CINCINNATI, OH–(Marketwire – September 8, 2010) –  Compass Clinical Consulting features Jim Anderson, Chief Executive Officer of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (1996-2010), in a newly published, in-depth monograph on leadership excellence in healthcare.

LONG AGO AND FAR AWAY

In 1996, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) had 3,500 employees, 365,000 yearly patient encounters and $453 million in revenue. At the time, the hospital was looking for a new CEO to transform, grow and lead the organization into an uncertain future.

SAFE & OBVIOUS CHOICE

The safe and obvious selection would have been a candidate with extensive hospital administration training and long-term, proven leadership experience.

But, the CCHMC Board chose exactly the opposite.

A LAWYER … WITH A LEAN MANUFACTURING BACKGROUND?

They selected a lifelong attorney with a manufacturing executive background — a lawyer with an entrepreneurial bent and appreciation of lean manufacturing principles — James M. Anderson.

AND THAT MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE

In all measures, the hospital’s success and growth under Jim Anderson’s visionary leadership was extraordinary. When he retired at the end of 2009, CCHMC had grown to over 11,000 employees, 925,000 yearly patient encounters and $1.6 billion in revenue. Under Mr. Anderson’s leadership CCHMC was transformed from a small regional hospital serving the greater Cincinnati area into an internationally recognized leader in improving healthcare outcomes, experience and results for children.

HOW DID IT HAPPEN?

To learn more, read the newly published Compass Clinical Consulting “Profiles in Healthcare Leadership” monograph, featuring hard-won lessons from Jim Anderson’s career at CCHMC.

Key Lessons for Hospital Leaders:

• How setting a goal at zero defects changes your aspirational framework and exemplifies the extraordinary commitment required of patient- and family-centered care
• What to do when your best people tell you it can’t be done — and how to do it anyway, saving lives
• Lead with lawyers to reduce hospital, healthcare and legal costs
• How to build an Entrepreneurial Healthcare Organization
• One simple message to align the workforce and leadership

Compass Clinical Consulting’s “Profiles in Healthcare Leadership” are the products of interviews with transformational leaders in today’s healthcare industry — all of whom have demonstrated courage, ingenuity and the hard work needed to create dramatic, measurable and sustainable improvements in healthcare. These featured leaders challenge assumptions, see things differently and create remarkable breakthroughs.

DOWNLOAD your copy of Profiles in Healthcare Leadership: An Interview with Jim Anderson

About:
Compass Clinical is a healthcare consultancy founded in 1979 and based in Cincinnati, OH. Compass experts have helped hundreds of hospitals and health systems prepare for accreditation, optimize labor cost management, manage clinical resources, and improve patient throughput and physician relations. Compass also places interim healthcare executives.

DENVER, CO–(Marketwire – September 7, 2010) –  Eating Recovery Center (www.EatingRecoveryCenter.com) today announced that two of the nation’s foremost eating disorders experts have joined its executive team. Craig Johnson, PhD, FAED, CEDS, has been named chief clinical officer of Eating Recovery Center and Ovidio Bermudez, MD, FAAP, FSAM, FAED, CEDS, will become the medical director of Eating Recovery Center’s new child and adolescent treatment program. The appointments of these renowned doctors, known for their scholarship, dedication and clinical expertise, further elevate Denver, Colo., as the nation’s hub for eating disorders treatment.

Eating Recovery Center, a national center for eating disorders recovery providing comprehensive treatment for anorexia and bulimia, currently operates a licensed behavioral hospital for adults with serious eating disorders and an outpatient office, both located in Denver, Colo.

“Eating disorders impact 11 million Americans and remain the deadliest mental illnesses,” said Kenneth L. Weiner, MD, CEDS, founding partner and chief executive officer of Eating Recovery Center. “With the addition of Drs. Johnson and Bermudez, Eating Recovery Center has assembled an internationally renowned team to help patients tackle every level of care from critical inpatient care to outpatient treatment.”

As chief clinical officer, Dr. Johnson will direct Eating Recovery Center’s clinical program development and implementation. He will also drive the Center’s research efforts in conjunction with Emmett R. Bishop, Jr., MD, CEDS, founding partner and medical director of adult services of Eating Recovery Center. A leader in the field of eating disorders treatment since 1979, Dr. Johnson founded and was most recently the director of the Eating Disorders Program at Laureate Psychiatric Hospital in Tulsa, Okla. He is a professor of psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma Medical School and has formerly held faculty appointments at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University Medical Schools. 

Dr. Johnson was the founding editor of the International Journal of Eating Disorders, as well as a founding member of both the Academy of Eating Disorders and the Eating Disorders Research Society. He is also past president of the National Eating Disorders Association. He has authored three books, more than 70 scientific articles, and has been the recipient of several distinguished contribution awards.

“Eating Recovery Center’s ability to quickly adapt treatment innovations has led to the organization becoming a leader in the field of eating disorders. I look forward to working with this distinguished group to further advance the field,” said Dr. Johnson.

Dr. Bermudez, nationally and internationally recognized as an expert in the treatment of adolescents with eating disorders, will apply his expertise to the development of Eating Recovery Center’s new child and adolescent treatment program. Most recently the medical director of Laureate’s Eating Disorders Program, Dr. Bermudez is co-founder of the Eating Disorders Coalition of Tennessee (EDCT), vice-president and co-founder of the Oklahoma Eating Disorders Association (OEDA), as well as past president of the National Eating Disorders Association. He also serves in several leadership positions within the Academy for Eating Disorders.

