BLOOMFIELD, N.J. (PRWEB)
April 05, 2020

Juniper Communities, a national owner-operator of seniors housing communities announced it will begin full testing of consenting residents and associates in its communities as a proactive measure to further protect chronically ill older adults from the effects of COVID-19. Testing has begun as of April 2, 2020 and will be completed across most Juniper communities as quickly as possible.

“We care for the most frail and susceptible population. Senior living communities are the first line of defense for 3 million citizens most at risk for complications and even death from this virus. They and their families rely on senior living to keep them healthy and safe,” said Lynne Katzmann, Juniper’s CEO and founder. Staff wellbeing is also a primary concern. “Our associates come to work every day dedicated to providing care to the residents, and we want to minimize the risk to them and those they care for.”

The CDC released information yesterday indicating that the virus has graver impact on older adults with the chronic conditions typically found in seniors’ housing residents. The data suggest 8 out of 10 deaths reported in the U.S. have been in adults 65 and older. More concerning to senior living, 31-70% of COVID-19-positive patients aged 85+ require hospitalization, while people ages 65-84 are also at risk of needing hospital care (31-59% of this age group). Senior living communities focus primarily on these at-risk ages. Katzmann stated, “Hospitals are clearly reaching their capacity. We hope to do our part with this initiative to flatten the curve and prevent new infections with full testing across our communities in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Colorado.”

Katzmann said the company’s testing initiative is based on the need to have actionable data to build a comprehensive and proactive plan. She noted Juniper has procured the tests through private/commercial vendors using CDC-qualified reagents and operating under the FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization. “We are not taking needed tests away from state health organizations, medical providers, or hospitals,” Katzmann continued. “The opening of the pipeline by the FDA is making greater testing available to everyone.”

Test results will be used to confirm symptomatic individuals for isolation, identify asymptomatic individuals for segregation, and change staffing patterns to further limit cross-contamination. “For the time being we need to dramatically reduce the number of individuals who interface daily while maintaining our high levels of care. Testing data is absolutely critical for us to put additional precautions in place—ones which appear to have had success in other countries,” Katzmann commented.

The true rate of infection within senior living communities is unknown across staff members and residents, so Juniper has made the decision to test residents and staff at their communities. Juniper believes this critical missing data point is the tool that will enable them to make decisions as to how to better manage the disease in their communities.

Juniper has been following guidelines and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Services (CMS) and the public health regulatory agencies for each state in which they operate. The precautions include but are not limited to: limiting access to communities to essential visitors only, screening and temperature monitoring of staff and essential visitors, enhanced infection control and cleaning procedures, social distancing and self-isolation, and in-room dining service only. Juniper monitors guidelines daily and updates practices as new information becomes available.

Juniper Communities has long been recognized as an innovator, finding solutions from outside the industry to tackle problems such as energy efficiency, purpose in life, and reducing social isolation and loneliness in elders. “We’ve successfully cared for residents through natural disasters such as Hurricane Irma without loss of life. This is the greatest challenge we have ever faced. Full testing is clearly the correct next step.” said Katzmann.

Nasal swab tests were ordered in sufficient number to test community members—residents and associates. Working in conjunction with community’s primary care providers, appropriate prescriptions were received prior to ordering of tests.

Juniper recognizes this approach has limitations. While the test is not 100% accurate, even a 70 to 80% accuracy rate should improve outcomes. There will be need for ongoing testing and surveillance, particularly with staff who go out into the wider community after their shifts.

According to Katzmann, “While we cannot predict the outcome of this pandemic, it is our hope that by extending our precautions beyond what is required we can limit exposure in our communities and continue to care for everyone at the high standard we have always maintained.”

About Juniper Communities, LLC

Juniper Communities, a leader in quality, value and innovation in long-term care, operates communities in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Colorado that emphasize residents’ well-being, interaction and security. Our communities and approach to housing and care offers residents the opportunity to live a full life, regardless of age or health. Juniper’s innovative Connect4Life program has been proven to improve residents’ care by decreasing hospitalizations, re-hospitalizations and urgent care visits, while offering potential cost savings to public programs such as Medicare. To learn more about the many ways Juniper Communities innovates in support of our residents, please contact us at: http://www.junipercommunities.com or 973.661.8300.

