SS White/SHUKLA Medical headquarters in Seminole/St. Petersburg, FL

“Thank you, S.S. White,’ said Scott Talcott, “Pinellas County is fortunate to have generous and nimble manufacturers like you.”

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (PRWEB)
April 21, 2020

A local manufacturing company in Seminole/St. Petersburg has shown its creative and fighting spirits by setting up a quick production line to make face masks and distribute them free of cost. S.S. White Technologies makes components for aircraft systems. Its parts are used in 95% of all the airplanes in the world. Its subsidiary, SHUKLA Medical, manufactures orthopedic instruments. The companies operated in New Jersey for decades, but in 2018 purchased a manufacturing building from eyeglass manufacturer Essilor off of Park Street in Seminole and relocated their entire operation to sunny Florida.

Its 125 employees have known S.S. White for its progressive management and its family-like environment. And it’s no wonder. The owner, president of this historical company (it was founded in 1844) was hired as a factory worker 47 years ago. Then, 32 years ago, the worker purchased the factory and became the president of the company. President Rahul Shukla says, “I have never forgotten my roots and I think of every employee as a member of my family.”

The management stayed a step ahead of the worsening crisis of COVID-19. When the total cases reached only 4,000, Mr. Shukla called a general meeting and told all employees that things will get much worse soon. Three weeks ago, the management rearranged the work spaces to create a minimum of six feet of distance between workstations. They allowed non-manufacturing workers to work from home, broke a single shift into three shifts and announced an appreciation bonus of $30 per day for all production workers. The company quickly changed all faucets and fixtures in all the restrooms so that employees do not need to touch handles, faucets or towel dispensers. The company installed foot pedals on the doors so employees do not have to touch the door handles. They revised their badge reader system, which allows employees to clock in and out, to be hands-free through their proprietary software. They installed additional hand sanitizers and purchased a large supply of disposable gloves. Purchasing the masks proved to be a problem. Amazon did not have them, eBay did not have them. The management knew if the governor issued a stay-at-home order, the company would be required to stay open because they manufacture critical aerospace and automotive parts as well as medical products. Therefore, it was important to have face masks for the protection of employees who need to come to work.

It soon became evident that masks were not available and it would not be fair to compete for masks with medical professionals who need them more. Rather than throw his hands up in despair, the president of S.S. White called the head of operations and HR Manager and said, “Our engineers can design intricate medical instruments and aerospace parts. Why can’t they quickly design washable cloth masks?” VP, Subra Naglapura, agreed. HR Manager, Sheryl Sheppard, was asked to head the project. Design Engineer, Brian Servedio, whose expertise is in making metal instruments to extract worn out orthopedic implants, got on his CAD software and started cranking out designs. It took only a half-day to come up with a design for a washable, reusable mask with creative nuances.

In the meantime, Ms. Sheppard sent an email to employees asking for workers who wanted to work on this project. She was looking for three people; fifteen came forward to work on the project. Drawings, Work Instructions and Bill of Materials were prepared in hours. Rahul Shukla instructed the team to obtain as much raw material and machinery as possible. Orders were placed for sewing machines, fabric, thread, labels, and filtering material. Templates and toolings were quickly designed. The company is well versed in expediting how to get raw material in a matter of days. Most material was received the next day.

Mr. Rahul Shukla had thrown the challenge to his team on Thursday, April 2, to design the masks and set up production lines. On the afternoon of Monday, April 6, five production lines were up and running in the cafeteria. The masks will be supplied at no cost, first to their 125 employees, then for the employees’ immediate families, then to any local medical organization that requests it, and then for employees of other local manufacturers.

“We know how to design and manufacture complex aerospace and medical parts. Making masks is child’s play for our team”, said VP Subra Naglapura. Sheryl Sheppard, the project leader said, “everyone on the mask team, (she calls them Mask-ateers) is excited to be contributing to this huge crisis in our small way.”

When Mayor of Seminole, Leslie Waters learned about S.S. White’s efforts, she said, “S.S. White is to be lauded for their efforts. My personal compliment to Mr. Shukla, S.S. White President, a true leader in our community.”

