I’m looking forward to a front-row seat to listen to Daniel, Dave and Scott inspire, challenge and inform us about how data drives healthcare and public safety improvement in the communities we serve.

AUSTIN, Texas (PRWEB)
February 14, 2020

ESO, the leading data and software company serving emergency medical services (EMS), fire departments and hospitals, today announced Dr. Daniel Kraft – Faculty Chair for Medicine at Singularity University, as well as Founder and Chair of Exponential Medicine – will deliver one of three keynote presentations at Wave 2020, ESO’s data, research and technology conference for healthcare and public safety leaders, held in Austin, Texas February 24-27, 2020. David Page, director of the Prehospital Care Research Forum, and Scott Bourn, Co-Director of the NAEMSP Quality and Safety Course, will provide additional keynotes.

“I’m looking forward to a front-row seat to listen to Daniel, Dave and Scott inspire, challenge and inform us about how data drives healthcare and public safety improvement in the communities we serve,” said Chris Dillie, President and CEO of ESO.

Dr. Kraft is a Stanford and Harvard trained physician-scientist, inventor, entrepreneur and innovator. With more than 25 years of experience in clinical practice, biomedical research and healthcare innovation, Kraft has served as Faculty Chair for Medicine at Singularity University since its inception in 2008, and is the Founder and Chair of Exponential Medicine, a program that explores convergent, rapidly developing technologies and their potential in biomedicine and healthcare.

In addition to being the Director of the Prehospital Care Research Forum at UCLA, Page is an active field paramedic with Allina Health EMS in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota. He has more than 35 years of continuous EMS street experience. He will explore a blend of today and tomorrow’s technology, as well as take a deeper look at international and national state-of-the art practices.

Dr. Bourn is the Co-Director of the NAEMSP Quality and Safety Course, as well as the Senior Quality Consultant for ESO. Bourn has more than 40 years’ experience as a paramedic, clinical specialist and ED/critical care nurse. He developed and was Director of the EMS Degree Program at the University of Colorado and served as the President of the National Association of EMS Educators. For the past 15 years, Dr. Bourn has led organizations to successfully adapt often complicated clinical, educational, and operational evidence in a way that significantly improves intended outcomes and reduces cost.

Timely topics at Wave 2020 include:

• 
  How EMS and Hospitals Are Benefitting from Two-Way Data Sharing
• Data-Driven Decision Making for Fire Departments
• Top EMS, Fire and Hospital Research for 2020
• Performance Improvement Made Practical
• Data and Disasters
• Reducing Risk in Public Safety Employees

For an up-to-date schedule of sessions and to register for Wave 2020, visit the Wave 2020 website.

About ESO

ESO is dedicated to improving community health and safety through the power of data. Since its founding in 2004, the company continues to pioneer innovative, user-friendly software to meet the changing needs of today’s EMS agencies, fire departments, and hospitals. ESO currently serves thousands of customers throughout North America with a broad software portfolio, including the industry-leading ESO Electronic Health Record (EHR), the next generation ePCR; ESO Health Data Exchange (HDE), the first-of-its-kind healthcare interoperability platform; ESO Fire and ESO FIREHOUSE Software for fire departments; and ambulance revenue recovery/billing software. ESO is headquartered in  Austin, Texas. For more information, visit : http://www.eso.com.

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“It gives me and my team great pleasure to make this donation to the family support team so they can continue with the wonderful job of making the families and patients comfortable here at the hospital,” said President Jimmy Ellis.

ATLANTA (PRWEB)
February 14, 2020

The Jim Ellis Automotive Group is proud to announce a donation of $55,496 to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (Children’s) raised through their annual Holiday Giving Campaign. The fundraiser has been a long-standing holiday tradition in which a portion of all new or pre-owned vehicle sales between November 29, 2019, through January 2, 2020, are donated to a deserving organization.

Children’s, a not-for-profit, is one of the largest pediatric clinical care providers in the country. The organization serves families in Georgia and beyond, managing more than one million patient visits annually. During those visits, the family support team makes a difference in the lives of patients by providing music therapy, special visits from hospital facility dogs, one-on-one sessions with on-site schoolteachers, chaplains and more. These services – which help kids feel like kids – are especially important for pediatric cancer patients who often spend long stretches of time in the hospital for treatment.