Dr. Bermudez holds an academic appointment as clinical professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. He was previously faculty at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Additionally, he is a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist and member of the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals. Dr. Bermudez has lectured nationally and internationally on eating disorders, childhood obesity and other topics related to adolescent healthcare. He has been widely recognized for his dedication and advocacy on behalf of sufferers and families.

“I am thrilled to join the clinical team at Eating Recovery Center to develop an innovative program focused on the specialized needs of children and adolescents with eating disorders,” said Dr. Bermudez. “Our approach will be sensitive to the developmental needs of each patient and address the medical, behavioral and psycho-social aspects of their eating disorder while working closely with each family — all important components of successful treatment and lasting recovery.”

Denver, Colo., now offers individuals with eating disorders a full spectrum of care overseen by the nation’s leading eating disorders clinicians. Drs. Johnson and Bermudez join Eating Recovery Center founders, Drs. Weiner and Bishop, recognized experts with more than 50 years combined expertise, in providing inpatient, residential, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient and outpatient services at Eating Recovery Center’s facilities. A partnership with Denver Health’s A.C.U.T.E. eating disorders program, directed by Philip Mehler, MD, CEDS, an expert in the medical complications of eating disorders, enables Eating Recovery Center to collaboratively provide care for severely medically compromised eating disorders patients.

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.

Click here to see all recent news from this company

UTICA, NY–(Marketwire – September 7, 2010) –  CONMED Corporation (NASDAQ: CNMD), a medical technology company specializing in medical devices for surgical and patient monitoring markets, announced today that the Company will participate in three investor conferences during the second week of September 2010 as follows:

• Morgan Stanley Global Healthcare Conference on September 14, 2010 at 3:20 PM Eastern, in New York City

• CL King Best Ideas Conference on September 15, 2010 at 2:45 PM Eastern, in New York City

• Stifel Nicolaus Healthcare Conference 2010 on September 16, 2010 at 2:40 PM Eastern, in Boston

Mr. Joseph J. Corasanti, President and CEO of CONMED, will discuss the Company’s business. The live webcasts of CONMED’s presentations will be available at www.conmed.com in the Investor Relations – Events Calendar section of the website and will be available for replay through September 24, 2010.

CONMED Profile

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

Forward Looking Information

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

TAMPA, FL–(Marketwire – September 7, 2010) – Sage North America Healthcare Division, which provides electronic health records (EHR) and practice management software and services to approximately 80,000 physicians in North America, today announced that Mayo Regional Hospital, based in Dover-Foxcroft, ME, has selected Sage Intergy EHR for the hospital’s medical practices. 

The 25-bed critical access non-profit hospital owns and operates eight physician practices. Mayo Regional Hospital selected Sage Intergy EHR following a two-year evaluation process of EHR systems in the marketplace. Sage Intergy could easily handle the hospital’s billing requirements, along with the system’s robust practice management needs, said Ben Dever, Director of Mayo Practices Associates for the Mayo Regional Hospital.

“The uniqueness of our billing system and its complexities placed Sage Intergy at the top of our vendor list,” said Dever. “In our search for an EHR, we needed a system that could handle a robust, multi-practice billing system while providing clear reporting metrics and outcomes. Intergy proved the most capable system to meet our needs.”

Sage Intergy EHR 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 tools for online patient engagement. Providers can access Sage Intergy 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 EHR 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 EHR 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.

Dever said Mayo Regional Hospital is working to attain meaningful use, as driven by the federal government’s recent passing of a healthcare stimulus package. Sage Intergy EHR will provide the hospital’s practices with reporting and data collection capabilities as required by the meaningful use rules.

The clinics of Mayo Regional Hospital see more than 50,000 patients a year, and, while cost containment of moving from a paper to electronic system appealed to the hospital’s selection committee, adding Sage Intergy EHR to its healthcare system is driven by providing better quality of care, and tracking outcomes to improve treatment and care options for patients, Dever said.

“We’ll now be more easily able to track patients’ progress through their electronic records, and share patient data between the hospital and its clinics,” said Dever. “This will lead to quicker delivery of care and better, higher quality, encounters with our patients.”

Sage has been providing ambulatory healthcare systems for nearly 30 years, providing practice management solutions, electronic health records and other services to streamline patient care, as well as is a leading supplier of business management software and services, serving more than 6.2 million small and midsized business customers worldwide. 

View Sage Healthcare Division YouTube interviews.
View Sage Healthcare Division information.

About Mayo Regional Hospital
Mayo Regional Hospital is a non-profit, 25-bed critical access hospital located in Dover-Foxcroft, the county seat of Piscataquis County. Mayo Regional opened in 1978 and is governed by Hospital Administrative District 4, which was established by 12 towns to serve the healthcare needs of residents in a three-county area of rural central Maine. Mayo Hospital has 22 physicians and 375 staff members dedicated to providing acute medical/surgical care, intensive care, surgical services and obstetrics in an inpatient setting, as well as a wide array of outpatient services. Mayo Practice Associates, a department of the hospital, owns and operates eight physician practices in Corinna, Dexter, Dover-Foxcroft, Guilford and Milo.