Scott Talcott of Pinellas County Economic Development asked Ms. Sheppard if S.S. White can make a few more masks for workers of another local manufacturer, National Molding. National Molding makes seals for a possible vaccine for COVID-19. They also fill, and seal flu reagent vials. When Sheppard told Talcott and Doug Storey of National that S.S. White was more than happy to help, they were thrilled. “Thank you, S.S. White,’ said Scott Talcott, “Pinellas County is fortunate to have generous and nimble manufacturers like you.”

For more information or to contact our HR Manager, Sheryl Sheppard, call (727) 626-2831 or email at Sheryl@sswhite.net.

Click on the links to learn more about S.S. White Technologies Inc. and/or SHUKLA Medical.

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Teachers and researchers work to 3D print protective gear for hospitals.

“The impact of this program to address timely and critical issues speaks to the strong motivation to build the technical-scientific capability of Africa.”- Sajitha Bashir, World Bank

WORCESTER, Mass. (PRWEB)
April 21, 2020

Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is expanding an existing science and engineering training program in Sub-Saharan Africa to help provide critical medical supplies to address the expected spike of COVID-19 cases. As part of its longtime Math and Science for Sub Saharan Africa (MS4SSA) initiative, WPI has arranged for 3D printers and other materials to be sent to six countries to facilitate the manufacturing of masks, face shields, and parts for simple automated ventilators. WPI will also share designs and offer online training sessions to ensure safe and effective production as experts are predicting a surge of COVID-19 patients in Africa over the next six to eight weeks.

“Because WPI already had a program to support STEM learning in Africa through the MS4SSA, we are able to quickly launch this additional work to create and distribute critical medical supplies to help address the pandemic,” said Winston (Wole) Soboyejo, WPI Provost. “It is amazing to see how that project, which started with modules in robotics, materials, and 3D printing, has helped to prepare a new generation of trainers from six African countries to work with WPI faculty, staff, and students to now focus on co-creating and scaling-up the distribution of face masks and face shields that will protect health workers from the coronavirus, and innovate with a new ventilator design developed by a WPI professor. This work will impact the lives of people in Massachusetts and Sub-Saharan African countries.”

Launched by the World Bank in 2016, the MS4SSA initiative complements other efforts to improve mathematics and science education in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It offers countries technical assistance to enhance learning outcomes in those subjects. Over the last two years the initiative has grown to include robotics engineering, materials science, and 3D printing.

“It is wonderful to see African institutions and WPI working together to use and adapt technology to meet African needs. The impact of this program to address timely and critical issues speaks to the strong motivation to build the technical-scientific capability of Africa,” said Sajitha Bashir, World Bank Adviser to the Education Global Director on Science, Technology, and Innovation.

As part of the expanded MS4SSA initiative, Nigeria, Rwanda, Niger, The Gambia, Mauritius, and Ghana will be provided with 3D printers and materials to ramp up production on medical devices that will be needed to meet the expected demand. Each team in those countries will also have access to online training modules and open source design plans. The goal is to create 1,000 face shields per country in the coming weeks. The team in Nigeria has already started leveraging their newly acquired 3D printers to fabricate frames for face shields. Those have been given to several Nigerian hospitals where doctors have expressed the need for even more.

In addition to face shields, WPI is sharing designs to 3D print ventilator parts. Similar to the situation in the United States and many other parts of the world, hospitals in Africa are finding themselves ill-prepared in terms of functioning ventilators on hand. For example, the MS4SSA team learned that at one hospital in Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria, 17 of 37 available were not in working condition.

“There is a dire need of medical supplies which the knowledge of 3D printing has helped to ameliorate. With WPI’s support, the Pan African Materials Institute (PAMI) is currently printing face shields, N95 nose masks, swabs, and other personal protection equipment (PPE), while also recycling the waste and using commodity plastics as alternative source of resins,” said Shola Odusanya, MS4SSA Nigeria representative. “These PPEs are being provided to the medical communities in both Lagos and Abuja as stopgaps till the world economy reopens to allow importation of these vital needs”

WPI is making its online training sessions for 3D printing available to all MS4SSA members. It will also be launching a new training series later this month, which will include infectious disease modeling; sewing, testing, and sterilizing cloth face masks; ventilator design and assembly; and an introduction to medical robotics. These courses will be taught by faculty from WPI and partner institutions in Africa.