“It gives me and my team great pleasure to make this donation to the family support team so they can continue with the wonderful job of making the families and patients comfortable here at the hospital,” said President Jimmy Ellis.

About Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

As the only freestanding pediatric healthcare system in Georgia, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is the trusted leader in caring for kids. The not-for-profit organization’s mission is to make kids better today and healthier tomorrow through more than 60 pediatric specialties and programs, top healthcare professionals, and leading research and technology. Children’s is one of the largest pediatric clinical care providers in the country, managing more than one million patient visits annually at three hospitals, Marcus Autism Center, the Center for Advanced Pediatrics and 20 neighborhood locations. Consistently ranked among the top children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has impacted the lives of kids in Georgia, across the United States and around the world for more than 100 years thanks to generous support from the community. Visit http://www.choa.org for more information.

About Jim Ellis Automotive Group

Jim Ellis Automotive Group has been serving the Atlanta area since 1971, starting with Volkswagen as the flagship brand. The group has expanded to 14 brands and 18 dealerships covering Atlanta, Buford, Kennesaw, Marietta and McDonough. Visit them online at http://www.jimellis.com.

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Effective Jan. 2020, NY state extended state-wide infertility treatment insurance mandate to include IVF coverage. This expanded coverage is estimated to include 2.4M New Yorkers. SGF New York applauds these dynamic changes and supports legalization of gestational surrogacy in the state.

NEW YORK (PRWEB)
February 14, 2020

For millions of New Yorkers who face infertility, others whose cancer, previous trauma, or genetic disease has affected their reproductive capabilities, and the LGBTQ community who desire to start a family, gestational surrogacy—which involves a woman other than the biological or intended parent carrying the pregnancy—is not just an option, it’s the only option to start or grow a family.

While reproductive technology has evolved tremendously over the last several decades, some would argue New York’s laws that ban gestational surrogacy have not, and continue to pose a heavy burden on those who need a gestational carrier (GC) in order to become parents.

“New York is arguably one of the most progressive states in the country, and yet does not allow the use of GCs. Therefore, I support passage of the Child-Parent Security Act that would reverse the ban on compensated gestational surrogacy in New York, clarify the legal parentage by the intended parents of the child from birth, and simplify second parent adoptions. While many of the arguments in support of passing such a bill surround the LGBTQ community, we see many heterosexual female patients who require the user of a carrier, as in the case of women with previous traumatic birth, ruptured uterus, different genetic conditions, estrogen sensitive breast cancer, absent uterus (MRKH syndrome), severe renal disease, uterine cancer, post-partum hemorrhage that required a hysterectomy, to name a few. Without lifting this ban, women in each of these situations, and many more, would be forced to travel to a GC-friendly state, and incur additional financial and emotional burden just to have a baby,” said Anate Brauer, M.D., Director of IVF, SGF New York in Manhattan.

“I have read the opposition’s concerns. I cannot say I don’t disagree with the concerns surrounding rights of a gestational surrogate and a slippery slope to a fictional world of uteri for hire. As a woman and a physician, I make it clear to my patients that it is my job to advocate for both my intended parents and GCs. I’m an advocate for all—lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and straight. But mostly, I am an advocate for women. No matter how a baby is brought into this world, it should be cherished,” Brauer adds.

“Throughout our 38 locations, SGF has years of experience working with GCs and intended parents. Our team is committed to providing both parties with the best personalized care in order to help many achieve the dream of parenthood,” added Tomer Singer, M.D., MBA, Medical Director, SGF New York in Manhattan.

“Patients with uterine factor such as fibroids, Asherman’s syndrome, prior hysterectomy, different genetic diseases, recurrent miscarriages, and certain types of cancer are not able to carry a pregnancy. SGF has exceled in creating programs that allow these patients and others become parents,” adds Singer.

Effective January 2020, New York state extended the state-wide infertility treatment insurance mandate to include in vitro fertilization (IVF) coverage. This expanded coverage is estimated to include 2.4 million New Yorkers. SGF New York applauds these dynamic changes for New York state and supports the legalization of gestational surrogacy in the state.

To learn more about New York’s family building advocacy efforts, visit RESOLVE. To learn more about the Child-Parent Security Act, Bill A01071C, visit The New York State Assembly.