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.

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

BOCA RATON, FL–(Marketwire – September 7, 2010) –  Banyan Corporation (PINKSHEETS: BNYN) announced that it has reached an agreement with Mark Eric Bailey to partner with it in the development of its America’s Dentist concept. When operational, America’s Dentist will offer a vast array of services to dental practices nationwide, including marketing; real estate/leasing support; practice management and analysis; finance; branding; practice purchase and sale representation and practice transitions.

Mark Eric Bailey has served general & specialty dentists nationwide regarding practice finance & advice at Capital4HealthCare, LLC. In 2005, he founded Dentcetera Dental Practice Advisors, LLC which provides advice, analysis and buyers representation for general & specialty dentists and in 2007 he co-founded edentalspace.com, the first global social networking site exclusively for dental professionals. Mr. Bailey has completed 463 dental practice transitions in his career. Dentcetera services will be rebranded Americas Dentist and will feature buyer’s representation or traditional practice brokerage services.

Mr. Bailey stated, “I am excited by this opportunity to participate with Banyan Corporation in the development of America’s Dentist. In today’s economy, it is more important than ever before for a dental practice to operate at its optimum, not just clinically but as a business. At America’s Dentist we will feature state-of-the-art practice management software to analyze the present business performance of a practice, and our consulting team will be able to quickly assess and recommend decisions to immediately increase a practice’s performance. Whether our services lead to the dentist’s long-term improved practice performance or help the dentist enhance practice performance in preparation for merger or acquisition, America’s Dentist services will be invaluable.”

The multi-billion dollar dental industry is the most organized of healthcare professions. Banyan Corporation believes it can leverage of the significant experience of both Mr. Bailey and its past ventures to move successfully into the dental arena.

About Banyan Corporation:

Banyan Corporation is a publicly traded holding company focused on investing in and building a network of operating subsidiaries engaged in various innovative businesses. Currently the company’s subsidiaries, Premier Medical Group, Inc. and affiliated companies, provide diagnostic testing services to physicians nationwide.

This Press Release contains or incorporates by reference forward looking statements including certain information with respect to plans and strategies of Banyan Corporation. For this purpose, any statements contained herein or incorporated herein by references that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed forward looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, the words “believes,” “suggests,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward looking statements. There are a number of events or actual results of Banyan Corporation operations that could differ materially from those indicated by such forward looking statements.

SCHAUMBURG, IL–(Marketwire – September 7, 2010) –  Network Services Company, an international organization of health care and janitorial supply distributors, recently announced the launch of Healthy Measures^™, a three-step consulting program to aid hospitals in the prevention of health care acquired infections (HAIs) while increasing patient satisfaction scores.

Partnering with health care facilities to assess their current conditions and cleaning practices, Healthy Measures (www.HealthyMeasuresOnline.com) is helping hospitals meet the standards and guidelines for housekeeping and hand hygiene recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC).

“Infections pose an extreme risk to patients during a hospital stay, especially if the patient is already in a vulnerable condition,” said Kevin Rudd, Network Services’ chief marketing officer. “We’ve designed Healthy Measures to be an industry-leading solution that enables hospitals to reduce infection rates, thereby safeguarding patients and improving overall patient satisfaction.”

The CDC estimates there are approximately 100,000 deaths suffered annually in the U.S. stemming from an estimated two million preventable HAIs. Some of the pathogens that result in HAIs, which have been found to be readily transmitted from environmental surfaces to health care workers’ hands and to patients, include C. difficile (Clostridium difficile), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), acinetobacter, norovirus and vancomycin-resistant enterococcus (VRE). But implementation of a hand hygiene and surface sanitation program like Healthy Measures can result in dramatically lower rates of infection.

The Healthy Measures program is a three-step process comprised of:

• Interviews with key personnel to gain an understanding of the facility’s current culture and challenges related to infection prevention;
• Facility assessment focusing on patient, public and staff areas to gain an understanding of current processes and procedures, and products used;
• Implementation of a comprehensive and customized joint-action plan related to hand hygiene and surface sanitation.

“The Healthy Measures Program provides a second pair of eyes when evaluating a facility and emphasizes collaboration by working closely with hospital staff to arrive at a solution,” said Rudd. “As part of the comprehensive solution, we provide checklists, educational and training materials, customizable signage, monthly tips, association guidelines, hospital rating websites and access to extensive research.”

Research indicates HAIs have become a financial risk to both individual health care facilities and the nation’s health care industry. The average cost of one HAI to a hospital is $14,000, while the average cost to the U.S. health care industry is between $4.5 and $5.7 billion annually (Source: Stone, et al. American Journal of Infection Control 2002; 30:145-52).

“Disinfection of the hospital environment and patient care equipment are essential strategies to prevent the spread of HAIs,” said Blake Kite, director of environmental services at Banner Estrella Medical Center. “One of the biggest things that impressed me about Healthy Measures was that we could decide upon our own action plan. We felt included in the process and part of the solution.”

About Network Services Company
Schaumburg, Ill.-based Network Services Company is a member-owned distribution network of more than 75 member-distributors with combined annual revenue of more than $12 billion. Members include distributors of janitorial supplies and equipment, as well as foodservice disposables and industrial packaging supplies and equipment. For more information about Network Services, please visit www.nsconline.com.