About Worcester Polytechnic Institute

WPI, the global leader in project-based learning, is a distinctive, top-tier technological university founded in 1865 on the principle that students learn most effectively by applying the theory learned in the classroom to the practice of solving real-world problems. Recognized by the National Academy of Engineering with the 2016 Bernard M. Gordon Prize for Innovation in Engineering and Technology Education, WPI’s pioneering project-based curriculum engages undergraduates in solving important scientific, technological, and societal problems throughout their education and at more than 50 project centers around the world. WPI offers more than 50 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs across 14 academic departments in science, engineering, technology, business, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts. Its faculty and students pursue groundbreaking research to meet ongoing challenges in health and biotechnology; robotics and the internet of things; advanced materials and manufacturing; cyber, data, and security systems; learning science; and more. http://www.wpi.edu

Media Contact:

Colleen Bamford Wamback

Associate Director of Public Relations

and Government Communications

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Worcester, Massachusetts

1-508-688-4858, cbwamback@wpi.edu

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LOS ANGELES (PRWEB)
April 21, 2020

Virtual Pediatric Systems (VPS), a software-based network of hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) across the U.S., has begun gathering data on COVID-19 patients being cared for in PICUs in an effort to improve medical care for afflicted patients in this unprecedented pandemic.

VPS has been supporting PICUs since 2004 by receiving and disseminating granular data for quality improvement, comparative analysis and supporting pediatric research. Over 200 hospitals have provided their data to the registry that now consists of over 1.5 million harvested patient admission records.

When VPS learned the COVID-19 crisis was going to impact hospital’s PICUs, the company responded. They initially launched a COVID-specific Listserv as a public service to be a conduit for healthcare professionals throughout North America to share best practices, not only for children but also as they transitioned their ICUs supporting adult patients (since March 23, 2020, 40 percent of PICU patients are over age 18). “Sharing common information and understanding how our colleagues are responding in the early days of this pandemic is crucial to improving the care we can provide for children and informing our hospitals about resource requirements,” said Randall Wetzel MD, CEO of VPS. The company then distributed a simple survey to help leadership of PICUs and hospital administrators better understand how their units were responding to the impact of COVID-19. Those results are posted at https://www.myvps.org with a dashboard generated from data from over 180 North American PICUs voluntarily submitting daily.

“COVID-19 is impacting numerous PICUs as they transition to support more adult-aged patients,” said Brian Reisner, COO of VPS. “We want to provide them access to as much information as possible so medical staff can most effectively support these patients, of all ages, who are facing COVID complications.”

The COVID-19 dashboard for PICUs, consisting of three pages, lists how many COVID-19 patients were admitted per day, grouped by age, therapies utilized, comorbidities by patient, length of stay, organ systems involved and many other criteria. The dashboard can be filtered by state and by period of time.

VPS is owned by not-for-profits Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles and the Children’s Hospital Association. Both organizations actively support VPS’s mission to share best practices in the interest to pursue quality improvement and provide valuable and qualified data for research. The state of California has mandated that all PICUs actively participate in VPS.

“We invite anyone who supports a PICU in North America to contact us to participate in this dashboard and to be added to the Listserv,” said Reisner. “We are all in this together and we’ll more effectively save lives by collaborating and sharing this valuable information and data with each other.”

To join VPS, select JOIN at https://www.myvps.org. A partial list of active members can be found here: https://www.myvps.org/vps-community.

About Virtual Pediatric Systems, LLC

Virtual Pediatric Systems, LLC (“VPS”) seeks to improve critical care quality and outcomes for all children and their families, through collaborative high-quality data management and actionable comparative reports for clinicians and other health care leaders. VPS supports clinical research and develops clinical protocols applicable to pediatric critical quality assurance measures and educational tools derived from this research and widely disseminates the resulting information to pediatricians throughout North America and participating International units.

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Dr. Alejandro Badia

If at all possible, patients with a suspected wrist fracture should avoid hospital emergency rooms and, instead, seek out an orthopedic specialist for proper evaluation and treatment of the injury. A broken wrist is to be taken seriously.

