insuring the products and services offered to healthcare organizations, third-world countries, and physician groups are at the forefront of medical technology. Their recent acquisition of the BioHarp medical device will assist the company in becoming known as a leader in the healthcare sector globally. For further information, please contact them at [email protected] or visit their website at www.bioharpunius.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements covered within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, plans and timing for the introduction or enhancement of our services and products, statements about future market conditions, supply and demand conditions, and other expectations, intentions and plans contained in this press release that are not historical fact and involve risks and uncertainties. Our expectations regarding future revenues depend upon our ability to develop and supply products and services that we may not produce today and that meet defined specifications. When used in this press release, the words “plan,” “expect,” “believe,” and similar expressions generally identify forward-looking statements. These statements reflect our current expectations. They are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, changes in technology and changes in pervasive markets.

MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM–(Marketwire – Oct. 22, 2010) – More than half of British adults are classed as overweight so it’s no surprise that there’s a large and growing market for slimming pills and supplements, but new research has revealed that many of them don’t work.

With many pills boasting attractive results that range from pills which can bind body fat to prevent the body from absorbing it or pills that claim to speed up the metabolism, it’s no surprise that those who want to lose weight are tempted by the large variety of pills on offer.

As concerns over the products mount, experts are warning consumers not to be taken in by the claims found on many of the products. With misleading buzz words such as ‘certified medical device’ or ‘clinically proven’ it’s not hard to see why so many overweight people purchase the pills.

For those who are worried about their weight The Hospital Group provide a top class service in state-of-the-art facilities.

The Hospital Group is the UK’s biggest provider of weight loss surgery, including gastric bands, gastric bypasses and gastric balloons which can give you a healthier lifestyle.

David Ross, Chief Executive of The Hospital Group said: “The majority of slimming pills do not give long lasting or dramatic results and leave those who are battling with their weight feeling down.

“Many people will have struggled with their weight for years and as a result feel self conscious and have low self esteem. At The Hospital Group we can offer specialist surgeons who have maximum experience in the field of bariatric surgery.

“Whilst it is by no means a quick fix or easy option it can give long lasting results which can dramatically change a person’s life and restore their confidence.

“Those who come to The Hospital Group, can be assured of a dedicated, professional service, with astounding success rates and a limited waiting time. This latest news is just another reason to seek an effective weight loss solution with The Hospital Group.”

BARRIE, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Oct. 21, 2010) – Ontario-based Barrie Physiotherapy was purchased by leading Canadian physiotherapy company PT Health in June 2009. Since the acquisition, Barrie Physiotherapy has completed extensive physical renovations, fee restructuring and managerial changes to make it more consistent with other PT Health physiotherapy clinics.

Barrie Physiotherapy has the distinction of being the area’s only Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) licensed physiotherapy clinic. Instead of waiting several weeks to receive care through the local hospital, individuals insured by OHIP can obtain medical attention at Barrie Physiotherapy within days. This allows the clinic to address patients’ needs much sooner—an important advantage, given the positive impact of early intervention. Ontario health insurance coverage is available primarily to individuals who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, landed immigrants and valid work permit holders whose principle home is in Ontario and who meet certain physical presence requirements. 

While Barrie Physiotherapy caters to OHIP patients, people who do not have this publically-funded insurance can also take advantage of the clinic’s services at very reasonable costs. Barrie Physiotherapy provides assistance in a wide range of areas, including injuries from sports and automobile accidents; post fracture, stroke and surgical rehabilitation; and chronic pain from arthritis, fibromyalgia, sprains, strains, and back and neck ailments. The clinic also assists clients with Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) claims, massage therapy, braces, lumbar supports, pillows, Transcutaneous Nerve Stimulation (TNS) devices and compression stockings. In the future, it will be expanding its offerings to include the services of a naturopath. 

Barrie Physiotherapy operates under the direction of physiotherapist Paul Love. A graduate of Ben Gurion University of Negev, Israel, Love has practiced physiotherapy since 1992. While in Israel, he was head of the physiotherapy department at Poriyah Hospital. He became a registered physiotherapist in Ontario in 2002. His professional experience in Canada includes working in retirement homes and long term care facilities, as well as setting up and managing Midland Physiotherapy for six and a half years. Love’s experience also encompasses the management of Barrie Physiotherapy, stroke rehabilitation and pulmonary physiotherapy. In addition, he has completed numerous courses in evidence-based physiotherapy for various orthopaedic conditions. Love is a skilled professional who is dedicated to providing high-quality services to Barrie Physiotherapy’s clients. “I believe in client-centered care and practice with an open mind and ear to ensure that our clients are getting the best care and attention possible,” Love said.

The addition of Barrie Physiotherapy to PT Health’s extensive network of clinics represents a major benefit to the public. The development will enable individuals who previously found physiotherapy prohibitively expensive to avail themselves of these services. It will also help those who previously paid for private-only services to reduce their health care costs while still receiving quality care under the attention of registered and experienced physiotherapists, kinesiologists and massage therapists.

Barrie Physiotherapy is conveniently located at 125 Bell Farm Road in Barrie, Ontario. For more information about the area’s only OHIP-funded physiotherapy clinic or PT Health, please contact Paul Love at (705) 725-1980 or visit www.PTHealth.ca.

About PT Health

Established in 1995, Ontario-based PT Health is an extensive network of physiotherapist-owned clinics located all throughout Canada. It has distinguished itself as one of the fastest-growing health care physiotherapy companies in the country. PT Health operates more than 90 physical therapy clinics across Canada and provides services to nearly 200 Canadian nursing homes. PT Health’s clinics are grounded in the principles of integrity, accountability and trust while delivering services in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, chiropody, sports medicine, athletic therapy, massage therapy and other areas. PT Health is committed to providing high-quality, progressive therapy to benefit their patients.

NEW YORK, NY–(Marketwire – October 21, 2010) –  MedLink (OTCBB: MLKNA), a leading provider of health information technology solutions to the medical community announced today the formation of the New York Health Information Network as a collaboration with Thrasys, Inc. a provider of next-generation health information technology and solutions. The New York Health Information Network (NYHIN) will be the first of many regional health information networks to be deployed by MedLink and Thrasys under a Connected Healthcare initiative launched by the two companies earlier this year. Connected Healthcare and regional health information networks will enable communities of physicians, patients, service centers, and health plans to coordinate care, manage costs, increase revenues, improve outcomes and enhance patient experience.

The New York Health Information Network will provide interoperability, applications and services using the cloud-based SyntraNet connected healthcare platform from Thrasys. SyntraNet provides an open foundation for highly scalable collaborative healthcare networks. The New York Health Information Network will implement a health information exchange to meet interoperability requirements for ‘Meaningful Use’ and deliver a range of applications and services: electronic health records, practice management services, e-prescribing, group purchasing, insurance and eligibility verification, remote charge capture, physician quality reporting, patient portals, and services to enable accountable care organizations and patient medical homes.

Ramesh Balakrishnan, CEO of Thrasys, stated, “The New York Health Information Network is a first step in our vision to use disruptive technologies to enable a new model for collaborative care. Our goal with Connected Healthcare is to evolve an open healthcare platform that provides core interoperability, applications and services and also enables third-parties and partners to offer a range of add-on solutions. This kind of open, connected and collaborative technology platform is the necessary foundation to support initiatives currently underway to coordinate care, improve outcomes and manage costs. With more than $500m in HITECH funding for HIE initiatives, we will continue to partner with communities of physicians, hospitals, service center, and health plans to implement showcases for the future of healthcare.”

Ray Vuono, CEO of MedLink, continued, “The Health information Network provides a financial benefits for the NYHIN partners including Providers, establishing a revenue model through member based services for as little as $500 per member annually. The products and services are provided by healthcare vendors and service providers that leverage the platform to provide their services to HIN population of physicians, medical facilities, and patients; providing a Web 2.0 healthcare super highway income model similar to that of the iPhone Apps marketplace or Salesforce.com.”

Scott Einiger, Senior Partner at Abrams Fensterman, a leading New York healthcare law firm, commented, “The New York Health Information Network will enable physicians to level the playing field and have access to core health care products and services critical to success in this rapidly evolving healthcare landscape. As physicians join this Network, the quality of the products and services will expand exponentially making available the best of breed applications and services due to substantial Vendor commitment to grow within the Network. I expect this network to grow beyond NY State and become a nationally connected Network enuring to the benefit of patients and physicians alike and greatly enhancing our federal government’s health law reform initiative.”

About MedLink

MedLink is a healthcare IT company that provides the medical community with products and services designed to help create, manage, and share medical information. The company’s flagship product, MedLink TotalOffice EHR 3.1, a CCHIT Certified® 08 Ambulatory EHR, provides physicians with full EHR and practice management functionality. For more information regarding MedLink’s products and services, please visit www.medlinkus.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This news release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Statements regarding future events, developments, the Company’s future performance, as well as management’s expectations, beliefs, intentions, plans, estimates or projections relating to the future are forward-looking statements within the meaning of these laws. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, outlined in our 2009 Annual Report on Form 10-K available through www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

OAKBROOK TERRACE, IL–(Marketwire – October 21, 2010) –  An estimated 80 percent of serious medical errors involve miscommunication between caregivers when responsibility for patients is transferred or handed-off. Recognizing this as a critical patient safety issue, a group of 10 leading U.S. hospitals and health care systems teamed up with the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare to use new methods to find the causes of and put a stop to these dangerous and potentially deadly breakdowns in patient care.

Health care organizations have long struggled with the process of passing necessary and critical information about a patient from one caregiver to the next, or from one team of caregivers to another. A hand-off process involves “senders,” the caregivers transmitting patient information and releasing the care of the patient to the next clinician, and “receivers,” the caregivers who accept the patient information and care of the patient.

 The Hand-off Communications Project began in August 2009. During the measure phase of the project, the participating hospitals found that, on average, more than 37 percent of the time hand-offs were defective and didn’t allow the receiver to safely care for the patient. Additionally, 21 percent of the time senders were dissatisfied with the quality of the hand-off. Using solutions targeted to the specific causes of an inadequate hand-off, participating organizations that fully implemented the solutions achieved an average 52 percent reduction in defective hand-offs.

The 10 hospitals and health systems that volunteered to address hand-off communications as a critical patient safety problem are:

• Exempla Lutheran Medical Center, Wheat Ridge, Colorado
• Fairview Health Services, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Intermountain Healthcare LDS Hospital, Salt Lake City, Utah
• The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland
• Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Medical Center, Clackamas, Oregon
• Mayo Clinic Saint Marys Hospital, Rochester, Minnesota
• New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York
• North Shore-LIJ Health System Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center, New Hyde Park, New York
• Partners HealthCare, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston
• Stanford Hospital & Clinics, Palo Alto, California

Although The Joint Commission requires accredited organizations to use a standardized approach to hand-off communications, breakdowns in communication have been a leading contributing factor in sentinel events, which are unexpected occurrences involving death or serious physical or psychological injury, or the risk thereof. In addition to patient harm, defective hand-offs can lead to delays in treatment, inappropriate treatment, and increased length of stay in the hospital.

Recognizing that there is no quick fix, the Center and the participating hospitals set out to solve the problems through the application of Robust Process Improvement™ tools. RPI is a fact-based, systematic, and data-driven problem-solving methodology that allows project teams to discover specific risk points and contributing factors, and then develop and implement solutions targeted to those factors to increase overall patient safety and health care quality. Barriers to effective hand-offs experienced by receivers include incomplete information, lack of opportunity to discuss the hand-off, and no hand-off occurred. Senders identified too many delays, receiver not returning a call, or receiver being too busy to take a report as reasons for hand-off failures.

 “These 10 organizations are leading the way in finding specific solutions to the complex problem of hand-off communication failures,” says Mark R. Chassin, M.D., M.P.P., M.P.H., president, The Joint Commission. “A comprehensive approach that focuses on systems is the only way to ensure that the many caregivers upon whom patients rely are successfully communicating vital information during these transitions in care.”

The targeted hand-off solutions from the Center, which are described using the acronym SHARE, address the specific causes of unsuccessful hand-offs. SHARE refers to:

• Standardize critical content, which includes providing details of the patient’s history to the receiver, emphasizing key information about the patient when speaking with the receiver, and synthesizing patient information from separate sources before passing it on to the receiver.
• Hardwire within your system, which includes developing standardized forms, tools and methods, such as checklists, identifying new and existing technologies to assist in making the hand-off successful, and stating expectations about how to conduct a successful hand-off.
• Allow opportunity to ask questions, which includes using critical thinking skills when discussing a patient’s case as well as sharing and receiving information as an interdisciplinary team (e.g., a pit crew). Receivers should expect to receive all key information about the patient from the sender, receivers should scrutinize and question the data, and the receivers and senders should exchange contact information in the event there are any additional questions.
• Reinforce quality and measurement, which includes demonstrating leadership commitment to successful hand-offs such as holding staff accountable, monitoring compliance with use of standardized forms, and using data to determine a systematic approach for improvement.
• Educate and coach, which includes organizations teaching staff what constitutes a successful hand-off, standardizing training on how to conduct a hand-off, providing real-time performance feedback to staff, and making successful hand-offs an organizational priority.

In addition to hand-off communications, the Center is aiming to reduce surgical site infections (SSI) following colorectal surgery through a new project launched in August 2010 in collaboration with the American College of Surgeons. Participating organizations include the Mayo Clinic, OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, North Shore-LIJ Health System, Cleveland Clinic, Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The solutions for this project are expected to be published in the fall of 2011.

All Joint Commission-accredited health care organizations have access to the solutions through the Targeted Solutions Tool™ (TST), which provides a step-by-step process to measure performance, identify barriers to excellent performance, and implement the Center’s proven solutions that are customized to address an organization’s specific barriers. The first set of targeted solutions, created by eight of the country’s leading hospitals and health care systems working in collaboration with the Center, focuses on improving hand hygiene. Accredited organizations can access the TST and hand hygiene solutions on their secure Joint Commission Connect extranet. The targeted solutions for hand-off communications are currently being pilot tested to prove their effectiveness in demographically diverse hospitals and will be added to the TST in the second half of 2011. A project to reduce the risk of wrong site surgery is also in process. Future projects are expected to focus on preventable hospitalizations, medication errors, and other aspects of infection control.

Statements from the Center’s participating hospitals
“The communication that is involved in patient transfers is a critical concern that can have a severe impact on care. Therefore, we are pleased to participate in The Joint Commission’s Hand-off Communications Project to find ways of improving this process. I am proud of our employees and their efforts. It is rewarding to know that their work combined with similar activities at the other project participant sites will help improve patient-centered health care across the country.”
Michael J. Dowling, president and CEO, North Shore-LIJ Health System

 “This work demonstrates a new and exciting way to deliver safer care. By collaborating with leading institutions around the country, we’re identifying proven strategies that improve communications during critical points of transfer for our patients.”
Mark Eustis, president and CEO, Fairview Health Services

“Patients’ safety is greatly enhanced when we have smooth and effective communication hand-offs as patients move across care settings. So, patients everywhere will benefit from what we and the other leading health care programs have learned in this collaborative effort with The Joint Commission. This initiative greatly increases the chances for good, safe continuity of care for everyone.”
Susan Mullaney, administrator, Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside Medical Center

“Partners HealthCare frequently collaborates with other institutions across the nation on patient quality and safety initiatives — but has never worked with such a comprehensive group at the same time. This collaboration has produced results beyond the capability of any single participant and validates The Joint Commission’s proposition that critical issues in health care can be addressed in a rigorous and thoughtful way. I know that our patients, and patients across the country, will reap benefits from this work.”
Terrence O’Malley, M.D., medical director, Non-Acute Care Services, Partners HealthCare, Massachusetts General Hospital

“We know that breakdowns in communication that can occur when patients are handed-off from one caregiver to another are a leading cause of patient harm and medical errors. Few areas within the spectrum of patient care give us such an enormous opportunity to improve patient outcomes and reduce mistakes as improving these communications. The Joint Commission’s initiative in this area is a welcome start.”
Ronald R. Peterson, president, The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System, and executive vice president, Johns Hopkins Medicine

“We believe that this has been an outstanding project and we are thrilled to have been a participant. Hand-off communication is critical to the patient care process. Being able to identify where there are breakdowns in the hand-off process and focus on where we can improve, as well as develop targeted solutions, will improve the quality of care our patients receive.”
Kevin Tabb, M.D., CMO, Stanford Hospital & Clinics

 “Exempla Lutheran Medical Center is proud to participate in the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare’s critical initiative to improve the quality of hand-off communications. We know how important it is to communicate accurately and effectively when we transfer patients from one caregiver to another. But what is it that interferes with those communications? Working with the Center and the other participating hospitals, and with the use of Lean Six Sigma, we identified some of the critical barriers to effective communication to establish processes that can be replicated to consistently make patient transfers safer. We are committed to working with the Center and the other participating hospitals to help solve these complex patient safety issues and share best practices.”
Grant Wicklund, president and CEO, Exempla Lutheran Medical Center

The Center is grateful for the generous leadership and support of the American Hospital Association, BD, Ecolab, GE Healthcare, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Johnson & Johnson and Medline Industries, as well as the support of GOJO Industries, Inc. and The Federation of American Hospitals.

For more information about the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare, visit www.centerfortransforminghealthcare.org.

Established in 2009, the Joint Commission Center for Transforming Healthcare aims to transform American health care into a high-reliability industry that ensures patients receive the safest, highest quality care they expect and deserve. The Center’s participants – the nation’s leading hospitals and health systems – use a proven, systematic approach to analyze specific breakdowns in care and discover their underlying causes to develop targeted solutions for health care’s most critical safety and quality problems. The Center is a not-for-profit affiliate of The Joint Commission, which shares the Center’s proven effective solutions with its more than 18,000 accredited health care organizations. Learn more about the Center at www.centerfortransforminghealthcare.org.

To view this release in a media-rich format, go to: http://www.pwrnewmedia.com/2010/jointcommission_01021_miscommunication/index.html

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ARLINGTON, VA–(Marketwire – October 21, 2010) –  Vangent, Inc., a leading global provider of information management and strategic business process solutions, announced today it was awarded a $15.6 million contract by the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology to promote the adoption of health information technology, improve methods of health information exchange (HIE) and provide subject matter expertise as program manager for the Federal Health Architecture (FHA) and CONNECT initiative.

Under the contract, Vangent will provide ONC with program management and health IT management consulting capabilities and run the FHA and CONNECT Program Management Office (PMO). This contract award also calls for Vangent’s health IT subject matter experts to work directly with federal healthcare agencies such as the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to increase adoption of the CONNECT solution.

“Vangent is pleased to continue advancing the adoption of CONNECT and other FHA initiatives and to work with the federal government to ensure that all citizens have electronic health records by 2014,” said Mac Curtis, President and CEO, Vangent. “By providing technical solutions like Health Information Exchange Open Source (HIEOS™) that serve as part of the CONNECT solution stack, in addition to consulting and program management services to the FHA PMO, Vangent helps ONC work towards its goal of improved quality of care and increased program efficiency.”

Vangent serves as program manager for the National Health Information Network CONNECT Gateway solution, which was named one of the most innovative technologies of the year by The Wall Street Journal.  The CONNECT software, of which Vangent’s HIEOS™ solution is a part, is an open source software solution that uses standards and governance to ensure that HIEs are compatible with one another, both locally and at the national level. Vangent’s HIEOS™ solution was selected by the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) as the default XDS.b registry (record locator services) and repository (record storage services) implementation in the CONNECT Gateway in October 2009.

Under the new contact, Vangent will also support FHA integration with the National Health Information Network Standards and Interoperability (S&I) Framework and federal involvement with the National Health Information Network DIRECT project. The Vangent Team will also manage FHA and CONNECT operational performance and financial tasks. The Vangent team of partners (Iris Partners, SAIC, and Spire Communications) has already built a solid foundation of success from its previous work with the FHA and CONNECT, serving as manager of the FHA Program Management Office since its inception in 2004 and and program manager for the CONNECT initiative since its inception in 2006.

The maximum duration of the contract with FHA is five years, and if all options are exercised, the value of the contract is $15.6 million.

“Vangent’s work with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology has enriched our team’s experience in the health IT industry,” said Kerry Weems, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Vangent’s Health Solutions business. “Technology is quickly changing the way healthcare organizations exchange critical data, and Vangent is honored to be a part of these exciting initiatives.”

About Vangent, Inc.
Vangent, Inc. is a global provider of consulting, systems integration, human capital management, and business process services to the U.S. federal and international governments, higher education institutions, and corporations. Vangent’s 8,000 employees support clients including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the U.S. Departments of Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Labor and Veterans Affairs; and the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, as well as Fortune 500 companies. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, the company has offices throughout the U.S. and in the U.K. and Canada. For more information, visit www.vangent.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are those that do not relate solely to historical fact. They include, but are not limited to, any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate or imply future results, performance, achievements or events. Words such as, but not limited to, “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “targets,” “projects,” “likely,” “will,” “would,” “could” and similar expressions or phrases identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. The occurrence of the events described, and the achievement of the expected results, depend on many events, some or all of which are not predictable or within our control. In light of these risks and uncertainties, expected results or other anticipated events or circumstances discussed in this press release might not occur. We undertake no obligation, and specifically decline any obligation, to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

NORTHFIELD, IL–(Marketwire – October 21, 2010) –  Randall E. Williams, MD, CEO and founder of Pharos Innovations, has been elected to chair the Government Affairs Committee of the Care Continuum Alliance, an organization focused on strategies to improve healthcare quality and outcomes and reduce preventable costs. As chair of the Government Affairs Committee, Dr. Williams will provide leadership and oversight for the committee’s work including the development of position statements on emerging public policy issues, as well as monitoring healthcare policy to provide Care Continuum Alliance members with valuable information and research on key legislative and regulatory issues. Dr. Williams is also a member of the Alliance’s Executive Committee, which is comprised of healthcare leaders from health plans, academia, wellness organizations and other health management stakeholders.

“I am very honored to have been selected to chair The Care Continuum Alliance’s Government Affairs Committee. I hope to draw from my past work with key Congressional committees, HHS and CMS as we work to accomplish the ‘triple aim’ of improving healthcare quality, reducing healthcare costs and improving the health of populations and sustainability of our healthcare system,” said Williams. “The Care Continuum Alliance is a thought-leadership organization with a wealth of collective experience moving in the right direction toward these aims, and I am excited to be part of this movement.”

Under Dr. Williams’ leadership, Pharos Innovations developed Tel-Assurance^®, a device-free, cost effective, remote patient monitoring platform that does not require special equipment. Tel-Assurance has helped Medicare, Medicaid and commercial patients and their physicians achieve break-through levels of clinical and financial performance improvement, including several successful CMS demonstrations.

“Dr. Williams brings exceptional credentials and experience to our Government Affairs Committee,” Care Continuum Alliance President and CEO Tracey Moorhead said. “His leadership will be invaluable as healthcare reform moves through the regulatory process.”

About the Care Continuum Alliance
The Care Continuum Alliance convenes all stakeholders providing services along the continuum of care for population health improvement, including health and wellness promotion, chronic care management and care coordination. Through advocacy, research and promotion of best practices, the Care Continuum Alliance advances population-based strategies to improve care quality and outcomes and reduce preventable costs for individuals with and at risk of chronic conditions. The Care Continuum Alliance represents more than 200 corporate and individual stakeholders, including wellness and care management organizations, pharmaceutical manufacturers and benefits managers, health information technology and biotechnology innovators, employers, hospitals, physicians, nurses and other health care professionals, and researchers and academics. Learn more at http://www.carecontinuum.org.

About Pharos Innovations
Pharos Innovations is actively involved in transforming the U.S. healthcare delivery system. Pharos offers IVR and Web-based behavior change services and tools that enable payers and providers to cost-effectively and efficiently manage their chronic care population.

Pharos’ main offering, Tel-Assurance, engages, motivates and drives improved self-care. Through Tel-Assurance, participants self-report their health status daily through the phone or Web. This unique approach actively engages individuals with chronic conditions in their healthcare and provides care managers/nurses with real-time information to intervene before symptoms escalate. Tel-Assurance has been proven an effective way to reduce avoidable, all-cause hospital admissions and readmissions and reduce overall healthcare costs among diverse populations.

The Pharos’ solution is strongly validated to show measured clinical improvement and financial impact, is the recipient of the prestigious American Heart Association National Outcomes award and was selected for the first ever National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsored evaluation of remote monitoring interventions. For more information visit http://www.pharosinnovations.com or join in on the discussion at our blog, http://www.thecollaborativeforum.com.

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BOSTON, MA–(Marketwire – October 21, 2010) –  Virgin HealthMiles, a leading provider of employee health and productivity programs that reward individuals for getting healthy, today announced it will host a free webinar sharing how to keep employees engaged in workplace wellness programs and proven strategies employers can implement to drive higher participation in their employee health promotion efforts.

The webinar, “Promoting Participation: What Keeps Employees Engaged?” will be held Wednesday, October 27, 2010, from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET.

Participation in traditional employee health programs averages less than 15 percent, while Virgin HealthMiles’ participation averages 40 percent. During this webinar, Virgin HealthMiles’ Senior Vice President of Marketing and Member Engagement, Tom Abshire, and Senior Director of Client Services, Ed Dougherty, will share survey results from employees and best practices from clients regarding effective strategies they’ve implemented to successfully impact employee participation in their corporate health programs, including:

• Financial incentives
• Goal setting and tracking
• Challenges and competitions
• Social engagement

Participants will discover how the combination of incentives, leading technology, and a positive employee experience provide the motivation and tools employees need to stick with workplace health programs and their new, healthy behaviors for the long term.

To register for the live webinar, please visit:
http://event.on24.com/r.htm?e=254014&s=1&k=ADB371478B811161097B6D540121D36B&partnerref=VHMPress

A free recording of the webinar will be available on the Virgin HealthMiles website at: www.virginhealthmiles.com. 