To schedule a fertility consultation with either Dr. Brauer or Dr. Singer in New York City to discuss your family building options, call 212-203-4826 or submit this brief form. SGF New York’s new 15,300 square foot space is conveniently located at 110 East 60th Street—minutes from nine NY subway stations providing easy access from all boroughs as well as Westchester, Long Island, and Connecticut, and steps from Bloomingdales, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, and The Plaza Hotel.

To schedule an appointment at any of SGF’s other 37 domestic locations, call the SGF New Patient Center at 888-761-1967.

About Shady Grove Fertility (SGF)

SGF is a leading fertility and IVF center of excellence with more than 85,000 babies born and counting. With 38 locations throughout FL, GA, MD, NY, PA, VA, D.C., and Santiago, Chile, we offer patients individualized care, accept most insurance plans, and make treatment affordable through innovative financial options, including treatment guarantees. More physicians refer their patients to SGF than any other center. Call 1-888-761-1967 or visit ShadyGroveFertility.com.

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With locations across Southern California, West Medical offers numerous bariatric treatments for those dealing with weight issues.

When it comes to diet, cutting food intake significantly over a long period is far easier said than done.

LOS ANGELES (PRWEB)
February 13, 2020

A January 23 article on MSN reports on how to calculate if one is medically obese and how to combat obesity using a multifaceted approach. Southern California based weight loss clinic West Medical says that, while such prescriptions are completely valid, they entirely ignore the fact that, when it comes to diet, cutting food intake significantly over a long period is far easier said than done. The fact of the matter is that obesity is a serious, potentially life-threatening condition that can be extremely difficult to permanently defeat without a medical intervention of some sort, says the medical group.

West Medical says that in order to understand why obesity is so hard to fight, one has to understand one of its underlying mechanisms. On some level, says the center, the body doesn’t really “care” that it might be obese. It was essentially designed to survive into the childbearing years with maybe a little extra time to help continue the species by becoming a grandparent during one’s mid-thirties. What the body greatly “fears” however, is starvation foreshadowed by a dramatically lower caloric intake and weight loss. During most of human history, says the center, food was relatively scarce and being fat was seen as a good thing because it meant one could survive a famine more easily. So, when individuals begin to lose weight, the body does whatever it can to encourage more eating to store calories before the next famine. This often leads to excessively sharp feelings of hunger that can be very difficult to ignore, the center adds. The exact mechanisms behind this phenomenon are not fully understood, the center notes, but are believed to be caused by the same hormones responsible for ordinary feelings of hunger, most famously ghrelin.

West Medical says that weight loss procedures are all designed to reduce the appetite while such procedures as a gastric sleeve may actually greatly reduce the body’s production of ghrelin. The result, says the medical group, is that patients are not bothered by incessant cravings for food and can actually do the work of changing their dietary habits without being driven to distraction.

West Medical says that the dangers of obesity are many in number, with a majority of obese individuals also suffering from related conditions and diseases. The center notes that heart disease, osteoarthritis, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, fatty liver disease, and many other serious health problems are directly related to or seriously aggravated by obesity. Naturally, reducing or eliminating obesity, West Medical continues, will tend to reduce or even eliminate these issues in many cases.

The clinic notes that weight loss surgery is not necessarily appropriate for all patients who may not be defined medically as obese. West Medical says that it also offers non-surgical approaches such as gastric balloon surgery and endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty. Each of the options carries with it a different set of pros and cons. The important thing, West Medical notes, is that patients do have options when they are ready to consider weight loss surgery.

Interested readers can learn more about West Medical by visiting its website at https://westmedical.com or by calling (855) 690-0565.

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Gum Disease Awareness Month has been an incredibly rewarding passion project for the IALD, and it has been exciting to see others come on board to help spread the word about the gum disease epidemic.

CERRITOS, Calif. (PRWEB)
February 13, 2020

The Institute for Advanced Laser Dentistry (IALD) once again puts patients first by championing public education about gum disease during Gum Disease Awareness Month in February. Started in 2012, Gum Disease Awareness Month has evolved from a grassroots movement to an international effort, launching in Australia this year. As the new decade commences, the general public is still in need of education of the overwhelming prevalence and consequences of untreated gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, and the impact of successful treatment versus unsuccessful treatment.

