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LeadingAge And Ziegler Release 20th Annual LeadingAge Ziegler LZ 200 Report


Consistent with the last several years, the 2023 LZ 200 listing shows that not-for-profit senior living providers have grown primarily through community expansions from existing campuses as well as affiliation and acquisition activity. Nearly 30 percent of the total number of units for all senior living systems in the LZ 200 are represented by the 10 largest providers.

The 10 largest not-for-profit multi-site senior living organizations include:

  1. National Senior Communities – Springfield, VA
  2. The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society – Sioux Falls, SD
  3. Presbyterian Homes and Services – Roseville, MN
  4. Acts Retirement Services, Inc. – Fort Washington, PA
  5. Ascension Living – St. Louis, MO
  6. Lifespace Communities – West Des Moines, IA
  7. HumanGood – Pleasanton, CA
  8. Covenant Living Communities & Services – Skokie, IL
  9. Trinity Health Senior Communities – Livonia, MI
  10. Benedictine – Duluth, MN

The LZ 200 also showed that in the last 10 years, the average annual growth rate in total units since 2000 is 2.2 percent, with independent living and assisted living units growing each year, but declining in the number of nursing care beds.

“Each year the LeadingAge Ziegler 200 demonstrates the significant role that LeadingAge’s member organizations play in the aging services sector. They are mission-driven innovators, bringing creativity to complex challenges and living their promise to go above-and-beyond,” said Katie Smith Sloan, President and CEO of LeadingAge. “As the trusted voice for aging, LeadingAge is proud to share this insight into our members’ transformational leadership in our sector.”

“This LZ 200 report is a critical annual report that captures the behaviors and characteristics of the country’s largest not-for-profit senior living organizations in the country,” stated Dan Hermann, President & Chief Executive Officer and Head of Investment Banking at Ziegler. “Readers are also able to gain insights into the fastest growing and most progressive organizations nationally, regionally and in their respective states. This information helps to pave a path forward for overall sector growth among not-for-profit providers.”

The LZ 200 report, developed annually through the LeadingAge/Ziegler partnership, includes more than 200 providers of multi-site systems, more than 200 single-site campuses, and the largest multi-site providers of government-subsidized affordable housing. Previously known as the LZ 100 and LZ 150, the report was expanded in 2014 from LZ 100 to the LZ 150 and to the LZ 200 in 2018 in response to the growing industry and increasing interest.

To view the full report, click here https://www.ziegler.com/lz200/

About Ziegler:
Ziegler is a privately held, national boutique investment bank, capital markets and proprietary investments firm. It has a unique focus on healthcare, senior living and education sectors, as well as general municipal and structured finance. Headquartered in Chicago with regional and branch offices throughout the U.S., Ziegler provides its clients with capital raising, strategic advisory services, fixed income sales, underwriting and trading as well as Ziegler Credit, Surveillance and Analytics. To learn more, visit http://www.ziegler.com.

About LeadingAge:
We represent more than 5,000 nonprofit aging services providers and other mission-minded organizations that touch millions of lives every day. Alongside our members and 38 state partners, we use applied research, advocacy, education, and community-building to make America a better place to grow old. Our membership encompasses the entire continuum of aging services, including skilled nursing, assisted living, memory care, affordable housing, retirement communities, adult day programs, community-based services, hospice, home-based care. We bring together the most inventive minds in the field to lead and innovate solutions that support older adults wherever they call home. For more information visit leadingage.org.

Certain comments in this news release represent forward-looking statements made pursuant to the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This client’s experience may not be representative of the experience of other clients, nor is it indicative of future performance or success. The forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, in particular, the overall financial health of the securities industry, the strength of the healthcare sector of the U.S. economy and the municipal securities marketplace, the ability of the Company to underwrite and distribute securities, the market value of mutual fund portfolios and separate account portfolios advised by the Company, the volume of sales by its retail brokers, the outcome of pending litigation, and the ability to attract and retain qualified employees.

Media Contact

Christine McCarty, Ziegler, 3125961617, [email protected], www.ziegler.com

SOURCE Ziegler

TrueDialog Ranked 1st Place and Named a “Champion” for SMS Texting by SoftwareReviews


According to the research, TrueDialog tied for first place with an aggregate quality score of 9.5 out of 10 among SMS Marketing firms. This reflects high marks for both NEF and Value Index, ranking True Dialog as one of six “Champions” among 16 key players within the industry.

“We hear from our customers every day how much they love our solution and working with us, a testament to the hard work of our dedicated employees. This independent research confirms what we have broadly known for many years,” said TrueDialog CEO John Wright.