About Virgin HealthMiles
Virgin HealthMiles provides employee health programs that pay people to get active. The company’s Pay-for-Prevention™ approach, based on physical activity and healthy lifestyle change, attracts an average of 40 percent of employees who participate, which helps organizations reduce medical costs and improve employee productivity and satisfaction. The program is offered by employers, government entities, and insurers. Over 120 industry leaders representing more than 500,000 employees across the U.S., including American Diabetes Association, Intuit, OhioHealth, Ochsner Health System, MWV, Protective Life, SunGard, SunTrust, and Timberland have selected Virgin HealthMiles’ award-winning program for their employees. The company is a member of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group. For more information, visit www.virginhealthmiles.com

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EDMONTON, ALBERTA–(Marketwire – 21 oct. 2010) – Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE:MDT) a annoncé aujourd’hui le lancement au Canada d’une technologie inédite conçue pour assurer une protection accrue contre les risques associés à l’hypoglycémie. Ce nouveau dispositif, désormais offert au Canada ainsi que dans une cinquantaine de pays à l’extérieur des États-Unis, peut automatiquement interrompre l’administration de l’insuline lorsqu’il capte une chute ou des taux de glycémie inférieurs à un seuil présélectionné. La nouvelle fonction vise à réduire la gravité des crises d’hypoglycémie lorsque les patients oublient ou sont incapables d’y remédier. L’hypoglycémie, un composant dangereux et souvent fréquent du diabète, peut être l’un des aspects les plus effrayants du diabète de type 1. Non traitée, l’hypoglycémie peut causer la perte de conscience, une crise d’épilepsie, le coma ou même le décès.¹

Selon la recherche, une personne atteinte de diabète subit, en moyenne, plus d’une crise d’hypoglycémie aux deux semaines. En outre, environ un diabétique sur 14 traités par insuline vivra, chaque année, au moins une crise grave d’hypoglycémie nécessitant une intervention urgente de la part d’un professionnel de la santé.² Un tiers des diabétiques souffrent d’hypoglycémie pendant le sommeil et peuvent donc ne pas être en mesure de ressentir une crise grave ou de réagir pour la prévenir.³ On estime à 33 pour cent les cas de décès liés au diabète découlant de complications aiguës, comme l’hypoglycémie.⁴ Bien que la plupart des patients reconnaissent les «signes précoces» d’une hypoglycémie (dont la sensation de faiblesse, la sudation, le picotement des lèvres, la confusion et l’irritabilité), de nombreux autres peuvent ne rien ressentir du tout.

«La Paradigm Veo, grâce à son mécanisme automatique de rétroaction, représente un jalon important de notre engagement à améliorer le contrôle glycémique chez les diabétiques», a déclaré M^me Katie Szyman, présidente du groupe Diabète et vice-présidente principale de Medtronic. «Bien qu’il ne s’agisse pas d’une cure pour le diabète, nous croyons que cette fonction automatique rehausse la protection et la confiance et peut diminuer le risque de blessure associé aux crises d’hypoglycémie. Il importe tout autant de souligner la tranquillité d’esprit dont profiteront les patients et les membres de leur famille.»

Le système Paradigm Veo se compose d’une pompe à insuline et de la mesure du glucose en continu (MGC) (assurée par un capteur et un transmetteur distincts). Le patient se sert des lectures faites par le moniteur pour comprendre les tendances actuelles de sa glycémie. Après un prélèvement capillaire de confirmation, le patient programme la pompe à insuline pour qu’elle administre une quantité appropriée d’insuline. L’insuline combat l’hyperglycémie, l’une des principales causes des maladies cardiaques et d’autres complications à long terme du diabète de type 1.¹ Toutefois, si les données transmises par le capteur indiquent une chute de la glycémie sous un seuil déterminé à l’avance, l’instrument alerte le patient. Si ce dernier ignore ces signaux d’alarme, la pompe à insuline interrompt automatiquement l’administration d’insuline jusqu’à deux heures d’affilée. Cette fonction contribue ainsi à le protéger contre des périodes d’hypoglycémie potentiellement dangereuses. 

«Cette toute dernière technologie représente un jalon significatif. Elle aidera les diabétiques à optimiser le contrôle de leur glycémie de façon plus sécuritaire. Pour réduire le risque à long terme de complications liées au diabète, dont la cécité, l’insuffisance rénale et les crises cardiaques, les patients devraient maintenir leur glycémie à des taux les plus proches possibles de la normale. Malheureusement, un contrôle rigoureux de la glycémie accentue le risque d’hypoglycémie grave, ce qui peut rendre un patient inconscient et, en cas de crises répétées, peut avoir des conséquences très sérieuses», mentionne le docteur Bernard Zinman, directeur du Leadership Sinai Centre for Diabetes de l’Hôpital Mount Sinai de Toronto. «Pour la première fois, une pompe à insuline peut non seulement prévenir le patient de cette situation dangereuse, mais aussi y réagir pour ainsi corriger cette situation indésirable. Le système Paradigm Veo avertit les patients que leur glycémie est trop basse et arrête l’administration de plus ample quantité d’insuline s’ils ne réagissent pas à l’avertissement. Cette fonction de sécurité peut permettre aux patients de mieux contrôler leur hypoglycémie grave.»

Au sujet du groupe Diabète de Medtronic

Le groupe Diabète de Medtronic (www.medtronicdiabetes.com) est un chef de file mondial en solutions de pointe pour la gestion du diabète, notamment des systèmes intégrés de gestion du diabète, le traitement par pompe à insuline, des système de mesure du glucose en continu et un logiciel de gestion thérapeutique, ainsi que des services et un soutien hors pair à l’intention du grand public et des professionnels, 24 heures sur 24, 7 jours sur 7.

Au sujet de Medtronic

Medtronic, Inc. (www.medtronic.com), dont le siège social se trouve à Minneapolis, est le chef de file mondial de la technologie médicale visant à soulager la douleur, rétablir la santé et prolonger la vie de millions de gens, à l’échelle planétaire. De plus amples renseignements sont offerts sur : www.medtronic.com.

Toutes les déclarations sur les résultats financiers anticipés sont assujetties à des risques et à des incertitudes, tels qu’ils sont énoncés dans les rapports périodiques de Medtronic déposés auprès de la Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission des valeurs mobilières des États-Unis). Les résultats réels pourraient différer sensiblement des résultats anticipés.

Au sujet de Medtronic du Canada Ltée 

Medtronic du Canada Ltée, vend, entretient et distribue les produits de Medtronic au Canada : des instruments médicaux pour le traitement des maladies cardiaques et vasculaires et du diabète, pour la chirurgie de la colonne vertébrale, la neurochirurgie ainsi que pour la chirurgie oto-rhino-laryngologique. Medtronic du Canada, dont le siège social se trouve à Brampton, en Ontario, emploie plus de 420 Canadiens répartis dans son centre d’opérations de Mississauga et ses bureaux régionaux de Vancouver et Montréal. Elle exploite également une usine de mise au point et de fabrication de cathéters d’ablation pour la fibrillation auriculaire (FA) – Medtronic CryoCath – dans la région métropolitaine de Montréal.

Références

1. Diabetes UK: http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Complications/Hypoglycaemia/ (Consulté le 23 avril 2009)

2. Leese GP, Wang J et al. Frequency of severe hypoglycemia requiring emergency treatment in type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 26:1176-1180, 2003.

3. Pramming S, Thorsteinsson B et al. Nocturnal hypoglycemia in patients receiving conventional treatment with insulin. British Medical Journal 291(1985):376-379

4. Orchard TJ. International evaluation of cause-specific mortality and IDDM. Diabetes Care 14:55-60, 1991

EDMONTON, ALBERTA–(Marketwire – Oct. 21, 2010) – Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE:MDT) announced today the Canadian launch of a novel technology designed to provide additional protection against the risks associated with hypoglycemia. This new device, currently available in more than 50 countries outside of the United States and now in Canada, can automatically suspend insulin delivery when the device senses that glucose levels have fallen to or below a pre-selected threshold. This feature is intended to reduce the severity of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) in situations where patients ignore or are unable to treat hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia, a dangerous and often frequent occurrence with diabetes, can be one of the most frightening aspects of living with type 1 diabetes. If left untreated, hypoglycemia can cause loss of consciousness, seizure, coma, or even death.¹

Research indicates that, on average, a person with diabetes will experience more than one low blood sugar event every two weeks. Additionally, each year, nearly one in 14 people with insulin-treated diabetes will experience one or more episodes of severe hypoglycemia, requiring urgent treatment by a healthcare professional.² A third of diabetes patients suffer from hypoglycemia while asleep, which may impair their ability to recognize or act to prevent a serious episode.³ An estimated 33 percent of diabetes-related deaths are a result of acute complications such as hypoglycemia.⁴ While most patients experience “warning signs” before a hypoglycemic event (such as feeling shaky, sweating, tingling in the lips, confusion and irritability), many others may not experience any warning signs at all.

“The Paradigm Veo, with its automatic feedback mechanism, is a major step forward in our commitment to improving glucose control in diabetics,” says Katie Szyman, president of the Diabetes business and senior vice president at Medtronic. “While not a cure for diabetes, we believe this automatic feature offers added protection, greater confidence and may lower the risk of injury associated with hypoglycemic events. Equally important, it will give patients and family members more peace of mind.”

The Paradigm Veo System includes an insulin pump with a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system (provided by means of a separate sensor and transmitter). The patient uses readings from the monitor to understand their current glucose level changes. Based on confirmatory fingerstick blood glucose measurements, the patient then programs the insulin pump to deliver an appropriate amount of insulin. Insulin combats high blood sugar, a key cause of heart disease and other long-term complications in type 1 diabetes.¹ However, if data transmitted from the sensor show the patient’s glucose levels have dropped below a defined threshold, the device alarms to alert the patient. If these alarms are ignored, the insulin pump automatically suspends insulin delivery for up to two hours. This helps to protect against potentially dangerous hypoglycemic events. 

“This latest technology is a significant advance that will help people with diabetes to more safely optimize glucose control. In order to reduce the long-term risk of diabetes-related complications, which can cause blindness, kidney failure and heart attacks, patients should manage their glucose levels to as near normal as possible. Unfortunately, aggressive glucose control can increase the risk of severe hypoglycemia, which can render a patient unconscious—and if recurrent—can have very serious consequences,” says Dr. Bernard Zinman, Director of the Leadership Sinai Centre for Diabetes at Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto. “For the first time, an insulin pump can now not only warn the patient of this dangerous situation but can also respond and thus help correct this undesirable situation. The Paradigm Veo alerts patients if their glucose levels drop too low, and stops the delivery of more insulin if they don’t respond to the alert. Having this safety feature may allow patients greater control over severe hypoglycemia.”

About the Diabetes Business at Medtronic

The Diabetes business at Medtronic (www.medtronicdiabetes.ca) is the world leader in advanced diabetes solutions, including integrated diabetes management systems, insulin pump technology, continuous glucose monitoring systems and management software, as well as world-class, 24/7 expert consumer and professional service and support.

About Medtronic

Medtronic, Inc., headquartered in Minneapolis, is the global leader in medical technology – alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of people around the world. More information is available at: www.medtronic.com.

Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic’s periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.

About Medtronic of Canada Ltd.

Medtronic of Canada sells, services and distributes Medtronic products in Canada: medical devices used in cardiovascular medicine, diabetes, spinal and neurosurgery, and ear, nose and throat surgery. Medtronic of Canada employs over 420 Canadians, it is headquartered in Brampton, Ontario, has an Operations Centre in Mississauga and regional offices in Vancouver and Montreal and an atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation catheter manufacturing facility – Medtronic CryoCath – in the Montreal metropolitan area.

References

1. Diabetes UK: http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Complications/Hypoglycaemia/ (Accessed 23^rd April 2009)

2. Leese GP, Wang J et al. Frequency of severe hypoglycemia requiring emergency treatment in type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 26:1176-1180, 2003.

3. Pramming S, Thorsteinsson B et al. Nocturnal hypoglycemia in patients receiving conventional treatment with insulin. British Medical Journal 291(1985):376-379

4. Orchard TJ. International evaluation of cause-specific mortality and IDDM. Diabetes Care 14:55-60, 1991

AURORA, ON–(Marketwire – October 21, 2010) –  Helix BioPharma Corp. (TSX: HBP) (NYSE Amex: HBP) (FRANKFURT: HBP), a biopharmaceutical company developing drug candidates for the prevention and treatment of cancer, today announced positive efficacy and safety findings from its recently completed Phase II pharmacokinetic study of Topical Interferon Alpha-2b in patients with low-grade cervical lesions. These findings build upon the positive pharmacokinetic findings from this study announced in the Company’s press release of June 23, 2010.

Using colposcopic directed biopsy to determine the treatment’s effectiveness, 71.4% of the women in the study no longer had potentially pre-cancerous, low-grade lesions known as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 1 or 2 (CIN 1 or CIN 2) following treatment. Colposcopic directed biopsy is generally considered the leading method for diagnosing potential cervical precancer today. In addition, Topical Interferon Alpha-2b demonstrated an excellent safety profile, with no significant local intolerance findings and no serious adverse events.

There are approximately 1.3 million women diagnosed with CIN 1 or CIN 2 lesions each year in the U.S. alone. Currently, there are no pharmaceutical (non-surgical) treatments for these women. Available invasive/surgical techniques to treat CIN 1 or CIN 2 lesions are sometimes associated with serious unwanted side effects for patients, including cervical complications with pregnancy and conception. Accordingly, available invasive/surgical techniques are generally utilized only in the case of many months of long-term persistence and/or progression of CIN 1 or CIN 2 lesions, leaving patients uncertain and anxious about their prognosis in the interim.

“We are pleased with these findings because they provide further evidence of the potential effectiveness of Topical Interferon Alpha-2b for treating women with potentially precancerous, low-grade cervical lesions,” said John Docherty, president of Helix BioPharma Corp. “These findings suggest that Topical Interferon Alpha-2b could offer women a safe and immediate therapeutic alternative to today’s protracted observational and potentially problematic surgical approach to managing this disease. We are now awaiting approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of our application to conduct an expanded U.S. Phase II/III randomized, double-blind, controlled, pivotal efficacy trial in patients with low-grade cervical lesions.”

The study also examined Papanicolaou (“Pap”) smear response rate as a secondary efficacy parameter in the patients. The finding was less pronounced with 35.7% of the women demonstrating resolution of their abnormal Pap smears. However, this study was specifically designed with a relatively short post-treatment follow-up period as it was principally intended to provide pharmacokinetic results. The Company was, therefore, not surprised by this finding. By comparison, the Company has previously reported a more pronounced Pap response rate in patients treated with Topical Interferon Alpha-2b when it employed a longer post-treatment follow-up period.

About the Clinical Study

The clinical study employed an open-label, single-arm design and enrolled a total of 14 female patients with low-grade cervical lesions. Eligible women were between 18 and 45 years of age, presented with mild to moderate CIN (CIN1 or CIN2 respectively) confirmed by biopsy/histology, had a cytological diagnosis of Pap IIID not older than 12 months and were human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive confirmed by the Hybrid Capture^® 2 HPV-DNA test. The primary objective of the study was to determine the multiple-dose pharmacokinetic profile of Topical Interferon Alpha-2b following intravaginal application every other day of a total of 14 doses of the cream. Helix previously announced on June 23, 2010 that all 14 patients were found to have circulating interferon alpha-2b levels below the bioassay lower limit of detection (6.25 pg/mL) at all sampling time points. Following the pharmacokinetic portion of the trial, assessment of the secondary efficacy and safety parameters continued until 35 doses of the cream were applied. As such, the clinical study was designed to also mimic the dosing regimen intended to be applied in Helix’s planned U.S. Phase II/III and European Phase III pivotal efficacy trials for this indication. The clinical study was conducted under the direction of Prof. Dr. med. Achim Schneider, M.P.H., a world expert in the field of cervical cancer and Director of the Department of Gynecology at the Charité University Hospital in Berlin, Germany.

About CIN 1 and CIN 2

CIN 1 and CIN 2 are potentially precancerous, low-grade cervical lesions detectable upon colposcopic directed biopsy. There are approximately 1.3 million women diagnosed with CIN 1 or CIN 2 lesions each year in the U.S. alone, according to data from 2006 Consensus Guidelines in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2007; 340-345 and Kaiser Permanente Northwest Health Plan in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology (2004) 191, 105-13. Currently there are no pharmaceutical (non-surgical) treatments for women with CIN 1 or CIN 2 lesions. Available invasive/surgical techniques to treat CIN 1 or CIN 2 lesions are sometimes associated with serious unwanted side effects for patients including cervical complications with pregnancy and conception. For patients with CIN 1 or CIN 2 lesions, clinical management usually consists of protracted watchful waiting with frequent Pap smears, HPV testing, colposcopy and/or colposcopic directed biopsies, with invasive/surgical techniques generally utilized only in the case of long-term persistence and/or progression after a period of many months. A diagnosis of CIN 1 or CIN 2 leads to frequent physician visits, procedures, and psychosocial stress for the patient. The goal of developing Topical Interferon Alpha-2b is to provide a safe and effective treatment for CIN 1 or CIN 2 at the time of diagnosis, as a proactive alternative to today’s often protracted observational management approach.

About Topical Interferon Alpha-2b

Interferon alpha-2b is a potent cytokine that possesses antiviral, immunomodulatory and antiproliferative activities with activity against HPV. Topical Interferon Alpha-2b is a semi-solid formulation of recombinant interferon alpha-2b based on Helix’s Biphasix™ platform drug formulation technology. This technology involves the formation of biphasic lipid vesicles for use as a vehicle for administration of a biologically active material encapsulated within the lipid bilayers. Topical Interferon Alpha-2b has been developed as a cosmetically appealing cream dosage form that can be easily and conveniently self-applied intravaginally for the treatment of low-grade cervical lesions using a common vaginal applicator.

About Helix BioPharma Corp.

Helix BioPharma Corp. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on cancer therapy. The Company is actively developing innovative products for the prevention and treatment of cancer based on its proprietary technologies. Helix’s product development initiatives include its Topical Interferon Alpha-2b and its novel L-DOS47 new drug candidate. Helix is listed on the TSX, NYSE Amex and FSE under the symbol “HBP”. For more information, please visit www.helixbiopharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements and Risks and Uncertainties

This News Release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, “forward-looking statements”), within the meaning of applicable securities laws, regarding the Company’s plans for the development of Topical Interferon Alpha-2b in patients with low grade cervical lesions; the effectiveness of Topical Interferon Alpha-2b and its role as a therapeutic alternative; its planned designs for such proposed trial as well as its proposed European Phase III clinical trial; the development of Helix’s L-DOS47 and Topical Interferon Alpha-2b new drug candidates; and other information in future periods. Although Helix believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Certain material factors or assumptions which have been applied in making such forward-looking statements, include, but are not limited to, assumptions regarding the safety and efficacy of Helix’s drug candidates; the timely receipt of necessary regulatory approvals and appropriate financing and strategic partner support; the timely and successful completion of the proposed U.S. and European clinical trials; and that the Company’s drug candidates will ultimately be successfully developed and commercialized. Important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include, without limitation, that the Company’s assumptions may prove to be incorrect; the Company’s continuing need for additional capital and for substantial funding beyond its current resources, as well as strategic partner support, to conduct the proposed U.S. and European trials, which are not assured; regulatory approvals to conduct the planned U.S. and European trials may be delayed or denied; the fact that results in earlier clinical studies may not be repeated in later clinical trials, and one or both of the planned clinical trials could fail; the failure of the European trial could have a material adverse impact on the U.S. trial and FDA approval; the need for further regulatory approvals, which are not assured; the Company’s dependence on performance by its third party providers of intellectual property, services and supplies, including without limitation, clinical trial services and supplies of drug product; the risk that Helix’s supplier of interferon alpha-2b may not continue to provide necessary supplies or exercise its commercialization option; the risk that the design or duration, or both, of the planned clinical trials may be different than currently intended; the potential need for further clinical trials beyond those mentioned in this news release which may not occur as planned or achieve expected results; product liability and insurance risks; risks and uncertainties related to research and development, including clinical trial and manufacturing risks; intellectual property risks, including without limitation, the risk that three patents for Topical Interferon Alpha-2b will expire in 2013 and no additional patent may be issued, which may negatively impact the further development or commercialization of the drug candidate; the effect of competition and the fact that there are a number of other companies developing potentially competitive products; uncertainties related to economic conditions; uncertainty whether L-DOS47 or Topical Interferon Alpha-2b will be successfully developed and commercialized; exchange rate risk; and the risk of changes in business strategy or development plans. Investors should consult the Company’s quarterly and annual filings, including its latest Form 20-F, with the Canadian and U.S. securities commissions at www.sedar.com and at www.sec.gov for additional information on these and other risks and uncertainties which may affect the Company. Investors are cautioned against placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, assumptions, opinions and expectations of Helix’s management at the time they are made, and Helix does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statement should those beliefs, assumptions, opinions or expectations change, except as required by securities law.

PLYMOUTH, MN–(Marketwire – October 20, 2010) – November is American Diabetes Month® and Miracle-Ear is joining in a nationwide call to action to involve individuals and organizations in the movement to Stop Diabetes®. Over the next several months, Miracle-Ear will sponsor the American Diabetes Association‘s educational and fundraising events such as walks, bike tours and Association consumer EXPO events. This national strategic partnership will help emphasize the urgency of reducing the devastating impact — including hearing loss — of diabetes.

Today, nearly 24 million U.S. children and adults — nearly 8% of the population — have diabetes, and another 57 million individuals have prediabetes. If current trends continue, one out of every three American children born today will face a future with diabetes. For some high-risk populations, the risk is one in two. According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes is a growing epidemic and is taking a devastating physical, emotional and financial toll on our country.

“Simple ‘awareness’ is not enough to change these statistics,” says Rebecca Younk, audiologist for Miracle-Ear. “What we need now is action. Individuals need to make the lifestyle, diet and exercise changes that can help prevent Type 2 diabetes; and we need increased education and outreach about symptoms that can help people seek early treatment before serious complications develop.”

Stop Diabetes is the movement to end the devastating toll that diabetes takes on the lives of millions of individuals and families across our nation. It will inspire and mobilize millions to take up the fight against diabetes.

Miracle-Ear is the first company in the hearing care industry to join the Association as a national strategic partner. Miracle-Ear will support the Stop Diabetes movement in order to shine a spotlight on the hearing-related risks of diabetes, as well as the Association’s education, prevention and treatment initiatives.

“Diabetes doubles your risk of developing a hearing loss,” Younk states. “Early diagnosis and treatment are critical in helping to minimize complications, including hearing loss. Since people with Type 2 diabetes frequently do not display any symptoms, hearing loss may be the first indicator that there may be a problem.”

To focus attention on diabetes and its link to hearing loss, throughout the month of November, all 1,200+ Miracle-Ear locations nationwide will donate $5 toward the Stop Diabetes movement for each Free Hearing Test they conduct — up to a maximum of $50,000. The test measures speech recognition in noise along with loudness discomfort levels; its purpose is to measure the degree of any possible hearing impairment.

“We hope that our involvement with the Stop Diabetes movement will inspire individuals to take meaningful action to Stop Diabetes,” said Younk. The Stop Diabetes movement identifies four primary options that everyone can take: Share your story to inspire others; Act by volunteering and raising funds in your community; Learn the facts about diabetes management, nutrition, lifestyle and prevention; and Give your time and your talents, along with your financial support, to support education, outreach, advocacy and critical research for a cure.

For more information on Miracle-Ear, please visit http://www.miracle-ear.com/. 

About Miracle-Ear
A trusted resource for hearing solutions for over 60 years, Miracle-Ear uses state-of-the-art technology to remove the barriers of hearing loss. The Plymouth, Minn.-based company specializes in customizable hearing solutions that feature discreet, comfortable products designed to meet each individual’s hearing loss needs. Free hearing tests and consultations are available at all of the company’s 1,200 locations across the U.S., many of which are in Sears stores. Franchise opportunities are available for those interested in running their own Miracle-Ear business with the support of a nationwide industry leader. 
For more information, visit www.miracle-ear.com.

SLIDELL, LA–(Marketwire – October 20, 2010) –  Blue Cross and Blue Shield of LOUISIANA has designated SOUTHERN SURGICAL HOSPITAL as a Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery. To date, more than 230 facilities nationwide have received a Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery designation.

Obesity is widely recognized as a contributor to serious health risks. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the total number of bariatric surgeries increased 400 percent from 1998 to 2004. Bariatric surgery may help some individuals reduce extreme obesity and its associated health risks, and Blue Distinction provides objective information to help them make informed decisions when choosing a provider.

“SOUTHERN SURGICAL HOSPITAL is proud to receive this distinction from Blue Cross/Blue Shield. We look forward to providing our high level of surgical weight loss services to the Blue Cross/Blue Shield community,” said Michael J Thomas MD, Medical Director Bariatric Program, Southern Surgical Hospital.

SOUTHERN SURGICAL HOSPITAL provides a full range of bariatric surgery care services, including inpatient care, post-operative care, outpatient follow-up and patient education.

Blue Distinction puts a high value on research and evidence-based health and medical information,” says Allan Korn, MD, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Chief Medical Officer. “Blue Distinction Centers show our commitment to working with doctors and hospitals in communities across the country to identify leading institutions that meet clinically validated quality standards and deliver better overall outcomes in patient care.”

To be designated as a Blue Distinction Center for Bariatric Surgery, SOUTHERN SURGICAL HOSPITAL met the selection criteria posted at www.BCBS.com, which includes:

• an established bariatric surgery program, actively performing these procedures for the most recent 12-month period and performing a required minimum volume of 125 such surgeries annually
• appropriate experience of its bariatric surgery team
• an acute care inpatient facility, including intensive care and emergency services
• full accreditation by The Joint Commission, Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP) or national equivalent**
• a comprehensive quality management program

Blue Distinction is a designation awarded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to medical facilities that have demonstrated expertise in delivering quality healthcare. The designation is based on rigorous, evidence-based selection criteria established in collaboration with expert physicians’ and medical organizations recommendations.