The IALD has been committed to spreading the word about this serious and often underestimated disease, chiefly via its patient-facing resource FightGumDisease.com. The Australian effort, FightGumDisease.com.au, is headed by Christopher Barker, BDS, FRACDS, who practices in Queensland. Dr. Barker learned about Gum Disease Awareness month while attending training in Cerritos, California.

“I was intrigued by the approach started by the IALD – educating the public through social media about a disease that has such a significant heath impact,” stated Dr. Barker. “Given gum disease’s prevalence and its significant impact on total health, I was encouraged to begin creating awareness in Australia as well.”

“Gum Disease Awareness Month has been an incredibly rewarding passion project for the IALD, and it has been exciting to see others come on board to help spread the word about the gum disease epidemic,” said Dawn M. Gregg, DDS, Training Director for the IALD. “We are extremely grateful that Australia is the latest to join in this fight and hope to continue to increase awareness of periodontal disease.”

FightGumDisease.com and its Australian counterpart highlight the gum disease epidemic, signs and symptoms, systemic connections to other health risks such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, Alzheimer’s, rheumatoid arthritis, pre-term birth and erectile dysfunction, among others. Studies have shown that the effectiveness of the treatment method depends on the efficacy of killing bacteria and can lead to lower costs of medical treatments for diabetes, pregnancy and heart disease. Not all treatment options are equally effective.

Additionally, the websites provide information on prevention tips and treatment options.

ABOUT THE INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED LASER DENTISTRY: The IALD is a non-profit educational and research center dedicated to providing evidence-based clinical training in advanced laser dentistry therapies. Formed in 1999, the IALD is ADA-CERP and AGD-PACE accredited, and is nationally recognized for its continuing education programs. The IALD’s ultimate goal is for the percentage of patients seeking treatment for periodontitis to reach the percentage of patients seeking general dental care.

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“Additional studies could help us determine if environmental interventions or medical treatment would help reduce the burden of this disease.” – Olivier Vandenplas, MD

MILWAUKEE (PRWEB)
February 13, 2020

Both work-related rhinitis (WRR) and non-work-related rhinitis (non-WRR) have significant negative impacts on health-related quality of life and work productivity, according to a new study in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, an official journal of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI), and those with WRR are likely to see more detrimental impacts.

For this cross-sectional survey, workers were randomly selected during their periodic occupational health visit in the French-speaking part of Belgium. Rhinitis-specific and generic questionnaires were used, including the Mini-Rhinitis QoL Questionnaire, the Medical Outcome Study Short Form-8, and the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment-General Health questionnaire. Participants were categorized into three groups: non-WRR (current nasal symptoms not related to work, 329 participants), WRR (current rhinitis with two or more nasal symptoms at work, 161 participants), and control (no nasal symptoms, 1,155 participants).

Following analysis, those with non-WRR were less likely to report moderate/severe rhinitis symptoms (48%) compared to subjects with WRR (70.8%). Subjects with WRR displayed higher results than those with non-WRR on the Mini-Rhinitis Quality of Life Questionnaire, which measures the impact of rhinitis symptoms across five domains, with higher scores indicating higher levels of symptom disruption.

When rhinitis severity was included in the multivariate model, moderate/severe rhinitis seemed to be a significant risk factor for worse rhinitis-specific quality of life. WRR and non-WRR were also both associated with higher levels of impairment in the Mental Component Summary and Physical Component Summary of the SF-8 questionnaire, which is used to assess health concepts.

Worktime missed and lower at-work productivity was more frequent in those with WRR compared to those with non-WRR and the control population. This indicates that work-related nasal symptoms have a greater impact on quality of life and work productivity compared to rhinitis that is unrelated to work. Subjects with WRR also reported visiting a medical professional more frequently due to rhinitis symptoms than subjects with non-WRR (45.1% and 33% respectively).

“Our findings tell us that we need to improve public and clinical awareness of how the environment of a workplace influences rhinitis symptoms, and the impact those symptoms have not only on workplace productivity but overall quality of life,” said first author Olivier Vandenplas, MD. “Additional studies could help us determine if environmental interventions or medical treatment would help reduce the burden of this disease.”