Digging deeper, TrueDialog has a NEF (impressions across Service Experience, Conflict Resolution, Negotiation and Contract, Strategy and Innovation, Product Impact) of 97%, placing it in the Top 4. The company has a Value Index of 93, placing it at #1.

“Data from this report is based on feedback from hundreds of validated end users”, says David Piazza, SoftwareReviews SVP Product and Service Delivery. “The data is then summarized in our reports to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the most highly regarded vendors in the emerging SMS Marketing category. Feedback summarized in our Emotional Footprint reports indicates that TrueDialog provides an outstanding customer experience for users of text-based promotional tools.”

Responding to the #1 ranking across all subcomponents of the Service Experience— Respectful, Efficient, Caring, Effective, and Saves Time— Wright said, “We made a commitment to 100% US-based Customer Support, which provides a level of care and stability of relationships that is unmatched. It is the backbone of everything we do. I can’t be prouder of the impression we make in this area.”

Within Product Impact, True Dialog achieved a 100% score and top ranking in key subcategories of Reliable, Enables Productivity, Performance Enhancing, and Unique Features. This reflects TrueDialog’s commitment to continuous improvement to deliver on both existing and anticipated client needs.

SoftwareReviews empowers organizations with the best data, insights, and advice to improve the software buying and selling experience. User assessments of software categories on SoftwareReviews provide an accurate and detailed view of the constantly changing market. SoftwareReviews’ reports are informed by data from users and IT professionals who have intimate experience with the software throughout the procurement, implementation, and maintenance processes. The survey that informed the report included 294 customers from 16 key players within SMS Marketing (average of 18+ reviews per company).

Wright concluded, “This research confirms that TrueDialog’s platform and service is top tier in this industry. We are a trusted partner that customers like to work with, delivering high quality, cost effective texting solutions.”

About TrueDialog

Headquartered in Austin, TX and founded in 2008, TrueDialog is an innovative Communications-Platform-as-a-Service (CPaaS) company featuring an Enterprise-Grade SMS Business Texting Solution that allows clients across a range of industries to reach their customers and prospects at any scale. We are a team of veteran messaging experts who have built what we believe is the premier messaging platform in the industry by carefully listening to our customers. Our technology is cloud-based and API-centric, powered by an ISO 9001 database and direct carrier connections to deliver 99.9% uptime. It is secure, stable, and scalable to meet the needs of the largest enterprises. Customers can send mass text messages or utilize our unique “TrueDialog” feature which enables seamless, multi-user, team-based customer support texting at scale. For more information, visit TrueDialog.com.

Media Contact

John Wright, TrueDialog, 1 212-799-9498, [email protected], https://www.truedialog.com/

SOURCE TrueDialog

The Mount Sinai Hospital Commemorates 75th Anniversary of First Dialysis Procedure with Continuing Medical Education Event


  •     Review the history of the end-stage renal disease.
  •     Summarize the developments in kidney replacement therapies over the last 75 years and their impact on patient care and outcomes
  •     Recognize the challenges associated with the ongoing transition to value-based payment and its impact on access and quality of care
  •     Identify challenges in delivering kidney replacement therapy in 2023, and review advances as well as limitations of current interventions and the therapies of tomorrow
  •     Discuss current and future trends in the management of patients requiring renal replacement therapy

Kidney diseases are a leading cause of death in the United States and result primarily from diabetes and high blood pressure. Chronic kidney disease affects an estimated 15 percent of Americans, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Hemodialysis represents one of the most effective treatments for advanced kidney failure for patients whose kidneys can no longer filter wastes, salts, and fluid from the blood. Course director and moderator Jaime Uribarri, MD, Professor of Medicine (Nephrology) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, directs The Mount Sinai Hospital’s Home Dialysis Program, one of the largest in New York City. He says Icahn Mount Sinai’s Renal Division has been intensively studying and assessing potential therapies to slow progression to end-stage renal disease. While much progress has been made during the past several decades, maintenance of an open vascular access continues to challenge nephrologists today.

Dr. Uribarri credits his colleague Evren Azeloglu, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine (Nephrology), and Pharmacological Sciences, and a team of researchers for inventing a new implantable vascular access port. “This new port will be a game changer for our patients as it reduces pain and discomfort and allows easy self-cannulation, enabling safe home hemodialysis. We are currently fine-tuning the device and hope to offer this improvement within several years,” says Dr. Uribarri.

