All posts by imreal

Technology: Electronics

Pulsar360 Corp. and Converge IoT Partner to Provide Master Agent Program

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“This new partnership with Pulsar360 Corp. will greatly enhance our offerings to both direct customers and our network of partners,” —Mark Savage, President of Converge IoT.


NEWARK, Del. (PRWEB)

Pulsar360 Corporation (formerly Pulsar360, Inc.) has announced a new partnership alongside Master Agent Converge IoT to offer expanded LTE Mobile Internet solutions & VoIP solutions to their joint customers nationwide.

This partnership between Converge IoT and Pulsar360 Corp. will allow both companies to work together to provide high-quality VoIP hardware and program services for their customers throughout a wide range of industries including working with Converge IoT’s direct carrier relationships to promote the service for business customers.

With Pulsar360 Corporation’s long history of VoIP expertise and extensive customer and partner network combined with Converge IoT’s industry-leading experience with LTE Mobile Internet, this new partnership will dramatically expand each partner’s ability to offer plans and services that may fall outside the scope of standard wireless carrier offers.

Among these new offerings will include plans and packages built specifically for medium- to large-scale customers with specific compliance needs, including the healthcare industry, retail, hospitality, schools, and more.

By offering customers the option to obtain not only an LTE Mobile Internet plan on a leading nationwide network, but also the hardware required – offered at a subscription level rather than a large down payment – this partnership will allow both Converge IoT and Pulsar360 Corp. the opportunity to better meet customer demand and provide high-quality VoIP service at unique levels of value.

“This new partnership with Pulsar360 Corp. will greatly enhance our offerings to both direct customers and our network of partners,” said Mark Savage, President of Converge IoT. “As a Master partner, it is essential that we put together best in class solutions for our partner network to offer to their customers. As the rapid shift from traditional wireline to wireless continues, LTE is an essential component for VoIP, and Pulsar’s unique VoIP expertise combined with our expertise integrating LTE into any networking infrastructure gives us great combined leverage to provide our customers and partners an awesome product and great overall experience!”

By partnering with Converge IoT, Pulsar360 Corp. stands to significantly expand its ability to keep its customers connected by adding LTE Mobile Internet services, as well as their ability to provide new and custom-designed plans and services to VoIP customers all across the nation.

“Pulsar360 Corp. is thrilled to count a Master Solutions Provider like Converge IoT among our industry partners,” said Bob Harrison, Chief Channel Officer with Pulsar360 Corp. “This partnership is yet another endorsement on the reliability of our VoIP platform and the robust nature of all the products they offer. This partnership with Converge IoT gives Pulsar360 Corp. a unique opportunity to expand our extensive range of products for our customers.”

Pulsar360 Corp. and Converge IoT will officially roll out these new service offerings this July. Customers and individuals interested in learning more about this new partnership and offerings should contact Bob Harrison, Chief Channel Officer for Pulsar360 Corp., at (480) 800-4765 or via email at bharrison@pulsar360.com.

About Converge IoT

Converge IoT is a National Master Business Sales Partner for a major US Carrier.

We supply our clients with affordable cellular equipment and data rates to help drive new opportunities in wireless networking, specializing in customized solutions for current and emerging applications. Converge IoT’s expertise in enterprise networking provides critical insight into how cellular data access can be effectively integrated into IT and IoT initiatives for both end users and solution providers. For partners interested in selling wireless data, airtime or connected IoT solutions our Partner Program supports Reseller, Agent, and Integrator models.

About Pulsar360 Corporation

With origins dating back to 2001, Pulsar360 Corporation is one of the oldest VoIP/digital phone service companies in the United States and Canada. Since then, the company has evolved into a full-service communications provider, offering comprehensive voice, data, and cloud-based solutions.

As an employee-owned company, everyone at Pulsar360 Corporation has a vested interest in customer satisfaction and the success of the company. Pulsar360 Corporation has the lowest attrition rate in the industry and has received numerous awards and recognition, having been recognized as one of the 30 Fabulous Companies of the Year 2018; Number 20 of the 150 Fastest Growing Companies in the telecom sector; Product of the Year Award in 2017 & 2018; one of the top 10 Unified Communications Solutions providers in the U.S; and the Hosted VoIP Award of Excellence in 2016 & 2017.