You can learn more about rhinitis on the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology website, aaaai.org.

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) represents allergists, asthma specialists, clinical immunologists, allied health professionals and others with a special interest in the research and treatment of allergic and immunologic diseases. Established in 1943, the AAAAI has nearly 7,000 members in the United States, Canada and 72 other countries. The AAAAI’s Find an Allergist/Immunologist service is a trusted resource to help you find a specialist close to home.

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The BMI of Texas team includes bariatric surgeons, patient liaisons, insurance and financing specialists, dietitians, exercise physiologists, psychologists, licensed counselors, and our talented staff

BMI of Texas is focused on helping patients transition to a healthier lifestyle which will ensure they not only achieve their weight loss goals but that they are able to maintain their weight loss long-term, decrease and even reverse the effects of disease,” said bariatric surgeon Dr. Patel.

SAN ANTONIO (PRWEB)
February 13, 2020

Obesity is now the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., according to a recent study from the Cleveland Clinic. Recognizing that obesity is an epidemic, and much more work needs to be done so that people have access to preventative and treatment options, the Bariatric Medical Institute of Texas (BMI of Texas) recently provided a San Antonio resident with weight loss surgery and follow-up care at no cost in recognition of Obesity Care Week.

“At BMI of Texas, we are focused on helping patients transition to a healthier lifestyle which will ensure they not only achieve their weight loss goals but that they are able to maintain their weight loss long-term, decrease and even reverse the effects of disease,” said bariatric surgeon Dr. Punam Patel. “In celebration of our patients’ accomplishments and in hopes of raising awareness of the effectiveness of weight loss surgery, we were honored to be able to donate a vertical sleeve gastrectomy procedure to a deserving patient.”

BMI of Texas weight loss surgeons Dr. Patel and Dr. Richard Englehardt performed the surgery in November 2019. Dr. Chris Sertich, a board-certified anesthesiologist with Star Anesthesia, donated anesthesiology services.

The patient, Lisa S., said she struggled with her weight for many years. “I raised two granddaughters while working full-time and it’s time to take care of me now. I went to BMI of Texas because I was frustrated by my inability to lose weight, and the increasing amount of medicine I was taking to treat conditions related to my weight. Unfortunately the insurance I have through my employer doesn’t cover bariatric surgery so I am beyond grateful that Dr. Patel and BMI of Texas chose me to receive the free surgery. BMI of Texas has the best bariatric surgeons in south Texas and their comprehensive program will help me adapt to a healthier lifestyle. I recognize that weight loss surgery is a journey and success won’t happen overnight, but I am excited about my future.”

Lisa continued, “I love the doctors and staff at BMI of Texas. I just love them. They are caring people. Their generosity has set me on the right path to changing my life and improving my health.”

Obesity is a multi-factorial and complex disease, which is why BMI of Texas created a unique, comprehensive weight and metabolism management program to help patients maintain their health and weight long-term. Offering weight loss surgery and medical weight management, along with dietitians, behavioral health specialists, and a highly experienced staff, the BMI of Texas team is dedicated to creating an enduring partnership with patients in order to ensure their long-term success by providing care in a supportive, compassionate, and guilt-free environment. BMI of Texas helps patients achieve their weight loss goals and improved health through various surgical procedures including gastric bypass, Obalon Balloon System, LAP-BAND, duodenal switch and gastric sleeve, as well as a comprehensive medical weight management program.

BMI of Texas weight loss surgeons Terive Duperier, MD, FACS, Richard Englehardt, MD, FACS, and Michael Seger, MD, FACS, have been recognized by San Antonio Scene in the magazine’s annual listing of the city’s top physicians. Dr. Jennifer Seger, who heads up the practice’s medical weight loss program, has also been recognized. The BMI of Texas doctors have repeatedly been recognized by their peers dating back the awards’ inception in 2005. Dr. Punam Patel joined the practice in 2017 and brings a unique quality to BMI of Texas and San Antonio as one of the city’s only female fellowship-trained advanced laparoscopic and bariatric surgeons. She is also experienced in the surgical treatment of reflux disease, including new procedures such as Linx placement.

About BMI of Texas:

Founded in 2008, the Bariatric Medical Institute of Texas is focused on helping patients achieve their long-term weight loss goals. More information on the practice can be found at http://www.bmioftexas.com.

