CLEVELAND, Ohio (January 29, 2019)—Ted Metcalf has joined Compass Health Brands as western regional director. With vast experience in the HME industry, Metcalf’s role will be to manage the sales teams in Arizona, Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
HomeCare News
DALLAS and OMAHA, Neb. (January 29, 2019)—Health care technology company Axxess has announced a partnership with WorldView, a cloud-based document management service provider, for content management services.
PITTSBURGH (January 29, 2019)— OnlyBoth Inc. has enhanced its proprietary evaluation tools that leverage Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) performance measures.
To further highlight health care performance, the company has launched three new evaluation engines, complementing its original benchmarking engine, designed to meet health care industry and consumer demand for comprehensive provider comparisons.
PHOENIX (January 24, 2019)—In just two decades, enrollment in hospice care has increased more than seven times from 210,000 to more than 1.5 million. To honor the countless professionals caring for those in hospice, Science Care has announced 10 Hospice Heroes, recognizing their commitment to the critical and exhausting vocation. The following 10 hospice professionals were selected by Science Care for upholding the highest standards while looking after the terminally ill:
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (January 24, 2019)—The Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC) announced its president and CEO Claudia Zacharias, MBA, CAE, was recently appointed to serve on the Certified Association Executive (CAE) Commission. The CAE Commission is the governing body for the CAE and is an independent certifying body of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).
TOPEKA, Kan. (January 24, 2019)—The Kansas Dept. of Health and Environment has proposed cutting rates for most HME items to just 65 percent of the Medicare non-rural fee schedule, effective retroactively to Jan. 1, 2019.
DETROIT (January 24, 2019)—ComForCare Health Care Holdings, LLC CEO Steve Greenbaum announced the creation of Best Life Brands, LLC (Best Life Brands) for the purpose of uniting ComForCare and At Your Side, franchised providers of homecare, CarePatrol, a franchised senior placement organization, and future acquisitions under one multi-branded service organization.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 24, 2019)—While the budget impasse and government shutdown continue to dominate the headlines, AAHomecare continues engagement with industry champions on Capitol Hill and staffers on House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over Medicare and health care-related issues.
FRESNO, Calif. (January 23, 2019)—Sunrise Medical announced the launch of the new QUICKIE Q700 M SEDEO PRO, a configurable and easily adjustable mid-wheel drive power wheelchair. For moderate to complex clinical needs, the SEDEO PRO combines a highly adjustable seat frame with a broad choice of support and positioning options.
By Greg Shulas
Amedisys, a home health care company, is reporting strong progress in a core area that’s been a frequent Achilles heel: staff retention.
LAS VEGAS (January 22, 2019)—Medtrade organizers reintroduced courses for continuing education units (CEUs) last year in Atlanta, and it was a popular decision. Thanks to the educational team at Quantum Rehab/Pride Mobility Products Corp, attendees at this year’s Medtrade Spring 2019 may again choose:
DALLAS (January 21, 2019)—John Olajide, founder and CEO of Axxess, a home health care technology company, has been selected by the Dallas Regional Chamber’s Board of Directors as the organization’s chair for 2020.
AMSTERDAM (January 17, 2019)—Royal Philips, a provider of health technology, announced the company has sold its 10 millionth DreamWear CPAP mask and interchangeable cushion. As part of the Dream Family, DreamWear is a mask frame that accommodates multiple cushions, places the hose on top of the head and is designed to prevent red marks, discomfort and irritation on the nose bridge.
SAN DIEGO (January 17, 2019)—Triple W, an innovator of connected health devices, announced it won the “Best of CES Award” for the Digital Health and Fitness Category at the International CES 2019. Chosen from thousands of companies appearing at CES 2019, DFree, a health tech wearable device for urinary incontinence, stood out to Engadget’s editors based on its level of innovation, quality of design, overall efficiency and market demand.
BALL GROUND, Ga. (January 14, 2019)—More than 200 employees and guests celebrated CAIRE Inc.’s recent acquisition by NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD., at the global headquarters in Ball Ground, Georgia. NGK SPARK PLUG, a comprehensive ceramics processing manufacturer, acquired CAIRE on Dec. 20, 2018, from Chart Industries, Inc.
BALL GROUND, Ga. (January 14, 2019)—More than 200 employees and guests celebrated CAIRE Inc.’s recent acquisition by NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD., at the global headquarters in Ball Ground, Georgia. NGK SPARK PLUG, a comprehensive ceramics processing manufacturer, acquired CAIRE on Dec. 20, 2018, from Chart Industries, Inc.
LAS VEGAS (January 15, 2019)—Medtrade Spring is taking shape with four workshops scheduled for Day One of the show, scheduled for April 16–18, 2019, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Key exhibitors and speakers will offer four in-depth educational opportunities on April 16, the day before the expo begins.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 10, 2019)—On Dec. 27, 2017, CMS released guidance related to 2016 CURES bill provisions that mandated that federal Medicaid reimbursement to states for HME could not exceed what Medicare would have allowed for these items, in aggregate, beginning on Jan. 1, 2018.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 10, 2019)—Home health agencies face a potentially serious claim denial issue related to new Plan of Care requirements, the National Association for Home Care & Hospice reported in its Jan. 9 bulletin.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (January 10, 2019)—Synzi, a virtual care company, announced key updates to its virtual care and patient engagement platform with new features and functionality impacting key areas of reporting, user interface, security and compliance. The improved technology and aesthetic offers patients, staff and clinical administrators a more intuitive user experience, enhanced visuals, simplified navigation and a number of new capabilities.