Today, more than 800 Blue Distinction Center designations have been awarded to facilities nationwide, providing consumers with a framework for making informed decisions on where to go for specialty care in the areas of bariatric surgery, cardiac care, complex and rare cancers, and transplants.

**Note: Designation as Blue Distinction Centers means these facilities’ overall experience and aggregate data met objective criteria established in collaboration with expert clinicians’ and leading professional organizations’ recommendations. Individual outcomes may vary. To find out which services are covered under your policy at any facilities, please call your local Blue Cross and/or Blue Shield Plan.

AUGUSTA, GA–(Marketwire – October 20, 2010) –  The International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) has awarded ESi^® its prestigious Authorized Provider status. IACET Authorized Providers are the only organizations approved to offer IACET continuing education units (CEUs). The recognition period extends for five years and includes all programs offered or created during that time.

“ESi education programs train thousands of emergency management professionals each year in the proper use and administration of our full suite of crisis information management products, including WebEOC^®, WebEOC Mapper, and ESiWebFUSION™,” said Jim Cook, President of ESi University. “Our new partnership with IACET is a demonstration of our commitment to lifelong learning and high standards for all of our programs, and we are very pleased to join such a prestigious organization.”

“We are pleased to welcome ESi as our newest Authorized Provider organization,” said Karen Brown, President of IACET and Senior HR Manager of Nuclear Power at Shaw Group in Massachusetts. “ESi joins nearly 650 organizations around the globe that have had their programs vetted by third-party experts in continuing education to ensure the highest possible standards are met.”

ESi University develops and delivers training courses to ESi customers throughout the world at its state-of-the-art training facility in Atlanta, through its e-learning portal, and via its virtual classroom which allows students and instructors to see and hear each other and share computer screens during courses.

In order to achieve Authorized Provider status, ESi completed a rigorous application process, including a review by an IACET site visitor and successfully demonstrated adherence to the ANSI/IACET 1-2007 Standard addressing the design, development, administration, and evaluation of its programs. ESi has pledged to continue its compliance with the Standard and is now authorized to use the IACET name and Authorized Provider logo on promotional course material. In addition, ESi is now linked to the IACET web site and is recognized as offering the highest quality continuing education and training programs.

About ESi
Augusta, Georgia-based ESi^®, the global leader in crisis information management technology, pioneered the market with WebEOC^®, the world’s first Web-enabled emergency management communications system. Recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America from 2007 through 2010, ESi connects crisis response teams and decision makers at national, state and local agencies, healthcare providers, airlines and corporations worldwide, providing access to real-time information for a common operating picture during a crisis or daily operations. By offering a solutions package from initial design and installation through training, implementation, and maintenance, ESi sets the standard for crisis information management. For more information, please visit www.ESi911.com.

About IACET
The International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) is a non-profit association dedicated to quality continuing education and training programs. IACET is the only standard-setting organization approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for continuing education and training. The ANSI/IACET 1-2007 Standard is the core of thousands of educational programs worldwide. For more information, please visit www.iacet.org or call 703-506-3275.

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WINCHESTER, CA–(Marketwire – October 20, 2010) –  For many of the talented veterans participating in the National Veterans Creative Arts Festival this year in Tomah, Wisconsin, the interest in art as therapy came about during a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital stay. VA utilizes a unique rehabilitation treatment component which often includes exposing veteran patients to a variety of creative healing opportunities.

With humble beginnings in 1981 as two separate competitions: “Vet Arts” in Richmond, Virginia and “The National Music Competition for Veterans” in Waco, Texas, the annual Festival is now a popular national event showcasing the artistic achievements of veterans from across the nation. The roughly 130 veterans invited to the Festival this year are winners of fine arts and talent competitions in which thousands of veterans have entered. The event is a celebration of achievements in art, creative writing, dance, drama and original writing with a gala variety show featuring a professional orchestra.

“The National Veterans Creative Arts Festival is an exciting event. The intricate, original artwork and incredible performance talent displayed is outstanding,” said Mike Lynch, president and CEO of Help Hospitalized Veterans (HHV) an event co-sponsor. “The therapeutic benefits veterans receive from participating is highly evident. The stage show is first-class and features our nation’s top veteran performers and the craftwork displayed during the art exhibit is breathtaking,” said Lynch. The Festival takes place on Sunday, October 24, 2010 at the Viterbo University Fine Arts Center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The art exhibit opens at 12:15 p.m. and the stage show begins at 2:00 p.m. Admission is free, but a ticket is required for the stage show.

Since 1971, HHV has donated over 28 million free arts & crafts and other products and services to VA and military hospitals worldwide. For more information visit www.hhv.org or call 1-888-567-VETS.

Documents and/or Photos available for this release:

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PALO ALTO, CA–(Marketwire – October 20, 2010) –  

• Independent review board commends system’s design and performance
• Thirteen programs earn disease management certification status
• Company leads telehealth industry in certification 

Robert Bosch Healthcare, Inc., a leader in telehealth systems, announced today that it received recertification in Disease Management (DM) from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for ten of its Health Buddy^® System Health Management programs, and new certification for three additional programs. All 13 Health Management programs are administered through the Health Buddy System, which serves as an interface between at-home chronically ill patients and their care providers, facilitating remote monitoring of patient health status and promoting patient education and self-care.

“NCQA DM certification demonstrates that an organization is well suited to deliver programs to manage care for the seriously or chronically ill. As it’s a difficult test, it says a lot that an organization is willing to step forward to be reviewed,” said NCQA Executive Vice President, Greg Pawlson, M.D.

NCQA certification is a comprehensive and transparent evaluation through which the quality of the systems, processes and results that define a health plan is assessed. After evaluations are conducted by physicians and/or experts in the product evaluated, an oversight committee analyzes the findings and assigns a score based on the applicant’s performance against NCQA’s standards. Robert Bosch Healthcare received a score of 100%, based on its overall submissions. Each certification is valid for two years.

Bosch leads the industry in its number of NCQA certifications. Ten Health Buddy System Health Management Programs recertified are: Asthma, Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease, Congestive Heart Failure, Chronic Pain, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Depression, Diabetes, Hypertension and Pediatric Asthma. New programs receiving certification for the first time are: Diabetes/Hypertension, Heart Failure/Diabetes and Renal Disease.

These programs scored high in each element of the DM certification for Program Design. Evaluation criteria includes the use of evidence-based guidelines or standards of care in program development, consistency of content with adopted guidelines, and development of patient information that assists with self-management. NCQA noted specific strengths of the Health Buddy System: the large array of disease programs offered; the branching logic applied to the patient question and answer “dialogues”; and Bosch Healthcare’s process for tracking and changing content as guidelines change. Also noted was the use of health dialogues to gather an extensive amount of patient data, in order to identify and address patient safety issues. The risk stratification of safety alerts allows immediate review of information by a clinician.

“The rigorous, independent review taken by NCQA underlines the high quality standards and demonstrated effectiveness of the Health Buddy System in improving care for patients with chronic conditions,” said Derek Newell, President Robert Bosch Healthcare. “Each day, around 30,000 patients connect to their care providers using the Health Buddy System. Customers can be assured that our Health Management Programs are based on sound clinical principles and standard guidelines, which ultimately enable care providers to better support chronically ill patients without increasing costs.”

About the Bosch Healthcare Health Buddy System
In use for more than ten years, the Health Buddy System includes a compact device that patients use at home to answer a series of questions about their health and symptoms, and receive information that helps them better manage their chronic conditions. Patient data gathered by the device is transmitted to a secure data center and quickly risk-stratified, giving proactive providers the opportunity to intervene before the patient’s condition becomes critical. 

About the National Committee for Quality Assurance
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. Since its founding in 1990, NCQA has been a central figure in driving improvement throughout the health care system. Through its certification review process, NCQA certifies a wide range of health care organizations and programs. Its disease management certification standards are intended to reduce patient risk, help organizations achieve the highest level of performance possible, and create an environment of continuous improvement. For more information, visit www.ncqa.org.

About The Bosch Group:

Robert Bosch Healthcare Inc. is a leading provider of innovative telehealth systems. Bosch’s product spectrum ranges from patient terminals to comprehensive evaluation software allowing healthcare professionals to efficiently evaluate the data coming from the patient terminals and other connected devices. Bosch Telehealth strives to improve diagnosis and treatment through systematic patient monitoring and involvement. The result is that health professionals are able to provide a higher quality of care for patients with chronic conditions, patients lead happier and healthier lives, and the cost of healthcare is reduced for funders. Robert Bosch Healthcare, Inc. is a fully-owned subsidiary of the Bosch Group. For more information, go to www.bosch-telehealth.com.

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. In the areas of automotive and industrial technology, consumer goods, and building technology, some 275,000 associates generated sales of 38.2 billion euros (roughly $53 billion) in fiscal 2009. The Bosch group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its more than 300 subsidiaries and regional companies in over 60 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network are the foundation for growth. Each year, Bosch spends more than 3.5 billion euros ($5 billion) for research and development, and applies for some 3,800 patents worldwide. With all its products and services, Bosch works to enhance the quality of life by providing solutions which are both innovative and beneficial. For more information, visit www.bosch.com.

In the U.S., Canada and Mexico, the Bosch Group manufactures and markets automotive original equipment and aftermarket products, industrial drives and control technology, power tools, security and communication systems, packaging technology, thermotechnology, household appliances, solar energy and healthcare products. Having established a regional presence in 1906, Bosch employs over 20,000 associates in more than 70 locations, with reported sales of $7.3 billion in fiscal 2009. For more information, visit www.boschusa.com.

National Committee for Quality Assurance
Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2010, NCQA is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NCQA is committed to providing health care quality information for consumers, purchasers, health care providers, and researchers. 

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WOOD DALE, IL–(Marketwire – October 20, 2010) –  SANYO North America Corporation (SANYO) announces that its Biomedical Solutions Division is moving to the forefront of the stem cell and cell therapy market with the introduction of the industry’s first integrated, stand-alone Cell Processing Work Station (CPWS), becoming a significant solutions provider in this high growth, high opportunity marketplace. Offering a turnkey and standalone solution, SANYO’s CPWS is an innovative, cost effective and space-saving solution for the GMP compliant processing and manufacture of regenerative stem cell and cell therapies. The CPWS lowers barriers to enter the cell therapeutics market, positively impacting both public and private institutions. The workstation provides the required class-100 aseptic environment, but in a compact and less expensive than a traditional costly and large footprint cleanroom.

The cell therapy market is increasingly playing an important role in the practice of medicine, and the number of companies and entities that are involved in cell therapy are on the rise, including academic institutions and public and private companies. The market is expected to expand over the next decade, with applications for the technology to include cancer, cardiac and genetic disorders as well as wounds of the skin and soft tissues.

“SANYO is prepared to expand into this rapidly growing market with its new Cell Processing Work Station, which will provide a practical solution for its biotech and pharmaceutical customers to develop and manufacture advanced cell therapies and hospitals to develop cell therapies for use in clinical trials,” stated Ron Dudek, New Business Development Manager.

The CPWS is a stand-alone, alternative to a traditional cleanroom, and the station is a self-contained system with a small footprint that is quick and easy to install. Offering a highly efficient operational capacity and featuring a contamination-free design, the workstation includes cGMP compliant equipment for aseptic processing and provides user-friendly operation. The SANYO CPWS also saves approximately 35% of the operating costs usually required for conventional cleanrooms (open systems).

The CPWS significantly lowers barriers to entry to the cell therapeutics market, which will impact both the private and public institutions within the life science, clinical, biotechnology and pharmaceutical markets. Current and future applications of the CPWS include regenerative organ development, and tissue regeneration such as skin, cartilage, alveolar bone, cornea, cardiac muscle, nerve, liver and pancreas.

Main Features of the CPWS
Self-Contained System, Small Footprint
The small footprint permits installation into existing or new lab spaces using conventional utilities and minimal site preparation. The CPWS individual docking incubators reduce product mix-up and cross-contamination errors. An optional built-in centrifuge and cell observation microscope/monitor further reduce laboratory space requirements as well as improve aseptic processing.

Higher Efficiency
By using a highly effective H₂ O₂ decontamination process, the CPWS can be completely sterilized without heat and prepared for the next protocol within two hours instead of the conventional cleanroom decontamination protocol that can take days or weeks.

Contamination-free Design
The four-port glove box delivers more than a conventional Class II, Type A2 biological safety cabinet typically installed within a cleanroom to achieve the same level of contamination or cross-contamination prevention. Centrifuge and incubator access from within the Class 100 work station environment enhances aseptic processing.

Other Key Features

• Approximately 35% less expensive to operate than a conventional cleanroom (open system).
• The barrier isolator creates a grade A or class 100 environment within the workstation (When installed in a class 100,000 cleanroom).
• Gowning is not required, allowing for a significant improvement in user comfort and productivity upon entrance and exit from the aseptic environment.

About SANYO
SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. is a global, leading provider of energy, environment, and lifestyle applications. Biomedical Solutions, a Division of SANYO North America Corporation (a subsidiary of SANYO Electric Co., Ltd.), is based in Wood Dale, IL, and provides laboratory equipment for pharmaceutical, life science and biotechnology applications. Product lines include space-efficient VIP^® ultra-low temperature freezers, cryogenic freezers, pharmaceutical and medical refrigerators, cell culture incubators, plant growth chambers, and portable autoclaves.
To learn more about SANYO, please visit http://us.sanyo.com

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WESTPORT, CT–(Marketwire – October 20, 2010) –  The Patient Channel, the largest U.S. hospital-based health and wellness TV channel, and dLife, the only multi-media network serving the diabetes community, have announced a strategic partnership that will significantly increase year-round diabetes education, wellness, and lifestyle programming for patients and caregivers in over 1,600 hospitals across the U.S. The partnership will help diabetes educators and patients by providing vital information at a critical time of need increase awareness and self-management, help decrease future hospital visits and encourage ongoing engagement at home.

As part of the agreement, 14 hours of dLifeTV‘s diabetes lifestyle programming will be added to The Patient Channel’s existing diabetes line-up. The partnership will begin in the fourth quarter of 2010 and advertisers will be offered special tie-in opportunities to commemorate American Diabetes Month in November. The Patient Channel’s existing topics of diabetes prevention, treatments, and avoiding complications will be supplemented with dLifeTV episodes profiling real people overcoming the challenges of living with diabetes, as well as interviews with celebrities living with diabetes such as The View co-host, Sherri Shepherd, and CBS newsman, Bob Schieffer. There will also be special programming on topics as varied as religion and diabetes, diabetes in the workplace, and the latest diabetes gadgets.

Patients will be encouraged to watch dLifeTV (Sundays at 7 p.m. ET, 4 p.m. PT on CNBC), as well as join dLife’s award-winning website, dLife.com, which has over one million visitors each month.

“Diabetes diagnosis often happens in the hospital, and inpatient stays are often caused by diabetes and its complications. For many of them it can be a time of profound fear, confusion and isolation. Not to mention a supreme teachable moment to improve their diabetes IQ going forward. We are delighted by our new partnership with The Patient Channel, which allows us to put dLifeTV in front of people with diabetes at such a critical time of need,” says Howard Steinberg, CEO and founder of dLife.

“The Patient Channel hospital footprint reaches 35 percent of hospitalized Americans with or at risk for diabetes,” says Dave Ross, COO of The Patient Channel. “This programming will help hospitals and diabetes educators to educate and improve the compliance of patients and families at the very time they are motivated and seeking information to manage their condition and lifestyle.” 

For a full list of the diabetes programming running on The Patient Channel, as well as other details about The Patient Channel’s educational offering and platform, visit www.thepatientchannel.com.

For additional resources on managing your or your patients’ diabetes lifestyle, please go to www.dLife.com.

About Interactivation Health Networks
The Patient Channel and the Newborn Channel are the most comprehensive in-hospital TV networks. Delivered directly to patient rooms and waiting areas, the Channels provide viewers with original, award-winning health programs and advertisers with the unique ability to integrate brand messaging with content that is compelling and endorsed by healthcare professionals. The Newborn Channel broadcasts baby care and postpartum programming for new parents, reaching 60% of new moms. The Patient Channel features both condition-specific and preventative health programming to empower and inform patients. The channels are currently available in over 2,700 hospitals nationwide. For more information, visit www.thenewbornchannel.com and www.thepatientchannel.com

About dLife – For Your Diabetes Life
dLife is the only multimedia network serving the diabetes community. Its award-winning media outlets include dLife.com, the leading online destination for diabetes information, inspiration, and connection, featuring more than 9,000 recipes, 400 videos, and 80,000 pages of content; dLifeTV, the only lifestyle TV series for people with diabetes, airing every Sunday on CNBC (7 p.m. ET, 4 p.m. PT); and other consumer and professional programs to inform, inspire and connect people with diabetes and those who care for them every day.

MCLEAN, VA–(Marketwire – October 20, 2010) – Patient payments are an increasing and critical part of the overall revenue stream for today’s healthcare providers. With approximately 50% of patient payments being written off as bad debt; point-of-care payments solutions help ensure payment is both received and approved. Sage Payment Solutions, the payments division for Sage North America, today announced the launch of Sage Patient Payments, a secure payment solution that enables collections from patients at the point of care, regardless of the patient’s third-party payer.

“With co-pays, deductibles, and the balance not covered by the patient’s insurance provider, healthcare payments have been historically challenging for patients to figure out,” said Greg Hammermaster, president of Sage Payment Solutions. “This confusion results in doctors’ offices focusing more on billing, payment, and collections, which drives up their costs. Sage Patient Payments streamlines the payment process facilitating accurate and timely payment to the doctors’ office while mitigating the patients’ confusion.”

By the end of this year, about 35% of a provider’s total revenue will derive directly from patient payments, according to the McKinsey & Co. report, “Overhauling the US Health Care Payment System.” Sage Patient Payments provides everything needed to handle patient payments at the point of care. The product’s calculator instantly determines the estimated service charges for a patient, taking into consideration relevant health plan discount arrangements.

Powered by mPay Gateway, a leading developer of Payment Card Industry (PCI) certified financial technology products and services for the healthcare industry, Sage Patient Payments provides patients with a simpler, easier-to-understand billing process. Physicians can dramatically reduce their receivables, bad debt, and patient statement costs in three easy steps.

After reviewing a summary of charges with a patient, healthcare providers can swipe the patient’s credit or debit card and obtain the patient’s commitment to pay up to that amount. These steps allow healthcare providers to directly collect the exact amount owed at a later date, after the patient’s insurance company or other third-party payer determines what the patient owes. The patient is never charged more than the estimate, and the provider never needs to send another bill.

Other features of Sage Patient Payments tailored to the unique healthcare environment include: payment plans, health benefit plan eligibility lookup, and a check and cash log to track all patient payments.

In addition to Sage Patient Payments, Sage offers numerous products and services used by the healthcare industry, including Sage Intergy for practice management, Sage Intergy EHR for electronic health records, and Sage Transaction Services for electronic data interchange (EDI). Approximately 80,000 physicians and thousands of ambulatory care practices throughout North America use Sage software and services to better manage their practices and improve profitability.

For more information on Sage Patient Payments or other products and services from Sage Payment Solutions, please visit www.sagepayments.com or call 800-261-0240.

About Sage Payment Solutions
Sage Payment Solutions, the payments division for Sage North America, has been providing businesses and organizations with electronic payment systems for more than 20 years. The company makes electronic payment processing easy for more than 155,000 merchants, allowing them to accept multiple forms of payment, including credit and debit cards, electronic checks, Check21, gift and loyalty cards, and automatic recurring payment. Sage Payment Solutions provides a wide range of secure standalone and integrated payment processing solutions. Sage Exchange, its PA-DSS certified payments platform, integrates with many Sage software products to maximize the value of customers’ business systems with automatically updated credit and debit card transaction information. Future Sage Exchange releases will offer additional integrated payment capabilities, including advanced point-of-sale (POS) device integration, payment origination solutions, and cash management applications. For more information about Sage Payment Solutions, please call 800-261-0240, or visit www.sagepayments.com.

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. 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.

WEST PALM BEACH, FL–(Marketwire – October 20, 2010) –  HearUSA, Inc. (NYSE Amex: EAR), the recognized leader in hearing care for the nation’s top managed care providers, reported that several of its contracted health partners have expanded or reinstated hearing benefits for their members, effective January 1, 2011.

Several plans have enhanced their Medicare offerings for 2011, including Preferred Care Partners (Florida), BCBS Horizon Medicare Blue (New Jersey) and BCBS Medicare Blue HMO (Florida). In addition, Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM), one of the nation’s largest health benefits companies, has reinstated hearing benefits in its 2011 senior HMO product in Florida.

The new agreements will provide hearing aid benefits to an additional 400,000 members who are located in HearUSA’s major markets, including Florida and New Jersey. These new agreements are expected to increase revenues by approximately $3 million in 2011 and will bring the total number of enrollees covered by HearUSA’s exclusive capitated and fee for service contracts to 2 million. The new and expanded managed care contracts are capitated contracts.

HearUSA has contracts with more than 400 payors in the health plan market, including agreements with the nation’s top five largest insurance companies and eight of the top 10. HearUSA also has national partnerships with several major health plans, including Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Humana Health Plans, and WellCare Health Plans, and has expanded its service agreements to keep pace with the growing managed care Medicare market. The company is also a hearing care provider for the Veterans Administration, providing hearing services to thousands of qualified veterans.

“Partnering with health plans that seek quality care and value for their membership continues to be a key strategy for HearUSA,” said Stephen J. Hansbrough, HearUSA’s president and CEO. “We have added several new plans for 2011 that will be serviced by our Hearing Care Network, as well as key accounts in our company owned territories. This represents an important segment of our business in an area where HearUSA is generally regarded as the industry leader. We estimate that these enhancements for 2011 will result in a $3 million increase in revenues from the increased directed business and related capitation payments.”

Independent studies, like those from the National Council on Aging, have demonstrated the negative impact of untreated hearing loss on quality of life and independence — factors very important to seniors and their families. Despite concerns over reimbursement levels related to national healthcare reform, many plans are continuing to offer important ancillary coverage, including hearing. Full or partial hearing aid coverage helps to defray out of pocket costs and is an important benefit for the Medicare population.

According to Dr. Cindy Beyer, audiologist and senior vice president of professional services at HearUSA: “These plans recognize the important role that hearing plays in our overall health and well-being. By making hearing aids more affordable, plans enable their members to benefit from today’s advanced digital technology.”

The Better Hearing Institute reports about 10% of Americans, or more than 36 million people, have some degree of hearing loss. Fifteen percent of adult baby boomers (age 45-64) and almost one third of those over age 65 have hearing loss. Increased exposure to noise is cited as a primary cause of hearing loss, which is most often found in males (60%) compared to females.

HearUSA is uniquely qualified to partner with managed care organizations because of its company-owned centers’ accreditation by URAC, a leader in promoting health care quality through its accreditation, education and measurement programs (www.urac.org). URAC offers a wide range of quality benchmarking programs and services that keep pace with the rapid changes in the health care system, and provide a symbol of excellence for organizations to validate their commitment to quality and accountability. By contracting with an accredited and qualified hearing care provider network, the health plan ensures that their membership receives quality care, consistent delivery of services and products, and added value features, including discounted rates.

About HearUSA
HearUSA (NYSE Amex: EAR) is the recognized leader in hearing care for the nation’s top managed care organizations through its network of more than 2,000 hearing care providers and 176 company-owned centers. HearUSA is the nation’s only hearing care network accredited by URAC, an independent, nonprofit health care accrediting organization dedicated to promoting health care quality through accreditation, certification and commendation. HearUSA is also the administrator of the AARP Hearing Care Program, designed to help millions of Americans aged 50+ who have untreated hearing loss.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including those relating to the company’s expectations that the new agreements will increase revenues by approximately $3 million in 2011 and will bring the total number of enrollees covered by HearUSA’s exclusive capitated and fee for service contracts to 2 million. These statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Potential risks and uncertainties include effective marketing to the expanded covered members, changes in the pricing environment; general economic conditions in those geographic regions where the members are located; consumer confidence in the general economy; the impact of competitive products; and other risks and uncertainties described in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 26, 2009 and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 26, 2010.

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA–(Marketwire – Oct. 20, 2010) – DiaMedica (TSX VENTURE:DMA) today announces the appointment of James Parsons, CA as Vice President of Finance. Mr. Parsons will be assuming the role previously held by Mr. Eric Johnstone. Mr. Parsons has an extensive background in the life sciences industry and over 20 years of finance management experience. He was previously the Chief Financial Officer for both private and public life science companies including Amorfix Life Sciences, Trillium Therapeutics and Lorus Therapeutics. He has also consulted for numerous firms including Astra Zeneca.

“The board of directors of DiaMedica welcomes Mr. Parsons to the DiaMedica team”, stated Rick Pauls, President and CEO of DiaMedica. “James brings to DiaMedica a wealth of expertise through his numerous years of experience as CFO with public and private biotech companies where his responsibilities included the negotiation of product licenses and strong links with the investment community. We would also like to express our gratitude to Mr. Eric Johnstone for his contributions.” continued Mr. Pauls. 

DiaMedica today issued 40,000 stock options that are exercisable at a price of $0.44 for 5 years and are subject to acceptance by the TSX Venture exchange.

Please also note DiaMedica’s new office address below.

About DiaMedica

DiaMedica is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel treatments for type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes and other disorders. DiaMedica has completed two successful proof-of-concept Phase II studies with DM-71 and DM-99, which demonstrated human efficacy in lowering blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.

