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health and fitness

Bryan O’Rourke And His Partners Announce Latest Investment in Global Fitness Data With David Minton

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Vedere Ventures Robert Dyer and Bryan K. O'Rourke

Vedere Partners Robert Dyer and Bryan K. O’Rourke

“Big developments are ahead in the world of data, and it will transform the fitness industry in the years to come. It feels great to help make a positive impact,” said O’Rourke.


MANDEVILLE, La. (PRWEB)

Bryan O’Rourke, CEO of Vedere Ventures, a mergers and acquisitions advisory and boutique private equity firm focusing on the fitness, and technology space, today announced an investment in UK based fitNdata. Specific terms are undisclosed.

Fitness and technology leader David Minton is the founding director of the Leisure Database Company based in the UK. Minton is launching fitNdata to offer a series of services relying on a compilation of vast global sources of fitness-related data enabling unique solutions and insights for global clients. Minton is a long time friend and colleague of O’Rourke.

Currently, little is known about the actual number of fitness sites, facilities, growth, or live consumer fitness trends globally. fitNdata is creating a new fitness data platform combining real-time supply data with consumer fitness data and insights for the first time on a global scale. The company will be sharing more information at its global premiere during the IHRSA convention at the Omni Hotel on Thursday, March 19th, in San Diego at 8:00 am.

Minton had this to say about fitNdata and O’Rourke’s involvement and investment; “Bryan O’Rourke stands out as a ‘super-forecaster’ for our industry and one of the few who can see how data and technology will impact society at large and the fitness industry directly. His support is a wonderful endorsement for our vision, and I know Bryan and his partners will be able to help drive new revenue models resulting from the fitness data economy.”

This investment by O’Rourke’s partners marks their sixth deal in the past four years. The Vedere portfolio includes companies like Motosumo, EcoFit Networks, VertiMax, Fitness24Seven Thailand, and Textey, among others. In the past several years, Vedere has represented several clients in M&A advisory roles, including the recent strategic sale of Gordon Johnson’s Gold’s Gyms and GainLine’s recent investment in global fitness equipment company Core Health and Fitness, where O’Rourke was a key advisor.

O’Rourke has guided over 40 financial and strategic transactions in his career, which began in the food industry where he became CFO of a large global franchise and hospitality conglomerate. Since then, he and his partners have been part of the growth of dozens of businesses in technology, distribution, food and beverage, franchising, and fitness. He currently advises some of the leading global brands in the fitness and technology space and is a board member of IHRSA and CEO of the Fitness Industry Technology Council.

Kresten Juel Jensen co-founder of Motosumo, one of Vedere’s portfolio companies, had this to say about working with O’Rourke and his partners, “The team and I at Motosumo have appreciated Bryan and his partners’ involvement and support since the beginning. His strategic advice has been invaluable. Many are right to consider Bryan as one of the top leaders and thinkers in technology and business development in our industry. We are proud to have him involved.”

O’Rourke and his partners’ companies are a group of 14 operating businesses focused on fitness and technology, including Moon Mission Media, a digital marketing firm, and Vedere Ventures.

One of O’Rourke’s long time friends and a partner in Vedere, health club, and fitness industry veteran Robert Dyer, had this to say about the investment, “The Vedere team is very excited to partner with such an accomplished friend like David Minton. Our group understands the increasing value of insights that will come from big data. Our relationships and efforts around the globe to support initiatives that will make a big difference for our industry will only continue.”

Minton was a guest on O’Rourke’s Fitness + Technology Podcast last year after they sat on a panel together in Bologna, Italy, at the ForumClub event. “It is a great honor to be involved with David and his colleagues on this project. I’ve known and respected David for a long time, and it is very fulfilling to be involved with people we care about and believe in. Big developments are ahead in the world of data, and it will transform the fitness industry in the years to come. It feels great to help make a positive impact,” said O’Rourke.

About Vedere Ventures

In addition to advising clients in strategic transactions, Vedere Ventures has made investments in health club, fitness, and technology companies in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Mr. O’Rourke and his partners, including Robert Dyer, and other notable leading health club and fitness industry professionals, have advised leading global brands in fitness, health clubs, and related technologies for several decades.

Learn more at http://www.vedereventures.com

About Bryan O’Rourke

Mr. O’Rourke serves on the board of directors of the global health club industry association IHRSA and serves as chairman and CEO of the Fitness Industry Technology Council. He has a background in finance, marketing, business development, and M&A and has been advising firms on strategic transactions and initiatives in a variety of industries for the past 30 years. He has active investments in fourteen operating companies, has written six books with colleagues in the fitness and health industry, and keynotes on consumer and technology trends in health, fitness, and technology around the world.

To learn more visit bryankorourke.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/bryankorourke/

About fitNdata

fitNdata is a start-up from the UK based The Leisure Database Company and fitness leader and entrepreneur David Minton. The business will create a new fitness data platform that combines a variety of data, including real-time supply data and consumer fitness data to deliver unique services and insights for global fitness brands.

To learn more visit The Leisure Database Company https://www.leisuredb.com/

About Moon Mission Media

Moon Mission Media is a boutique strategic marketing advisory group with a network of specialists who have been guiding brands collectively for over 50 years. With expertise in technology, franchising, fitness, health, and wellness, the Moon Mission Media team has advised and managed leading global, national, and regional brands on strategy, marketing, creative, technologies, and communications successfully for years.