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Health

iPatientCare National User Conference 2019 welcomes Amazon Web Services as Grand Sponsor and exhibitor

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iPatientCare NUCON 2019 welcomes Amazon Web Services as Grand Sponsor and exhibitor

“We are glad that AWS is joining iPatientCare as a Grand Sponsor of NUCON 2019 and looking forward to their offerings and demonstrations providing more learning opportunities at NUCON 2019.” said Shripal Shah, Senior Technology Officer, iPatientCare/AssureCare


CINCINNATI (PRWEB)

iPatientCare, a pioneer in cloud-based ambulatory EHR, revenue cycle management services, integrated practice management, and patient engagement solutions, announced today the participation of Amazon Web Services (AWS) as a Grand Sponsor at National User Conference (NUCON) 2019. The annual conference features informative sessions about upcoming enhancements, user’s wish-lists based discussion sessions, hands-on demos with iPatientCare experts and exhibition showcasing the leading-edge technologies.

AWS is one of the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adapted cloud providers. It offers more than 100 fully-featured services trusted by millions of active customers around the world, including some of the fastest-growing start-ups, largest enterprises, and leading government agencies – to power their infrastructure, making them more agile, and lower costs.

This year’s annual user conference would focus on proposed enhancements in iPatientCare technology that deliver context-sensitive pro-active guidelines for practicing value-based care. The knowledge sharing will be continued with a discussion on topics relating to value-based care, MACRA/MIPS, PCMH, telehealth/remote patient monitoring, and specialty-focused implementations.

“iPatientCare is privileged to have Amazon Web Services as one of their Sponsors/Exhibitors at iPatientCare – NUCON 2019. Their participation in NUCON 2018 last year was very fruitful for all attendees and led to some of our most successful user engagements. We are glad that AWS is joining iPatientCare as a Grand Sponsor of NUCON 2019 and looking forward to their offerings and demonstrations providing more learning opportunities, and to help the attendees to maximize their time spent at NUCON 2019.” said Shripal Shah, Senior Technology Officer, iPatientCare/AssureCare

About iPatientCare

iPatientCare is a full suite of innovative healthcare products and value-added services that help physician offices, rural health clinics, and community/federally qualified health centers (CHC/FQHC) nationwide in improving the health of their patients, enhancing patient care through care management/coordination/analytics, and reducing costs of care delivery.

The awards-winning EHR, integrated practice solutions and value-added services, such as, the revenue cycle enhancement and quality improvement consulting, provide everything you need to control your practice operations, increase revenues, and provide better patient care.

iPatientCare helps healthcare providers to dramatically reduce A/R days and improve collections rates, reduce billing costs, eliminate the burden of repeatable, high volume work on their internal teams, and plug gaps in staffing and internal bandwidth. The revenue cycle teams are comprised of senior executives with extensive experience in clinically-driven revenue cycle management systems including certified billers and coders with managerial capabilities to facilitate client interactions, escalations and SLA.

The iPatientCare EHR 18.0, has received 2015 Edition ONC Health IT certification by Drummond Group, an Office of the National Coordinator-Authorized Certification Body (ONC-ACB), in accordance with the applicable eligible professional certification criteria adopted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Full certification details can be found at the ONC Certified Health IT Product List.

As part of its MACRA-ready solutions, iPatientCare has been recognized as a qualified MACRA-MIPS registry by CMS, and has a distinguished credit of being selected as a preferred EHR and medical billing software by more than 70,000 users nationwide, numerous hospitals/health systems, federally funded regional extension centers, and in the past by the US Army and NASA Space Medicine.

Visit https://ipatientcare.com for more information.

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Health

The Kids and Parents Guide to Back to School Wellness

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NEW YORK (PRWEB)

With a new school year, there’s often a lot of change. Families need to adjust their bedtimes and encourage new homework habits. Parents are also looking for nutritious food to fuel their family’s day. Here are some easy wellness tips and ideas to manage the back-to-school season.

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/Ph1kyEYTyXQ

Eat healthy even with a busy back-to-school schedule:

Most families find that eating healthy with a packed schedule can be tough. But if you plan ahead by having healthy items ready to go, it’s much easier.

One avocado product that should be at the top of your list is from GoodFoods, and it’s a great example of how convenience can give you lots of healthy options.

They have 4-pack single serves of guacamole and avocado mash that you can instantly pull from your fridge or put in the kids’ lunchbox. They don’t brown, and they also don’t have added sugar or artificial ingredients. You can make an easy breakfast with the avocado mash on toast while you make the kids’ lunches.