Click here to see all recent news from this company

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA–(Marketwire – September 7, 2010) – Compulink Business Systems, Inc., the industry leader in fully customizable electronic health records (EHR) and practice management solutions, announced today it is providing an unrestricted educational grant to the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO®) to develop online courses on EHR for ophthalmic medical personnel.

The online course series allows users to train at their convenience and pace with e-learning technology that transcends the traditional classroom environment and demonstrate their EHR knowledge and performance to qualify for certification. The course is open to two key groups of ophthalmic caregivers: ophthalmologists and ophthalmic allied health personnel, who assist the ophthalmologist in aspects of patient care. In addition, with the comprehensive online course content proposed, the e-learning will be of great interest to the entire eye care team: clinic managers, front office personnel, ophthalmic photographers, ophthalmic nurses, and other members of the eye care team.

“With this significant grant to JCAHPO, Compulink demonstrates its commitment to the ophthalmic community through actions as well as words,” said Link Wilson, President and CEO, Compulink. “We believe it’s critical to help all members of the eye care team learn how to implement, customize and utilize EHR solutions, understand meaningful use and, ultimately, deliver better patient care through the widespread adoption of electronic records.”

The training modules, which are broken into (1) education and training and (2) testing components, encompass the following content categories:

• Electronic Health Records
• Patient Management and Scheduling
• Insurance and Billing
• Financial Management
• Ambulatory Surgical Center
• Systems

Module content also includes such topics as: chart documentation and coding; history and examination; e-Prescribing; disease management; lab orders and results reporting; PQRI data verification; images; patient scheduling and contact management; insurance claims; Medicare; billing and coding; scribing; financial reports; ASCs; and security.

The Compulink grant supports training content and multimedia development, psychometric services for valid assessment, CME and CE applications, pilot testing and project administration expenses.

“EHR is a very important area for training the eye care team in today’s health care environment,” stated William Ehlers, MD, JCAHPO President. “With the government requirements and incentives for transitioning to EHR, it is imperative that all members of the eye care team build their EHR competencies.” 

The JCAHPO is a non-profit organization dedicated to the quality and availability of ophthalmic patient care by promoting the value of qualified allied health personnel and by providing certification and education. 

The program is expected to launch at the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) in Chicago, October 16-19, and will be administered at www.actioned.org, the online training site of the JCAHPO.

About Compulink
With more than 15 years experience in EHR implementation planning, management and technology, Compulink’s fully customizable CCHIT Certified EHR features clinical documentation, exam templates, fully integrated e-Prescribing, and PQRI automation. Backed by an exclusive EHR Success Guarantee and ARRA Certification Guarantee, Compulink also offers unparalleled financing options with its two-year deferred payment plan. For more information, contact Compulink at: [email protected] or 800.456.4522, or visit us at www.compulinkadvantage.com.

About JCAHPO
The Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO®) was established as a not-for-profit organization in 1969 to offer certification and continuing education opportunities to ophthalmic allied health personnel. Since then, more than 25,000 people in the U.S., Canada, and around the world have earned JCAHPO certification. For more information, visit: http://www.jcahpo.org/.

Click here to see all recent news from this company

REDWOOD CITY, CA–(Marketwire – September 7, 2010) – Lunera Lighting, Inc., a Silicon Valley company that designs, manufactures, and markets next-generation LED lighting, is pleased to announce that its award winning, energy efficient LED fixtures are now available for purchase on the General Services Administration (GSA) Schedule. New to the Lunera® team, Harpreet Walia, head of Government Affairs, will be leading the company’s government sales efforts.

The GSA Schedule program provides access to over 11 million commercial products and services at volume discount pricing. To qualify for the GSA Schedule program, all approved vendor products must be compliant with the commercial environment intended.

“We believe in creating sustainable, high quality, digital lighting through a combination of innovative fixture design and state-of-the-art technology. We are delighted that our products were approved on the first round to be included on the GSA schedule. Our commercial LED lighting products enable government agencies to progress towards energy efficient lighting for improved building performance and a more productive work environment,” stated Michael Lesyna, CEO of Lunera Lighting.

Advantages of purchases made through the GSA Schedule:

• Administrative work reduction
• Reduced purchase cycle
• Ease of use
• Procurement control

Lunera products can be purchased and ordered directly by federal customers through the GSA Advantage!® online shopping and ordering system. Products can also be purchased and ordered through Lunera directly. Lunera’s inclusion on the GSA Schedule is enabled through an agreement with Fedlight Supply and can be found through schedule number GS07F-7118B on SIN:206-4.

Lunera’s energy efficient LED fixtures are compliant with the Buy American provisions (Section 1605) of the American Reconstruction and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and the Buy American Act. Lunera’s fixtures are produced and assembled in California and are designed for ARRA-funded public works projects that advance energy efficiency in new construction and building retrofits.

The company is committed to creating products that produce high quality light, following sustainable green building practices, and striving for the greatest level of customer satisfaction. Lunera fixtures help buildings acquire LEED certification, while providing quantifiable energy and maintenance savings leading to a strong return on investment in LED lighting.

Promises Kept vs. Promises Made
The lighting industry is undergoing a disruptive change in technology for the first time in over 100 years. Analysts predict that LED lighting will become the predominant light source within a few years.