DiaMedica’s lead product DM-199 is a novel recombinant next generation form of DM-99, which has shown the potential to increase insulin sensitivity, reduce the autoimmune attack and trigger proliferation of pancreatic beta cells, neural stem cells and bone marrow cells. DiaMedica is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the trading symbol “DMA”. For further information please visit www.diamedica.com.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian provincial securities legislation (collectively, the “forward-looking statements“). These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, DiaMedica’s objectives, goals, targets, strategies, intentions, plans, beliefs, estimates and outlook, and can, in some cases, be identified by the use of words such as “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “will,” “may” and other similar expressions. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections or other characterizations of future events or circumstances are forward-looking statements. Specifically, this press release contains forward-looking statements regarding matters such as, but not limited to, the anticipated use of proceeds from the Offering, management’s assessment of DiaMedica’s future plans, information with respect to the advancement of DiaMedica’s research and development programs, and DiaMedica’s other estimates and expectations. These statements reflect management’s current beliefs and are based on information currently available to management. Certain material factors or assumptions are applied in making forward-looking statements, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these expectations include, among other things: uncertainties and risks related to our research and development programs, the availability of additional financing, risks and uncertainties relating to the anticipated use of proceeds, changes in debt and equity markets, uncertainties related to clinical trials and product development, rapid technological change, uncertainties related to forecasts, competition, potential product liability, additional financing requirements and access to capital, unproven markets, the cost and supply of raw materials, management of growth, effects of insurers’ willingness to pay for products, risks related to regulatory matters and risks related to intellectual property matters. Additional information about these factors and about the material factors or assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements may be found in the body of this news release, as well as under the heading “Risk Factors” contained in DiaMedica’s 2009 annual information form. DiaMedica cautions that the foregoing list of important factors that may affect future results is not exhaustive. When relying on DiaMedica’s forward-looking statements to make decisions with respect to DiaMedica, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of estimates and assumptions, which may prove to be incorrect, including, but not limited to, assumptions regarding the availability of additional financing for research and development companies, and general business and economic conditions. These risks and uncertainties should be considered carefully and investors and others should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Although the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based upon what management believes to be reasonable assumptions, DiaMedica cannot provide assurance that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. DiaMedica undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement. 

BETHESDA, MD–(Marketwire – October 20, 2010) – GetWellNetwork, Inc. today announced that it ranked number 386 on Technology Fast 500™, Deloitte’s ranking of 500 of the fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences and clean technology companies in North America. Rankings are based on percentage of fiscal year revenue growth during the period from 2005-2009. GetWellNetwork grew an impressive 220% during this period.

Along with achievements in revenue growth, GetWellNetwork has attributes its growth to new innovative health care solutions that are changing the way hospitals and clinicians interact and care for their patients. In 2009, the company launched the industry’s first pediatric solution — GetWell Town — to help children’s hospitals better engage and educate young patients about their health and recovery. This year, the company introduced a new product offering for elderly patients — GetWellNetwork for Seniors — to revolutionize how clinicians interact and provide critical education such as medication teaching, pain management and discharge readiness for elderly patients and their families.

“It’s exciting to see our work with hospitals grow in such a significant way over the past several years. This year’s ranking by Deloitte Fast 500™ is a wonderful recognition of the fast growing movement among hospitals that are leveraging our award-winning patient care platform to support the patient journey throughout the continuum of care,” said Michael O’Neil, CEO and founder of GetWellNetwork, Inc. “This is a critical time for the health care industry and we are proud to play a central role in improving the quality of patient care and engagement across the U.S.”

“GetWellNetwork has proved itself to be one of the fastest growing tech companies in North America, and we are proud to honor them as one of the 2010 Technology Fast 500™,” said Mark Jensen, managing partner, venture capital services, Deloitte & Touche LLP. 

For additional details on the Technology Fast 500 including selection and qualifying criteria, visit www.fast500.com.

About GetWellNetwork
GetWellNetwork, Inc. uses the bedside TV to entertain, educate and empower hospital patients and caregivers to be more actively engaged in their care. This patient-centered approach improves both satisfaction and outcomes for patients and hospitals. GetWellNetwork is the leader in interactive patient care solutions and exclusively endorsed by the American Hospital Association. More information about GetWellNetwork can be found at www.GetWellNetwork.com.

*As used in this document, “Deloitte” means Deloitte LLP. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries.

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BOTHELL, WA–(Marketwire – October 20, 2010) –  AVI BioPharma, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVII), a developer of RNA-based therapeutics, today announced the presentation of data from the Company’s Duchenne muscular dystrophy and influenza programs at the 6^th Annual Meeting of the Oligonucleotide Therapeutics Society in Dana Point, Calif.

Peter Sazani, Executive Director, Preclinical Development at AVI, will present during the poster session at noon PDT on Friday, Oct. 22. The presentation, 063, is titled “Preliminary toxicological evaluation of AVI-7100, a phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer with selectively introduced positive charges (PMOplus™) targeted to a highly conserved region of Influenza A virus.” The presentation will feature preclinical data evaluating AVI-7100 for use in treating Influenza A.

Ryszard Kole, Ph.D., Senior Vice President of Discovery Research at AVI, will present during the oral abstract session, Splicing Applications, at 8 a.m. PDT on Saturday, Oct. 23. The presentation, 766, is titled “Oligonucleotide-Induced Skipping as Treatment for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: Development of AVI-4658.”

Both presentations will be posted on the AVI BioPharma Web site in the “Our Programs” section after their respective sessions are completed.

AVI-7100 is AVI’s lead therapeutic candidate for influenza virus infections. The investigational drug candidate employs AVI’s patented PMOplus™ technology that selectively introduces positive charges to its phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer (PMO) backbone to improve interaction between the drug and its target.

AVI-4658 is AVI’s lead investigational drug candidate in development as a systemically administered treatment for a substantial subgroup of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a genetic muscle wasting disease caused by failure to produce dystrophin.

About AVI BioPharma

AVI BioPharma is focused on the discovery and development of novel RNA-based therapeutics for rare and infectious diseases, as well as other select disease targets. Applying pioneering technologies developed and optimized by AVI, the Company is able to target a broad range of diseases and disorders through distinct RNA-based mechanisms of action. Unlike other RNA-based approaches, AVI’s technologies can be used to directly target both messenger RNA (mRNA) and precursor messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) to either down-regulate (inhibit) or up-regulate (promote) the expression of targeted genes or proteins. By leveraging our highly differentiated RNA antisense-based technology platform, AVI has built a pipeline of potentially transformative therapeutic agents, including one in the clinical development stage for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. For more information, visit www.avibio.com. 

PHILADELPHIA, PA–(Marketwire – October 20, 2010) –  At Digital Pharma East, HCPlexus, publishers of The Little Blue Book™ (TLBB), a trusted resource for 300,000 doctors, announced a partnership with Healthline Networks, a leading provider of intelligent health information services reaching more than 100 million consumers each month, to provide pharmaceutical companies with a solution to inform physicians and patients on modes of treatment and care choices. As part of the strategic relationship, the companies will extend their current advertising networks, as well as the new point-of-care information platform, to provide contextual and direct marketing program offerings to Direct to Physician (DTP) and Direct to Consumer (DTC) pharmaceutical marketers.

The joint offering will support and deliver physician-mediated patient education at the point of care. Through the alliance, physicians will continue to receive high-quality, medically credible content delivered from a reliable resource, The Little Blue Book, augmented with patient education resources from Healthline. Sponsorship opportunities will be made available to pharmaceutical manufacturers, allowing them to benefit from increased consumer engagement and brand presence.

“As consumers embrace the HealthWeb, physicians need to play a central role in providing their patients with the highest quality, most contextually relevant health information,” said West Shell III, Chairman and CEO, Healthline Networks. “Our partnership with HCPlexus will enable physicians and patients to engage in shared decision-making around health care treatment options, thereby elevating health literacy and compliance.”

Adds HCPlexus CEO David L. Shrier, “Our pharmaceutical and payor clients have been demanding one stop shopping for marketing solutions aimed at both HCP and consumer audiences. Healthline is an innovative partner with scope and depth in the online consumer health market and the largest condition-specific DTC advertising network. We look forward to offering pharmaceutical companies more opportunities to help physicians and consumers make informed healthcare decisions.”

In a survey conducted by HCPlexus last December of more than five hundred physicians, 42% said they were looking for patient education from The Little Blue Book.

About HCPlexus
HCPlexus provides physicians with personalized, timesaving and multi-platform products so they can focus on healing patients. At the heart of the company’s physician-focused offerings is The Little Blue Book (TLBB), a referral directory, which for more than 20 years has been a trusted and high usage resource for healthcare providers. The Little Blue Book data is now available on-line and in a mobile phone application. Leveraging the deep insights gleaned from more than 400,000 TLBB physicians, HCPlexus delivers high ROI marketing programs to pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, pharmacies, hospitals, health plans and independent practice associations. For more information, visit http://www.hcplexus.com.

About Healthline
Healthline Networks is a leading provider of intelligent health information services, enabling 100 million consumers a month to make more confident, informed healthcare decisions. The company’s proprietary consumer healthcare taxonomy, the largest of its kind, powers a suite of intelligent health search, content and advertising services. Combining advanced search technology with deep medical expertise, Healthline partners with a network of over 40 trusted destination sites that include publishers, portals, search engines, employers and health plans. Headquartered in San Francisco, Healthline is backed by Aetna, GE/NBC Peacock Fund, Investor Growth Capital, Kaiser Permanente, Reed Elsevier, U.S. News & World Report, and VantagePoint Venture Partners. For more information, visit http://www.healthline.com.

MADISON, WI–(Marketwire – October 20, 2010) –  A group of health care leaders from across the country convened at Madison’s Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center on October 16, 2010 to hold the founding meeting for the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health (AAOSH, www.aaosh.com). The new organization has 50 founding members and anticipates rapid growth as more and more professionals absorb the data that demonstrates the close relationship of mouth health to body health and vice versa.

“When dentists and physicians work together, medical outcomes will be improved and lives will be lengthened,” states AAOSH President Dr. Chris Kammer, the nation’s most active advocate for an oral systemic approach to disease prevention. “Many people still don’t understand that good dental health can add years to your life, so one of our missions is to educate the public about the facts.”

The newly-inaugurated AAOSH will bring together medical professionals from all fields and try to eliminate the “tunnel vision” that can exist between medical specialties. Members will commit themselves to working and learning together in the ultimate spirit of cooperation so that patients everywhere can enjoy the resulting benefits of improved general health, healing, longevity and wellness.

“We’re excited about finally working closely with cardiologists, diabetic specialists, obstetricians and many more medical specialties,” explains Kammer. “AAOSH is all about opening those doors of communication and offering to help, so that we can contribute to the improved health for the patients we share.”

Several nationally-known clinicians who attended the meeting gave presentations on the latest findings related to the seriousness of oral disease in America. One speaker revealed how a couple was not able to conceive a child until the mother’s rampant gum infection was put under control. Another speaker discussed how diabetes can make gum disease worsen, but that gum disease can also make diabetes worse — a vicious “circle of death” unless dentists and physicians unite and intervene.

In addition, advanced dental techniques and systems for treating periodontal disease and tooth decay were shared, as well as an extended program on the importance of nutrition.

“The formation of this organization could not have come at a better time,” adds Kammer. “More and more research just keeps pouring in that confirms the connections between the health of the mouth and the resulting health of the body.”

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MIAMI, FL–(Marketwire – October 20, 2010) –  Simulated Environment Concepts (PINKSHEETS: SMEV), the manufacturer and developer of medical, aesthetic and wellness equipment, increases its global medical appeal with a successful tradeshow hosted by Salon Rééducca — a show dedicated to Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Practices. There, more than 200 physiotherapists tested the company’s flagship product, SpaCapsule, receiving increased interest and sales as a result.

Dr. Ella Frenkel, Chairman and CEO of Simulated Environment Concepts (SE Concepts), Inc. said, “With all of the excitement swirling around our corporate orders, installations in hotels and fitness centers as well as the major distribution contracts, it could be forgotten that the Spa Capsule is a medical grade product. So while our capsules can certainly be used for relaxation, as medical equipment, the Spa Capsule’s foremost purpose is to assist physical therapists and doctors in delivering therapeutic treatments to patients.” 

Zen & O, a French distribution company with which SE Concepts has a multi-million dollar four year manufacturing deal, supported SE Concepts by displaying the H2O Body System – SpaCapsule at Salon Rééducca’s tradeshow last week. Roughly 225 physiotherapists tested the Spa Capsule units giving higher than expected approval ratings — with Zen & O capturing significant interest of nearly two dozen physical therapists resulting in multiple units sold at the show. 

Sales within the global medical community expected to continue as medical equipment providers and PT (Physical Therapy) centers look to distribute and own the Spa Capsule. SE Concepts has plans for an upcoming November tradeshow where the company anticipates further growing its international distribution base and medical appeal worldwide.

About Simulated Environment Concepts, Inc.

Simulated Environment Concepts, Inc. (SE Concepts) is an industry leading manufacturer and developer of cutting edge medical, health and wellness equipment.    

Its flagship product, SpaCapsule®, is a high pressurized dry water massage therapy system used for rehabilitation, relaxation, weight loss, cellulite management and general wellness.  Using its patented dual “dry-barrier” environment, users can remain fully clothed — a matter of gender and cultural significance within the markets the SpaCapsule is offered.  The product can be found in over 37 countries, offered by medical clinics, gyms and fitness centers, spas, retail locations, corporate offices, luxury hotels, and other venues.  Incorporating self contained oxygen, aromatherapy and iPod compatible audio/video features, users receive an enjoyable, rehabilitating and de-stressing therapeutic experience. 

The SpaCapsule has been featured on numerous Network and cable television programming including Good Morning America and The Doctors, and continues to receive global publicity.

For more information on SE Concepts, SpaCapsule®, PTjetCapsule™ and Celude Laboratories™ products you can visit the company’s product website at www.spacapsule.com, the corporate website at www.seccorporation.com, the corporate blog at http://www.spacapsule.wordpress.com or request more information via email at [email protected], or call at (888) 757-0797 or (305) 651-9200.

Safe Harbor

Statements in this news release that are not historical facts, including statements about plans and expectations regarding products and opportunities, demand and acceptance of new or existing products, capital resources and future financial results are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties which may cause the Company’s actual results in future periods to differ materially from those expressed. These uncertainties and risks include changing consumer preferences, lack of success of new products, loss of the Company’s customers, competition and other factors discussed from time to time in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SpaCapsule is registered trademark of Simulated Environment Concepts, Inc.

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NEW YORK, NY–(Marketwire – October 20, 2010) –  Allied Healthcare International Inc. (NASDAQ: AHCI), a leading provider of flexible healthcare staffing services in the United Kingdom, announced today that Sandy Young, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, will be presenting at the Oppenheimer 21st Annual Healthcare Conference to be held on November 2-3, 2010 at the Waldorf=Astoria in New York City.

Allied’s presentation is scheduled for Wednesday, November 3, at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

The presentation will be webcast live and will be available on the Investors section of Allied’s website at www.alliedhealthcare.com. For those who are not available to listen to the live broadcast, the presentation will be archived.

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 approximately 115 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.

POMONA, CA–(Marketwire – October 19, 2010) – Western University of Health Sciences programs received more than $1.3 million in federal funding to enhance learning and bring critically-needed care to vulnerable populations.

The Department of Physician Assistant Education, part of the College of Allied Health Professions, received about $100,000 in Health Resources and Services Administration grant funding to buy 10 Student Auscultation Manikins.

The College of Dental Medicine (CDM) received about $180,000 in HRSA grant funding for Project TEACH (Training Equipment for Access and Community Health). The money will be used to provide mobile dental care to rural and underserved populations.

The College of Graduate Nursing (CGN) received about $1.05 million for students in the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) master’s program. The money will cover full tuition and educational expenses, as much as $22,000 per year, for six full-time students per year who, upon graduation, are planning to work with vulnerable populations in the delivery of Primary Care to patients in medically underserved areas. These underserved areas include those with “financial, racial, linguistic and cultural barriers to health care services and (to varying extents) need for services,” according to the National Health Policy Forum.

This grant expands access to primary care by allowing part-time FNP students to become full-time students so they can finish the program quicker and begin making a difference in the community.

The scholarships will also benefit new incoming FNP students who were accepted as part of CGN’s expansion. The FNP program averages 25 to 35 students per class. This year the program accepted 47 new students.

CDM is partnering with the Victor Valley Dental Center in Victorville to furnish the center’s mobile dental van with two fully-equipped dental chairs, said Timothy Martinez, DMD, CDM Associate Dean for Community Partnerships and Access to Care. CDM students will travel with the mobile van to schools in the Victorville area to treat students.

The grant funding also paid for three portable digital radiographic units, three portable sterilization units and two complete hand piece set ups. These portable units will help the college address multiple needs, such as providing dental care to students in the El Monte and Pomona unified school districts.

CDM will also provide perinatal dental education and prevention services for the California Department of Health’s Black Infant Health (BIH) program, which provides health education, health promotion, social support and service coordination to pregnant women and their children.

The Department of Physician Assistant Education will use about $100,000 in federal funding to improve student education and testing by purchasing 10 torso mannequins that simulate heart, lung and abdomen sounds.

Students could listen to each other’s heartbeat and breathing, but they would typically not be exposed to the broad range of abnormal sounds that they need to learn, said Tina Boykin-Mowrey, MPH, MS, PA-C, PA Department Clinical Education Coordinator.

“This will expand our training capabilities,” she said.

COLUMBUS, OH–(Marketwire – October 19, 2010) –  Twenty First Century Communications (TFCC) is pleased to announce that its TFCC Alert emergency notification system has been selected by Public Safety Communications as a winner of the 2010 Hot Product review.

66 products were submitted for consideration in the Hot Products review. An anonymous team examined the products during the APCO Conference in Houston. Based on the reviewers’ experience and comments, TFCC Alert was selected for the award.

“Public Safety Communications is one of the leading publications in the industry, therefore it’s a real honor to be recognized for our work,” said Bently Collier, TFCC vice president of sales and marketing. “We’re fortunate to work with great public safety, 9-1-1 dispatch centers and first responder customers.”

TFCC announced the release of its newest notification system, TFCC Alert, in early June. An easier to use system includes weather alerts, new user interface, advanced security controls, social media integration, and an enhanced public sign-up page, which are just a few of the new features of TFCC Alert. 

Full details of the Hot Products review will be featured in the November issue of Public Safety Communications magazine. To learn more about TFCC Alert visit us online. 

Public Safety Communications is a monthly publication published by Elsevier Public Safety on behalf of the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International. For more information about APCO, please visit www.APCOintl.org. For more information about Public Safety Communications, please visit www.apcointl.org/digitaledition.

About Twenty First Century Communications
By using technology to connect people to information, TFCC provides time-sensitive communication solutions that help clients quickly receive and send high volumes of information to the right people at the right time, using most any communication device.

For more than 20 years their suite of web-based, high-speed, high-volume notification solutions have been the industry standard. Backed by the largest and most reliable telecommunications network in North America, TFCC’s reliable inbound and outbound communication solutions are in place at hundreds of government, corporate, utility, education and healthcare organizations all across the country. For more information visit: www.tfcci.com.

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WEST HARTFORD, CT–(Marketwire – October 19, 2010) –  BroadcastMed, the leader in online medical video, starts the week with a live broadcast intended for European audiences focused on Adhesion Prevention in Gynaecological Surgery. Later in the week the focus turns to low back pain in a live broadcast of a minimally invasive spine surgery. Rounding out new content this week are new on-demand CME features available on our BroadcastMedCME channel.

Additional on-demand features this month include our library of procedures and educational programming focused on breast cancer surgeries and BroadcastMed invites you to take part in the latest installment of the Virtual Brain Tumor Board.

NEW ON ORLIVE

LIVE SURGERY VIDEO – Contemporary Adhesion Prevention In Gynaecological Surgery

Premieres Tuesday, October 19, 2010 at 2:30PM EDT/19:30 GMT

Participate in this live interactive webcast as gynaecological surgeons Prof. Jeremy Wright and Mr. Andrew Kent review surgical footage and discuss the inherent challenges with conventional adhesion prevention techniques. The faculty will share case reports and will contrast the pros and cons of available options, including the SprayShield™ adhesion barrier system.

This program features the SprayShield™ adhesion barrier system. It is intended for audiences outside the United States where the SprayShield™ system has CE Mark approval, and is indicated for use in patients undergoing laparotomy or laparoscopic abdominopelvic surgery as an adjunct to good surgical technique intended to reduce the incidence, severity, and extent of postsurgical adhesions.

This surgery video is available exclusively to members of the ORLive community, and members can interact and ask questions via the ORLive website. Learn more about this broadcast or get a reminder at ORLive.com, and be ready to view this exciting procedure by activating your free membership to ORLive today.

LIVE SUGERY VIDEO – Treating Chronic Back Pain with Minimally Invasive Surgery

Premieres Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 4PM EDT

Surgery for chronic back pain doesn’t have to mean a long stay in the hospital and a slow recovery. On Thursday, October 21, Baptist Hospital neurosurgeon Sergio Gonzalez-Arias, MD, will perform a minimally invasive spine surgery during a live webcast. The minimally invasive approach is used to relieve various types of pain. The advantages over a traditional surgical procedure are less blood loss, less pain, smaller incisions and a quicker recovery. Many patients go home the same day of the surgery. Watch the live webcast and see this fascinating procedure as it happens. 

Viewers are invited to send e-mail questions to Dr. Gonzalez-Arias during the webcast.

Viewers can also choose to watch the webcast in Spanish.

Learn more about this broadcast or get a reminder at ORLive.com, and be ready to view this exciting procedure by activating your free membership to ORLive today.

NEW CME ON BROADCASTMED

NEW CME VIDEO — Antiplatelet Therapy: Difficult Situations in Everyday Practice

Premiers Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Join Doctors from multiple specialties discuss common solutions for the management of patients requiring antiplatelet therapy. Presenters include cardiologist Oscar C. Marroquin, MD, internists Robert E. Schoen, MD MPH and Catalin Toma, MD, and surgical oncologist A. James Moser, MD, FACS.

Educational Objectives

• Draw informed clinical decisions in cardiovascular medicine.
• Cite responsible and balanced debate on conventional and controversial issues in the area of cardiovascular medicine.
• Discuss the management of patients with asymptomatic aortic stenosis.
• Forecast and discuss important issues and trends in cardiovascular medicine.

You can find more CME on the BroadcastMed CME Channel on ORLive.com, and a complete multispecialty library of CME offerings at the UPMC Physician Resources website.

ORLIVE REFERRALS — Week of October 18, 2010
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and each week ORLive highlights related on-demand videos for our membership and visitors. 

Breast Cancer Surgery Referral: Surgical Advances in Axillary and Sentinel Lymph Node Dissection, from Ethicon Endo-Surgery

CME Referral: New Perspectives in Sepsis for the Critical Care Nurse, from CMEducation Resources

Viewer’s Referral: Cancer and Thrombosis Management: DVT and Prophylaxis and Disease Modification in Cancer Patients, from CMEducation Resources

HIGHLIGHTS

NOW ON-DEMAND – LEGION™ Total Knee System with VISIONAIRE™ Patient Matched Insturmentation

Now Available On-Demand

Kenneth Cherry, MD will demonstrate his approach to address efficiency in the OR by utilizing the LEGION Total Knee System in conjunction with VISIONAIRE Patient Matched Instrumentation while Dr. Steven Haas, from the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, moderates the procedure. Combining the two technologies, will reduce OR time and eliminate up to 23 surgical steps from the TKA procedure thereby making efficiency more accessible.

Learn more about this broadcast or get a reminder at ORLive.com, and be ready to view this exciting procedure by activating your free membership to ORLive today.

NOW ON-DEMAND — Acute Onocologic Emergencies

Now Available ON-Demand

Join Ahmad Tarhini, MD as he reviews onocologic emergencies in this presentation from a recent UPMC Medical Grand Rounds.

Educational Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Better manage epidural spinal cord compression in patients.
• Better management of hypercalcemia of malignancy in cancer patients.
• Increase the management of superior vena cava syndrome in cancer patients.

You can find more CME on the BroadcastMed CME Channel on ORLive.com, and a complete multispecialty library of CME offerings at the UPMC Physician Resources website.

About BroadcastMed
BroadcastMed is the leading provider of video communication channels and solutions to the healthcare community. Working collaboratively with hospitals, device manufacturers, and pharmaceutical companies, BroadcastMed produces and distributes customized, interactive, video programs that demonstrate the latest advances in medicine, surgical techniques and product innovations, and promotes them to a verified audience of more than 700,000 healthcare professionals. The BroadcastMed network of sites provides an intimate look at over 650 live and on-demand surgeries, medical education, and symposia to global audiences that watch and learn from more than 40 million video views annually. The BroadcastMed network can be found on-line at www.BroadcastMed.com. 

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MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC–(Marketwire – 19 oct. 2010) –

Note aux éditeurs : Une photo accompagnera ce communiqué de presse sur le site de Marketwire.

Quelques semaines à peine après la mise en service de sa solution à l’Hôpital juif de réadaptation de Laval au Québec, Solutions Extenway inc. (TSX CROISSANCE:EY) est heureuse d’annoncer que c’est maintenant au tour des patients du centre de traitement de chimiothérapie du Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center situé à Brooklyn, à New York, de profiter des avantages offerts par ses terminaux. Cette annonce marque la première phase du déploiement de la solution technologique Extenway en sol américain.

Une solution pour améliorer la qualité de vie des patients en milieu hospitalier

Les terminaux de chevet Extenway permettent aux patients de profiter à la fois d’un moyen de communication avec le personnel et leurs proches (vidéoconférence et service d’assistance), d’une plateforme de divertissement numérique (télé, jeux, lecteur MP3, radio et livres audio) et éducatif (capsules d’enseignement aux patients), ainsi que d’un environnement de bureautique (Internet, courriel, Microsoft Office, etc.).