And the ready-to-eat guacamole is full of flavor with huge avocado chunks in every bite — you can use it as a healthy dip for quinoa-and-rice crackers or carrot sticks.

Have a wellness routine to help stay healthy:

It can be easy to run out the door to school without properly brushing your teeth. One product that might help motivate your child to brush better is from Oral B, the #1 Dentist Recommended brand worldwide. It’s their Kids Vitality Rechargeable Toothbrush. It has a built-in timer that can help your child brush for the dentist-recommended full two minutes. Also, its extra-soft brush head gently brushes your child’s teeth and cleans better than a manual toothbrush.

Help your children’s immune system stay strong:

You can fill up on colorful fruits and veggies for a natural immune booster which can also help fight off viruses — examples are oranges, grapefruit, broccoli, and strawberries.

You can also try to get elderberries in your diet as one of our wellness tips. Elderberry is a superfruit which can help keep immune systems in tip-top shape.

And if you’re looking for an elderberry option for kids — Dimetapp has new Children’s Immune Support Elderberry Gummies. These are a medicine-free option for kids to get their everyday immune support — they taste great and kids love gummies, of course. And they help support a healthy immune function for children ages 2 and over. Here at SMG we might also say “it’s a child-approved way” to fuel your kids with Vitamins C, D, E, and Zinc.

About YourUpdateTV:

YourUpdateTV is a social media video portal for organizations to share their content, produced by award-winning video communications firm, D S Simon Media (http://www.dssimon.com). It includes separate channels for Health and Wellness, Lifestyle, Media and Entertainment, Money and Finance, Social Responsibility, Sports and Technology.

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Health

Robins & Morton, St. Joseph’s Hospital Celebrate Expansion Topping Out

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construction team poses for photo

St. Joseph’s Hospital patient tower expansion team celebrated the project’s topping out on Sept. 10.

“We look forward to completing this exciting addition, ensuring BayCare and St. Joseph’s Hospital continues to provide superior healthcare services to the Tampa community.”


TAMPA, Fla. (PRWEB)

St. Joseph’s Hospital, Robins & Morton, HOK Architecture, Carastro Engineering and honored guests joined together to celebrate the structural topping out of the St. Joseph’s Hospital patient tower expansion located in Tampa, Florida, on Sept. 10.

The expansion project will include a new six-story patient tower that will house a two-story lobby, waiting and on-call rooms and three patient care floors with 90 private patient rooms. A new bridge will connect St. Joseph’s Hospital to St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital, allowing for patient transport from one facility to the other.

“Robins & Morton is proud to partner with BayCare and St. Joseph’s Hospital on this exciting project,” Robins & Morton Senior Superintendent Steve Williams said. “The scope of this project connects St. Joseph’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital and St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital, providing safe and efficient pedestrian paths between all three facilities. We look forward to completing this exciting addition, ensuring BayCare and St. Joseph’s Hospital continues to provide superior healthcare services to the Tampa community.”

The patient tower expansion is scheduled to be completed in mid-2020.

About Robins & Morton

Robins & Morton is a privately-held, innovation-driven construction firm committed to Building with Purpose®. Since 1946, the firm has built a reputation as a trusted advisor to clients nationwide by cultivating a high-performing team that values integrity, safety, and innovative thinking. Robins & Morton consistently ranks among the Top 100 U.S. Builders in Engineering News-Record. Robins & Morton is based in Birmingham, Alabama, with additional offices in Charlotte, North Carolina; Dallas, Texas; Huntsville, Alabama; Miami and Orlando, Florida; Nashville, Tennessee. Learn more at http://www.robinsmorton.com.

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health and fitness

Ideal CU Combines 5-Week Step Challenge with Prep for Successful MN Brain Tumor 5K

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Ideal CU’s Wellbeing Champions Committee launched a 5-week step challenge to focus on the importance of daily exercise & prep participants for the MN Brain Tumor 5K.

Ideal CU’s Wellbeing Champions Committee launched a 5-week step challenge to focus on the importance of daily exercise & prep participants for the MN Brain Tumor 5K.

Our goal with the challenge was to promote a healthy, active lifestyle in the office and at home, and to encourage staff to make a long-term commitment to improving their overall wellbeing, as well as prepare them for the MN Brain Tumor 5K. – Ideal CU President./CEO Brian Sherrick


WOODBURY, Minn. (PRWEB)

Knowing a healthy workplace is a happy workplace, Ideal Credit Union’s first-ever Wellbeing Champions Committee launched a five-week step challenge, designed to focus on the importance of daily exercise, while also encouraging many of the participants to walk with a greater purpose at the 10th Annual MN Brain Tumor 5K, which was held on May 19, 2019.