In addition to this work, Lili Chan, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine (Nephrology, and General Internal Medicine), at Icahn Mount Sinai, has been focused on an artificial intelligence-driven solution to cull electronic health records. This innovation will help identify unmet social determinants of health commonly associated with adverse clinical outcomes. “This will improve and facilitate surveillance of our patient population in New York City and facilitate the optimization of treatment and symptom management. Furthermore, it underlines a major priority of bringing an equity lens to our care,” says Dr. Uribarri.

Helpful links:
Online registration
A historic review of 75 years of hemodialysis

About the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is internationally renowned for its outstanding research, educational, and clinical care programs. It is the sole academic partner for the
eight member hospitals* of the Mount Sinai Health System, one of the largest academic health systems in the United States, providing care to a large and diverse patient population.
Ranked No. 14 nationwide in National Institutes of Health funding and in the 99th percentile in research dollars per investigator according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, Icahn Mount Sinai has a talented, productive, and successful faculty. More than 3,000 full-time scientists, educators, and clinicians work within and across 34 academic departments and 44 multidisciplinary institutes, a structure that facilitates tremendous collaboration and synergy. Our emphasis on translational research and therapeutics is evident in such diverse areas as genomics/big data, virology, neuroscience, cardiology, geriatrics, and gastrointestinal and liver diseases.

Icahn Mount Sinai offers highly competitive MD, PhD, and master’s degree programs, with current enrollment of approximately 1,300 students. It has the largest graduate medical education program in the country, with more than 2,600 clinical residents and fellows training throughout the Health System. In addition, more than 535 postdoctoral research fellows are in training within the Health System.

A culture of innovation and discovery permeates every Icahn Mount Sinai program. Mount Sinai’s technology transfer office, one of the largest in the country, partners with faculty and trainees to pursue optimal commercialization of intellectual property to ensure that Mount Sinai discoveries and innovations translate into health care products and services that benefit the public.

Icahn Mount Sinai’s commitment to breakthrough science and clinical care is enhanced by academic affiliations that supplement and complement the School’s programs. Through Mount Sinai Innovation Partners (MSIP), the Health System facilitates the real-world application and commercialization of medical breakthroughs made at Mount Sinai. Additionally, MSIP develops research partnerships with industry leaders such as Merck & Co., AstraZeneca, Novo Nordisk, and others.

The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is located in New York City on the border between the Upper East Side and East Harlem, and classroom teaching takes place on a campus facing Central Park. Icahn Mount Sinai’s location offers many opportunities to interact with and care for diverse communities. Learning extends well beyond the borders of our physical campus, to the eight hospitals of the Mount Sinai Health System, our academic affiliates, and globally.

  • Mount Sinai Health System member hospitals: The Mount Sinai Hospital; Mount Sinai Beth Israel; Mount Sinai Brooklyn; Mount Sinai Morningside; Mount Sinai Queens; Mount Sinai South Nassau; Mount Sinai West; and New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai.

Media Contact
Tildy La Farge, Mount Sinai Health System, 3472139110, [email protected], www.mountsinai.org

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SOURCE Mount Sinai Health System



Innerwell expands at-home ketamine treatment to 14 states, announces partnership with Enthea to offer psychedelic teletherapy as a workplace benefit


Innerwell’s evidence-based protocols are designed to harness ketamine’s ability to promote neuroplasticity in the brain, acting as a catalyst for healing that can help patients change the way they think, act, and feel. Ketamine is a safe, FDA-approved medication with powerful biological and cognitive effects. Alongside other psychedelics, ketamine has been embraced by mental health clinicians as an alternative to traditional psychiatric medications after a growing body of research has shown that it has rapid, powerful effects on conditions like depression, PTSD, and anxiety.

“We couldn’t be more excited to expand access to our world-class clinical team for patients who are seeking safe and affordable treatment,” said Lisa Kennedy, Innerwell founder and CEO. “We are thrilled to partner with Enthea to help future-thinking employers offer innovative treatments that can have transformative outcomes. With a shared vision to remove barriers to quality care, we are one step closer to providing highly-effective treatment to millions of Americans who suffer from mental health issues.”

Enthea is the only third-party administrator offering medication-assisted therapy as a workplace benefit. Enthea has recently expanded its service to offer nationwide coverage, able to serve employers across the U.S., furthering its mission of providing affordable access to safe and effective ketamine-assisted therapies for all who can benefit.

“Innerwell has one of the most extensive clinical protocols for at-home-ketamine treatment that we’ve seen,” said Sherry Rais, Enthea CEO and co-founder. “We aim to remove health equity obstacles that prevent patients from receiving impactful mental healthcare treatments, and by partnering with Innerwell, we can continue to do so.”