Commercial building owners are open to change based on the promise of digital LED technologys: dramatic energy and maintenance savings; reduced environmental impact; and on Lunera’s promise of delivering these benefits while improving the quality of light and fixture design to enhance the space for a building’s occupants. Obtaining accurate information about LED lighting is key to making an educated product choice.

Lunera is committed to providing comprehensive information on LED technology, its environmental benefits plus maintenance and energy savings to help potential customers make an informed purchase decision. Corporate customers interested in making the switch to commercial LED lighting should visit Lunera’s website for more information.

About Lunera Lighting
Lunera Lighting is an award-winning technology innovator leading the transformation from analog to energy-efficient LED lighting. Manufactured in the USA, Lunera’s premium lighting fixtures are particularly attractive when seeking LEED certification, since LED lighting substantially impacts LEED points in “green” buildings. The company is also a firm believer in social and environmental responsibility and has made it part of their corporate philosophy. Visit http://www.lunera.com for more information or contact Lunera at 650-241-3875 or by email at [email protected].

Click here to see all recent news from this company

BETHESDA, MD–(Marketwire – September 3, 2010) – GetWellNetwork, Inc. today introduced a new pediatric Asthma Care Plan for children’s hospitals, available now through GetWell Town™. The Asthma Care Plan helps improve patient outcomes by engaging patients and their families by teaching them to successfully manage the disease at home, leading to fewer hospital stays and emergency department visits. The GetWell Town Asthma Care Plan is immediately available. 

Pediatric asthma is the most common chronic condition among children under 18, affecting more than 6 million children according to the American Lung Association. It has costly effects for both parents and children, costing nearly $719 million in parents’ loss of productivity and asthma related school absences⁽¹⁾. At the same time, it is a condition that can be managed successfully with proper education and care plan. 

“We are truly excited about launching the GetWell Town Asthma Care Plan. The Asthma Care Plan enables care providers to easily involve children and families in a comprehensive educational program that will be instrumental in preparing them to effectively manage their condition at home,” said Sandra Marken, director of nursing pediatrics, Cardon Children’s Medical Center. “We believe that actively engaging children and families in this care plan will result in a decrease of readmissions within 30 days post discharge.”

The new GetWell Town Asthma Care Plan engages parents and children starting at day of admission. It leverages award-winning asthma education videos from KidsHealth^® to educate patients on key concepts that prepare them for managing their condition at home. The Asthma Care Plan introduces information about the disease in four phases:

• Phase One: Patients are introduced to the basics of asthma and begin their in-patient education curriculum.
• Phase Two: Children learn about medications and tools that help manage their condition, and the common triggers to avoid such as second-hand smoke.
• Phase Three: Patients and families are instructed on how to create a safe home environment and taught self-monitoring techniques to recognize signs and symptoms of potential flare-ups; their Care Team also checks-in to monitor their progress through the Asthma Care Plan.
• Phase Four: Patients learn about the take-home Asthma Management Plan and the importance of completing a plan of action before discharge. Patients and family members can also repeat any of the four phases and contact staff members for assistance throughout the learning process.

“The interactive Asthma Care Plan truly allows hospital staff to incorporate condition-specific education throughout the entire care process. By allowing patients and families to progress through the educational plan on their own, they are likely to receive important information at the right time in their hospital stay to better understand their condition and how to manage it,” said Dr. Neil Izenberg, founder and editor-in-chief of KidsHealth. “We are excited that the comprehensiveness of the KidsHealth Asthma Care Suite fits so well into the GetWell Town Asthma Care Plan to create a standardized care plan for young asthma patients.”

“We are honored to work with our GetWellNetwork Children’s Hospital partners and KidsHealth to proactively engage patients and families in managing this condition post hospitalization,” said Shannon O’Neil, director, pediatric product line, GetWellNetwork, Inc. “Further we are confident that young patients who successfully complete the GetWell Town Asthma Care Plan will be better prepared to enjoy active participation in home and school activities.”

About KidsHealth^®

KidsHealth creates engaging online, print, and video media about a wide range of health and family issues in English and Spanish. KidsHealth licenses online content, which can be private-labeled and displayed on a licensee’s website. KidsHealth has a physician-directed, professional editorial staff — and is the largest resource of online children’s health, behavioral, and developmental information written for three distinct audiences: parents, kids, and teens. KidsHealth also creates KidsHealth in the Classroom, a free website for educators featuring standards-based health curricula, activities, handouts, and more. KidsHealth is part of Nemours, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit pediatric health systems. For more information about KidsHealth, please visit www.kidshealth.org/mktg/intro/.

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®, part of The Nemours Foundation’s Center for Children’s Health Media.

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) Wang LY, Zhong Y, Wheeler L. “Direct and Indirect Costs of Asthma in School-Age Children.” Preventing Chronic Disease, 2(1): [serial online], January 2005.

Click here to see all recent news from this company

MIAMI, FL–(Marketwire – September 3, 2010) –  Simulated Environment Concepts, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: SMEV), makers of the high pressurized dry water massage and wellness equipment, SpaCapsule, announced today that hot on the heels of the twelve capsule deal with UK-based Aspire Consulting, the SpaCapsule has once again made a splash in international press, courtesy of Ireland’s Life and Fitness Magazine.