Each week the Wellbeing Committee shared helpful tips, recipes, motivational messages and more to inspire and encourage employees to work toward a healthier lifestyle. Ideal provided employees with a tracking device to measure their daily activity. Participants would submit their average weekly steps for a chance to win great prizes and were encouraged to increase the number of steps and build upon the previous week’s results. A total of 78 Ideal employees signed up to take part and 49 completed the five-week step challenge.

“Our goal with the challenge was to promote a healthy, active lifestyle in the office and at home, and to encourage staff to make a long-term commitment to improving their overall wellbeing, as well as prepare them for the MN Brain Tumor 5K in May. We were very pleased with the results,” said Ideal CU President/CEO Brian Sherrick.

Ideal CU has been a major sponsor of the MN Brain Tumor 5K for the past nine years. Ideal employees serve on the planning committee and volunteer at the event to ensure its success. Organizers recently announced the MN Brain Tumor 5K hit a new milestone in 2019, raising $114,608 in donations to bring total fundraising to $779,765.60 since the event’s inception in 2010. All proceeds benefit the Musella Foundation for Brain Tumor Research & Information, Inc.

“The MN Brain Tumor 5K is an important event for Ideal and we are proud to take the lead to ensure its success,” Sherrick stated. “This disease has touched many people within our credit union family. The support, comradery and dedication shown by everyone involved is incredibly inspiring. I am grateful to our employees for volunteering their time to help at such an important event and thank all of the participants, donors and sponsors for their selfless generosity.”

Ideal CU employees involved in this event have given their time, which exceeds over 250 hours, in pre-planning meetings, securing sponsors, ongoing marketing, website and social media efforts, event logistics and more. The amount of 250 hours at the average hourly rate of those involved totals over $12,500 of “in-kind” giving just this year alone. May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month, dedicated to the 700,000 Americans living with a brain tumor and the estimated 79,000 who will be diagnosed this year, according to the National Brain Tumor Society.

Ideal CU’s Wellbeing Champions Committee is busy planning a Financial Fitness Challenge for employees that will kick off in late October. Committee members include Alisha Johnson, Emily Kelly, Faith Tholkes, Tria Her, Crystal Currier, Shannon Butler, Jackie Day and Jennifer Foss.

Founded in 1926, Ideal Credit Union is a member owned financial institution that is dedicated to providing financial services driven by a sincere and personal interest in the needs of our employees, members and community. Ideal CU offers a complete range of services, including a full suite of digital banking products, savings, checking, loans, mortgage products, exclusive VIP member payback, business services, investment services and more. Offices are located in Eagan, Hugo, Inver Grove Heights, North St. Paul, Stillwater and Woodbury. Visit idealcu.com for details and directions. Ideal has been voted “Best Credit Union in the East Metro” three years in a row by readers of the Stillwater Gazette and was named a 2018 Star Tribune Top 150 Workplace. Equal Housing Lender.

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Industry: Healthcare

Navigating Cancer Appoints Dr. Ethan Basch as New Scientific Medical Advisor

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SEATTLE (PRWEB)

Navigating Cancer, the leading provider of oncology patient relationship management software, is pleased to announce that Ethan Basch, MD, MSc, FASCO, has joined as the company’s new Scientific Medical Advisor. Dr. Basch is a medical oncologist and distinguished professor in the School of Medicine Division of Hematology/Oncology at University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill (UNC) and a professor in the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health.

Dr. Basch is a world-renowned patient-reported outcomes researcher and his work has been instrumental in bringing the patient’s voice to the forefront of cancer care through patient-reported outcomes (PROs). As a Scientific Medical Advisor, Dr. Basch will work with Navigating Cancer on strategy and implementation of their PRO and remote monitoring solutions in the market, as well as consult on real-world evidence-based national studies on Navigating Cancer’s remote monitoring and PRO solutions.

In 2017 Dr. Basch presented a groundbreaking study at ASCO which found that cancer patients who used a web-based survey to report symptoms to their care team during treatment experienced increased overall survival, as well as improved quality of life, longer time on therapy, and fewer ER visits and hospitalizations. Navigating Cancer will leverage Dr. Basch’s work and implement studies with his support to prove the same positive impact of PROs on cancer care can be reproduced in a real-world, community oncology setting in rural and diverse patient populations.