Founded in 2021, Innerwell patients can receive at-home, telehealth care in 14 states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Washington State, and most recently, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Minnesota, as well as in-person care at six locations across California and New York.

For more information, visit helloinnerwell.com.

About Innerwell:

Innerwell is a revolutionary at-home ketamine therapy platform with an emphasis on therapy. Founded in New York City in 2021, Innerwell is combining the groundbreaking advancements seen in psychedelics with novel approaches to digital care and a focus on creating therapeutic relationships between patients and highly trained, licensed providers. A female-led company, the Innerwell co-founder team consists of CEO Lisa Kennedy, Head of Growth Anthony Mangia, and Medical Director Dr. Michael Cooper. Dr. Cooper holds an M.D. from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and he completed psychiatry residency at the NYU School of Medicine, where he served as chief resident and a research therapist on the phase II trial of psilocybin-assisted therapy for alcohol use disorder. For more information, visit www.helloinnerwell.com.

About Enthea

Enthea is a licensed, third-party administrator of health insurance benefits with a mission to provide access to safe, affordable and effective medication-assisted therapies, starting with ketamine therapy. Through Enthea benefit services, companies can cover this new and innovative treatment for their employees and families – leading to improved productivity, increased retention, lower medical costs, and a more engaged workforce. Enthea’s services currently cover ketamine-based treatments and will include MDMA and psilocybin-assisted therapies as they are approved.

Media Contact

Anthony Mangia, Innerwell, 1 (201) 591-3435, [email protected], https://helloinnerwell.com

Twitter, LinkedIn

SOURCE Innerwell



TinySuperheroes Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary Outfitting Courageous Kids With Superhero Capes As They Battle Illnesses and Disabilities


“My three kids absolutely love their capes. My girls were excited to be sidekicks for their brother, Jacob, and be able to fill their capes [with patches] together while we go through our rough journey.” – Kalia S.

The program’s pay-it-forward business model ensures every child nominated for a cape receives one. When a TinySuperhero or sidekick is nominated, a personalized crowdfunding campaign is created to raise $50 for the cape. Any money raised over that helps other TinySuperheroes get a cape. Rosenberger says about 30% of people will raise funds but secure enough to support 100% of the overall “Squad.” Even if funds are not raised, TinySuperhero is committed to making sure each child still receives their cape.

Kids undergoing liver transplants or living with rare genetic disorders are examples of the growing community served by the program. Receiving their capes is just the beginning. Kids can unlock their superpowers and complete missions to earn a free Mission Kit with a monthly patch to put on the cape as an incentive.

“While every TinySuperheroes member is unique, what unifies them is their desire to don their cape at doctor’s visits, hospital stays, and chemo treatments to lift their spirits and become courageous heroes with extraordinary powers!” said Rosenberger.

Families voice the same enthusiasm when sharing how impactful this small gesture can be in the lives of their young children. “Super Cooper got his TinySuperheroes cape! We’re so excited he has a physical representation to show the world 啒what we see on a daily basis.”

To nominate a child with an illness or disability who is a true champion of courage and resilience, visit http://www.tinysuperheroes.com and fill out the nomination form.

About Tiny Superheroes:
TinySuperheroes starts with a cape, but the journey continues. We’re growing a community that lifts each other and makes every TinySuperhero in the world feel strong, able, and proud of the qualities that make them Extraordinary.

Media Contact

Leah Cybulski, ChicExecs PR, 7084268730, [email protected], https://tinysuperheroes.com/

SOURCE TinySuperheroes

New VeloSource Facility Reinforces Culture and Commitment to Industry-Leading Growth


VeloSource is excited to announce a major office move to larger facilities in Des Peres, MO. VeloSource will be moving from its current location in the Cortex in the Central West End to the 5th floor of the Powerscourt Building in the Des Peres area.

ST. LOUIS, Sept. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — VeloSource is excited to announce a major office move to larger facilities in Des Peres, MO. VeloSource will be moving from its current location in the Cortex in the Central West End to the 5th floor of the Powerscourt Building in the Des Peres area.

“We are excited to relocate to our new office in Des Peres,” commented Jeff Schaal, President, and founder.

The new office space is approximately 11,000 square feet, which makes it nearly two times larger than the previous office to accommodate its strategic growth.

“This move represents another significant milestone for our fast-growing healthcare staffing company. The new office space better accommodates our expanding team and enables us to hire additional talent to continue to provide industry-leading support and service to our trusted clients. The additional space will also help drive innovation and provide the opportunity for further expansion into additional markets and service lines,” added Schaal.