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EBENSBURG, Pa. (PRWEB)
April 04, 2020

MyAdvisor, a holistic wellness technology company powered by Three Wire Systems, LLC (Three Wire), is uniting with the Yellow Ribbon Fund (YRF) to offer mental health and care coordination services to over 1,500 veteran caregivers that work with the organization. By continuing an ongoing partnership to launch a new initiative throughout the global COVID-19 pandemic, MyAdvisor and YRF hope to help alleviate the mental health burdens faced by veteran caregivers during this time.

Three Wire first began serving military personnel and veterans in 2007 when the veteran-owned business began VetAdvisor, a program that provides comprehensive wellness solutions that protect, support and advocate for our nation’s heroes. In 2019, it expanded its offerings to private sector employees to provide wellness, career development, financial literacy and navigational advocacy support. Additionally, as an American Association of Suicidology (AAS) Certified crisis center, care coordinators are trained to identify crisis situations and take the appropriate steps to assess and triage services for individuals.

In the past year, the company has over doubled in growth, employing more than 200 representatives who answer more than 40,000 calls a month out of its coordinated care facilities in Pennsylvania.

YRF is a veteran service organization. Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, YRF provides housing and transportation to severely wounded, ill and injured post-9/11 service members from every branch of the U.S. military. YRF also provides family and caregiver support services in 12 other locations throughout the US. MyAdvisor’s president, Jennifer Christman, serves on YRF’s board and in December, Three Wire sponsored the “Country Music Writer Showcase,” which raised more than $38,000 in one event to support wounded, ill and injured Veterans and their families.

“At MyAdvisor, we’ve designed technology solutions to make it easier for individuals to access and utilize care coordination,” said Christman. “No-barrier access to care is especially vital in the wake of the novel coronavirus, which can cause an undue strain on the population’s mental health. While we started out serving uniformed personnel, we’re on a mission to reach all in need of our services across the country.”

Please visit http://www.threewiresys.com/myadvisor to learn more about MyAdvisor.

About Three Wire Systems, LLC

Founded in 2006, Three Wire Systems, LLC (Three Wire) is the trusted source for government agencies and military organizations looking to modernize with innovative and efficient technology solutions. As part of its health and human solutions initiatives, MyAdvisor® provides holistic care to all those who provide service and their family members, with access to one-on-one care coordination sessions in behavioral health, wellness, navigational advocacy, financial literacy and career development. The MyAdvisor division also includes VetAdvisor®, an American Association of Suicidology (AAS) accredited program, with over a decade of experience in health and wellness serving military veterans, active duty service members, national guardsmen and reservists.

About Yellow Ribbon Fund (YRF)

Yellow Ribbon Fund was founded in 2005 to serve the wounded coming back from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Since then, our mission is to provide practical support for wounded, ill and injured service members and their caregivers. We recognize the importance of keeping families together during the critical recuperation phase, because the presence of family and friends accelerates recovery and rehabilitation and makes for a successful transition back to civilian life. The YRF provides two critical programs: The Crossroads Program (Housing and Transportation) and the Keystone Program (Family + Caregiver Support Services).

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GRANTS PASS, Ore. (PRWEB)
April 03, 2020

This April, Dutch Bros Coffee is supporting medical first responders on the frontlines of the COVID-19 fight with a dedicated giveback program. All month long, Dutch Bros, which operates in seven western states, will dedicate 100 percent of profits to medical first responders through #FirstRespondersFirst.

“Givebacks are part of our DNA,” said Travis Boersma, CEO of Dutch Bros. “We’re thankful to be able to support and serve our communities right now.”

Donations to #FirstRespondersFirst provide critical supplies, equipment and resources to frontline healthcare workers.

“#FirstRespondersFirst is a really amazing initiative making a huge difference right now. We’re honored to help support this fund,” said Boersma. “We started this business not just to sell coffee, but to impact our customers and communities in positive ways. We hope we can do that this April and be a light in these dark and difficult times.”