“Dr. Basch’s research on the use of patient-reported outcomes has been revolutionary in cancer care and we believe that the effective use of PROs in the real world is pivotal to success in value-based care,” said Gena Cook, founder and president of Navigating Cancer. “We are looking forward to leveraging Dr. Basch’s expertise and research in making patient-reported outcomes a routine part of cancer care throughout our network.”

Dr. Basch said, “Navigating Cancer’s comprehensive patient platform is associated with reduced ED visits and improved symptom management, and their ability to scale PROs into clinical workflow will continue to enhance this value. Common challenges when incorporating PROs into clinical care are uptake and sustained use by providers. Navigating Cancer directly addresses these challenges with their triage system. I’m excited to help them extend their PRO solution and to ensure that it is leveraging scientific research.”

Navigating Cancer’s Health Tracker remote monitoring solution allows cancer patients to self-report side effects and oral medication adherence between clinic visits, ensuring their care team can monitor and manage side effects promptly to keep patients on track with their treatment. Dr. Basch will work with Navigating Cancer’s team to provide strategic insights on product development and testing.

About Navigating Cancer

Navigating Cancer is the leading Patient Relationship Management technology and solutions company focused on improving the patient experience, delivering more effective care management and enabling oncology care innovation. With over 1,700 providers adopting the Navigating Care platform, it is the most broadly deployed patient management solution in oncology. The company’s products combine clinical workflows, oncology content, and data insights to empower personalized patient care for cancer patients inside and outside of the clinic. For more information, please visit http://www.navigatingcancer.com or follow Navigating Cancer on Twitter @navcancer.

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Health: Mental Health

Macy Gray Releases “Buddha” Video, Advocates for Mental Health

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https://www.prweb.com/

Cover art contest winner by Jonathan Caustrita

“To everybody struggling with something, it’ll be okay, just don’t let it beat you. Buddha says ‘concentrate the mind in the present’ – and that’s where it’s at all the time.”


LOS ANGELES (PRWEB)

Legendary R&B/soul singer Macy Gray has released the official music video for “Buddha” (featuring blues-rock guitarist Gary Clark Jr.) from her latest album, RUBY, following an exclusive premiere via Rolling Stone. The video was directed by the multi-talented Teyana “Spike Tee” Taylor.

“Buddha” finds Macy reflecting on her 20+ years in the music business, the disorienting nature of fame, and her quest to find her center and stay grounded.

As Macy told Rolling Stone,

“Underneath the Gary Clark solo, the incredible production by Johan Carlsson, and the Teyana Taylor-directed video is a little story about my battles with mental health. Though it has held me up and set me back many times, I was able to write this song because I am winning my war with it. And I’m able to celebrate my present and look forward to my future because of it. To everybody struggling with something, it’ll be okay, just don’t let it beat you. Buddha says ‘concentrate the mind in the present’ – and that’s where it’s at all the time.”

Leading up to the video release, Macy hosted a cover art contest on Instagram and received over 300 submissions from artists hoping to win the $500 prize and have their art featured as the official “Buddha” single artwork. The winnerwas created by Jonathan Caustrita (@jonathancaustrita), an illustrator from Dallas, TX.

“Macy Gray’s RUBY is named for more than just a jewel: it describes her polish, passion and the rich, regal countenance she’s absorbed since reclaiming her focus and artistry.” – Soul Tracks

“With stunning production and Gray at her most charismatic, [RUBY] is a showcase of an artist in her prime.” – Atwood Magazine

MORE ABOUT MACY GRAY:

“I love the gem ruby,” Macy explains. “It’s so regal. I really wanted a title that would stick. The stone is also red of course, which is my favorite color. It’s rich and has history. It’s classic — and so is this album.”

That unmistakable rasp, unshakable grasp on soul, and funky spirit ensured her status as a 21st century icon since her arrival with the triple-platinum album On How Life Is in 1999. Selling over 25 million albums globally, winning a GRAMMY® Award and two BRIT Awards, collaborating with everyone from Ariana Grande to Galactic, and selling out venues in nearly every corner of the globe two decades into her storied career. Macy’s talents resound beyond music as well. She starred in Tyler Perry’s Black Reel Award-winning For Colored Girls and would grace the screen everywhere from Brotherly Love and Cardboard Boxer to NETFLIX’s hit Fuller House. Moreover, she made a now legendary appearance in Training Day alongside Academy® Award winner Denzel Washington one of many on-screen hallmarks.