Dr. Ella Frenkel, CEO and President of Simulated Environment Concepts, Inc. (SE Concepts), said, “Publicity comes naturally to us. Because of the innovation of our Spa Capsule, we have been featured in numerous TV and print venues — ABC’s Good Morning America, CBS’s Doctors Show, NBC’s Today Show, Rob Report and the New York Times, to name a few. However, it is always a great feeling when you see an unsolicited article about us; especially in a prominent magazine such as Life and Fitness Magazine Ireland.”

Freely distributed nationwide to selected gyms and leisure centers, Life and Fitness Magazine Ireland is one of the country’s leading Health & Fitness Publications covering such topics as weight loss, health, nutrition, wellness, sport and travel.

The featured article, “The Spa Capsule Has Arrived In Ireland” (September 1, 2010), continues to demonstrate the significance of the SpaCapsule and its place in not just the therapeutic markets, but in health and fitness overall. Named “the ultimate wellbeing experience” by Life and Fitness Magazine Ireland, the article continued on to state, “this is an excellent opportunity for those in the wellbeing, massage and sport therapy fields to add to their client offering.”

With distribution deals like that of Aspire Consulting for Vibralife and Zen & O for Lady Fitness, SE Concepts intends to carry on with its expansion into the health and wellness markets, while continuing to cultivate corporate, leisure and therapeutic markets worldwide.

About Simulated Environment Concepts, Inc.

Simulated Environment Concepts, Inc. is the developer of a variety of products for wellness, relaxation, weight loss, and rehabilitation. Our aqua massage and hydromassage products are used by Doctors, Gyms, Spas, retail locations, offices, residential and many other venues. Incorporating oxygen, aromatherapy, massage, and even music or video from an iPod or an iPhone, our products deliver consistent results and excellent earning potential for businesses. For more information on Simulated Environment Concepts and its flagship product, 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, 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.

Click here to see all recent news from this company

AUSTIN, TX–(Marketwire – September 3, 2010) –  American Physicians Service Group, Inc. (“APS”) (NASDAQ: AMPH) today announced that its Board of Directors had authorized the early redemption of all of APS’ 3% Series A redeemable preferred stock, valued at approximately $6 million, and payment of accrued dividends on the preferred stock through the redemption date.

Mr. Ken Shifrin, Chairman of the Board, said, “This stock was issued in 2007 in payment of refundable surplus deposits provided by our insured doctors three decades ago when our forerunner, American Physicians Insurance Exchange (“APIE”), came into existence. It is very gratifying to satisfy this obligation to those early pioneers who were believers in the doctor-owned insurance concept.”

These distributions will be made on September 24, 2010 to shareholders of record on September 3, 2010.

APS is an insurance services firm with subsidiaries and affiliates which provide medical malpractice insurance and related services for physicians and other healthcare providers. APS is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

This press release includes forward-looking statements related to APS that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. These forward-looking statements are made in reliance on the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. For further information about these factors that could affect the future results of APS, please see the recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Prospective investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from management expectations. Copies of the filings are available upon request to APS.

OAK BROOK, IL–(Marketwire – September 2, 2010) –  Virtual Pharma Rep™, a leader in e-detailing marketing strategies, announced today that the company has entered into an agreement to provide their patent-pending e-detailing platform for use as the foundation for a new progressive communication program, in partnership with digitalDVM™, a sales and marketing solutions provider for the animal health industry.

Virtual Pharma Rep™ facilitates a paradigm shift in the traditional sales process, and revolutionizes expensive sales models with a fresh, value-added approach that supplements existing field reps and provides a new voice in the sales process. The partnership between Virtual Pharma Rep™ and digitalDVM™ brings together key components that supplement and enhance existing sales and marketing strategies for the animal health industry. Timely, relevant product and support information will be provided to busy veterinarians in an appealing format that meets the needs of the growing number of practices who prefer online resources that can be accessed at their convenience. 

“Virtual Pharma Rep™ has had significant success in the pharmaceutical industry,” said Jim Rediehs, CEO of Virtual Pharma Rep™. “The versatility of our e-detailing platform allows us to branch into new markets like Animal Health. It shares many similarities with the pharmaceutical market, and VPR provides a tool we know will prove useful for sales reps and veterinarians to maximize time, enhance education and therefore better serve their clients within the animal health industry.”

“More than 80% of physicians participate in e-detailing from pharmaceutical companies, and with the explosive growth of internet use among veterinary professionals, now is the time to make this service available to those in the animal health industry,” said Daryl Schraad, president of digitalDVM™. “virtualVetRep™ complements existing sales and marketing efforts by adding increased voice to top veterinary targets, and provides a cost-effective alternative to increasing field representatives in remote geographical regions.”

digitalDVM™’s virtualVetRep™ offers customized one-on-one virtual sales calls that include streaming video messages, live chat and sample or literature requests. In addition, the service connects veterinarians directly with their field sales representative, which helps optimize field sales call cycles and clinic staff’s time.

The virtualVetRep™ service is available to animal health product manufacturers and distributors worldwide.