MIAMI (PRWEB)
April 21, 2020

But, it’s only a broken wrist. “That’s an understatement,” according to noted hand and upper limb orthopedic surgeon Alejandro Badia MD, who says management of wrist fractures, especially commonly occurring distal radius fractures — those involving the forearm’s largest bone (the radius bone) where it joins the wrist (distal end) — can often prove complicated and require a specialist experienced in musculoskeletal disorders.

“If at all possible, patients with a suspected wrist fracture should avoid hospital emergency rooms and, instead, seek out an orthopedic specialist for proper evaluation and treatment of the injury. A broken wrist is to be taken seriously and treated by a specialist to prevent malunion, a case where the bone heals improperly,” states Dr. Badia, founder and chief medical officer of the Florida-based Badia Hand to Shoulder Center and OrthoNOW®, a network of immediate care Orthopedic Centers in Florida. Dr. Badia adds that if treated properly, the prognosis is great and the patient should not have wrist pain once the fracture heals.

Physicians must thoroughly understand differences and distinctions in fracture patterns, their management and complications among varying age groups and be well versed in the anatomy of the forearm and wrist. “Such knowledge is particularly important today because the incidence of distal radius fractures continues growing worldwide,” says Dr. Badia, whose expertise includes treatment of the hand, wrist and upper limb. Some scientists contend the increase in these fractures is due to longer life expectancy, an aging population and extension of active lifestyles well into old age; others blame environmental and even dietary factors.

Distal radius fractures represent about 18 percent to 20 percent of all broken bones in the United States — about 250,000 fractured radius bones treated annually. These fractures most often happen when a person falls forward with arms and hands outstretched – while running on the playground or participating in sports and other physical activities.

Among older individuals, however, especially those with osteoporosis, a condition associated with thinning and loss of bone, a distal radius fracture may occur simply from some “low-energy trauma.” Moreover, older people are at a higher risk of falling due to poor balance and strength. A study published in a January 2019 issue of Orthopaedics indicates that distal radius fractures are “the second most prevalent fracture” in persons 60 years of age and older and affect approximately 85,000 elderly Americans annually.

“Management of a fracture involving osteoporotic bone can prove especially challenging,” Dr. Badia says, adding that a distal radius fracture may be a sign that a patient has osteoporosis or osteopenia — loss of bone density.

Besides age, risk factors for distal radius fractures include lack of mineral density in the young, growing bones of preadolescent and adolescent children, gender, even smoking and obesity, according to studies. Post-menopausal women are more susceptible than men, in part because of shifts in their hormonal levels.

Treatment of distal radius fractures varies depending on how the type of fracture. An extra-articular fracture — one that occurs above the wrist joint, about an inch from the end of the forearm bone – may just need four to six weeks of casting and later intermittent splinting for a stable fracture or a non-displaced one. The concept of “nonsurgical resetting” of the distal radius has largely fallen out of favor since many displace back to original position, Dr. Badia says. Hence, the more significant or complex fractures, such as highly fragmented fractures, open injuries in which the broken bone punctures the skin, fractures that extend into the wrist joint, or fractures that damage a nerve, will typically require surgical management.

Surgery involves manipulation and realignment of the broken bones and use of an internal plate and screws or an external device to keep the wrist aligned, Dr. Badia explains, generally done in an outpatient environment and with block anesthesia as general anesthesia usually not needed. The external fixator device, a bit cumbersome and even scary, has almost been completely replaced with the much more anatomic and aesthetic internal fixation procedure. Most plates are now placed on the palmar (volar) side of the wrist, a concept which Dr. Badia helped popularize nearly 20 years ago after his work in Europe, biomechanical studies and his early association with a like-minded colleague who developed a company specifically to serve this advance in technique.

“The wrist anatomy is complicated – more complicated, to be sure, than a knee or hip joint,” Dr. Badia says. “That’s why it’s paramount a wrist injury be addressed by a specialist.”