Now, her tenth full-length album, RUBY [Artistry Music/Mack Avenue], reaffirms and reasserts that signature rarity millions continue to treasure.

Channeling the spirit of the “grimy” R&B and smoky jazz closest to her heart, Macy made a leap forward by looking back to formative inspirations. However, she updated those elements with enriched, entrancing, and enigmatic soundscapes brought to life by producers Johan Carlsson [Michael Bublé, Maroon 5], Tommy Brown [Jennifer Lopez, Fifth Harmony, Travis Scott], and Tommy Parker Lumpkins [Janet Jackson, Justin Bieber].

“They’re all stellar producers, and they helped me craft an incredibly rich project,” she goes on. “They were brilliant in integrating horns and strings. There are so many complex layers. I wanted something that never got boring in terms of the music.”

RUBY canvases a wide spectrum for the songstress. Raucous horns that feel ripped from a classic seventies flick augment the grit on “Cold World” as “Jealousy” spins a covetous narrative that soars as it seduces. Gary Clark Jr. adds six-string firepower to “Buddha.” Everything culminates on the reggae-inspired “Witness,” which shuffles between mainland soul and island grooves as she croons, “I wish I was Jesus. I would make sure to fix it. Can I get a witness?”

“I think my sound reflects where I am,” she exclaims. “I’m a little older…just a little [laughs]. I’ve had more experiences and influences. I want my sound to feel fresh and relevant. I feel that I was able to achieve that, and I’m extremely proud of this album.” Audiences will feel that, too as she brings the record to life nightly in North America, the UK, and Europe on her 2018 tour.

In the end, RUBY represents Macy Gray at her most passionate, poetic, and powerful. “I hope audiences can feel connected to the record,” she leaves off. “I hope that I can make them smile and make them reflect. I love when fans reach out with stories of how I’ve inspired, influenced them, or helped them get through a moment in their life. I want them to take away sincerity, honesty and authenticity. I’m hopeful that I am providing them with something that is meaningful and thoughtful. I’m still looking at how I can contribute more artistically and as a human. This is one way.”

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Business: Insurance

Utilant Welcomes Greg Osborne as Senior Vice President of Sales

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Greg Osborne

Greg Osborne, Senior Vice President of Sales at Utilant

Greg is well respected in the P&C insurance industry and we are thrilled to have him on board to guide Utilant in the management and scaling of our sales organization.


BUFFALO, N.Y. (PRWEB)

Utilant, the provider of the P&C insurance industry’s premier loss control management platform, announced that Greg Osborne has joined the company as Senior Vice President of Sales.

“Greg is a significant addition to the Utilant executive team,” said Rob Mikulec, Chief Revenue Officer at Utilant. “He is well respected in the P&C insurance industry and we are thrilled to have him on board to guide Utilant in the management and scaling of our sales organization as we experience our continued rapid growth trajectory.”

Osborne has worked at the intersection of technology and insurance throughout his career, with focused expertise in SaaS software solutions and large-scale system deployments. Over the last decade, Osborne has held sales leadership positions at P&C insurance software providers including Duck Creek and Guidewire.

“From its inception, Utilant’s platform has been instrumental in transforming the P&C insurance industry’s loss control processes by enabling collaboration across the entire loss control inspection workflow,” commented Osborne. “The thing that attracted me most to Utilant, compared to other InsurTech companies, is that they have achieved real market traction with P&C insurance carriers and inspection firms of all sizes across the world. I’m excited to help lead the company in the next phase of growth as Senior Vice President of Sales.”

Osborne has a BASc in Computer Studies from the University of South Australia and an MBA from the University of South Carolina. Osborne currently resides in the Columbia, South Carolina area with his family.

View Osborne’s LinkedIn profile at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregoryronaldosborne/.

About Utilant and Loss Control 360

Utilant’s Loss Control 360 is the “best-in-class” Loss Control Survey Management Platform for P&C insurance and inspection/risk engineering companies, establishing its position as the hub for connecting insurance core systems, inspection firms, and InsurTechs to comprehensively transform the global insurance industry workflow. The solution supports Commercial, Personal, and Specialty lines, and is deployed via a SaaS model. Utilant’s Loss Control 360 platform is used by leading Insurers around the world, as well as by top inspection vendor survey companies across North America. The Loss Control 360 platform helps Insurers to efficiently survey and score risks for an efficient underwriting process across all lines of commercial and residential business. A typical implementation provides positive ROI within the first year. More information on Utilant and Loss Control 360 is available at http://www.losscontrol360.com.