Dutch Bros organizes multiple giveback programs each year, from companywide efforts to hyperlocal programs to help those in need. Its philanthropic arm, the Dutch Bros Foundation, earlier this week dedicated an additional $1 million to help those impacted by the pandemic. More details about its COVID-19 response can be found at dutchbros.com/news-events/community-wellness.

About Dutch Bros

Dutch Bros Coffee is the country’s largest privately held drive-thru coffee company, with more than 380 locations and approximately 12,000 employees in seven states. The company is headquartered in Grants Pass, Oregon, where it was founded in 1992 by Dane and Travis Boersma. Dutch Bros serves specialty coffee, smoothies, freezes, teas, a private-label Dutch Bros Blue Rebel energy drink and nitrogen-infused cold brew coffee. Its rich, proprietary coffee blend is handcrafted from start to finish.

In addition to its mission of speed, quality and service, Dutch Bros is committed to giving back to the communities it serves. Through its Dutch Bros Foundation and local franchisees, the company donates several million dollars to causes across the country each year.

To learn more about Dutch Bros, visit http://www.dutchbros.com, like Dutch Bros Coffee on Facebook, follow @dutchbroscoffee on Instagram and @DutchBros on Twitter.

About #FirstRespondersFirst

#FirstRespondersFirst is an initiative of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Thrive Global, and the CAA Foundation to provide first responder healthcare workers with physical and psychological resources they so desperately need as they serve on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. #FirstRespondersFirst’s fundraising call to action helps provide critical supplies, equipment, and resources, including accommodations and meals, to healthcare workers, ranging from minimum-wage hourly workers in home-care settings to social workers, nurses, physicians, and beyond. Harvard Chan School, which has a distinguished century-old history of developing and communicating evidence-based environmental, occupational, and behavioral health information, provides evidence-based content specifically tailored to this demographically and socially diverse workforce powered by Thrive Global’s behavior change platform, delivering access to online workshops, virtual training, coaching, and content to help improve the physical and mental well-being of healthcare workers. #FirstRespondersFirst is a fund of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a Charity Navigator 4 Star Charity that meets all 20 BBB Charity Standards.

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BOCA RATON, Fla. (PRWEB)
April 03, 2020

As COVID-19 continues to spread across the country, the burden on hospitals and healthcare workers has increased exponentially. Hospitals are dealing with patient populations that far exceed their usual capacity and permanent staff nurses urgently need support.

Travel nurses, so-named because they “travel” from location to location, fill short- and long-term staffing needs at hospitals across the U.S. Travel nursing agencies, like American Traveler, provide much-needed supplemental staffing when core staff levels need support. In this time of inundation of the healthcare system, hospitals have an advantage when they staff through a travel nursing agency. Nurse staffing agencies locate nurses around the country, verify their credentials, match them with facilities in need, and assist them with pre-employment requirements. This prescreening and credentialing support means nurses can hit the ground running in hospitals that desperately need nurses on the floor.

There is unprecedented demand for travel nurses all across the country during this crisis. At American Traveler, requests for travel nurse staffing in March have increased 50% over the previous month, and nearly 80% from the same time last year. Currently, California, Florida, New York, and Washington state have the highest need for travelers. Among the nursing specialties in highest demand are Critical Care, ER, and Med/Surg. Due to the pulmonary complications associated with the Novel Coronavirus, hospitals are also in pressing need of Respiratory Therapists.

While the demand for nursing staff is skyrocketing, so is the willingness of healthcare clinicians to participate in the relief efforts. The number of healthcare professionals who have expressed interest in travel nursing in March has risen 100% from the previous month, and 75% versus last March, and it shows no sign of slowing.

Says Mary Kay Hull, Vice President of Recruitment at American Traveler, “It is awe inspiring to see the bravery and dedication of the healthcare professionals who are willing to put themselves on the front lines of this crisis. Our admiration for their work knows no bounds.”

Many positions are posting with crisis response rates – higher-than-normal hourly rates. Because of the staffing shortage and the highly risky nature of the work, weekly pay has increased 300% for many assignments.