An orthopedic surgeon, he says, can help minimize complications during recovery, like malunion of the broken bones, compromised wrist strength or range of motion, development of arthritis where the fracture occurred, injury to wrist-joint nerves and ligaments, or ongoing pain. Even the authors of the online chapter on distal radius fractures recommend that wrist-fracture patients initially seen in the hospital emergency room or primary care doctor’s office be referred to an orthopedic specialist within “an appropriate time frame.”

Of course, the best treatment for distal radius fractures is to be as careful and mindful about your movement and balance as possible to prevent falls. That’s why Dr. Badia offers these tips:

• Exercise. Consult with an orthopedic specialist or exercise physiologist about activities for strengthening the wrist joints and other upper limbs.
• Eat a healthy diet, with sufficient amounts of calcium to build strong bones.
• Get out into the sunlight for some vitamin D. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium.
• If 60 years of age or older, request testing for osteoporosis.
• Stop smoking. If overweight, lose it.

“Because a fracture of the wrist is not just a fracture. It truly can become a major problem,” Dr Badia says.

Alejandro Badia, MD, FACS, internationally renowned hand and upper-limb surgeon and founder of Badia Hand to Shoulder Center and OrthoNOW®, a network of walk-in orthopedic care clinics. He is a member of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, American Association for Hand Surgery and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Dr. Badia specializes in treating trauma, sports injury, joint reconstruction, nerve injuries and arthroscopic surgeries. He’s the author of the upcoming book, “Healthcare from the Trenches,” an insider account of the complex barriers of US Healthcare from the providers and patients’ perspective.

http://www.OrthoNOWcare.com and http://www.drbadia.com.

UG2 ReNew provides the guidance and services needed to protect building occupants from exposure to viruses, ease their fears, and help facilities navigate, adapt to, and thrive in the new normal.

BOSTON (PRWEB)
April 21, 2020

UG2 today announced it has launched UG2 ReNew(SM), a comprehensive program for mitigating the risk of infection from COVID-19 and other viruses as people return to work, school, retail, and entertainment facilities. UG2 ReNew details recommended standard operating procedures, communications strategies, and technology enhancements for ensuring safe and healthy environments, as well as peace of mind, for UG2 customers and employees.

“UG2’s mission has always been to deliver pristine and healthy environments with a five-star level of customer service. Never has this been more crucial than it is today,” said Louis J. Lanzillo Jr., CEO at UG2. “As the world moves into COVID-19 recovery and buildings become reoccupied, people will be concerned about risks to their health and the well-being of those around them. They will expect elevated levels of facility services that set the standard for the future. UG2 ReNew provides the guidance and services needed to protect occupants from exposure, ease their fears, and help facilities navigate, adapt to, and thrive in the new normal.”    

UG2 ReNew takes a methodical and comprehensive approach to defining service delivery in this new era. It provides a best practices roadmap for reopening and operating facilities as they become more and more occupied over time. UG2 ReNew consists of two programs, Cleaning4Health(SM) and Engineering4Health(SM), which are tailored to the unique needs of each client.

• 
  Cleaning4Health: New protocols for cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting all high-touch surfaces in areas throughout a facility, from those used by individuals and small gatherings to large groups and the general public.
• Engineering4Health: New Operations and Maintenance protocols for environment management that help prevent the spread of infectious disease through HVAC and refrigeration systems, such as filtration, air exchange, air stream disinfection, and use of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation.

Each of the above programs includes 3 phases: ReTurn, RePopulate, and ReCalibrate, implementing operational changes, technology enhancements, communications strategies for behavior protocols, and guidance for appropriate engineering or janitorial services and staffing levels. Equally important, they detail how UG2 holds its teams accountable for executing superior services that enable a pristine and healthy environment for all.

For more information about UG2 ReNew, click here and contact us at 617-279-8100.

About UG2

UG2 sets a new standard for excellence in comprehensive, integrated facility services. We deliver innovative solutions, pristine environments, and a passion for customer service from a team with more than 350 years of experience in the facilities maintenance industry. Our suite of solutions includes Janitorial Services, Operations & Maintenance, and Workplace Solutions for clients in Commercial, Corporate, Education, Healthcare, Life Science, Public Venue, Retail, and Industrial markets. We use advanced technologies to deliver efficient service, constantly refine our processes to ensure our team continues to lead, and emphasize a culture of excellence throughout our organization. UG2 is based in Boston with regional offices in Washington, DC, New York City, Northern California and Chicago. UG2 has been recognized as one of the fastest growing privately held organizations in the industry. For more information, please visit http://www.ug2.com and follow us @UG2IFS.