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Business: Executives

CAIS Continues Senior Leadership Expansion with Andrew Smith Lewis Joining as Chief Innovation Officer

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Andrew Smith Lewis, a technologist working at the intersection of artificial intelligence and human cognition, will be pioneering learning technologies for advisors to better understand alternative investments.


NEW YORK (PRWEB)

CAIS, the leading technology platform connecting financial advisors with alternative investments, today announced that Andrew Smith Lewis has joined CAIS as Chief Innovation Officer. Andrew Smith Lewis, a technologist working at the intersection of artificial intelligence and human cognition, will be pioneering learning technologies for advisors to better understand alternative investments.

“Our mission is to empower independent financial advisors with the tools and resources to drive business growth,” said Matt Brown, CAIS Founder and CEO. “Andrew brings a unique combination of skills and experience that will empower financial advisors to improve outcomes for their clients.”

Smith Lewis has dedicated his career to unlocking human potential and empowering people to discover solutions by optimizing the way they learn. He is the cofounder and former CEO of Cerego an adaptive learning platform that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to scale proven cognitive science and make learning possible for anyone. By improving the learning experience, Cerego successfully helped over 6 million users, including partners such as The U.S. Army, NYU, Cengage, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, ASU, edX, Rockwell Automation, and Elsevier. Smith Lewis continues to serve on Cerego’s Board of Directors as Vice Chairman.

“I am excited about CAIS’ commitment to developing innovative technologies that help independent financial advisors,” said Andrew Smith Lewis. “CAIS embodies all of the things I am passionate about: blending artificial intelligence with learning science, hiring the right talent, and fostering a culture of innovation.”

With Smith Lewis joining the team, CAIS plans to immediately embark on another significant expansion of the company’s technology team and its Los Angeles-based Technology and Innovation Hub. Earlier this year, CAIS announced the strengthening of its senior leadership team with four key additions, including Marco Riedl, Chief Product Officer, formerly from eBay.

“We are developing powerful new ways for advisors to learn about alternative investments,” said Matt Brown, CAIS Founder and CEO. “We are doubling down on education and technology. Making top-tier alternative investments accessible on a massive scale was a major achievement. Our challenge now is to make them universally understood as well.”

The first truly open marketplace for alternative investments, CAIS offers financial advisors unprecedented access to a curated menu of top-tier hedge funds, private equity, and real estate funds in addition to a variety of capital markets offerings.

The CAIS platform has facilitated over $8 billion since inception and more than $1 billion in the first 6 months of 2019 alone. Over 1,500 advisory firms/teams, who oversee more than $1.2 trillion in assets, are members of the CAIS Platform.

About CAIS

CAIS is the premier financial technology platform, providing independent financial advisors with access to top-tier managers of specialized investment products in the multi-trillion dollar independent wealth channel. CAIS offers streamlined execution for an expanding list of alternative investment funds and products. CAIS complements its fund offerings with independent due diligence provided by Mercer. CAIS is an NFA member with securities offered through CAIS Capital LLC, member FINRA, SIPC.

For more information about CAIS, visit http://www.caisgroup.com

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Health: Addiction

Surgery Can be a Pain, But Opioids Not Always Best Elixir

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https://www.prweb.com/

Dr. Alejandro Badia

Today, we have many proven, opioid-sparing options, including minimally invasive operative techniques and pre- and post-surgical uses of advanced nerve-blocking agents and long-lasting local anesthetics like EXPAREL® to resolve both pain and inflammation.


MIAMI (PRWEB)

Innovative pain management alternatives during and after surgery can significantly reduce the number of patients becoming chronic users – and abusers — of opioid drugs, says noted orthopedic surgeon Alejandro Badia MD, founder and chief medical officer of the Badia Hand to Shoulder Center and OrthoNOW®, who has successfully paired standard anesthesia during surgery with a new, opioid-sparing analgesic.

Called EXPAREL®, from Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the non-narcotic drug is injected as a single dose at the site of the regional block (nerves that deaden extremity) and often directly into the surgical site as well to help produce postoperative pain relief. The medication incorporates technology that encapsulates it in liposomal particles, allowing release of the drug’s pain-inhibiting properties for an extended period, Dr. Badia explains.