About Virtual Pharma Rep™

Virtual Pharma Rep™ is revolutionizing the pharmaceutical industry by leading the paradigm shift to virtual sales support and service models that enhance or replace existing and expensive pharmaceutical marketing strategies. Led by a team that is highly experienced in the creation of future sales and growth strategies in pharmaceuticals, Virtual Pharma Rep™‘s patent pending sales platform shares a cost reduction within the pharmaceutical industry by streamlining existing sales and marketing strategies. In addition, thanks to VPR’s disease awareness, management and compliance processes, VPR assists with overall long-term healthcare cost reductions in the form of fewer doctor’s office visits and hospitalizations. For more information please visit www.virtualpharmarep.com.

About digitalDVM™
With a growing portfolio of advanced technology and innovative marketing platforms, digitalDVM™ enables animal health companies to gain more effective, immediate access to progressive veterinarians. Best-in-class capabilities include virtualVetRep™, an exclusive e-detailing platform for product and service information, groupDVM™ ecommerce solutions, and virtualRepCoach™, the digital alternative for sales representative training and development. Based in Denver with a worldwide clientele, the company works directly with product manufacturers and distributors throughout the animal health industry. More information is available at www.digitaldvm.com.

NEW YORK, NY–(Marketwire – September 2, 2010) –  MedLink (OTCBB: MLKNA), a leading provider of Electronic Health Records and practice management solutions, today announced a partnership with Thrasys, Inc. a provider of next-generation health information technology and solutions. MedLink and Thrasys have collaborated to provide interoperability and health record management based on SyntraNet from Thrasys, a cloud based Health Information Exchange (HIE) and Collaboration Network. SyntraNet enables more efficient and coordinated care across healthcare communities.

“The Agreement with Thrasys strengthens MedLink’s ongoing RHIO community strategy and represents a key milestone in MedLink’s delivery of high-value healthcare solutions on an enterprise level,” said Ray Vuono, President of MedLink. “SyntraNet is a cloud based Health Information Exchange that can be deployed quickly across the service area of RHIOs, providing incredible value as the community scrambles to provide a financially sensible and scalable interoperable solution to meet the ‘meaningful use’ stipulations necessary to receive federal financial incentives to its member physician and healthcare organizations.”

MedLink and Thrasys will market the cloud based HIE platform to Regional Health Information Organizations and Large Hospital groups as a solution for interoperability, and to provide cloud based applications that leverage both MedLink and Thrasys technologies to streamline wide spread EHR adoption.

About Thrasys, Inc.

Thrasys, Inc. based in San Francisco, California brings innovative solutions to the healthcare market based on breakthrough technologies to rapidly build and deploy highly scalable applications targeted at communities and enterprises. Thrasys solutions for healthcare are based on XNet, an open and standards based application platform to rapidly build and deploy enterprise solutions based on XML services, rich internet application user interfaces, configurable workflows and rules, and interoperability. SyntraNet, based on XNet, is a health information exchange and collaboration network that provides a comprehensive set of applications for care providers, patients, service centers and payers. Please visit www.thrasys.com to learn more.

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.

SILVER SPRING, MD–(Marketwire – September 2, 2010) –  A new laboratory, designed and built in accordance with international guidelines, opened September 1 in Maseru, Lesotho. The Makoanyane Military Hospital Laboratory now offers an expanded testing menu, including CD4 and Acid Fast Bacilli microscopy, and separate rooms dedicated to specimen reception, microbiology, chemistry, hematology and CD4 testing. The formerly limited, one-room hospital lab was transformed through a collaborative effort of The US Department of Defense and CDC’s Global AIDS Program to support the Lesotho Defense Force’s facility.

The Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) provided on-site support and technical assistance to the Lesotho Defense Force, the agency that operates the military hospital, through its cooperative agreement with CDC/GAP in support of PEPFAR.

Senior APHL consultant Kim Lewis worked on-site in Maseru on laboratory design, procurement of equipment and supplies, renovation oversight, organizing laboratory workflow and operations, staff development and initial steps toward WHO Accreditation through implementation of the Strengthening Laboratory Management Towards Accreditation Program. 

APHL will continue to support the new facility by implementing a quality system to assure accurate, reliable and timely test results.

“The laboratory provides access to testing services for a population with high rates of TB and HIV, and enables medical providers to effectively treat these diseases,” said Lewis. “The success of this collaboration is measured in the improved health of the people of Lesotho. The new lab will hopefully affect the well-being of families and lead to a better future for their children. We expect it to serve as a model for other countries.”

The Association of Public Health Laboratories is a national non-profit located in Silver Spring, MD, that is dedicated to working with members to strengthen governmental laboratories with a public health mandate. By promoting effective programs and public policy, APHL strives to provide public health laboratories with the resources and infrastructure needed to protect the health of US residents and to prevent and control disease globally.

Click here to see all recent news from this company

CASCO, ME–(Marketwire – September 2, 2010) –  Camp Sunshine, a one-of-a-kind national retreat in Casco for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families, today announced that Hyundai Hope on Wheels has selected the organization to receive a $100,000 “Hope Grant.” Hope on Wheels is a partnership of 800 Hyundai dealers across the United States and Hyundai Motor America aimed at raising awareness of childhood cancer. Camp Sunshine will use funds from the grant to sponsor two additional oncology sessions at the Camp in 2011.