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TouchCare’s concierge service extends BenefitsApp core features to address common scenarios such as personal bill review and negotiation, care coordination, and open enrollment support.

BALTIMORE, Md. (PRWEB)
April 21, 2020

Today, HealthBenefitApp, a national leader in the benefits-tech market with its flagship product BenefitsApp, announced a strategic partnership with TouchCare, a unique health concierge service that helps consumers navigate today’s complex health care challenges.

The partnership provides BenefitsApp’s Broker clients and employers the option to supplement their benefits with dedicated TouchCare personal assistance, to drive participant awareness and adoption of benefit plan-driven offerings. TouchCare’s concierge service extends BenefitsApp core features to address common scenarios such as personal bill review and negotiation, care coordination, and open enrollment support.

“Our partnership with TouchCare marks our first step in BenefitsApp’s app store strategy of offering an

à la carte menu of compelling employee-focused features to clients and their eligible employees,” said Rich Wiklund, CEO of BenefitsApp, “Our partnership with TouchCare will increase our ability to enable employees to maximize the value of their employer-sponsored benefit plans, and reduce stress by providing direct access to a personal health advocate who is a champion for their interests in stressful times.”

“TouchCare is thrilled to be partnering with BenefitsApp to deliver a better participant experience,” said Rob LaHayne, TouchCare Chief Executive Officer. “Access to an experienced health advocate gives plan members and their families an advantage when navigating their options for treatment. Through an empowered consumer experience, made easily available with BenefitsApp, TouchCare may reduce both participant and employer costs, and make benefit plans more successful for everyone.”

“The one-click option to connect with a champion who is looking out for your best interest as you navigate the complexity of medical benefits is critical to gaining control of cost and creating a more empowered employee group,” says Jonathan Anders, former CEO, WorkforceTactix, and HealthBenefitApp Partner. “There is a clear strategy and BenefitsApp is creating a robust platform that enables employers to connect employees with tangible personalized resources. This results in greater employee engagement, decreased frustration in using the benefits, and decreased employer administrative and servicing costs dealing with the wide array of benefits that are offered to employees today.”

BenefitsApp, developed on the #1 cloud CRM platform Salesforce.com and available globally to employers and their eligible employees via the Apple App Store and Google Play stores, is a HIPPA-compliant platform for distributing benefits content based on employee eligibility. BenefitsApp’s sophisticated, highly secure and redundant open architecture enables availability of third-party apps for employee perks, digital signatures, concierge and telemedicine options, and integration with any HRIS platform. BenefitsApp offers employees access to their benefits and HR apps – wherever they are, whenever they need them.

About HealthBenefitApp LLC

HealthBenefitApp LLC is the developer of BenefitsApp, a HIPPA-compliant mobile communications platform with sophisticated push and in-app messaging capabilities that facilitates communications among employers, employees and their families. BenefitsApp supports employers, brokers, consultants and payors in deployment of robust mobile benefits strategies. The app combines easy access to important benefits information with third-party apps to deliver a highly personalized experience for employees that increases engagement, decreases frustration, and provides a better experience while decreasing costs associated with benefits administration. BenefitsApp is available on Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Learn more at http://www.benefitsapp.com.

About TouchCare

TouchCare is a health care concierge service. Their team of Health Assistants helps members save money while making the best decision possible regarding health care plans. Furthermore, TouchCare assists members with the navigation of their health care benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, and all ancillary benefits. TouchCare conducts regularly scheduled webinars for clients throughout the year, primarily focusing on employee wellness in and out of the workplace. The company partners with the business’s existing HR department to provide open enrollment support and guidance. TouchCare offers 30-minute consultations with members, where they can provide insight on which individual health care plan would benefit them the most. For more information, visit TouchCare.com.

Ask your broker about BenefitsApp or visit BenefisApp.com to learn more.

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