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
target="_blank">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.
target="_blank">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
target="_blank">www.homecaremonday.com, the electronic news
service of the home medical equipment industry.