On Sept. 25 — during National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month — Hope on Wheels will visit Camp Sunshine’s Casco campus and participate in a check presentation ceremony to commemorate the event. Throughout the month, Hope on Wheels will travel to all 68 Hope Grant recipients to present the donations and hear from children, their families and all of those involved in the fight against cancer.

“While we’ve made progress over the last few decades and now have an 85 percent cure rate, cancer still takes more lives than any other childhood disease,” said John Krafcik, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor America. “This September, in support of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Hyundai will shine a nationwide spotlight on this cause and provide more than $6 million in grants for pediatric cancer research and support programs. We love taking on big challenges at Hyundai, and we can think of no more worthy challenge than finding a cure for all forms of pediatric cancer.”

Located in Maine’s scenic Sebago Lake region, Camp Sunshine features a 23-acre lakeside campus with private family suites, as well as a climbing wall, indoor swimming pool and computer learning center — all of which are free of charge to all families. To date, Camp Sunshine has welcomed families from 47 states and 17 countries.

“Camp Sunshine is delighted and humbled to receive this generous donation from Hyundai,” said Matt Hoidal, executive director, Camp Sunshine. “This investment will enable us to expand our programs in 2011 and bring nearly 1,000 children and their families much needed respite, support, and hope. We thank Hyundai and their network of dealers in Northern New England and around the country for helping us continue our service and contributions to the cancer community.”

About Camp Sunshine
Camp Sunshine offers children with life-threatening illnesses and their families a place to relax together for a week, and to take a break from the extraordinary demands placed upon them on a daily basis. The year-round program is free of charge and staffed almost entirely by volunteers. It is the only program in the nation whose mission is to address the impact of a life-threatening illness on every member of the immediate family — the ill child, the parents and the siblings. Since its inception in 1984, Camp Sunshine has provided a haven for more than 32,000 individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. In addition to providing 24-hour on-site medical and psychosocial support, the camp offers a variety of daily activities, including swimming, boating, archery and soccer, and special events such as bonfires and cookouts. To support Camp Sunshine, please call (207) 655-3800 or visit www.campsunshine.org.

About Hyundai Motor America
Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 800 dealerships nationwide.

About Hyundai Hope on Wheels
Hyundai Hope on Wheels™ is the united effort of more than 800 Hyundai dealers across the U.S. to raise awareness about childhood cancer and celebrate the lives of children battling the disease. By the end of 2010, Hope on Wheels will have awarded more than $23 million dollars to children’s hospitals and non-profit organizations across the U.S. to support the fight against childhood cancer.

SPRINGFIELD, OH–(Marketwire – September 2, 2010) –  AdCare Health Systems, Inc. (NYSE Amex: ADK), a recognized innovator in senior living and health care facility management, has closed the lease of three nursing homes according to the previously announced agreement to lease five additional nursing homes in Georgia.

The three nursing homes, which have been leased under a 10-year term, have an aggregate of 280 beds that generate approximately $15.5 million in annualized revenue. With the addition of these three facilities and other transactions closed earlier in the year, AdCare’s estimated annualized revenue run-rate now exceeds $79 million, as compared to $26.7 million for the year ended 2009.

Upon closing of the lease transaction, AdCare provided the lessor $195,000 for the first month’s lease payment and a portion of the security deposit, with the balance of $337,000 to be paid over five months comprising the balance of the security deposit and an amount equal to two months lease payments.

“This transaction is the third we’ve closed since we began our M&A campaign at the end of last year,” said Chris Brogdon, AdCare’s vice chairman and chief acquisitions officer. “We expect all of these facilities to be significant cash generators for AdCare, especially as they come under our highly capable management and benefit from our larger economy of scale.”

“As we work toward closing the currently pending transactions we’ve announced, including the lease of the remaining two nursing homes in Georgia, additional opportunities continue to emerge in the southern region of the U.S.,” said Brogdon. “We are working to establish the terms and necessary financings for several new potential acquisitions in our pipeline of equal or greater potential.”

Brogdon joined AdCare last September when the company announced a new M&A growth strategy to build upon its strong reputation for operational efficiency and high-quality living environments.

About AdCare Health Systems
AdCare Health Systems, Inc. (NYSE Amex: ADK) is a recognized innovator in senior living and health care facility management. AdCare develops, owns and manages assisted living facilities, nursing homes and retirement communities, as well as provides home health care services. Since its inception in 1988, AdCare’s mission has been to provide the highest quality of healthcare services to the elderly. For more information about AdCare, visit www.adcarehealth.com.

Important Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
 Statements contained in this press release that are not historical facts may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal law. Such statement can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as “believes,” “expects,” “plans,” “intends,” “anticipates” and variations of such words or similar expressions, but their absence does not mean that the statement is not forward-looking. Statements in this announcement that are forward-looking include, but are not limited to, statements that the company expects all of these new facilities to be significant cash generators for AdCare. Such forward-looking statements reflect management’s beliefs and assumptions and are based on information currently available to management. The forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Such factors are identified in the public filings made by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission and include the Company’s ability to secure lines of credit and/or an acquisition credit facility, find suitable acquisition properties at favorable terms, changes in the health care industry because of political and economic influences, changes in regulations governing the industry, changes in reimbursement levels including those under the Medicare and Medicaid programs and changes in the competitive marketplace. There can be no assurance that such factors or other factors will not affect the accuracy of such forward-looking statements.

Click here to see all recent news from this company