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Xtalks Life Science Webinars

The featured speakers will discuss some common misconceptions around digital versus electronic signatures and provide advice on how to ensure all of those signed documents comply with US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 21 CFR Part 11 guidance.

TORONTO (PRWEB)
February 13, 2020

Clinical trial study startup processes are an area ripe for optimization. Often, the study time clock doesn’t start ticking until First Patient In (FPI), but research shows that the process to get to FPI can take seven months or longer on average.

This webinar will explore best practices for study startup with practical advice on how to reap the benefits of automating processes while increasing compliance. The featured speakers will discuss some common misconceptions around digital versus electronic signatures and provide advice on how to ensure all of those signed documents comply with US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 21 CFR Part 11 guidance.

A speaker from Clinilabs Drug Development Corporation will share a case study on how they streamlined clinical trial startup processes, optimized their tools and cut clinical trial study startup times in half.

Join the live session on Thursday, March 5, 2020 at 1pm EST to learn about:

• 
  Learn tips from experts on how to optimize study startup processes to maximize the benefits of going digital
• Understand how the FDA’s recent guidance to move to digital signatures and forms has impacted study startup
• Learn best practices from Clinilabs’ case study how they accelerated study startup using Part 11 Adobe Digital certificate trusted signing, workflow automation and how immediate access to real-time data has enabled better decision making.

Featured Speakers include:

• Simon Taylor, Global Director, Solutions Consulting, SureClinical
• Charity Cowley, Director of Clinical Systems, Clinilabs Drug Development Corporation
• Catherine Schmidt, President, SterlingBio

For more information or to register for this event, visit Best Practices for Study Startup: Leveraging Digital Signatures & Process Automation.

ABOUT XTALKS

Xtalks, powered by Honeycomb Worldwide Inc., is a leading provider of educational webinars to the global life science, food and medical device community. Every year thousands of industry practitioners (from life science, food and medical device companies, private & academic research institutions, healthcare centers, etc.) turn to Xtalks for access to quality content. Xtalks helps Life Science professionals stay current with industry developments, trends and regulations. Xtalks webinars also provide perspectives on key issues from top industry thought leaders and service providers.

To learn more about Xtalks visit http://xtalks.com

For information about hosting a webinar visit http://xtalks.com/why-host-a-webinar/

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Jim Murphy, SVP of Healthcare at Ageless Innovation

PAWTUCKET, R.I. (PRWEB)
February 13, 2020

Ageless Innovation LLC, a global company devoted to reimagining how we positively live and age together through the power of play, today announced Jim Murphy, former Vice President of Innovation at UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement, is joining the company as its new Senior Vice President of Healthcare.

As a key leader of innovation within UnitedHealthcare’s Medicare and Retirement line of business, Murphy brings an unparalleled wealth of knowledge and commitment to the older adult population with him to Ageless Innovation. In his previous role, Murphy was responsible for the planning and execution of innovation initiatives with the organization’s largest partner, AARP. Under his supervision, the companies collaborated on large-scale projects that tackled domains such as caregiving, diabetes prevention, fall prevention, social isolation/loneliness, Alzheimer’s/dementia support, advance care planning, and Medicare education and decision support.

“Jim is one of the most highly respected people in the older adult space, and will be a key resource and thought leader as we work to continue building upon our mission to enhance the wellbeing of older adults and their families through the power of play,” said Ted Fischer, Co-founder and CEO of Ageless Innovation. “We could not be more excited about the future of our company with Jim on the team.”

As the Senior VP of Healthcare, Murphy will spearhead Ageless Innovation’s growing business with a variety of healthcare organizations and CMS related grant programs. He will also be responsible for expanding Ageless Innovation’s footprint as an approved nontraditional intervention for older adults who are lonely, socially isolated or living with cognitive impairment including all forms of dementia.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside the Ageless Innovation team during my time at UnitedHealthcare, and I’ve witnessed firsthand the impact of the Joy for All Companion Pets line of products,” said Murphy. “I’m thrilled about the opportunity to continue championing solutions for older adults and joining the dynamic Ageless Innovation team.”

Throughout his professional career, Murphy has served on the board of the National Alliance for Caregiving and has been an active volunteer for the Caregiver Action Network.