« Notre solution permet aux patients de vivre une expérience plus positive durant leur traitement, a déclaré John McAllister, président et chef de la direction d’Extenway, une entreprise de Baie d’Urfé, dans la région de Montréal. Certains d’entre eux passent parfois de longues semaines en milieu hospitalier et les témoignages que nous avons reçus confirment que notre technologie améliore leur qualité de vie durant cette période. »

Les patients peuvent consulter les contenus proposés en utilisant l’écran tactile ou le clavier sans fil des terminaux. Dans le cas du Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, il était très important d’offrir un environnement agréable et le moins « hospitalier » possible à ses patients. Le panneau d’installation mural des terminaux Extenway a été adapté afin que ces derniers puissent être fixés directement sur les chaises de traitement de chimiothérapie.

Une solution pour améliorer l’efficacité des services hospitaliers

La solution Extenway permet aussi de maximiser la communication entre le patient, les cliniciens et le personnel.

Les patients peuvent notamment consulter les menus et transmettre leurs sélections en ligne, ou encore contrôler la lumière et la température de leur chambre sans se déplacer. En étant plus autonomes, les patients permettent ainsi au personnel de se concentrer davantage sur les besoins médicaux.

Extenway tiendra sa prochaine assemblée annuelle et spéciale de ses actionnaires le 21 octobre à 11 h, au salon Musset du Centre Sheraton Montréal situé au 1201, boulevard René-Lévesque Ouest.

À propos de Solutions Extenway inc.

Solutions Extenway (TSX CROISSANCE:EY) (www.extenway.com) est un fournisseur de solutions technologiques d’information, de communication, de divertissement et d’éducation dans le domaine de la santé. Les terminaux Extenway offrent une vaste gamme de contenus et services intégrés dont la télévision, Internet, Microsoft Office, la vidéoconférence, la gestion de l’environnement des chambres des patients et la gestion des rendez-vous des patients. Basée à Baie d’Urfé, dans la région de Montréal au Canada, Extenway permet aux organisations d’optimiser la gestion et la coordination des interactions entre les partients et le personnel médical et administratif.

Clause libératoire et d’exonération

À l’exception des informations concernant les antécédents de l’entreprise ci-haut mentionnées, ce communiqué contient des déclarations futures qui impliquent des risques et des incertitudes. Les résultats réels peuvent être différents au niveau matériel. Les facteurs qui peuvent causer une différence incluent, mais ne sont pas limités à, l’acceptation des produits au niveau du marché, l’impact des produits compétitifs et technologies, la possibilité que certains produits portent atteinte aux brevets et autres propriétés intellectuelles de tierces parties, et aux coûts associés aux développements de produits. Solutions Extenway inc. ne procédera pas à la mise à jour de ces déclarations futures afin de refléter les événements ou circonstances après la date ci-haut mentionnée. Des informations plus détaillées sur les facteurs potentiels qui pourraient avoir une influence sur les résultats financiers sont incluses dans les documents fournies aux autorités canadiennes en valeurs mobilières.

MONTREAL, QUEBEC–(Marketwire – Oct. 19, 2010) –

Editors note: A photo will be included with this press release on Marketwire’s website.

Just weeks after its solution was put into service at the Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital of Laval in Quebec, Extenway Solutions Inc. (TSX VENTURE:EY) is delighted to announce that its terminals will now be used by patients at an outpatient chemotherapy center of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Brooklyn, New York. This announcement marks the first time Extenway’s technology solution has been deployed on American soil.

Improving the quality of life for hospital patients

Extenway’s bedside terminals allow patients to benefit from a means of communication with staff and family (via video conference and assistance request service), a digital entertainment platform (TV, games, MP3 player, radio, and audio books), educational tools (patient teaching capsules), and a desktop work environment (Internet, email, Microsoft Office, etc.).

“Our solution allows patients to have a more positive experience during their cancer treatment“, said John McAllister, President and CEO of Extenway, a company based in Baie d’Urfé in the Montreal region. “Patients sometimes have to spend weeks at a time in hospital, and feedback confirms that our technology improves their quality of life during this period.”

Patients can consult the different contents by using the terminal’s tactile screen or a wireless keyboard. For Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, it was very important to provide a positive and not “hospital-like” environment for patients. Extenway typical wall installation was adapted for direct mounting of the terminal onto the chairs used for chemotherapy treatment, thus creating a better patient experience.

Improving the efficiency of hospital services

The Extenway solution also helps optimize communication between the patient, clinicians and hospital staff.

Patients can also consult online menu and send their orders online. They can even adjust the light and temperature in their room – without having to move. Patients are therefore more autonomous, allowing staff extra time to concentrate on their medical needs.

Extenway will hold its next general meeting for shareholders on October 21 at 11am in the Musset room of Le Centre Sheraton Montreal, located at 1201 boulevard René-Lévesque West.

About Extenway Solution Inc.

Extenway Solutions (TSX VENTURE:EY) (www.extenway.com) provides IT, communications, entertainment and education solutions to the healthcare sector. Extenway terminals offer a wide range of integrated content and services, including television, Internet, Microsoft Office, and video conferencing. The terminals also offer the possibility of managing patient appointments and regulating a patient’s bedroom environment. Extenway allows healthcare organizations to optimize the way they manage and coordinate interactions between patients, medical staff and those working in administration. The company is based in Baie d’Urfé in the Montreal region of Canada.

Disclaimer – Safe Harbour Forward–Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements relate to the future financial conditions, results of operations or business of the Company. These statements may be current expectations and estimates about the markets in which Extenway Solutions Inc. operates and management’s beliefs and assumptions regarding these markets. These statements are subject to important risks and uncertainties which are difficult to predict and assumptions which may prove to be inaccurate. The results or events predicted in forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. In particular, forward-looking statements do not reflect the potential impact of any merger, acquisitions or other business combinations or divestitures that may be announced or completed after such statements are made.

WASHINGTON, DC–(Marketwire – October 19, 2010) –  She is a ray of hope, arriving Oct. 18 in one of the world’s poorest, most volatile regions. She is Aisha — the 50,000^th baby born at Holy Family Hospital of Bethlehem.

“This is a very special moment for the hospital, for us, for our future and especially for the mother,” said Dr. Jadallah Najjar, who delivered the baby and is head of Holy Family Hospital’s Gynecology and Obstetrics Department. “I hope there will be peace in this land, and that this birth is a symbol of that peace.”

At 9:30 a.m. local time on Oct. 18, 2010, Dr. Najjar delivered Aisha to Hafsah Omar Radaydiah, 19, and her husband Isam, 24. She weighed 7.5 pounds and was 19.7 inches long. Mother and baby are doing well!

 “I am so happy,” Hafsah Radaydiah said. “I have been waiting to become a mother. This will change my whole life. I’m happy because she is so beautiful.”

“We’ve just heard the exciting news,” said Colleen Marotta, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Holy Family Hospital Foundation. “We are thrilled to welcome the 50,000^th life at our hospital.”

“This birth is very exciting and symbolic,” said Dr. Jacques M. Keutgen, general director of the hospital. “A young lady, 19 years old, giving birth to her first baby. This is the future of this hospital.”

The Sovereign Military Order of Malta has operated Holy Family Hospital of Bethlehem since 1990 at the request of Pope John Paul II who declared the Hospital one of the top 100 global priorities for the new millennium. Over the past 20 years, it has provided a variety of maternity, gynecological and pediatric services to families in the region without regard to race, religion or ability to pay. Located only 500 yards from the traditionally recognized birthplace of Jesus, no family has ever arrived at its doors to hear that “there is no room.”

In addition to Colleen Marotta of the U.S.-based Foundation, hospital staff are available for limited interviews. Please contact Christine Schicker of The Maximus Group at 404-610-8871 or by email at [email protected]. To learn more about the hospital, or download press materials and photos, please visit www.BirthplaceofHope.org.

WALNUT CREEK, CA–(Marketwire – October 19, 2010) –  On Thursday, October 28^th from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m., recently opened Skye Wellness of Walnut Creek, CA will host a free seminar providing an in-depth look at why detoxification is vital to maintaining health and well being.

The seminar, limited to 10 guests, will be presented by Laura Hollabaugh, a Certified Colon Hydrotherapist and Managing Member of Skye Wellness, and Sarah Carlson, a Certified Nutrition Coach of Be Wellness Nutrition. Those interested in attending the “Dump the Junk” seminar may call (925) 939-7069 or send an email request to [email protected], receiving a confirmation if space remains available.

“Clearing out the inner ‘junk’ is the key to returning your digestive and immune system back to optimum functioning. Detoxification or cleansing is the process of eliminating the buildup of waste and toxins from your cells, organs and blood,” Laura Hollabaugh explained, summarizing, “It’s the foundation of getting your health back.”

The class will provide an in-depth look at why detoxification is vital to improving and maintaining health and the necessary components of a Total Body Cleanse Protocol (TBCP).

The practice of colon cleansing, long recognized and practiced among European cultures, has undergone resurgence in U.S. holistic and complementary health care. Colon hydrotherapy is also known as colonics or colon therapy.

Skye Wellness, with its new eco-friendly facility located at 2123 Ygnacio Valley Road, Suite 210 in Walnut Creek, CA 94598, provides colon cleansing and wellness services. Its mission is providing colon cleansing with nutritional guidance to assist health-conscious individuals in achieving their optimal life and body balance, uniquely offering clients in the San Francisco Bay area both gravity-fed Angel of Water and closed Dotolo state-of-the-art cleansing systems to satisfy client preference and comfort.

Laura Hollabaugh is certified by and a member of the International Association for Colon Hydrotherapy (I-ACT) and trained at the Internal Environment Institute. She holds a BS degree from Kean University, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude and she attended Fairleigh Dickinson University, where she obtained a masters degree.

Sarah Carlson holds a BA degree from San Francisco State University where she graduated Cum Laude and holds a Nutrition Educator certification from Bauman College in Berkeley, CA. Sarah also sits on the Board of Directors of the Health Medicine Forum.

Visit the Skye Wellness web site at http://www.skye-wellness.com.

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MADISON, WI–(Marketwire – October 19, 2010) –  TomoTherapy Incorporated (NASDAQ: TOMO), maker of advanced radiation therapy solutions for cancer care, announced today that its 2010 third quarter earnings conference call, originally scheduled for Thursday, October 28, 2010 at 4:00 p.m. CDT, has been rescheduled for one day earlier, to Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 4:00 p.m. CDT. The call has been rescheduled to avoid conflicts with other industry earnings calls. TomoTherapy will release its 2010 third quarter results on October 27, 2010 at 3:00 p.m. CDT.

During the investment community conference call, Fred Robertson, M.D., CEO, and Thomas Powell, CFO, will review third quarter performance and discuss the company’s strategies. To join the conference call, dial 1-800-638-4817 (international 1-617-614-3943) and enter passcode 19539609. A replay of the conference call will be available one hour after the call ends through 10:59 p.m. CDT on November 3, 2010. To access the replay, dial 1-888-286-8010 (international 1-617-801-6888) and enter passcode 40905886.

For individual investors, a live Webcast of the conference call will be available on the Investor Relations page of TomoTherapy.com. Institutional investors can access the Webcast through a password-protected site www.streetevents.com. An archived Webcast of TomoTherapy’s conference call will be available for two weeks.

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.

IRVINE, CA–(Marketwire – October 19, 2010) –  SK&A, A Cegedim Company, a leading provider of healthcare Information solutions and research, today announced the addition of longtime information-industry sales professional David Simon to its management team as Senior Director of Sales.

“David brings to SK&A a very accomplished and very successful performance record selling information solutions to companies throughout his career,” said SK&A’s Dave Escalante, Vice President, Data and Information Solutions. “As we expand our high-quality, innovative healthcare data products and services into new markets, we are fortunate and honored to have such a skilled manager and leader join our organization.”

Simon has held positions in sales management, sales, and marketing management with companies such as Experian, D&B, and McGraw Hill. As Vice President of Data Sales at Experian, Simon led a large nationwide team of account executives to record product-line growth over an eight-year period. In his 15-plus years of sales leadership experience, Simon has managed field, inside, broker / reseller, and agency sales teams with a strong focus on new business development.

Simon will manage SK&A’s staff of 21 sales representatives and one sales manager, which includes inbound, outbound, reseller, and solution sales teams. Simon will be based from SK&A’s parent company office, Cegedim Relationship Management, in Bedminster, N.J.

About SK&A, A Cegedim Company:
SK&A is a leading provider of healthcare information solutions and research. SK&A, as part of Cegedim’s global OneKey® offering, researches and maintains contact and profiling information for over two million healthcare practitioners, including 800,000-plus U.S. prescribers. SK&A also offers the only 100-percent telephone-verified database of email addresses of prescribers and professionals working at active healthcare sites. SK&A’s customers include many of America’s most recognized healthcare, life sciences and pharmaceutical companies. Please visit www.skainfo.com for more information or www.skalivecounts.com for counts and ordering.

About Cegedim: 
Founded in 1969, Cegedim is a global technology and services company specializing in the healthcare field. Cegedim supplies services, technological tools, specialized software, data flow management services and databases. Its offerings are targeted notably at healthcare industries, life sciences companies, healthcare professionals and insurance companies. The world leader in life sciences CRM, Cegedim is also one of the leading suppliers of strategic healthcare industry data. Cegedim employs 8,600 people in more than 80 countries and generated revenue of EUR 874 million in 2009.
Cegedim SA is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: CGM).
To learn more, please visit www.cegedim.com.

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BETHESDA, MD–(Marketwire – October 19, 2010) –  GetWellNetwork, Inc. today announced that the company’s Chief Outcomes Officer, David Wright, and Chad Mulvany, Healthcare Financial Management Association, will share how new health care provisions such as Value-Based Purchasing(1) will impact U.S. hospitals’ reimbursements by CMS. 

Mr. Wright and Mr. Mulvany will provide attendees with a thorough overview of the new health care law and “Pay for Performance” provisions, as well as to demonstrate how interactive patient care technologies are raising performance measurements used by CMS to measure hospitals’ effectiveness in treating patients — in areas of quality, safety, cost and satisfaction. 

Attendees will also hear how leading hospitals and health systems are using interactive patient care solutions to achieve evidence-based outcomes and improve hospital performance in the areas that directly impact the “Pay for Performance” provisions.

Date: October 20, 2010
Time: 1:00-2:00 PM EST
To Register Click: Using Patient Engagement to Prepare for the Pay for Performance

About GetWellNetwork
GetWellNetwork, Inc. uses the bedside TV to entertain, educate and empower hospital patients and caregivers to be more actively engaged in their care. This patient-centered approach improves both satisfaction and outcomes for patients and hospitals. GetWellNetwork is the leader in interactive patient care solutions and exclusively endorsed by the American Hospital Association. More information about GetWellNetwork can be found at www.GetWellNetwork.com.

(1) More information about CMS’ Value-Based Purchasing Program is available at http://www.cms.gov/AcuteInpatientPPS/downloads/HospitalVBPPlanRTCFINALSUBMITTED2007.pdf and http://www.cms.gov/QualityInitiativesGenInfo/downloads/VBPRoadmap_OEA_1-16_508.pdf

BOSTON, MA and WASHINGTON, DC–(Marketwire – October 19, 2010) –  Large companies forced to scale back healthcare coverage. Employees left stranded, picking up the difference. The stakes for American business are at an all-time high. Unmanaged, preventable healthcare costs are one of the largest drains on corporate income statements. But, employers have the power to turn the tables. They play a vital role in encouraging healthy behaviors amongst their workforce and must create a workplace culture of prevention to avoid a profitability crisis of epic proportions. 

That’s the message delivered to major employers by Chris Boyce, CEO of Virgin HealthMiles at the 2010 Integrated Care Summit in Washington, DC on October 15. Virgin HealthMiles is a leading provider of employee health and productivity programs that pay people to get active. More about Boyce’s and other experts’ perspectives on creating a workplace culture of prevention and insights on employee health trends can be found on Virgin HealthMiles’ new blog, www.theuprisingblog.com.

More than 75 percent of today’s healthcare costs stem from preventable, chronic diseases that are largely driven by our own personal health behaviors. And while companies pay for employee healthcare coverage at amounts rising more than 10 percent each year, said Boyce, they’re also absorbing 70-80 percent of these cost increases. At the same time, employees are incurring higher out-of-pocket costs and larger shares of their premiums. The Kaiser Family Foundation found the average family coverage premium increased 131 percent from 1999-2009, while worker contributions increased 128 percent.

Employers can no longer shoulder this burden alone. With the US median wage at about $43,000 per year, employees can’t bear much more, either. The good news? Companies can take action and impact the prevalence of lifestyle-related diseases and their resulting medical and productivity costs by getting employees to make healthy behavior changes.

Boyce said many employers are proactively managing these costs by creating a workplace culture of prevention and getting employees to become more physically active. Yet, more employers could, and should do more. According to a recent PricewaterhouseCoopers survey, 94 percent of employers believe they could do a better job in supporting their employees’ health improvement efforts. What’s more, an April 2010 study by Virgin HealthMiles showed nearly 85 percent of the 1,926 employee respondents believe an employer has a responsibility to take a leadership role in encouraging and promoting wellness in the workplace.  

“Chronic diseases drain our nation’s health, our businesses, and our economy. It’s imperative we focus on prevention and keeping people healthy so we can avoid the rising demand for costly healthcare services,” said Boyce. “Focusing on prevention promotes personal responsibility and links lifestyle choices to good health. It also allows companies to ensure their interests are aligned with those of their employees so they can productively work together to drive down lifestyle-related healthcare costs.”

Savvy companies across the country are using innovative, technology-based employee wellness incentive programs to build this culture of prevention, reported Boyce. These programs go beyond traditional wellness programs by motivating entire employee populations to participate through meaningful and affordable incentives. The programs are measurable, and help both companies and workers quantifiably track progress and program impact. And they’re manageable, so organizations can integrate various, splintered wellness efforts and incentives structures while aligning incentives for actual performance. When employed, such strategies fuel long-term healthy behavior change and healthcare cost reductions for employees and companies alike.

About Virgin HealthMiles
Virgin HealthMiles provides employee health programs that pay people to get active. The company’s Pay-for-Prevention™ approach, based on physical activity and healthy lifestyle change, attracts an average of 40 percent of employees who participate, which helps organizations reduce medical costs and improve employee productivity and satisfaction. The program is offered by employers, government entities, and insurers. Over 120 industry leaders representing more than 500,000 employees across the U.S., including American Diabetes Association, Intuit, MWV, OhioHealth, Ochsner Health System, Protective Life, SunGard, SunTrust, and Timberland have selected Virgin HealthMiles’ award-winning program for their employees. The company is a member of Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Group. For more information, visit www.virginhealthmiles.com

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NATICK, MA–(Marketwire – October 19, 2010) –  The Healthcare IT Solutions Exchange (HITSE) announces its slate of speakers and updates on tracks to be featured at its healthcare IT conference, HITSE New England 2010, to be held October 26 and 27 at the Doubletree Hotel, Westborough, MA. This is the first in a series of conferences to provide healthcare IT professionals with continuing education, purchase planning assistance and peer networking around issues facing hospitals and healthcare systems. 

HITSE New England‘s speakers include healthcare industry experts and CIOs, who will discuss topics related to the four conference tracks:

• Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE);
• Meaningful Use;
• Migrating to MEDITECH 6.0; and
• Revenue Cycle Management. 

Each track includes two speaker presentations, one panel discussion and an interactive session with vendors responding to issues raised by the speakers and attendees. Issues such as interoperability, business continuance and workforce scheduling will be addressed and case studies, product demonstrations and participation in user group discussions will be offered.

Key presentations are scheduled featuring the following speakers:

• Ray Campbell, Executive Director and CEO, Massachusetts Health Data Consortium, provides information and updates on Meaningful Use; 
• Dr. Cupid Gascon, Medical Director of Emergency Services at Oswego Hospital, discusses CPOE: A Physician’s Perspective;
• Bill O’Toole, Founder of O’Toole Law Group, provides valuable insight on Contract Considerations for MEDITECH 6.0;
• Ron Kilmer, Patient Services Manager at Nathan Littauer Hospital, presents The Evolving Role of Case Management in the Revenue Cycle; and
• Chuck Duncan, CEO of Healthcare Revenue Strategies, shares his experience in Effective Revenue Cycle Management.

“By organizing the HITSE New England conference, we are trying to leverage the benefit of peer-to-peer interaction, particularly to the delivery of healthcare,” states Arthur Young, president of Interbit Data and one of the founding HITSE members. “Healthcare IT professionals will have the opportunity to share experiences and exchange information and best practices, as well as collaborate with vendors on implementing solutions.”

All members of the healthcare IT community can participate and benefit from HITSE, including CIOs, IT managers, IT department managers, IT staff and consultants, as well as IT vendors. Vendor exhibition and sponsor opportunities have already sold out for this conference, however vendors are welcome to register as conference attendees.

More information on HITSE New England conference registration can be found at http://www.hitse.org.

About Interbit Data
Founded in 1997 and named to the 2009 and 2010 Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest growing companies, Interbit Data helps healthcare organizations deliver better, more consistent patient care with secure, reliable and cost-effective software solutions that improve operational efficiency. The company’s information distribution products deliver information securely over the Internet in multiple formats, such as fax, print, email, encrypted file or HL7 message format, and integrate it easily into physicians’ practice EMRs. Interbit Data’s business continuance products give healthcare providers continuous access to patient data in the event of a network or system outage. Interbit Data products are used by more than 650 MEDITECH^® customers worldwide. For more information about Interbit Data and its NetSolutions products, visit the company Website at www.interbitdata.com.

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COLUMBUS, OH–(Marketwire – October 19, 2010) –  Robert M. Honigberg, MD, MBA has joined the innovative Quantum Health as the company’s new consulting Medical and Healthcare Strategy Director.

Dr. Honigberg is also the current Chief Medical Officer of URAC (Utilization Review Accreditation Commission) in Washington, D.C., and is a steering committee member of the Aspen Health Stewardship Project and on the Board of Directors of the Center for International Health. 

As Quantum Health’s Medical and Healthcare Strategy Director, Dr. Honigberg will evaluate strategic opportunities and review Quantum Health’s programs to ensure patient safety and promotion of healthcare quality as well as provide guidance on reporting and publication of data. “As a physician focused on quality and innovative solutions, I am especially attracted to Quantum Health’s approach and creation of ‘Virtual Medical Homes’ to both improve quality and reduce waste and inefficiencies. I think it’s the right approach and their track record proves the efficacy,” said Dr. Honigberg.

“Healthcare is undergoing seismic change in the United States; adding Bob to our team strengthens our ability to grow with consistent and sustainable focus on quality. His unique background will also contribute to the already very positive relationships we have with providers across the country,” remarks Kara Trott, founder and CEO of Quantum Health. “His overall thought-leadership and influence will only strengthen our ability to continue to help make healthcare more effective for physicians and patients alike.”

Dr. Honigberg was recently the Chief Medical Officer, Global Medical Affairs and Clinical Strategy, for GE Healthcare’s $17 billion portfolio, which is a unit of the General Electric Company that provides a broad range of products and services to better diagnose and treat cancer, heart disease, neurological disease and other medical conditions earlier. Dr. Honigberg was responsible for strategies and operations related to clinical research and trials, the protection of patient safety, and medical communication to providers and governments. Before joining GE Healthcare, he was the Vice President, Worldwide Medical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer, at Ethicon Endo-Surgery, a Johnson & Johnson Operating Company, for seven years. He undertook his internship and residency in surgery at Montefiore Hospital and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. His educational background includes a B.A. in Economics from Duke University, an MD from the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. 

ABOUT QUANTUM HEALTH
Quantum Health is an award-winning and fundamentally different health care company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, serving employers nationally.

Quantum Health guarantees their clients a 5-8% reduction in total claims spend. By reorganizing benefits delivery and creating a “virtual medical home” for each member, Quantum Health maximizes each service opportunity to intercept patients when they have a problem to solve or questions about their benefits or healthcare. Real time, informed involvement allows our Care Coordinators to help patients, their families, and their physicians to work together to ensure proper care, eliminating redundant, delayed and questionable care — literally driving unnecessary medical events and cost out of the system. All with a 100% guarantee.

HONG KONG–(Marketwire – October 19, 2010) –  First China Pharmaceutical Group, Inc. (OTCBB: FCPG) (“First China” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce it has recently signed agreements to distribute medicinal and pharmaceutical products to three district hospitals in Yunnan Province, thereby dramatically increasing its regional market share.

The agreement comes, in part, as a result of a proposal put forward in 2009 by the Ministry of Health during the National Health Conference that public hospitals should gradually phase out the existing 15% medicines and pharmaceutical products “cost plus” pricing system within 3 years. The government also advised that medical institutions should centralize their procurement and distribution of drug and pharmacare products.

These new guidelines identified that the previous system maintained high prices and commissions which have been deemed unsustainable and that these institutions should move towards agreements with large scale pharmaceutical distributors. This new methodology has been welcomed and is increasingly becoming popular as many leading hospitals and clinics move to this new system of procurement.

This news has been welcomed at First China and the results are just now coming to fruition with these new contracts now in place with the Yunnan No. 1 Peoples Hospital as well as the Kunming Yanan and Lin Cang Peoples Hospitals. The Company is perfectly positioned to take advantage of this Government approved purchasing directive and stands ready to be catapulted into the forefront of this rapidly growing market segment.

First China’s combination of bulk purchasing, low prices and growing variety of product lines (both Chinese and Western) complements its high capacity supply chain and B2B operating system all of which fully utilizes and exploits the benefits of their exclusive government issued internet ordering and distribution license. As a result, the Company is daily increasing its differentiation from the rest of the competition in this region of over 45 million inhabitants. 

Currently any hospital or clinic in Yunnan Province can easily sign up to procure the medicines they need from First China, enjoying instant response, rapid fulfillment and secure services combined with excellent price points, allowing those institutions to recover increased margins while offering lower retail pricing in many instances.

First China Pharmaceutical Group plans to continue the growth of the company from its current position as a provider of approximately 5,000 drugs to more than 4,700 pharmacies, hospitals and clinics in China’s Yunnan Province. The Company anticipates its business model will change to leverage the efficiencies of internet ordering and fulfillment and intends to rapidly expand its capacity to approximately 30,000 products. It is estimated that a broader product line will ensure customers will be able to order 80% to 90% of their product needs directly from the Company.