The new space reflects the innovative culture of VeloSource and strives to make it a great place to work. The facility features technology-enabled huddle rooms, a training room to assist with both on-site and remote employees, and a world-class conference room where teams can collaborate on solutions with colleagues, customers, partners, and offsite employees.

To showcase the new space, VeloSource will be hosting an Open House on Thursday, October 5 at their new address 12444 Powerscourt Dr., Suite 520, St. Louis, MO 63131 from 3pm to 6pm CST. RSVPs are requested by Wednesday, September 20 at 5pm CST.

About VeloSource (www.VeloSource.com):

VeloSource is a leading healthcare staffing and recruitment agency specializing in Locum Tenens services. By providing a vast network of highly qualified physicians, CRNAs, Physician Assistants, and Nurse Practitioners, VeloSource connects exceptional medical talent with healthcare facilities across the United States ensuring quality patient care and optimal workforce solutions.

Contact:

Mike Gianas

Senior Director of Marketing

VeloSource

Phone: (214) 929-7972

Email: [email protected]

Media Contact

Mike Gianas, VeloSource, 1 2149297972, [email protected], https://www.velosource.com/

SOURCE VeloSource

Astarte Medical and Tiny Health Join Forces to Optimize Gut Health for Vulnerable Preterm Infants


“Nutrition for preterm infants is guided by two main factors: a baby’s age and weight. Today, technology allows us to measure and compare thousands of gut profiles, which can directly inform how we treat babies during the extremely formative first 1,000 days,” said Astarte Medical Chief Executive Officer Tracy Warren. “This partnership forms the basis of evidence-based precision nutrition care models for clinicians leveraging NICUtrition(R), with the goal to deliver more effective feeding to preterm babies to improve their growth, neurodevelopment and long-term immune health.”

In the U.S., 40% of school-aged children have at least one chronic health condition such as asthma, obesity, or eczema. Tiny Health is pioneering microbiome science for early-stage development, identifying and mitigating health risks before and after birth. The company’s gut test is the first and only test tailored by age that screens for 120,000 bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites – microbes that can help or harm a premature baby’s development.

“Expecting mothers are searching for greater assurances and a deeper level of clinical guidance for their developing babies. We have created precision technology to determine a baby’s risk for chronic conditions that can influence pediatric nutritional interventions on a case-by-case basis,” said Tiny Health Founder and Chief Executive Officer Cheryl Sew Hoy. “By partnering with Astarte Medical, we’re extending our solution to support infants and families at their most vulnerable time. Our aim is empowering clinicians to incorporate evidence-based gut health protocols to improve outcomes in real-time.”

In a previous multi-center microbiome study, Astarte Medical identified six gut community types among nearly 300 preterm infants born under 34 weeks gestational age. These gut community types, or ‘NutriTypes’, can serve to identify vulnerable infants for adverse events, such as growth faltering or necrotizing enterocolitis, as well as advise on the use of clinical interventions, such as probiotics, micro and macronutrients.

“As survival for preterm infants has improved, meeting a baby’s nutritional needs has become more important and increasingly complex,” said Dr. Nicholas Embleton, Astarte Medical advisor and professor of neonatal medicine at Newcastle University (U.K.). “The interplay of nutrients, microbes and a baby’s immune system is dynamic, yet there is no good method to assess gut health in practice.”

As part of the joint venture, the two companies will share population health data and set up an overlapping workstream between technology teams in order to conduct a proof of concept prospective trial. In addition to re-validating its NICUbiome gut community types using Tiny Health’s pipeline and bioinformatics tools, Astarte Medical will develop a prototype clinical dashboard to deliver AI/ML-based approaches to stratify at-risk infants and deliver targeted interventions. Tiny Health will offer NICU parents the option to test their infants post-discharge to extend the understanding of the maturity patterns of infants born preterm.

About Astarte Medical

Astarte Medical is a clinical intelligence company providing digital solutions to support nutrition and feeding practices and protocol-driven care across pediatric populations. Its first product, NICUtrition® improves growth and clinical outcomes for preterm infants and impacts critical performance metrics for hospitals. Visit astartemedical.com and nicutrition.com for more information.

About Tiny Health

Tiny Health® is the leading microbiome health platform for families, improving health outcomes of future generations through evidence-based insights. Tiny Health’s Gut Health Test is the first-ever at-home gut microbiome test to use next generation sequencing tailored specifically for babies, children, and now adults. For more information, visit tinyhealth.com.

Media Contact

Anthony Stipa, Quickstudy, 1 610-420-1724, [email protected]

SOURCE Astarte Medical