About Ageless Innovation:

Ageless Innovation is a global company devoted to developing fun and engaging products for older adults. Beginning with the award-winning line of Joy for All Companion Pets, Ageless Innovation is focused on creating products that promote fun, joy and play while reducing the cost of care and creating meaningful connections for older adults, their families, and caregivers. http://www.joyforall.com

Connect with Ageless Innovation on social media:

Facebook: @JoyForAllCompanionPets

Twitter: @JoyForAllPets

Instagram: @JoyForAllPets

MEDIA CONTACT:

Christie Damato

Litzky Public Relations

(201) 222 – 9118 x27

cdamato@litzkypr.com

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Everest Group

While CCM as a segment has existed for a while now, its importance has increased exponentially post passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in the U.S.

DALLAS (PRWEB)
February 13, 2020

Around 85% of the U.S. health expenditure, amounting to almost US$3 trillion, is directly related to care management. The need to reduce this high and rising spend is driving investments by healthcare enterprises in clinical and care management (CCM) processes, including the outsourcing of CCM business process services (BPS). According to Everest Group, this emerging market segment is growing rapidly for good reason: Investment in clinical and care management is the only common denominator that can drive healthcare toward a better future.

Clinical and care management can be defined as a set of activities that either directly impact the health outcome of the population or individual (such as health risk assessment, case management, and medication adherence programs) or indirectly help healthcare organizations provide quality care at lower cost.

While CCM as a segment has existed for a while now, its importance has increased exponentially post passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in the U.S. for these key reasons:

• 
  Rising costs. The U.S. is already the highest spender in the world on healthcare, and the growth rate for the next few years is expected to be higher than the GDP growth rate. Meanwhile, healthcare quality continues to decline. Ensuring care to reduce readmissions and denials of members is the need of the hour.
• Regulatory push towards value-based care. With the ACA shifting the focus from volume-based care to value-based care, healthcare stakeholders are taking proactive measures to ensure quality care at lower cost for members.
• High ROI on risk adjustments. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is making risk-adjusted reimbursements to Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. With the population in MA plans increasing, many health plans see this as an area of growth, but they must ensure efficient risk-adjustment reimbursement to support profitability.
• Collaboration between payers and providers. The rise of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) reflects changes in the business models of payers, as they are now focusing on owning, acquiring, or partnering with care givers to reduce costs and improve the quality of care.

All of this is putting pressure on the payers as well as providers to make investments in clinical and care services and at the same time reduce their costs. Many stakeholders are turning to outsourcing to help them overcome significant challenges in-house, such as:

• Finding talent (especially registered nurses) in the face of critical shortages.
• Expanding the talent search globally.
• Ensuring domain expertise of personnel in response to the rising complexity of work.
• Expanding the scope of business processes to include care coordination services.
• Acquiring the necessary technology expertise to improve process and staff efficiencies, enable the integration of data, and develop targeted care offerings for specific populations.

However, despite high demand for CCM services, the unstructured and fragmented nature of the current service provider market presents many roadblocks to organizations seeking CCM sourcing solutions.

“The Clinical and Care Management service provider market is highly fragmented,” said Manu Aggarwal, vice president at Everest Group. “Four key categories of vendors are emerging: start-ups, technology-heavy players, players providing solutions, and BPO-heavy players. No single vendor type offers end-to-end services, so we recommend that enterprises follow a diversified vendor strategy.”

These findings and more are discussed in Everest Group’s new report—“Clinical and Care Management (CCM): Is the Value-based Elixir Really Working?” The report looks at some of the key sourcing considerations for CCM enterprises and examines the vendor landscape in this market.

***Download a complimentary abstract of this report. ***

About Everest Group

Everest Group is a consulting and research firm focused on strategic IT, business services, and sourcing. We are trusted advisors to senior executives of leading enterprises, providers, and investors. Our firm helps clients improve operational and financial performance through a hands-on process that supports them in making well-informed decisions that deliver high-impact results and achieve sustained value. Our insight and guidance empowers clients to improve organizational efficiency, effectiveness, agility and responsiveness. What sets Everest Group apart is the integration of deep sourcing knowledge, problem-solving skills and original research. Details and in-depth content are available at http://www.everestgrp.com.

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