The Definitive Agreement contains customary representation and warranties, covenants and indemnification provisions and conditions. Details of the company’s business, finances, appointments and agreements can be found as part of the Company’s continuous public disclosure as a reporting issuer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) EDGAR database.

About First China Pharmaceutical Group, Inc. (OTCBB: FCPG)
First China Pharmaceutical Group, Inc. aims to develop a high growth pharmaceutical distribution company generating significant revenue from the sale of healthcare products in China. As part of its business strategy, the Company has acquired the assets of Kun Ming Xin Yuan Tang Pharmacies Co. Ltd. (XYT), which includes a strategic advantage over its competitors as it is the only pharmaceutical distribution company in Yunnan Province that has obtained government approval to fulfill orders over the internet. First China Pharmaceutical Group plans to continue the rapid growth of the company from its current position as a provider of approximately 5,000 drugs to more than 4,700 pharmacies, hospitals and clinics in China’s Yunnan Province. For more information visit: www.firstchinapharma.com

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, regulatory incentives, the development of new business opportunities, and projected costs, revenue, profits and results operations. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects and development stage companies. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
First China Pharmaceutical Group, Inc.
————————————————-
Zhen Jiang Wang
Chairman and CEO

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LOS ANGELES, CA–(Marketwire – October 19, 2010) – MMRGlobal, Inc. (OTCBB: MMRF) (MMR) today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Chartis to offer its energy casualty clients a suite of secure, online products that will allow their employees to manage critical, sensitive information such as medical, financial and vital records. The Chartis insurers will offer this service as part of their Global Marine and Energy workers’ compensation policies. The program will be offered to policyholders starting later this month at www.chartisinsurance.com/mmr.

Powered by MMRGlobal using its MyMedicalRecords technology (www.mmrvideos.com), clients’ employees and their families will be able to store and manage their medical records and personal health information, including lab reports, X-rays and scanned images, wellness tools and family health history, in a secure, encrypted Web-based application that can be accessed 24/7 from anywhere in the world using the Internet. The program will also allow for storage of other important documents, such as passports, deeds of trust and wills.

“At a time when the world is spending hundreds of billions of dollars on health information technology, I am proud that MMRGlobal is working with a company that is first to deploy personal health records in their industry,” said Robert H. Lorsch, Chairman and CEO of MMRGlobal. “As part of the program launch, MMR produced a training video featuring MMRGlobal Advisory Board member, Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who joins Tom Morelli, President of the Global Marine and Energy Casualty Division of Chartis, to demonstrate how to utilize MMR’s proprietary personal health record products to employees and agents.”

“As part of an ongoing commitment to support our clients, we will expand our offerings as their needs evolve. We are very excited to offer our energy business clients this new benefit,” said Mr. Morelli.

In addition to a comprehensive file management system, each personal health record will feature a separate emergency log-in that will allow first responders and other medical personnel to access potentially life-saving information such as blood type, medications and allergies.

For more information on the electronic personal health records program, please visit www.mymedicalrecords.com.

About Chartis

Chartis is a world leading property-casualty and general insurance organization serving more than 45 million clients in over 160 countries and jurisdictions. With a 90-year history, one of the industry’s most extensive ranges of products and services, deep claims expertise and excellent financial strength, Chartis enables its commercial and personal insurance clients alike to manage virtually any risk with confidence. Chartis is the marketing name for the worldwide property-casualty and general insurance operations of Chartis Inc. For additional information, please visit our website at http://www.chartisinsurance.com.

All products are written by insurance company subsidiaries or affiliates of Chartis Inc. Coverage may not be available in all jurisdictions and is subject to actual policy language. Non-insurance products and services may be provided by independent third parties. Certain coverage may be provided by a surplus lines insurer. Surplus lines insurers do not generally participate in state guaranty funds and insureds are therefore not protected by such funds.

About MMRGlobal

MMRGlobal, Inc., through its wholly-owned operating subsidiary, MyMedicalRecords, Inc. (MMR), provides secure and easy-to-use online personal health records (PHRs) and electronic safe deposit box storage solutions that enable individuals and families to maintain and access all their medical records and other important documents anytime from anywhere in the world using the Internet. The MyMedicalRecords Personal Health Record is built on proprietary, patented technologies to allow documents, images and voicemail messages to be transmitted and stored in the system using a variety of methods, including fax, phone, or file upload without relying on any specific electronic medical record platform to populate a user’s account. The Company’s professional offering, MMRPro, is designed to give physicians’ offices an easy and cost-effective solution to digitizing paper-based medical records and sharing them with patients in real time through an integrated patient portal. MMR is an Independent Software Vendor Partner with Kodak to deliver an integrated turnkey EMR solution for healthcare professionals. MMR is also an integrated service provider on Google Health. To learn more about MMRGlobal, Inc. and its products, visit www.mmrglobal.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements contained in this press release that refer to future events or other non-historical matters are forward-looking statements, and some can be identified by the use of words (and their derivations) such as “need,” “possibility,” “offer,” “development,” “if,” “negotiate,” “when,” “begun,” “believe,” “achieve,” “will,” “estimate,” “expect,” “maintain,” “plan,” and “continue.” MMRGlobal, Inc. and Chartis disclaim any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable expectations of both parties as of the date of this press release and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. The information discussed in this release is subject to various risks and uncertainties related to changes in MMRGlobal’s relationship with Chartis, the parties’ business prospects, results of operations or financial condition, government regulations and such other risks and uncertainties as detailed from time to time in MMRGlobal’s and Chartis’ public filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

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TUSTIN, CA–(Marketwire – October 19, 2010) –  Radient Pharmaceuticals Corporation (RPC) (NYSE Amex: RPC) and its exclusive India-based distribution partner Jaiva Technologies, Inc. (JTI) and Jaiva’s Indian subsidiary Gaur Diagno, Pvt Ltd (GDL) announced today the launch of a cancer education and screening program in India — a key international market where GDL is actively commercializing RPC’s Onko-Sure® in vitro diagnostic (IVD) cancer test. The goal of the program is to drive public education; raise market awareness; and offer Onko-Sure® as a commercialized cancer screening test that can potentially help stem the rising cancer epidemic in India.

According to the Cancer Foundation of India, cancer impacts up to 2.5 million people in India annually and the fight against cancer — in both the public and private healthcare sectors — is largely restricted to improving diagnostic and treatment facilities throughout the country. Because of this, it has become increasingly vital to enhance activities and programs that support cancer education and offer treatment options to potential and existing cancer patients. 

With the launch of its cancer education and screening program on behalf of RPC, GDL is taking an aggressive leadership role in India with two distinct launch strategies. The first comprises a widespread deployment of GDL’s mobile cancer screening laboratory units where Indian-based physicians and other medical staff travel to local towns to provide counseling and education, along with patient screening using RPC’s Onko-Sure® IVD cancer test. The second program is focused on Company collaboration with Indian government agencies to establish GDL-sponsored cancer screening and testing facilities directly on-site in government hospitals. Physician-referred general cancer screening will also be conducted at these hospitals and it is anticipated that RPC’s Onko-Sure® IVD cancer tests will be administered to patients contacted through the program. The goal of both strategies is to reduce the incidence of cancer in India, and through each program, patients will be provided with registered health cards that will track a patient’s health records for future reference and statistical analysis.

RPC’s projected Onko-Sure® IVD test kit purchase plan is focused primarily on the ramp-up of the government sponsored cancer testing program. RPC estimates test kit purchases to be approximately US$2 million in FY2011, and US$3 million in FY2012. These estimates are subject to change based on results of the 64-point questionnaire and these figures have the potential to increase if GDL’s results show more than 50% of the patients at high-risk when screened through the 64-point questionnaire.

According to Mr. Douglas MacLellan, Executive Chairman and CEO of RPC, “The introduction of GDL’s new cancer education and screening program in India is the next most important and major milestone in the commercialization of Onko-Sure® in India. GDL is taking a leadership role in providing a market with 2.5 million cancer patients with not only educational resources and support through this program, but also the potential of early disease detection and on-going monitoring though our USFDA approved Onko-Sure® IVD cancer test.”

According to Dr. Umesh Bhatia, CEO of JTI and GDL, “This government screening program is a breakthrough project and we believe a continuous and aggressive approach is necessary if we are to reduce the incidence of cancer in India. We anticipate this is just the beginning of additional large-scale screening programs we employ. GDL is committed to continuing all efforts to work with Indian government agencies with the ultimate goal of reducing cancer rates in this country.”

RPC’s Onko-Sure® IVD cancer test is a simple, non-invasive, patent-pending and regulatory-approved in vitro diagnostic (IVD) test used for the detection, screening, and monitoring of various types of cancer. The test enables physicians and healthcare professionals to effectively monitor and/or detect certain types of cancers by measuring the accumulation of Fibrin and Fibrinogen Degradation Products (FDP) in the blood. FDP levels rise dramatically with the progression of cancer. Onko-Sure® is approved by the US FDA for the monitoring of colorectal cancer and by Health Canada as a lung cancer detection and monitoring test. For more information visit www.onko-sure.com.

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 its Onko-Sure® In Vitro Diagnostic cancer test. The company’s 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 patient outcomes. 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.

About Jaiva Technologies and Gaur Diagno:
Jaiva Technologies, headquartered in Houston, TX, and subsidiary Gaur Diagno, headquartered in New Delhi, India, are working to develop and license novel products for life-threatening diseases. Through science and innovation the company aims to develop novel therapies that will significantly impact and extend the quality of life for patients. Part of the company’s effort is large-scale screening of populations that result in meaningful and epidemiological slow-down of life threatening diseases, such as cancer. For further information visit www.gaurdiagno.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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INDIANAPOLIS, IN–(Marketwire – October 19, 2010) –  ImmuneWorks, Inc. today announced the initiation of its Phase I clinical trial in patients suffering from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a serious lung disease. The clinical trial will move the biotech company one step closer to commercialization of its lead IPF treatment compound.

Eight leading academic research universities will conduct the IPF clinical trial: Indiana University, Medical University of South Carolina, Ohio State University, University of Alabama-Birmingham, University of Chicago, University of Louisville, University of Michigan and University of Vermont.

“We are pleased to move forward into clinical investigation of our purified Type V collagen solution in patients suffering from IPF,” said ImmuneWorks Chief Scientific Officer David S. Wilkes, M.D. “This clinical trial is important to study the safety of this naturally derived protein and investigate its ability to influence the ongoing immune response in IPF patients.”

To promote the clinical trial and recruit participants across the eight cities, ImmuneWorks partnered with Indianapolis-based Synergy Marketing Group to develop a new website and conduct search engine optimization (SEO) to reach IPF patients and their physicians, friends and family members in Indianapolis; Chicago; Louisville, Ky.; Ann Arbor, Mich.; Birmingham, Ala.; Charleston, S.C.; Burlington, Vt.; and Columbus, Ohio. The new website is www.ImmuneWorks.com.

ImmuneWorks has been conducting research and development of treatments for serious autoimmune lung diseases for the last five years. Over that time, the company attracted the attention of several key investors, raising nearly $4 million. This funding came from groups including Indiana’s 21^st Century Research & Technology Fund, BioCrossroads’ Indiana Seed Fund and the IU Medical Group Foundation.

IPF is a devastating lung disease that is progressive and generally fatal. An estimated 128,000 persons in the United States suffer from IPF, with 48,000 new persons diagnosed annually and 40,000 patients dying from the disease each year (source: Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis). The number of deaths annually is the same as breast cancer and greater than other cancers such as multiple myeloma. Currently no FDA-approved medicines exist for IPF in the United States or Europe.

About ImmuneWorks
Headquartered in Indianapolis, ImmuneWorks was formed in 2006 to develop and commercialize treatments for serious autoimmune diseases of the lung. Led by founders David Wilkes, MD; Michael Klemsz, PhD; Ronald Meeusen, PhD; and President and CEO Wade Lange, the company has made pioneering scientific discoveries that ImmuneWorks is developing as novel therapies and diagnostic products for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and lung transplantation. In November 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted orphan drug exclusivity to ImmuneWorks’ lead compound, IW001, a purified bovine Type V Collagen oral solution. In June 2010, the U.S. FDA granted ImmuneWorks approval to begin clinical trials on the compound. Now, in collaboration with Lung Rx, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of United Therapeutics Corporation (NASDAQ: UTHR), ImmuneWorks is conducting clinical trials among IPF patients to test the effects of its new drug candidate. For more information about the company, visit the new website at www.ImmuneWorks.com.

MARKHAM, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Oct. 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, November 5, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. (ET) to discuss financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2010.

Following the issuance of the news release on November 4, 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 November 5, 2010, conference call, please dial 1-866-696-5910 or 416-340-2217 followed by the passcode 8528242#. 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 November 19, 2010. To access the rebroadcast dial 1-800-408-3053 or 416-695-5800, followed by the passcode 1846353#.

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 37,800 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 263 senior care centers in North America have capacity for approximately 29,200 residents. Extendicare REIT is a specified investment flow-through trust (SIFT) that has been subject to the SIFT tax since January 1, 2007.

IRVINGTON, NY–(Marketwire – October 19, 2010) –  MELA Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: MELA) today announced that the results of the company’s MelaFind^® pivotal trial and pilot reader study have been published in the online edition of the journal Archives of Dermatology. The paper will appear in the February 2011 print edition of the journal.

“We are extremely pleased to see the results of the MelaFind^® pivotal trial reviewed by outside dermatology experts and published in this prestigious medical journal in the field of dermatology,” said Joseph V. Gulfo, MD, President and CEO of MELA Sciences. “We remain diligently focused on preparing for the November 18^th panel meeting where these data will be presented to and discussed with the Food and Drug Administration’s advisors.”

The paper shows that MelaFind’s performance satisfied all primary and secondary sensitivity and specificity endpoints, as defined by the study protocol and a Protocol Agreement between MELA Sciences and the FDA. The Protocol Agreement calls for 95% lower confidence bound on sensitivity to be greater than 95% and for MelaFind^® to be more specific than the study physicians at a p-value of less than 0.05. Since the measured values of sensitivity were very high, the “exact mid-P” statistical method was used to compute the 95% lower confidence bound. Specificity endpoints were based on relative performance of MelaFind^® and investigators, with significance established at p-value less than 0.05.

In order to generate a comparison with dermatologists’ biopsy sensitivity to melanoma, MELA Sciences conducted a parallel pilot readers’ study with 39 other dermatologists who were blinded to the study results. Importantly, the average biopsy sensitivity of the readers was only 80%, and the inter-reader variability was high.

“The pilot reader study found that dermatologists do miss early melanomas,” study author Kenneth Gross, MD, said. “Only 20% of the melanomas in the pilot reader study would have been biopsied by all readers and different readers missed different melanomas. Thus, even though all lesions in the clinical trial were biopsied by the examining dermatologists, many of the melanomas would not have been biopsied by other dermatologists, underscoring the need for an objective tool to aid in the decision to biopsy. We believe that the results of the pivotal trial and the pilot reader study underscore the clinical utility of MelaFind^® as an objective tool to aid clinicians in the detection of early melanoma.”

About MELA Sciences

MELA Sciences is a medical technology company focused on developing MelaFind^®. MelaFind^® is a non-invasive and objective multi-spectral computer vision system designed to aid physicians in the detection of early melanoma from among clinically atypical (those having one or more clinical or historical characteristics of melanoma, such as asymmetry, border irregularity, color variegation, diameter greater than 6 millimeters, evolving, patient concern, regression, and ugly duckling) cutaneous pigmented lesions that are non-ulcerated, not bleeding, and less than 2.2 centimeters in diameter, when a physician chooses to obtain additional information before making a final decision to biopsy to rule out melanoma.

The MelaFind^® Pre-Market Approval (PMA) application was filed with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in June 2009 and is currently under review at the FDA. MELA Sciences cannot predict either the timing of the FDA’s decision on the PMA application or the outcome. FDA approval is required prior to marketing MelaFind^® in the United States.

For more information on MELA Sciences, visit www.melasciences.com.

Safe Harbor

This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include but are not limited to our plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements that contain words such as “expects,” “contemplates,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “intends,” “believes” and variations of such words or similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends, or that do not relate to historical matters. These statements are based on our current beliefs or expectations and are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and changes in circumstances, many of which are beyond our control. There can be no assurance that our beliefs or expectations will be achieved. Actual results may differ materially from our beliefs or expectations due to economic, business, competitive, market and regulatory factors.

PLEASANTON, CA–(Marketwire – October 19, 2010) –  Callidus Software Inc. (NASDAQ: CALD), the leader in Sales Performance Management (SPM), today announced the launch of its new Onboarding solution for the extended enterprise. With the new solution, Callidus now enables businesses to target, communicate with, and onboard sales professionals and independent channel partners as part of a comprehensive sales talent lifecycle management solution. The Onboarding solution has already been successfully implemented at one of the nation’s largest providers of healthcare programs.

“The sales professional is the principal driver of top-line business performance and one of the most costly hires businesses make,” said Leslie Stretch, president and CEO, Callidus Software. “The Callidus Onboarding solution is an integral component of managing the sales talent lifecycle to optimize on business goal execution. Companies with large independent partner networks in particular require a solution to seamlessly onboard new producers and drive sales velocity. The new solution automates each step of agent and producer deployment, accelerating recruiting, licensing, contracting, and field communications to enable companies to eliminate the bottlenecks that can threaten critical sales capacity targets, and control the costs of doing business with large producer volumes. At the same time, through built-in background checking and accreditation processing and tracking, the solution manages the risk of new appointments for our customers, enabling them to focus on driving revenue and long-term sales growth.”

By integrating the new Onboarding solution with its SPM suite, Callidus extends its footprint to provide the most comprehensive offering of sales talent lifecycle management solutions in the market today. The new solution leverages Callidus’ Business Process Management platform, adds sales professional and channel partner marketing and targeting, communications, and onboarding support to the suite’s capabilities to deliver a comprehensive operations platform that includes recruiting, licensing and appointing, goal setting, pay for performance, and coaching and training.

Key features of the solution include:

• Integrated agent marketing and communications for recruiting and capturing greater channel mindshare
• Flexible workflow platform that can easily be customized to meet a wide range of onboarding process configuration requirements
• Comprehensive electronic signature tracking
• Real-time verification of sales and agent data for background checking and accreditation requirements, including seamless integration with third-party registries and services
• Integrated with single repository for storing all agent demographics and contracts throughout onboarding and appointing
• Support for self-service portal for all field information, forms, and reports
• Full integration with the Callidus SPM suite for channel management, compensation management, and reporting and analytics

For more information on Callidus’ new Onboarding solution, click here.

“The needs of the selling network are fundamentally unique,” said Lorna Heynike, senior vice president, marketing at Callidus Software, commenting on the launch. “Sales lifecycle management, emerging from the discipline of sales performance management, is experiencing dramatic growth as more businesses make a strategic investment in their sales talent to drive top-line results. Callidus’ SPM suite makes it possible for businesses to significantly increase the likelihood for success in meeting top-line goals by driving goal execution throughout the sales force and channel network. Our new Onboarding solution strengthens our position as the leader in this very important market.”

Callidus Software’s award-winning solutions manage the entire sales lifecycle from onboarding, to incentives and rewards, to talent development, while providing visibility into sales operations and financial performance. This gives customers the ability to align their sales force and channels with their top business goals to consistently and reliably execute on target results. The software is used by leading companies in a broad range of verticals including high-tech, telecommunications, banking, insurance, and pharmaceuticals. Since its inception nearly 15 years ago, the company has evolved into the most experienced, proven, and reliable SPM vendor in the marketplace. Callidus Software manages over $50 billion in incentives and compensation for more than two million payees in over 140 countries.

About Callidus Software®
Callidus Software (NASDAQ: CALD) is the market and technology leader in Sales Performance Management (SPM). Callidus customers gain a competitive advantage by maximizing sales cost efficiencies and driving improvements in sales effectiveness. Our award-winning Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications set the standard for performance management of a company’s sales force and channel partners. Over 2 million employees and channel partners have their performance managed by Callidus Software. For more information, please visit www.callidussoftware.com

©1997-2010 Callidus Software Inc. All rights reserved. Callidus Software, the Callidus Software logo, and TrueComp Manager are trademarks, service marks, or registered trademarks of Callidus Software Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other brand, service or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or owners.

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NASHVILLE, TN–(Marketwire – October 18, 2010) –  In conjunction with Vanguard Health Systems, Inc.’s 2011 First Quarter Earnings press release, you are invited to listen to its conference call that will be broadcast live over the Internet with senior management of Vanguard discussing the operating results.

WHAT:

Vanguard Health Systems, Inc.’s 2011 First Quarter Earnings Conference Call on the Web

WHEN: 

Tuesday, November 9, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time

WHERE:

http://www.vanguardhealth.com or
http://www.visualwebcaster.com/event.asp?id=73288

HOW: 

Live over the Internet — Simply log on to the web at one of the addresses above. If you connect through www.vanguardhealth.com, select the “Latest News” link on the Investor Relations page.

Vanguard Health Systems, Inc. will release its 2011 first quarter operating results on Monday, November 8, 2010, after 4:00 p.m. Eastern time. The Company’s earnings press release will be posted under the “Latest News” link on the Investor Relations page of the Company’s web site www.vanguardhealth.com.

Vanguard Health Systems, Inc. owns and operates 18 acute care hospitals and complementary facilities and services in Chicago, Illinois; Phoenix, Arizona; San Antonio, Texas and Massachusetts.

If you are unable to participate during the live Webcast, the call will be archived on our web site www.vanguardhealth.com. To access the replay, click on the “Latest News” link on the Investor Relations page of our web site.

SAN JOSE, CA–(Marketwire – October 18, 2010) –  The Foundation for Health Coverage Education (FHCE)’s U.S. Uninsured Help Line 800-234-1317 received its 100,000th call last week, having experienced an uptick in queries from Americans about their options since the passage of health care reform six months ago. 

The professionally-trained call-center counselors have been inundated with callers seeking information about both low-cost government-sponsored and private health coverage options. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week in 190 languages, the Help Line counselors walk callers through their public and private options by distributing the FHCE’s 5-question Health Coverage Eligibility Quiz. The 100,000^th call is a milestone and indicator that FHCE and its resources are as important as ever.

“We actually expected a decrease in queries after the passage of the landmark health care legislation in the spring, but instead we’re finding the exact opposite,” said Ankeny Minoux, President of the FHCE. “The combination of individuals coming to the end of their COBRA coverage and those who are confused by the implementation steps of health care reform make up the bulk of those calling us for help.” 

The 24/7 U.S. Uninsured Help Line found a niche when it was created as a solution to the problematic statistic that one-third of uninsured Americans were eligible for government-sponsored health coverage, but not enrolled. The WellPoint Foundation has been the primary funder of the Help Line since its inception and continues to offer its exclusive support to advocate the importance of one-on-one live assistance when dealing with health coverage needs. The Call Center receives an average of 3,000 callers per month and acts as a consumer support system for the non-profit’s website, www.CoverageForAll.org. The website has likewise experienced a 20% increase in traffic in recent months, averaging 85,000 visitors per month. 

“In 2004, the WellPoint Foundation partnered with FHCE to establish the first-ever national Uninsured Hotline and we could not be more pleased that one hundred thousand individuals have utilized this important tool to understand their coverage options,” said Lance Chrisman, executive director of the WellPoint Foundation. “Our Foundation has provided more than $1.7 million in funding to keep the call center open 24/7 and we want to recognize FHCE for its continued commitment to the uninsured and on achieving this milestone.”

Five years ago, the pioneering non-profit put the entire U.S. health insurance system on CoverageForAll.org, including applications for 176 government-sponsored plans in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. As the first website of its kind to offer information on every public and private health coverage program in the country, CoverageForAll.org has already had more than 2 million visitors. Both the Call Center and website offer consumers the chance to ask questions about the complex health coverage system and many changes that will be occurring over the next few years. 

“When the government launched its own health care website in July, we figured it would pick up the slack of these queries,” said Minoux. “However, the government’s online function does not have a live counselor option. Along with the Call Center, CoverageForAll.org is configured differently and helps people actually figure out for which programs they qualify.”

The U.S. Uninsured Help Line 800-234-1317 will not slow down now that it has reached 100,000 callers. The landmark simply motivates the call center staff and non-profit to continue providing answers and guidance for the most complex health coverage questions.

About the Foundation for Health Coverage Education:

The Foundation for Health Coverage Education (FHCE) is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization with a mission to help simplify public and private health insurance eligibility information in order for more people to access coverage. In addition to its U.S. Uninsured Help Line (800) 234-1317 and website www.CoverageForAll.org, FHCE offers free consumer guides, such as the Health Care Options Matrix™, available for all 50 states.

About the WellPoint Foundation

The WellPoint Foundation is the philanthropic arm of WellPoint, Inc. and through charitable contributions and programs, the Foundation promotes the inherent commitment of WellPoint, Inc. to enhance the health and well-being of individuals and families in communities that WellPoint, Inc. and its affiliated health plans serve. The Foundation focuses its funding on strategic initiatives that address and provide innovative solutions to health care challenges, as well as promoting the Healthy Generations Program, a multi-generational initiative that targets specific disease states and medical conditions. These disease states and medical conditions include: prenatal care in the first trimester, low birth weight babies, cardiac morbidity rates, long term activities that decrease obesity and increase physical activity, diabetes prevalence in adult populations, adult pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations and smoking cessation. The Foundation also coordinates the company’s annual associate giving campaign and provides a 50 percent match of associates’ campaign pledges. To learn more about the WellPoint Foundation, please visit www.wellpointfoundation.org.