Stability in a Time of Crisis

With a situation that is changing minute to minute, needs continue to flow into American Traveler and these critical areas continue to fluctuate. American Traveler is also navigating the evolving restrictions and requirements emerging as hospitals, counties, states, and the country as a whole grapple with their response to COVID-19. American Traveler is deeply grateful for the tireless efforts of nurses and other healthcare workers across the country, especially in the face of this global health crisis.

About American Traveler

American Traveler is a travel nursing agency that staffs healthcare professionals at more than 4,500 hospitals nationwide including over 80% of the largest hospital systems in the United States. American Traveler is a preferred staffing source for registered nurses, technologists, occupational therapists and physical therapists. The company has continuously demonstrated the quality of its healthcare staffing services by earning the Joint Commission’s prestigious Gold Seal of Approval since 2005.

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PRINCETON, N.J. (PRWEB)
April 03, 2020

CobbleStone Software, a leader in contract management and eProcurement software, won a competitive award in the healthcare industry for the robust, scalable, and user-friendly experience that is offered by Contract Insight® – their celebrated source-to-contract platform. This healthcare contract management solution agreement is valued at over $1.1 million.

For more than twenty years, CobbleStone has been serving healthcare contract management organizations, and is trusted by leading hospitals, healthcare organizations, and insurance providers. Backed by acclaimed customer service, a flexible interface, and a secure environment that meets compliance standards, CobbleStone is easy-to-use – allowing for broad adoption by multiple users.

The system allows organizations to easily manage vendors, healthcare contracts, and supply chain demands according to HIPPA guidelines and data management compliance standards.

“We are pleased to be awarded this opportunity, as we understand how vitally important it is for health care industry organizations to be equipped with tools to help them manage and draft contracts more effectively. We look forward to continuing to offer Contract Insight as a comprehensive solution for contract requests, contract drafting, clause management, integrated bulk electronic signatures, integration, and close out.” – Mark Nastasi, Executive Vice President at CobbleStone Software.

Request a free demo of Contract Insight today to see how your organization can increase productivity and efficiency while reducing contract-to-close time, risk, and contract lifecycle bottlenecks.

About CobbleStone Software

CobbleStone Software has been a leader in providing enterprise contract management, vendor management, and eSourcing software solutions for over 20 years and is trusted by thousands of users from a wide-ranging and diverse pool of industries. CobbleStone’s Contract Insight contract management suite provides contract and vendor tracking, configurable email alerts, calendar notifications, contract workflow management, robust security options, authoring of contract templates with dynamic clauses, revenue/cost management, full-text indexing and searching, vendor/client ratings, document version control, custom reports, electronic signatures, smarter contracts with artificial intelligence and machine learning, and more.

To learn more about Contract Insight, contact the CobbleStone Team at Sales@CobbleStoneSoftware.com or call 866-330-0056.

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SANTA FE, N.M. (PRWEB)
April 03, 2020

In the midst of challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic, Final, a small female-led company sought a relevant, mission-based solution to declining sales. The team found hope for the future as they launched a new product called FinalWipe—a multipurpose reusable wipe made from soft, highly absorbent, antimicrobial material.

At a time when sanitation and limited resources are a concern, Final was inspired to find a solution for the future. The team decided it was the right moment to pivot and find a way to make a difference.

Final launched FinalWipe on Kickstarter on March 31 and gained immediate traction. The project was fully funded, at $50,000, in less than eight hours. It went on to raise an additional $30,000, for a total of $80,000, by the end of the first day.

“As we watched this global crisis unfold, I turned to my team to find a solution that would resonate with the community and also stay true to our mission as a company, ” said Emma Rose Cohen, CEO and Founder of Final. “FinalWipe is a product that was born in response to current issues and will have a place in the sustainable world for years to come.”

Final has several additional products slated for release in 2020.

About Final:

The Final Co. LLC, DBA Final, launched FinalStraw, the world’s first reusable, collapsible straw, on Kickstarter in 2018. Final is on a mission to create reusable, responsibly made products that reduce the need for single-use products, empower individuals to change their buying habits, and raise awareness about the impacts of our everyday decisions.

©2020 The Final Co. LLC. All rights reserved. Final’s products and all Final logos, trademarks, and images are the property of The Final Co. LLC.

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