People on the Move

Cara C. Bachenheimer will join Invacare, Elyria, Ohio, Oct. 20 as vice president of government relations. A specialist in health care legislation and rgulatory matters related to Medicare, Medicaid and other third-party payment programs, Bachenheimer was a partner with the Washington, D.C., law firm of Epstein Becker & Green. She previously served as vice president, member services, for the American Association for Homecare and worked with the Health Industry Distributors Association. Bachenheimer replaces David T. Williams, who, after 11 years in the position, has announced it is necessary for him to reduce his workload. He will remain associated with Invacare in a limited consulting role.

Former Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General Janet Rehnquist has joined Washington, D.C.-based Venable LLP, where she will co-chair the law firm’s health care practice.

The Scooter Store, New Braunfels, Texas, has named Tom Hood vice president of government relations-regulatory affairs. Previously, Hood was director of the National Supplier Clearinghouse and senior vice president of government relations at TechHealth. He served as president of Jane’s Billing and Consulting Services and was a co-founder of Tricare (formerly known as Champus), the Defense Department’s health plan for military personnel and their families.

Keith Myers, chairman and CEO of Lafayette, La.-based LHC Group, has received Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year award. LHC provides home health care services and equipment to patients in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

The Cleveland-based orthotics and prosthetics distributor PEL Supply has promoted Paulette Leimkuehler Vaughn to executive vice president of sales and marketing.

Scott Sergeant has joined Waterloo, Iowa-based VGM LEARN (Learning, Education And Research Network) as training and development coordinator.

Washington, D.C.-based Power Mobility Coalition has named Eric W. Sokol, Esq., as the coalition’s director. Sokol joins the PMC from the National Association for Home Care & Hospice, where he served as deputy director for government affairs for the past nine years. In addition to lobbying Congress to advance NAHC’s legislative agenda, Sokol was also staff liaison for NAHC’s home medical equipment affiliate, the Home Medical Equipment Association of America.

Shareholders of Chad Therapeutics, the Chatsworth, Calif.-based respiratory care products company, have elected Philip Wolfstein, James Brophy and Kathleen Fischer to two-year terms on the company’s seven-member board.

QRS Diagnostic, Minneapolis, has appointed Ed Schuck to its board of directors. Schuck is co-founder of NT International, a company he sold in 2001. He also served as an executive and manager at Rosemount and Medtronic.

Laura Anderson is returning to Morton, Minn.-based Altimate Medical as manager of accounts payable/receivable.

Kennewick, Wash.-based TiLite, manufacturer of ultra-lightweight titanium wheelchairs, has promoted Mark Westphal to director of customer service and marketing. Westphal founded the company’s customer service department in 1998.

Medford, Ore.-based Silver Star Mobility has hired Jeff Phebus as vice president of quality assurance. Previously, Phebus served as an ISO-certification consultant.

Gentiva Health Services of Melville, N.Y., one of the nation’s largest home health care providers, has named Stephen Paige vice president and general counsel.

Tyco, Pembroke, Bermuda, and Princeton, N.J., has appointed Charles Young senior vice president of corporate communications. Previously, Young was general manager of global marketing for GE Medical Systems. At Lehigh Valley, Pa.-based Air Products, William Cantwell has been named vice president, supply chain, and John Marsland has been named vice president, corporate development office.

Adaptive Mobility, Indianapolis, Ind., has appointed David Hullet to the newly created position of manager of sales and marketing. Hullet has more than 20 years of experience in the HME industry, having worked with companies including Lincare, Convacare and Homedco.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Baltimore, has named Thomas Hamilton acting director of its Survey and Certification Group, which is responsible for federal oversight of care quality in nursing homes, certain clinical laboratories and other health care failicties. Hamilton was a principal architect of Wisconsin’s long-term care system. Glenn Stanton will serve as acting director of the disabled and elderly Health Programs Group, which oversees the quality of care that Medicaid delivers to disabled and elderly populations. Staton has 20 years of experience in public health.

Send NewsMakers information to Associate Editor Tim Heston at [email protected].