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BURBANK, CA–(Marketwire – October 18, 2010) –  Imaging3™, Inc. (OTCBB: IMGG), developer of a breakthrough medical imaging device that produces 3D medical diagnostic images of virtually any part of the human body in real-time, announced today that the company has completed the previously announced institutional transaction and has successfully been funded.

“We are pleased to announce the completion of this transaction, which was facilitated by Wharton Capital Partners, Ltd.,” stated Dean Janes, the company’s Chairman/CEO.

About Imaging3

Imaging3, Inc., founded in 1993, is a leading provider of advanced technology medical imaging devices. The Company has developed a breakthrough medical imaging device that produces 3D medical diagnostic images of virtually any part of the human body in real-time. Because these 3D images are instantly constructed in real-time, they can be used for any current or new medical procedures in which multiple frames of reference are required to perform medical procedures on or in the human body. Visit the company’s website at http://www.imaging3.com for more information

Safe Harbor Statement

Matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “may,” “intend,” “expect” and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the expectations of the Company and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with: the impact of economic, competitive and other factors affecting the Company and its operations, markets, product, and distributor performance, technological obsolescence, competition from other medical instrument(s) and imaging companies, lack of capital, unexpected costs, failure or delay of FDA approval, absence of revenue, the impact on the national and local economies resulting from an economic recession or terrorist actions, and U.S. actions subsequently; unavailability of financing for the Company or its customers, product malfunction and potential product liability claims, and other factors detailed in reports filed by the Company.

VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA–(Marketwire – Oct. 18, 2010) – Following today’s trading halt by Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada, CardioComm Solutions, Inc. (TSX VENTURE:EKG) (the “Company”) today confirmed that there is no material information pertaining to the Company which has not been disclosed.

About CardioComm Solutions, Inc.

CardioComm Solutions, Inc. (“CardioComm”) has been a consistent provider of ECG management software solutions in the English speaking world for the past 21 years. Its products are marketed as Global ECG Management System (GEMS™) and GlobalCardio™. CardioComm is ISO 13485 certified and its products have been cleared for sale in the United States, Canada and the European Union. CardioComm’s competitive advantage is built upon 2 ECG patents, a unique FDA approved ECG analysis algorithm, a world class ECG (signal) viewer and a back-end ECG data management control system. CardioComm’s technology enables the recording, transfer, viewing, analyzing, reporting and storing of electrocardiograms (EKGs) over a global virtual healthcare network by physicians for the diagnosis and management of cardiac patients. CardioComm provides an ECG management solution which complements the majority of the world’s cardiac event monitors, including those intended for the home and tele-health market. CardioComm products are sold worldwide to hospitals, call centers and physicians offices through a combination of its external distribution network and its North American based sales team.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of CardioComm Solutions, Inc.

Anatoly Langer, Chairman of the Board

BLUE BELL, PA–(Marketwire – October 18, 2010) –  PDS, a leading developer of human resource, benefits, recruiting and payroll systems, today announced that its Vista HRMS^® solution has been selected by Tender Touch Rehab Services, Inc. Based in Lakewood, N.J., Tender Touch will utilize Vista HRMS to manage HR, Payroll, Benefits, Recruiting, Self-service and Workflow for all of its employees located at various facilities throughout New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

“Our existing solution could handle some of our HR requirements, but was very limited in the areas of employee benefits, payroll, recruitment and reporting,” explained Ellie Hertz, HR representative at Tender Touch. “We needed an all-in-one solution that is accessible by all of our authorized staff members. With Vista HRMS’ ease of use, quick search capabilities and streamlined reporting, it is the kind of solution we have been dreaming about. Vista HRMS is the total package and it will enable us to focus our energies on more strategic initiatives to better serve our employees.”

“The data available to us was limited and the processes required to obtain the information we needed were cumbersome, causing more errors,” explained Amitai Levin, director of HR for Tender Touch. “In addition to the increase in accuracy we expect from Vista, we also believe that it will automate many of our processes, like approvals, notifications and benefits enrollment, allowing us to be more productive and provide our customers — the employees of Tender Touch — the best service possible.”

Tender Touch will be going live on Vista HRMS in late 2010. 

About PDS
In the HRMS software development business for more than 35 years, PDS is a provider of a feature-rich, completely integrated human resource, benefits administration, recruiting and payroll software application that enables organizations to focus on more strategic issues and less on administrative HR, benefits and payroll activities. In addition to core HRMS functionality, Vista HRMS^® offers self-service, English-language query tool and workflow automation. PDS also provides a full range of professional services to a wide variety of industries in the U.S. and in Canada. Founded in 1974, PDS is a privately-held company headquartered in Blue Bell, Pa. For more information on PDS or PDS’ Vista HRMS solution and services visit www.pdssoftware.com.

PDS and the PDS logo are registered trademarks and Vista is a trademark of Personnel Data Systems Inc. All other trademarks or registered trademarks are properties of their respective owners.

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ORLANDO, FL–(Marketwire – October 18, 2010) –  GARTNER SYMPOSIUM/ITxpo — Mezeo Software (www.mezeo.com), the leading provider of a deployable cloud storage platform, today announced Gluster (www.gluster.com), the leading provider of open source storage solutions, as a Mezeo Ready Solution Partner. As a Mezeo Ready solution, the Gluster Storage Platform enables organizations using a Mezeo-enabled private, hybrid or public storage cloud to realize the cost, scalability and performance benefits of the Gluster Storage Platform. The Gluster Storage Platform is an open source, scale-out storage solution that runs on commodity hardware and simplifies the task of managing unstructured data at cloud-scale. Storage resources are aggregated into a single pool under a global namespace providing virtual storage that scales elastically. 

“We welcome Gluster as a Mezeo Ready Partner, and believe that our customers will be excited about being able to deploy petabyte-scale storage in a Mezeo cloud in just a matter of minutes,” said Mezeo President and CEO Steve Lesem. “Gluster’s modular design makes it highly scalable and flexible, which is ideal for anyone needing to move large amounts of unstructured data into the cloud.”

“We share Mezeo’s interest in making it easy to deploy high-performance storage clouds that deliver on the promise of reduced costs and simplified manageability,” said Ben Golub, CEO at Gluster. “We deliver the ability to store large amounts of data as well as the ability to respond to dynamically changing demands and workloads. This is especially important for our customers in industries such as Web applications, digital media and healthcare.”

Launched in June, the Mezeo Ready Program provides an ecosystem for service providers, developers, cloud gateway providers and technology partners all focused on delivering Mezeo-enabled cloud storage solutions.

With Mezeo, enterprises can implement a secure, private cloud, and IT Service Providers can rapidly monetize a branded cloud storage service offering. Mezeo features end-to-end encryption, advanced file sharing and collaboration, content tagging and access anywhere with white label Web 2.0, native Windows® desktop, iPhone and BlackBerry® clients. Mezeo is easy to deploy, multi-tenant, and highly scalable and secure, with REST Web Services APIs for platform extensibility.

Mezeo will be showcasing the Mezeo Cloud Storage Platform in booth 1029 at the Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2010, continuing through October 21^st in Orlando, Fla.

Follow Mezeo on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mezeo.

About Gartner Symposium/ITxpo
Gartner Symposium/ITxpo is the IT industry’s largest and most strategic conference, providing business leaders with a look at the future of IT. For more than 10,000 IT professionals from the world’s leading enterprises, Gartner’s annual Symposium/ITxpo events are key components of their annual planning efforts. Attendees rely on Gartner Symposium/ITxpo to gain insight into how their organizations can use technology to address business challenges and improve operational efficiency. 

About Gluster
Gluster delivers an open storage software platform focused on simplifying the task of storing and managing the explosive growth of unstructured data. Our scale-out storage platform runs on commodity hardware scaling out in building block fashion from a few terabytes to multiple petabytes to meet the most demanding capacity and performance needs at a fraction of the cost of traditional systems. Gluster Storage Platform uses a unified global namespace to virtualize disk and memory resources into a single shared pool that is centrally managed. Our scalable NAS solutions address the needs of traditional data centers, shared storage for virtual server environments, and both public and private storage clouds. Gluster Storage Platform is used in a wide range of industries including digital media delivery, healthcare, internet, energy, and biotech. Gluster is privately-held and headquartered in Milpitas, California. For more information, visit www.gluster.com.

About Mezeo Software
Mezeo is the industry’s leading provider of a deployable platform for cloud storage. Service-enabled, the Mezeo platform is easy to deploy, multi-tenant, highly scalable and secure, with the Mezeo Cloud Storage API and Interoperability API for platform extensibility. With Mezeo, IT Service Providers can rapidly monetize Storage as a Service with a branded offering, and large enterprises can implement a secure, private cloud with clients for the desktop, Web, BlackBerry® and iPhone. Mezeo was named in CRN’s list of the Top 25 Coolest Emerging Vendors of 2010. For more information, visit www.mezeo.com. 

ALISO VIEJO, CA–(Marketwire – October 18, 2010) –  Enclarity Inc., a leading healthcare information solutions company, today announced the addition of ProviderPoint^® Web Services to its portfolio of hosted solutions. ProviderPoint Web Services gives payers an additional option for updating individual provider records in real-time. This Software as a Service (SaaS) solution uses a secure connection between the payer’s and Enclarity’s servers to automatically update one or more records at a time.

“Typically, a health insurance payer submits provider records to Enclarity for data cleaning and augmentation via a regularly scheduled batch process,” said Stephanie Rose-Belcher, vice president of payer solutions, Enclarity. “Using ProviderPoint Web Services, we now can update records on the fly. With our newest solution, customers are able to save time, money and get updates at the speed of their business.”

How it Works
The payer generates a provider output record that needs verification, augmentation and/or correction, and sends the data through Enclarity’s web service technology for processing. Enclarity ProviderPoint processes the record as soon as it is received, and the updated information is returned within seconds to the client’s system. Then, the client’s system applies the verified, corrected data along with augmentation of additional elements to the provider record. To assure speed and quality, Enclarity ProviderPoint Web Services uses system-to-system processing featuring industry-standard Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) message that can be uploaded into any application.

For more information about Enclarity ProviderPoint Web Services, listen to our latest podcast or visit our solution page at http://www.enclarity.com/ppws.php.

About Enclarity
Enclarity^® solves healthcare’s provider information problem. The company delivers correct, current and comprehensive provider information solutions by blending thousands of data sources, advanced analytics and healthcare expertise. As a result, its clients improve results in many areas, including claims processing, provider directories, regulatory compliance and market analysis. Named one of the Top 100 private technology companies in North America by Red Herring magazine and awarded the Global Healthcare Information Technology Excellence Award by Frost & Sullivan, Enclarity is headquartered in Aliso Viejo, Calif. For more information, visit www.enclarity.com.

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BOSTON, MA–(Marketwire – October 18, 2010) –  Shareable Ink, the leading provider of enterprise?grade digital pen and paper applications for healthcare, today announced the general availability of its newest solution, Shareable Ink Analytics™ for Anesthesia. The business intelligence module is a valuable extension of Shareable Ink Anesthesia Record™ that automatically extracts clinical, quality, and efficiency?related data from paper anesthesia records. Real?time access to information helps improve outcomes and operations.

Shareable Ink Analytics enables hospitals and groups to analyze 100 percent of charts without labor?intensive manual chart reviews and data extraction. The new solution incorporates dashboards and drill?down reports for a variety of clinical and administrative metrics, including Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) measures, anesthesia turnover times, and on?time case starts. Managers can easily pinpoint areas of improvement and compare performance across facilities and providers by viewing increasingly granular data: from the health system level to individual outliers and cases of interest.

“More than 90 percent of anesthesia recordkeeping is paper?based. As a result, operational data has been traditionally difficult, if not impossible, to aggregate and understand,” said Stephen S. Hau, President and CEO of Shareable Ink. “The Shareable Ink approach enables anesthesia providers to continue their familiar documentation method, while providing all the analytical benefits of electronic data output.”

“With 360 providers in 28 different hospitals and ASCs, Shareable Ink Analytics gives us the ability to instantly review, report, and manage real-time performance,” said Brian Woods, MD, Chief Medical Officer of NorthStar Anesthesia. “From patient clinical outcome measures to OR throughput efficiency assessments, we can now know exactly how we are doing at the enterprise, facility, and individual provider level.”

Shareable Ink Analytics will be featured at the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ Annual Meeting — ANESTHESIOLOGY 2010 — in San Diego from October 16 through October 20. To learn more, please stop by the Shareable Ink booth (#3930).

About Shareable Ink
Shareable Ink helps healthcare organizations of all sizes transition to electronic health records without disruption to workflow or burdensome IT projects. Its software platform incorporates enterprise?grade digital pen and paper technology featuring Anoto functionality. Shareable Ink enables clinicians to continue documenting in the fastest, most natural manner, while populating the EHR with discrete data, as if typed with a keyboard. Built?in analytics give hospitals and practices insight into their operations — from a clinical, quality and efficiency standpoint — all previously inaccessible from traditional paper records. For additional information, visit www.shareableink.com.

DENVER, CO–(Marketwire – October 18, 2010) –  Omni Bio Pharmaceutical, Inc. (“Omni Bio”) (OTCBB: OMBP) today announced that the first patient has been infused in its FDA-cleared Phase I/II human clinical trial of Alpha-1 antitrypsin (“AAT”) in recently diagnosed Type 1 diabetics at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes at the University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus.

The Phase I/II clinical trial is evaluating the potential of AAT to halt or reduce the deterioration of islet beta cells that causes Type 1 diabetes. While Type 1 diabetics will experience islet beta cell destruction, the trial evaluates whether AAT treatment may help stop the course of disease in newly diagnosed diabetics who may have remaining islet beta cells.

AAT is an FDA-approved, off-patent drug with an almost 20-year safety track record as an approved treatment in the approximately $400 million market for emphysema in AAT deficient patients. Omni Bio believes that the market opportunity for the use of AAT in treating Type 1 diabetes may exceed the current market.

Dr. Charles A. Dinarello, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Omni Bio, stated, “Following promising preclinical evidence of AAT in Type 1 diabetes, we filed with the FDA to move right into a Phase I/II clinical trial in newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetic patients. We are encouraged by the agency’s clearance to advance from the preclinical stage into actual patients, and the initial patient infusion is a major milestone for Omni Bio. If AAT is effective in disrupting the deterioration of the islet beta cells, we believe that we may be able to expedite our time to market in Type 1 diabetes, given the significance of the unmet medical need and the supportive safety track record of AAT in its currently approved indication.”

Dr. Dinarello continued, “Type 1 diabetes is a large and attractive market for Omni Bio, and we believe that our method of use patent applications surrounding AAT further position us to capitalize on this opportunity to deliver shareholder value while improving treatment for up to 20,000 Type 1 diabetics diagnosed in the U.S. each year.”

About the Phase I/II Trial
The FDA-cleared Phase I/II human clinical trial of AAT in recently diagnosed Type 1 diabetics is underway at the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes at the University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus. Patients will receive an eight-week treatment course of AAT infusions, followed by two years of monitoring. Targeted enrollment is initially 15 patients, and may be expanded to up to 50 patients pending positive data in critical measurements.

About AAT in Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, which are necessary for the body to maintain proper blood glucose levels. Not all beta cells are typically destroyed at the time of diagnosis, and between 15-40% remain healthy and able to produce insulin. Preserving these remaining beta cells is the goal of AAT therapy in Type 1 diabetics, as their ability to naturally produce even small amounts of insulin can improve blood sugar control, simplify daily management of diabetes, and reduce the risk of long term complications.

About Omni Bio Pharmaceutical, Inc.
Omni Bio Pharmaceutical, Inc. (www.omnibiopharma.com) is an emerging biopharmaceutical company formed to acquire, license, and develop existing therapies for indications with substantial commercialization potential. Omni Bio’s core technology and pipeline are based on issued and pending patents licensed from the University of Colorado Denver (“UCD”) and a privately held corporation surrounding the broader therapeutic potential of currently marketed therapies. One of Omni Bio’s lead development programs is evaluating an FDA-approved, off-patent drug, AAT, for the treatment of Type 1 diabetes. Novel discoveries made at UCD indicate that AAT has the potential to address a variety of indications in the areas of bacterial and viral disorders, biohazards, diabetes and transplant rejection.

Omni Bio is led by Acting CEO Dr. Charles Dinarello, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at UCD. Dr. Dinarello is considered a founding father of cytokine biology. For additional information, please visit www.omnibiopharma.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Some of the statements made in this press release are forward-looking statements that reflect management’s current views and expectations with respect to future events, including the clinical trial. These forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside our control, which could cause actual events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the statements. These risks and uncertainties are based on a number of factors, including but not limited to the business risks disclosed in our SEC filings, especially the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

MISSION, KS–(Marketwire – October 18, 2010) –  (Family Features) Tooth enamel is the hard, outer layer of the tooth that helps protect the tooth from extreme temperatures and the erosive effects of acids.

At times, enamel gets stained and weakened by things you consume such as coffee, tea, fruit juice, soda, wine or cigarettes. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help keep your smile white and your enamel strong.

• Floss and brush daily with a fluoride toothpaste.
• See a dentist every six months for a cleaning and checkup.
• Reduce your intake of highly acidic foods and drinks or rinse with clear water after eating or drinking these things.

Now, Arm & Hammer offers a way to whiten your teeth and strengthen your enamel conveniently and inexpensively. New Arm & Hammer Whitening Booster Plus Enamel Strengthening is designed to provide safe, effective whitening and enamel strengthening without adding an extra step to your oral-care routine. Simply apply over your favorite fluoride toothpaste and brush as normal. Featuring a peroxide formula with Liquid Calcium, this provides teeth with daily whitening and enamel strengthening when used as directed.

Taking good care of your teeth with healthy habits and easy-to-maintain routines will help keep your smile strong and vibrant.

MISSION, KS–(Marketwire – October 18, 2010) – (Family Features) Only about a third of American women are meeting their fruit and vegetable intake recommendations, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And that means they are likely missing out on potentially important breast and ovarian health benefits. Along with vitamins, minerals and fiber, fruits and vegetables contain a type of phytonutrient called carotenoids, which research suggests help support women’s health including breast and ovarian health. 

Based on a new report called America’s Phytonutrient Report: Women’s Health by Color, older women have total carotenoid intakes 20 percent greater than younger women after accounting for differences in caloric intake. Similar to the original America’s Phytonutrient Report: Quantifying the Gap which found that on average eight out of 10 American adults are falling short on phytonutrient consumption, the new report revealed a troubling shortfall, this time among women and carotenoids. America’s Phytonutrient Reports are released by The Nutrilite Health Institute, a worldwide collaboration of experts who are dedicated to helping people achieve optimal health — through research, education, and practical, personalized solutions. Nutrilite is the world’s leading brand of vitamin, mineral, and dietary supplements, based on 2008 sales.

Carotenoids are compounds that give fruits and vegetables their vibrant colors, which research suggests may offer breast, ovarian and other health benefits for women. Using NHANES energy-adjusted data to compare the diets of women 45 years and older with those younger, the report finds that many women of all ages lack carotenoid-rich foods in their diet, but the relative magnitude of the “carotenoid gap” is greater among women less than 45 years old as compared to older women.

“This points to a troubling phenomenon where younger women may be missing some of the benefits of consuming more carotenoid rich fruits and vegetables, and yet calorie for calorie, older women are eating more of these important nutrients,” said Keith Randolph, Ph.D., Technology Strategist for Nutrilite. 

Powering Up Produce
Choosing to increase the amount of the fruit and vegetables richest in carotenoids is important for long-term preventative health among women. While foods like spinach, tomatoes and carrots are certainly part of a healthy diet, there are opportunities for women to choose a wider variety of produce.

“It’s concerning that so many American women lack a variety of carotenoid-rich foods in their regular diets,” says Amy Hendel, Nutrilite’s Phytonutrient Coach. “By selecting the most carotenoid-rich produce choices, women can purposefully increase their carotenoid and phytonutrient intakes which can impact health significantly as they age.”

Hendel, a registered physician assistant and health/wellness expert, offers these easy substitutions to “power up” your plate and add new flavors to your meal plan:

Green: A serving of cooked kale provides triple the amount of lutein/zeaxanthin as a serving of raw spinach.
Red: A serving of guava delivers more than one and a half times the lycopene in a raw tomato.
Yellow/Orange:

• A serving of sweet potatoes has nearly double the beta-carotene as a serving of carrots.
• A serving of carrots delivers four times the amount of alpha-carotene as a serving of winter squash.
• A serving of fresh papaya has roughly 10 times the beta-cryptoxanthin found in an orange.

Hendel adds, a good goal for most individuals is to consume 10 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, with an emphasis on quality, not just quantity. If this proves challenging, consider a natural, plant-based dietary supplement which includes phytonutrients such as carotenoids.

For more information about Nutrilite Nutritional Supplements and to get more practical tips, visit www.nutrilite.com/color.

MISSION, KS–(Marketwire – October 18, 2010) – (Family Features) As expectant and new moms know, having a baby is one of the most wonderful experiences, but it can also be overwhelming. First-time mothers and veteran moms alike have questions about keeping their babies safe and healthy. They’re eager to learn about important areas such as nutrition, immunization, and safe sleep. 

To address their questions and concerns, the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB) developed text4baby. This free mobile educational service promotes a healthy pregnancy and a healthy start in life for all babies.

With more than 1.3 trillion text messages sent and received in the U.S. in 2009, it makes sense to deliver vital health information through mobile technology. Currently in the United States, more than 500,000 babies — 1 in every 8 — are born prematurely. An estimated 28,000 children die before their first birthday, a rate among the highest in the industrialized world. Premature infants come into the world with unique health needs that can mean lifelong challenges. Text4baby helps to address these issues by allowing timely and useful information to be distributed to help give babies the best possible start in life. 

While not everyone has access to the internet, 90 percent of Americans have a mobile phone. Text messaging is soaring in popularity and can be especially helpful in reaching first-time mothers in typically underserved populations.

How It Works
By texting BABY (or BEBE for Spanish) to 511411, a woman will be signed up to receive three free text messages each week that are timed to her due date or baby’s date of birth. These messages focus on a variety of topics critical to maternal and child health, including birth defects prevention, immunization, nutrition, seasonal flu, mental health, oral health, and safe sleep. Text4baby text messages also connect women to prenatal and infant care services and other resources.

Wireless carriers are waiving text messaging fees for the initiative, so enrollees opting in to receive text messages will incur no charges. Even users without a text messaging plan or limited texting per month will receive these messages for free.

To date, text4baby has sent more than five million English and Spanish text messages to more than 83,000 pregnant and new mothers. According to text4baby enrollment numbers, 96 percent of participants would recommend the service to a friend. 67 percent of the enrollees are receiving information about pregnancy, while the remaining 33 percent are getting information about newborns. 

“For those of us dedicated to health education, knowing that text4baby messages are reaching the women who are most in need of them is incredibly powerful and exciting,” said Judy Meehan, CEO of the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition. “Thanks to our partnership with CTIA-The Wireless Foundation and the mobile carriers, more than 5 million valuable health messages have been put in the hands of thousands of pregnant women since our February 4 launch.”

Text4baby is made possible through a public-private partnership that includes more than 350 organizations. The program’s founding partners include CTIA-The Wireless Foundation.

For more information, or to sign-up to receive the free text messages, visit www.text4baby.org.

MENLO PARK, CA–(Marketwire – October 18, 2010) –  Depomed, Inc. (NASDAQ: DEPO) announced today that its president and chief executive officer, Carl A. Pelzel will be presenting at the 17^th Annual Meeting of NewsMakers in the Biotech Industry Conference on Friday, October 22, 2010 at 9:30 am EST, and at the Oppenheimer 21^st Annual Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, November 3, 2010 at 2:45 pm EST, both in New York City.

The company will be webcasting its presentation and interested parties can access the live or archived presentation for up to 90 days on the company’s website at www.depomed.com.

About Depomed
Depomed, Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company with one product candidate through Phase 3 clinical development, another in Phase 3 clinical development, two approved products on the market and other product candidates in its early stage pipeline. Product candidate DM-1796 has completed Phase 3 clinical development and has been licensed to Abbott Products Inc. A New Drug Application for DM-1796 was accepted by the FDA in the second quarter of 2010. Product candidate Serada^® is in Phase 3 clinical development for menopausal hot flashes. GLUMETZA^® (metformin hydrochloride extended release tablets) is approved for use in adults with type 2 diabetes and promoted by Santarus, Inc. in the United States. Depomed formulates its products and product candidates with its proven, proprietary Acuform^® drug delivery technology, which is designed to improve existing oral medications, allowing for extended, controlled release of medications to the upper gastrointestinal tract. Benefits of Acuform-enhanced pharmaceuticals include the convenience of once-daily administration, improved treatment tolerability and enhanced compliance and efficacy. Additional information about Depomed may be found on its website, http://www.depomed.com.

CENTERVILLE, MA–(Marketwire – October 18, 2010) –  UV Flu Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB: UVFT) (the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has been selected as the only air purification medical device to be listed in the Infection Control Segment of the prestigious UK-based opinion and analysis industry publication “Public Service Review.” In this, our second appearance for 2010, the Company offers an informative profile within the magazine as well as a full page back cover advertisement.

The Public Service Review features contributors that include UK and foreign ministers, senior civil servants, experts and academics discussing the latest initiatives and projects along with case studies and comments on best practices affecting public sector initiatives worldwide.

“The spread of airborne bacteria and infectious diseases in the United Kingdom, in some areas, is reaching epidemic levels,” said Jack Lennon, President of UV Flu Technologies. “There is more than a 10% risk of becoming infected by HAI’s, or hospital associated infections, in many of the medical facilities in the United Kingdom, making Infection Control a much more visible issue than it is in this country. Being selected for inclusion by the ‘Review’ as the only laboratory tested device capable of killing these bacterial superbugs is a distinct honor.”