“In a recent case with a patient Dr. Amy Chappell, a neurologist and prominent lifestyle medicine physician who sustained a massive rotator cuff tear requiring double row repair, a procedure that can be particularly painful, the patient only required an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication to mitigate discomfort following administration of EXPAREL® during surgery,” says Dr. Badia. According to Dr. Chappell, “I never had pain after the surgery and the only real issue was having to wear the protective abuction pillow and sling”!

Another case involved Nick Mendez, the CEO of OrthoNOW®, an innovative orthopedic care delivery company, who underwent combined labral repair and insertion of the Regeneten® patch to his rotator cuff for a partial tear. Mr. Mendez stated, “I had slight discomfort but never pain that required me taking anything other than some Motrin and I was able to even continue working via my mobile phone the same day of the outpatient procedure”.

The recent launch of a national education campaign underscores Dr. Badia’s comments. The campaign encourages patients to discuss non-opioid options for pain management with their doctors prior to undergoing surgical procedures. Campaign sponsors cite data indicating that only a 10% reduction in the number of physician-written prescriptions for opioid drugs following surgery would mean 300,000 fewer patients becoming “persistent opioid users.”

The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that common prescription opioids like hydrocodone (Vicodin®), oxymorphone (Opana®), codeine and fentanyl are chemically similar to heroin. In fact, nearly 80% of Americans using heroin say they turned to the drug after initially misusing prescription opioids, the Institute states.

Dr. Badia points to a 2017 study in JAMA Surgery indicating that patients often receive prescriptions for a month’s worth of opioid pills and that some 6% of them are still taking the drugs three months or longer after their procedures. Even more alarming, he says, is a March 2017 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which found that as many as 13% of patients who received prescriptions for a week’s supply of opioid drugs were still taking them a year later.

“Surgery, including orthopedic surgery which is sometimes associated with a higher level of postoperative pain, does not – and should not – require use of narcotics for pain management,” Dr. Badia says. “Today, we have many proven, opioid-sparing options, including minimally invasive operative techniques and pre- and post-surgical uses of advanced nerve-blocking agents and long-lasting local anesthetics like EXPAREL® to resolve both pain and inflammation at the surgical site for at least the first 72 hours following surgery – when postoperative pain is the most acute.”

Other opioid-sparing alternatives are explored in an educational report for pharmacists, entitled “Multimodal Analgesia in Orthopedic Surgery.” The report advises that use of two or more medications “with different mechanisms of action” during surgery can have an “additive analgesic effect,” obviating the need for opioids to quell postoperative pain.

Dr. Badia uses Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols as part of his practice to reduce reliance on opioids for pain management. ERAS are designed to improve a patient’s overall surgical experience, including eliminating narcotic prescriptions after surgery.

A recent study published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine determined that ERAS decreased patient opioid use one month postoperatively following elective spine and peripheral nerve surgeries, Dr. Badia says.

He emphasizes, however, that any equation for stemming the opioid epidemic must also include patient education.

As an example, he cites a 2018 Johns Hopkins Medicine study in Anesthesia & Analgesia where authors report only “a very small percentage” of patients are choosing to use common, readily available anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen to avoid sole reliance on opioids for pain control. Patients surveyed for the study had undergone orthopedic surgery, specifically spine and joint surgery.

Other research has associated use of opioid-sparing anesthesia during surgery with lower morbidity and mortality rates, Dr. Badia says.

He offers patients these tips:

  • Before undergoing surgery, ask your doctor about opioid-sparing alternatives to manage pain.

  • Change your mindset. Narcotics are not the only option for maintaining comfort. Lower-cost, over-the-counter medications can prove just as effective, particularly if used in a combined, synergistic mode.

  • Follow prescriptions exactly. If you still experience pain when the prescription is ended, seek your doctor’s advice about next steps.

Heed your doctor’s or pharmacist’s instructions regarding proper disposal of leftover opioid pills. Don’t store them for “possible future use.”

Bio: Alejandro Badia, MD, FACS, internationally renowned hand and upper-limb surgeon and founder of Badia Hand to Shoulder Center and OrthoNOW®, a walk-in orthopedic care clinic. He is a member the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, American Association for Hand Surgery and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. He is a specialist in treating all problems related to the hand and upper extremity including trauma, sports injury, joint reconstruction, nerve injuries and arthroscopic surgeries. http://www.OrthoNOWcare.com and http://www.drbadia.com.

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