Provider NewsWire

Acquisitions & Openings

Westar Acquires LifeCare Solutions: Westar Capital, a Costa Mesa, Calif.-based health care investor, has purchased LifeCare Solutions, a San Diego-based provider of home health care services, respiratory therapy, durable medical equipment and infusion therapy. The resulting company, LifeCare Solutions Holdings, will continue to do business as LifeCare Solutions. Tom Robbins will serve as the company’s new CEO. Previously, Robbins was CEO of Atlanta-based Healthfield and executive vice president of Lake Forest, Calif.-based Apria Healthcare.

PSAI Opens New Branch Offices: Pediatric Services of America, Norcross, Ga., has opened two branch offices in San Antonio, Texas, and Chesapeake, Va. The new locations “will enable the company to meet the demand of its growing medical equipment customer base, as well as better serve and support its already existing pediatric nursing operations in the areas,” PSAI said.

Care Medical Opens New Branches: Increasing its presence in California’s Central Valley, Care Medical, a full-service respiratory and HME provider in Visalia, Calif., is opening two new branches in Hanford and Fresno. “These two branches, especially Fresno, will allow the firm to expand into a much larger population base and maintain its growth rate through highly focused customer and clinical services,” the company said.

Regulatory

California Pharmacy Board Approves ACHC Licensure Exemption: California compounding pharmacies that have received accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Health Care will be exempt from the state’s specialty supplemental licensure requirements, ACHC said. Approved at a California State Board of Pharmacy meeting in April, the exemption is effective until May 2006, ACHC said. For information, call ACHC at (919) 785-1214.

JCAHO Posts LTC Accreditation Standards Online: The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, Oakbrook Terrace, Ill., has posted the 2004 Medicare/Medicaid certification-based long-term-care accreditation standards online at www.jcaho.org/accredited+organizations/long+term+care/standards/ltc_mmcbas.htm. They join other pre-publication accreditation standards posted in June to help organizations preparing for 2004 JCAHO surveys. www.jcaho.org/accredited+organizations/long+term+care/standards/new+standards/ltc_mmcbas.htm.

Noteworthy

Med Group Launches New Rehab Network Web Site: The Med Group has launched a new version of its National Rehab Network Web site, accessible at www.medgroup.com. The renovated site includes a members-only section, as well as a public area that features a message board, rehab- and assistive-technology-related articles, rehab news, a listing of events and Web sites, and a directory of Network members, Med explained.

“The new site will provide a source of information for current and potential rehab and assistive technology clients and referral sources,” said Don Clayback, Med’s vice president of Networks. “It will also give our Rehab Network members improved member-to-member interaction and serve as a library of business tools and information.”

AZMESA Elects 2003-04 Board: The Arizona Medical Equipment Suppliers Association (AZMESA) elected a new board of directors at its second annual conference. The 2003-04 board includes Richard McKee, president; Steven Treinen, vice president; Gemma Perry, secretary; Mark Farmer, treasurer; and Craig Harris, past president. Wade Hendrickson was elected as honorary member of the AZMESA board of directors.

For breaking news, go to www.homecaremonday.com, the electronic news service of the home medical equipment industry.