Mr. Lennon continued to say, “There is a great deal of attention in the UK, and in the United States, on the spread of MRSA, a bacteria resistant to antibiotics and estimated to kill tens of thousands of people every year, and in many instances affects people who have been in a medical facility. In fact, over the last 4 weeks an outbreak of Legionnaires Disease in South Wales garnered international attention as three deaths were reported, and a number of people were stricken. The world believed Legionnaires to no longer pose a threat, but experts believe it kills thousands of people yearly through improper diagnosis as pneumonia. The ViraTech UV-400 cost effectively and efficiently kills these airborne bacterial strains, and it was this that led to our inclusion in this particular issue.”

Further details regarding the Company’s business, financial reports and agreements are filed as part of the Company’s continuous public disclosure as a reporting issuer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (“SEC”) EDGAR database.

About UV Flu Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB: UVFT)
UV Flu Technologies is an innovative developer, manufacturer and distributor of bio technology products initially targeting the rapidly growing Indoor Air Quality (“IAQ”) industry sector. The Company manufactures the ViraTech UV-400, which utilizes high-intensity germicidal ultraviolet radiation (UV-C) inside a killing chamber that goes beyond filtration to destroy harmful airborne bacteria at rates exceeding 99.2% on a first-pass basis. The product also is highly effective in reducing odors and VOC’s, or Volatile Organic Compounds, such as acetone, benzene and formaldehyde. ViraTech UV-400 is a Class II medical device and is available without a prescription. 

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the development, costs and results of new business opportunities. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects and development stage companies. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

UV Flu Technologies, Inc.
—————————–
John J. Lennon, President & CEO

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LAGUNA BEACH, CA–(Marketwire – October 13, 2010) –  The American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons (ASBPS) today announced a partnership with RealSelf.com, a community that shares, discusses, and rates cosmetic services and procedures, that enables its 134 surgeon members to seamlessly participate and contribute to the growing online community.

The ASBPS delivers expert advice and educational resources on body contouring surgery with the goal of helping patients that have lost significant weight to find a knowledgeable and experienced plastic surgeon. This partnership significantly expands on the existing resources available to RealSelf.com visitors who anonymously seek authoritative counsel on post-surgical bariatric care and excess skin issues.

“For some patients, the euphoria — and associated health benefits — of significant weight loss may be tempered by the new realities of excess skin,” said ASBPS President Edward J. Domanskis, M.D., F.A.C.S. “This can be a highly personal issue, and before considering surgical options, many people first turn to online sources for education. RealSelf.com provides consumers with an easily accessible expert community, an open forum for discussion, and credible, of-the-moment resources. Our member surgeons look forward to sharing their knowledge to improve the quality of life for consumers seeking elective body sculpting surgeries.”

RealSelf.com includes thousands of first-hand accounts from past patients on hundreds of cosmetic services and skincare treatments, including Worth It ratings, cost, diaries of the experience, before and after photos, and videos. To date, board-certified doctors have posted more than 100,000 answers to consumer questions on RealSelf.

“Our bariatric surgery community on RealSelf.com has shown a marked increase in consumer interest, and we’re responding by ensuring visitors get timely, expert answers from leading medical authorities,” said Tom Seery, founder and president of RealSelf.com. “By aligning with ASBPS, we’re now providing access to the latest technologies and news on body sculpting surgery for consumers.”

About ASBPS

The American Society of Bariatric Plastic Surgeons was established by plastic surgeons that specialize in body contouring surgery specifically for patients that have lost significant amounts of weight through non-surgical means, such as diet or exercise, or through the various bariatric procedures. The goal of ASBPS is to help consumers find a knowledgeable and experienced plastic surgeon. Its members are all certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgeons and most are members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons as well as the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery or the Canadian Society of Plastic Surgeons.

About RealSelf.com

RealSelf.com is the largest social media site for sharing information about cosmetic treatments, cosmetic dentistry, anti-aging, and skin health. Featuring real opinions, reviews, and ratings, as well as doctor Q&A and before and after photographs, RealSelf covers hundreds of topics including plastic surgery procedures such as Mommy Makeovers, breast augmentation, tummy tuck, and liposuction. The Seattle-based privately held company is angel funded. For more information, visit http://www.realself.com.

NORMAN, OK–(Marketwire – October 13, 2010) –  Access Plans, Inc. (OTCBB: APNC), a leading membership benefits marketing company, today announced the appointment of Charles Harris as President of America’s Health Care/Rx Plan Agency, Inc. (“AHCP”), the Company’s insurance marketing division and subsidiary. 

“We are very pleased to welcome Charles Harris to our management team,” commented Danny Wright, Chief Executive Officer of Access Plans, Inc. “He brings to our Company over 25 years of experience in the health insurance industry, where he has served in a number of management positions, and AHCP will benefit greatly from his exceptional overall understanding of the business. Charles’ solid marketing, accounting and compliance experience, in addition to his familiarity with AHCP, its founding management and the challenges that confront the industry today, make him uniquely qualified to lead AHCP.” 

Mr. Harris most recently served as President and Chief Executive Officer of National Health Insurance Company in Ft. Worth, Texas.

About Access Plans, Inc.

Access Plans, Inc. (OTCBB: APNC) is a leading membership benefits marketing company with two distribution channels. The Wholesale/Retail Plans distribution channel specializes in turnkey, private-label membership benefit plans that provide discount products and services, protection benefits, and retail services to more than one million customers in the United States and Canada. America’s Health Care/Rx Plans (“ACHP”), the Company’s Insurance Marketing distribution channel, is one of America’s largest independent agent networks and provides major medical, life and supplemental insurance products to individuals. 

The Company is headquartered in Norman, Oklahoma, and its common stock trades on the OTC Bulletin Board under the symbol “APNC”. For more information, visit the Company’s website at www.accessplans.com.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and pursuant to the “safe harbor” provision of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements may relate to financial results and plans for future business activities, and are thus prospective. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from future results expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. Among the important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are competitive pressures, loss of significant customers, revenue mix, changes in pricing policies, delays in revenue recognition, lower-than-expected demand for the Company’s products and services, general economic conditions, and other risk factors detailed from time to time in the Company’s periodic reports and registration statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, and the Company assumes no responsibility for updating such forward-looking statements after the date of this release.

OAKBROOK TERRACE, IL–(Marketwire – October 13, 2010) – The Sullivan Group, a leading provider of clinician solutions to reduce medical errors and malpractice claims, launched its National Risk & Safety Collaborative today at the ASHRM Annual Conference. The Collaborative was created to extend The Sullivan Group’s proven framework for saving lives and reducing risk with evidence-based e-Learning, software, and services. Nationally known physicians who teach patient safety in high-risk areas of medicine were chosen as Collaborative Champions for their specialties.

The Sullivan Group is exhibiting this week at the American Society for Healthcare Risk Management’s 30^th Annual ASHRM Annual Conference and Exhibition, held October 13 – 16, 2010 in Tampa; they are located in booth #200. Dr. Dan Sullivan, president and CEO of The Sullivan Group, will be joined at ASHRM by Dr. Henry Lerner, Obstetrics Champion for the Collaborative, to discuss this new initiative with conference attendees.

Dr. Sullivan states, “Collection and analysis of 12 years of medical error data proved that there needs to be a deep, systemic change in medical systems and processes in order to keep patients safe and reduce medical errors at the point of care. We all know that missing a single detail can be lethal, so risk management must be real-time and occur at the bedside. With our National Risk & Safety Collaborative we are leveraging our success and proven methodology in emergency medicine to other high-risk practice areas.”

The National Risk & Safety Collaborative represents the culmination of Dr. Sullivan’s vision for a broad-based system solution to the national medical error and patient safety problem. Preventable medical mistakes and infections are responsible for about 200,000 deaths in the U.S. each year, according to an investigation by the Hearst media corporation, which published its findings in “Dead by Mistake” in 2009.(i) The Sullivan Group’s successful Emergency Medicine solutions have been shown to reduce medical errors by up to 50%, which in turn decreases malpractice claims and associated financial losses. 

These proven solutions have been implemented at over 600 U.S. hospitals, physician groups, and risk retention groups (RRGs) nationally. Three fundamental components to The Sullivan Group’s “Risk, Safety, Quality Cycle” are incorporated in all of the solutions developed by the Collaborative. These include:

• Web-based risk and safety education covering the spectrum of high-risk care
• Bedside clinical decision support tools
• Clinical performance evaluation relative to evidence-based best practices

Collaborative Champions
 Renowned doctors have joined the National Risk & Safety Collaborative with the goal of expanding The Sullivan Group’s solutions for reducing medical errors and malpractice claims into the areas of obstetrics, surgery, hospitalist medicine, pediatrics, family practice, stroke, internal medicine, medical-legal, emergency ultrasound, toxicology, and triage. Each Champion is working with The Sullivan Group to create a scalable solution to the patient safety and risk issues for his or her specialty and build it into the fabric of delivery of medical care. This is not a single “one size fits all” solution. Each Champion will work with The Sullivan Group to develop a multi-faceted, patient-centric approach that is specific to his or her specialty and is focused on the point of care.

Dr. Lerner is developing Obstetric solutions building on The Sullivan Group framework. He explains, “Having practiced obstetrics for over 30 years, delivered over 9,000 babies, and reviewed over 300 obstetrical medical malpractice cases, I have developed a sense of which clinical practices most often lead to good outcomes and low liability and which practices do not. My goal is to share this experience in an organized, programmatic way with obstetricians and obstetrical units across the country.”

The Champions involved in the Collaborative include:

• Dan Sullivan, MD, JD, FACEP – Emergency Medicine and Medical-Legal
• Henry Lerner, MD – Obstetrics
• Geoffrey A. Machin, MD, PhD – Fetal and Placental Pathology
• Steven Selbst, MD – Pediatric Emergency Medicine
• Fred Callahan, MD – Stroke
• Scott Allen Kale, MS, JD, MD – Internal Medicine
• Paul Sierzenski, MD, RDMS, FAAEM, FACEP – Emergency Ultrasound
• Leon Gussow, MD, FACMT, RDMS – Toxicology
• Shelley Cohen, RN, MSN, CEN – Triage
• Steven Pantilat, MD – Hospitalist Medicine

The Sullivan Group has created a guide on the National Risk & Safety Collaborative, including full biographies of the Champions. For more information on The Sullivan Group’s approach for reducing medical errors and malpractice claims, view this three minute video: www.thesullivangroup.com/images/flash.html

Note to Editors: If you are interested in setting up an in-person meeting with Dr. Dan Sullivan or with Dr. Henry Lerner during ASHRM or a telephone interview after the show, please contact Maria Doyle at [email protected] or 781-964-3536.

About The Sullivan Group
 The Sullivan Group provides software and services solutions to help reduce medical errors and malpractice claims across the spectrum of high-risk clinical care. The Sullivan Group’s clients — hospitals, physician groups, and RRGs — have reduced malpractice claims and financial losses due to medical errors by up to 50%. The Sullivan Group achieves these results by leveraging an evidence-based approach to integrate extensive clinical knowledge with technology focused on the point of care. For more information, visit www.thesullivangroup.com.

(i) http://www.hearst.com/press-room/pr-20090809b.php

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DALLAS, TX–(Marketwire – October 13, 2010) – New Century Hospice, a provider of hospice care to patients in nine centers located in Texas, today announced that it has closed $20M in Series A financing, led by Scale Venture Partners and Petra Capital Partners. New Century Hospice will use this new financing to continue its expansion of standalone hospice care centers located in Texas and neighboring Southern states. With the completion of this financing, Mark Brooks and Lou Bock, both Managing Directors with ScaleVP, and David Fitzgerald, General Partner with Petra Capital, join the Board.

New Century Hospice owns nine hospice companies in Texas under the operating names of Century Hospice, Cosmos Hospice, Heritage Care Hospice, Paragon Hospice and Angel Heart Hospice.

“I started this company with the belief that providing patients with high-quality, end-of-life care is both good for patients and their families and is cost-effective as well,” said David Gasmire, founder and CEO of Century Hospice. “Lou, Mark and David are experienced investors in companies that deliver medical care in a clinical situation. They understand how to scale this type of business successfully, while keeping care for patients the top priority. I look forward to working with them as we expand the company.”

Patients served by hospice typically have a life expectancy of six months or less, and the treatment is focused on palliation or comfort care for the patient and the family. The hospice approach to care is called “interdisciplinary,” because it involves the participation of many healthcare professionals, who are focused on addressing medical, spiritual, psycho-social and personal needs of patients and their families. The goal of this approach is quality of life for both patients and their families. The Medicare Hospice Benefit, enacted in 1983, also provides for medications, equipment and supplies related to the patient’s diagnosis.

“ScaleVP has a history of successful investments in healthcare service companies like New Century Hospice, where demographic trends and superior outcomes at lower costs drive growth,” said Mark Brooks, Managing Director with ScaleVP. “It is an honor to be working with David and the team at Century Hospice to expand their care centers.”

David Fitzgerald, General Partner with Petra Capital commented, “Hospice care will play an increasingly important role as more physicians begin to view hospice as the most appropriate option for patients with a terminal diagnosis. In our view, hospice care allows patients and their families to address the emotional and physical challenges of end of life care with the support of an interdisciplinary team in the most appropriate care setting. We are pleased to have the opportunity to partner with such an outstanding management team, led by David Gasmire, and look forward to helping New Century Hospice achieve its growth plans.”

About Scale Venture Partners
Based in Foster City, California, the ScaleVP team is a long-standing partnership with a consistent, top quartile track record of returns for the past decade. ScaleVP’s market-tested investment strategy, extensive operating networks and go-to-market expertise help identify and build successful portfolio companies in technology and healthcare markets. The ScaleVP team’s collaborative and active approach provides entrepreneurs a competitive advantage for growth and category leadership. Representative portfolio companies include AlimeraSciences, EverydayHealth, ExactTarget, Frontbridge, IPC TheHospitalist Company, mBlox, Monolithic Power Systems, National Healing, NComputing, Omniture, Orexigen, ScanSafe, and Zogenix. For more information, visit www.scalevp.com.

About Petra Capital Partners
Petra Capital Partners, LLC is a private equity firm based in Nashville, Tennessee. The firm is actively investing its second SBIC fund, Petra Growth Fund II, which has $160 million of available capital to invest. Its previous funds under management total $130 million. Petra provides non-control subordinated debt and/or preferred stock to high growth companies for expansion, acquisition, buyout, refinancing or recapitalization in partnership with the founding management team. Petra seeks to invest up to $15 million in growth companies that possess a minimum of $10 million in revenue and positive EBITDA at the time of investment. The fund targets business, healthcare and information technology services companies. For more information, please visit Petra’s website at www.petracapital.com or call (615) 313-5999.

About New Century Hospice
Based in Dallas, Texas, New Century Hospice is a leading provider of hospice services to patients, families and healthcare providers. The Management Team of Century Hospice has, combined, over 50 years of hospice experience. At New Century Hospice, we believe that quality care provides quality time for our patients and their families. For more information, please contact: www.centuryhospice.com.

TUSTIN, CA–(Marketwire – October 13, 2010) – Provista Life Sciences and Radient Pharmaceuticals Corporation (RPC) (NYSE Amex: RPC) announced today the validation study results of a blood test for early detection of lung cancer and Provista’s plans to broadly introduce this new test to market.

The study completed the requisite analyses and data evaluation needed to validate Provista’s test, based on Radient Pharmaceutical Corporation’s antigens for fibrinogen degradation products (FDP), successfully detects lung cancer with a high degree of accuracy. The study included men and women between 20-76 years of age. The data generated in this final study proved consistent with previous findings and produced positive clinical performance marks of 87% sensitivity; 95% specificity; and an ROC Accuracy of 0.97. By industry standards the study proved very successful and will serve as the cornerstone to Provista’s efforts to introduce a new lung cancer detection assay branded LC Sentinel™ to market. Provista intends to introduce LC Sentinel™ as a CLIA Laboratory Developed Test (LDT) for use in high-risk lung cancer patient populations in the U.S. by the end of the fourth quarter 2010 through its standard clinical channels that include physicians, medical clinics and hospitals. The company expects to seek FDA registration for LC Sentinel™ in 2011.

According to Provista CEO William Gartner, “We are exceptionally pleased at the test results and will aggressively market and commercialize this important and potentially life-saving lung cancer test beginning in the fourth quarter 2010.” Gartner also expressed high praise for the quality of the RPC’s manufacturing facilities and chemicals indicating the Company is pleased to be an exclusive partner of RPC in the development of the test. In conjunction with today’s announcement, RPC and Provista also announced the two Companies will execute an exclusive lab partnership agreement where Provista Life Sciences will purchase RPC reagents exclusively for the development of LC Sentinel™.

The American Cancer Society’s estimates of the impact of lung cancer in the U.S. during 2009 include approximately 219,000 new cases (both non-small cell and small cell) and 159,000 deaths resulting from the disease, accounting for 28 percent of all cancer deaths. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women — 62% of those diagnosed in late stages die within 5 years. Provista estimates there are approximately 18 million high-risk patients who stand to benefit from the test’s US introduction. 

According to Mr. Douglas MacLellan, Executive Chairman and CEO of RPC, “The detection benefit observed in this study represents a meaningful additional to tests available today. We are very encouraged by the potential benefit of this test to patients who are facing the deadly threat of lung cancer. As previously announced, RPC is actively engaged in acquisition negotiations with Provista and with the success of the deal; we expect to combine both companies to achieve a leadership presence in the global cancer diagnostics market.”

On September 27, 2010 RPC signed an extension of its original agreement dated July 13, 2010 to merge with Provista Diagnostics Inc., making the agreement between Provista Diagnostics and Radient Pharmaceuticals effective through December 31, 2010. Both Companies have confirmed continued interest in the merger and to pursue completion of the deal within a timeframe that suits the needs of both Companies and shareholders.

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.

For additional information on Provista Diagnostics Inc and its diagnostic portfolio, visit the company’s website at www.ProvistaLS.com. For additional information contact Donald Weber, COO, or William Gartner, CEO, at 602.224.5500.

About Provista Life Sciences:
Provista Life Sciences is a biotechnology diagnostics development and Commercialization Company located in Phoenix, AZ, the Company provides the scientific and operating management resources to rapidly advance the development and introduction of novel diagnostics technologies into the domestic and global marketplace. For more information, visit the company’s Web site at www.ProvistaLS.com or call 1.602.224.5500.

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 its Onko-Sure® In Vitro Diagnostic cancer test. The company’s 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 patient outcomes. Radient Pharmaceutical’s current Onko-Sure® cancer testis 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.

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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NEW YORK, NY–(Marketwire – October 7, 2010) – For insulin dependent diabetics it has been the ultimate treatment goal: a pump and monitor combination that would not only read glucose levels but also determine how much insulin to deliver, and administer it. In recent years, such products have become available and given the growing patient population, this should be a high-growth area in the IVD market, according to healthcare market research publisher Kalorama Information, in its latest report on the IVD industry, “Worldwide Market for In Vitro Diagnostic Tests, 7^th Edition.”

Kalorama estimates that in 2009, continuous blood glucose systems by three companies, Medtronic, Dexcom and Insulet, generated product sales of close to $200 million, as compared to approximately $100 million in 2008. This is high revenue growth for testing markets, and growth could increase in the future given an expanding patient population and increasing acceptance in healthcare, according to Kalorama Information.

“This is a hot and very competitive area and companies are demonstrating well above average growth for IVD products,” said Shara Rosen, lead diagnostic analyst for Kalorama Information and author of the report. “Most importantly, it’s an underserved market.”

Fewer than 30% of U.S. type 1 diabetes patients using insulin pumps and less than 1% of type 2 diabetes patients who use insulin pumps are currently using continuous monitors. CMS assigned unique codes and reimbursement rates for continuous glucose monitoring. 

According to Rosen, the unmet demand for this type of system is best illustrated by DexCom’s revenue track record. Since starting at just $2 million in 2006, sales have virtually doubled each of the past three years.

Kalorama’s report lists at least 10 devices that are already available and at least as many more in development. According to the report, not all of these developed products will be able to succeed. Smiths Medical’s (St. Paul, MN) recent exit from the market indicates just how competitive this segment has become, even when partnered with IVD veteran Abbott Diabetes Care. Smiths Medical (formerly Deltec, Inc.) was one of the first companies to commercialize a continuous BGM system. In June 2004, the company received FDA clearance to market the CozMore Insulin Technology System and in spite of continued improvements, the product failed to gain significant market share. 

Point-of-Care, or POC diagnostic tests are just one area covered in Kalorama Information’s extensive review of the in vitro diagnostic testing industry, “Worldwide Market for In Vitro Diagnostic Tests, 7^th Edition.” The report can be found at:
http://www.kaloramainformation.com/redirect.asp?progid=79735&productid=2613362.

About Kalorama Information
Kalorama Information supplies the latest in independent market research in the life sciences, as well as a full range of custom research services. We routinely assist the media with healthcare topics. Follow us on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/KaloramaInfo) and LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2177845&trk=hb_side_g).

BERKELEY, CA–(Marketwire – October 7, 2010) – Berkeley Bionics™, developer and maker of bionic exoskeletons that augment human strength, endurance and mobility, today unveiled eLEGS, a wearable, artificially intelligent, bionic device that powers paraplegics up to get them standing and walking.

eLEGS was unveiled at a press conference today in San Francisco by Berkeley Bionics’ CEO, Eythor Bender, who explained that the company’s mission is to provide people with unprecedented mobility options. “Many of the 6 million Americans who live with some form of paralysis today were highly active and at the top of their game when they sustained their injury. As they research their options for increased mobility, they discover that wheelchairs are pretty much it. This has been the only alternative — their only hope — for nearly 500 years,” he said. “We want to enhance their independence and freedom of movement,” he added, “and with eLEGS, they can stand up and walk for the first time since their injury.”

“As a wheelchair user, I experience the multiple health and fitness benefits of mobility from the standing position. I can’t wait to share this alternative with other individuals,” shared eLEGS tester and a partial quadriplegic herself, Dr. Suzy Kim, an assistant clinical professor at the Dept. of Orthopaedic Surgery, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, UCI Medical Center, as well as director, Clinical Spinal Cord Injury Program & Scientific Liaison for Reeve-Irvine Research Center. “The application of eLEGS will revolutionize the field of neurologic rehabilitation from the hospital to the home setting.”

Initially, the device will be offered to rehabilitation centers for use under medical supervision, and can be adjusted to fit most people between 5’2 and 6’4″ and weighing 220 lbs or less, in a matter of minutes. Users must be able to self-transfer from their wheelchair. Simple Velcro straps, backpack-style clips, and shoulder straps secure eLEGS to the user, over their clothing and shoes, and with a little practice, users can put eLEGS on and take it off in a minute or two.

eLEGS provides unprecedented knee flexion, which translates into the most natural human gait available in any exoskeleton today, making it better equipped to handle mixed terrains. It is also relatively quiet while in operation. Walking speeds depend on each patient’s aptitude and condition, but speeds in excess of 2MPH can be attained, and speeds can be varied. The device is battery-powered and employs a gesture-based human-machine interface which — utilizing sensors — observes the gestures the user makes to determine their intentions and then acts accordingly. A real-time computer draws on sensors and input devices to orchestrate every aspect of a single stride.

Clinical trials will commence early next year at select rehabilitation clinics in the United States. A limited release of eLEGS is scheduled during the second half of 2011 at several of the most respected rehabilitation facilities around the country. At that time, eligible patients will have the opportunity to enroll in a medically-supervised eLEGS gait training program, working with their physical therapist. Therapists will undergo training in order to become eLEGS-certified prior to assisting patients.

Berkeley Bionics developed the first practical exoskeleton and the first untethered exoskeleton in the world. Lockheed Martin Corporation entered into a licensed agreement with Berkeley Bionics in January 2009 and is currently productizing the Human Universal Load Carrier (HULC™). HULC’s users can carry up to 200 lbs for hours and over all terrains.

About Berkeley Bionics

Berkeley Bionics (www.berkeleybionics.com) — based in Berkeley, CA and founded in 2005, develops and manufactures powered and artificially intelligent human exoskeletons for military, civilian and medical uses that augment strength, endurance, mobility and injury prevention.

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MIAMI BEACH, FL–(Marketwire – October 7, 2010) –  New You magazine, the premier consumer magazine for cosmetic surgery, announces the hiring of a new vice president of national sales, Amy Ammon.

Ms. Ammon will be responsible for directing sales to all pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and medical device companies nationwide.

Ms. Ammon brings to New You an extensive background in the aesthetic and dermatology markets. Prior to joining New You, she served as national account manager for Advanstar Communications (Dermatology Times and Cosmetic Surgery Times).

“I am confident that New You is the up-and-coming information resource for anything having to do with beauty, cosmetic surgery and anti-aging. It’s destined to become one of the top brands in our industry, reaching a highly motivated audience,” says Ms. Ammon.

New You is the official consumer magazine of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, distributed to the waiting rooms of more than 2,000 cosmetic surgeons nationwide. It is also distributed to 1,500 bookstore newsstands and thousands of beauty businesses such as spas, medi-spas, health clubs, beauty salons and bridal shops.

The magazine is written for people interested in the latest and safest cosmetic procedures, from laser-assisted liposuction and breast augmentations to facial fillers and eyelifts, as well as how to find the best cosmetic surgeons nationwide.

“Amy brings an exceptional level of professionalism and understanding of the industry,” says New You Publisher Peter Mansfield. “She makes a great addition to the New You team.”

About New You Magazine

New You is the official magazine of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery (AACS), published by Miami Beach-based New You Publishing, LLC. The mission of New You is to inform readers about the latest cosmetic procedures, to educate them about safety, cost and personal experience, and to locate the best possible cosmetic surgeon. For more information visit: http://newyoumag.com

About The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery

The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery is a professional medical society dedicated to patient safety and physician education in cosmetic surgery. The AACS represents cosmetic surgeons in the American Medical Association through its seat in the AMA House of Delegates. Members of AACS are dermatological, facial plastic, head and neck, oral and maxillofacial, general, plastic, gynecological or ocular plastic surgeons specializing in cosmetic surgery. Founded in 1985, the AACS has over 2,500 members.

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