Having relationships with a significant group of operators, suppliers, and industry groups, the Moon Mission Media team is deeply familiar with trends, opportunities, and challenges facing both the industry as a whole as well as specific technology providers, among others.

As a boutique firm, the team takes on a limited group of clients taking a hands-on approach with all projects, working with each clients’ unique businesses to gain an understanding of key issues, opportunities, and methods to achieve business goals.

Moon Mission Media can help with any or all aspects of marketing from Strategic Planning, Digital Marketing, Thought leadership, Social Media, PR, etc.

http://www.MoonMissionMedia.com

Industry: Healthcare

Endometriosis and PCOS Webinars and Modern Family Seminar are Included in Shady Grove Fertility’s (SGF) 14 Educational Events this March

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SGF Drs. Caleb Kallen and Sunita Kulshrestha host webinars in March to educate information seekers on the impacts of Endometriosis and PCOS on fertility.

Women with known or suspected endometriosis, especially those with what is called stage 3 or 4 endometriosis (meaning significant lesions or adhesions that can cause anatomic distortion), we recommend a fertility evaluation sooner rather than later.


WASHINGTON (PRWEB)

In honor of Endometriosis Month and PCOS Advocacy Day in March, SGF physicians will offer support through two virtual webinars; information seekers can learn about the conditions and their respective impacts on fertility. SGF physicians will discuss when to seek help from a fertility specialist and will outline treatment options. Additional fertility topics offered through SGF’s March events include elective egg freezing, donor egg treatments, IVF, and “what to expect when you’re not expecting” (a guide to fertility testing and treatments).

Endometriosis is a common condition in which cells that ordinarily line the uterine cavity reside in the pelvis leading to cyclic pelvic pain, inflammation, and sometimes scarring in and around the Fallopian tubes. In support of those affected by endometriosis, and to honor Endometriosis Awareness Month, Sunita Kulshrestha, M.D., of SGF’s Waldorf, MD, office will host a virtual Endometriosis webinar on Thursday, March 26.

“While having endometriosis does not necessarily mean that one will experience infertility, those afflicted with the condition are at a higher risk of developing infertility,” says Dr. Kulshrestha. “Women with known or suspected endometriosis, especially those with what is called stage 3 or 4 endometriosis (meaning significant lesions or adhesions that can cause anatomic distortion), we recommend a fertility evaluation sooner rather than later.”

Polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, is the most common endocrine condition in women and is associated with irregular or absent menstrual cycles and sometimes with unwanted hair growth (on the face or chest) and acne. In honor of PCOS Advocacy Days (March 11-12 on Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.), Caleb Kallen, M.D., Ph.D., of SGF’s Chesterbrook and Philadelphia, PA, offices will host a virtual PCOS webinar on Tuesday, March 24.

“PCOS is one of the most common hormonal disorders in women of childbearing age and is estimated to affect nearly 10% of reproductive age women,” says Kallen. “Naturally, absent or irregular menstrual cycles makes it difficult or impossible to get pregnant without treatment. Fortunately, there are several effective (and affordable) treatments for PCOS. Our PCOS webinar seeks to eliminate some of the mysteries surrounding PCOS and to educate patients on how we can approach PCOS to help women conceive.”

While all SGF events are complimentary (*unless otherwise noted), interested parties must register to attend by visiting the SGF calendar of events.

March Modern Family Seminar

March 5 | Philadelphia, PA | Featuring SGF’s Brianna Schumacher, M.D.

Hosted by Vaysman Legal, the Modern Family Seminar will feature expert panelists discussing topics including egg freezing, donor egg, donor embryo, IVF, family law, LGTBQ family building, and how to access benefits in the workplace.

*Admission is $20-25.

March Egg Freezing Seminar

March 26 | New York, NY | Tomer Singer, M.D.

March Donor Egg Seminar

March 19 | New York, NY | Anate Brauer, M.D.

March “What to Expect When You’re Not Expecting” Seminars

March 4 | Towson, MD | Ricardo Yazigi, M.D.

March 5 | New York, NY | Anate Brauer, M.D.

March 5 | Lancaster, PA – Eden Resort | Melanie Ochalski, M.D.

March 11 | Fair Oaks, VA | Paulette Browne, M.D.

March 11 | Atlanta, GA | Mark Perloe, M.D.

March 12 | Rockville, MD | Joseph Doyle, M.D.

March Fertility Breakfast (informational drop-in hosted in a casual, public venue)

March 21 | Warrington, PA | Ryan Martin, M.D.

March Fertility Webinars

March 5 | IVF | Ricardo Yazigi, M.D.

March 12 | Getting Started | Wende Allen, PA-C

March 24 | PCOS | Caleb Kallen, M.D., Ph.D.

March 26 | Endometriosis | Sunita Kulshrestha, M.D.

If you are struggling to conceive, it may be time to see a fertility specialist. Contact the SGF New Patient Center at 1-877-971-7755 or complete a brief online form and get started on your path to parenthood.

To view SGF’s growing library of free, on-demand webinars, E-books, and other education resources on topics such as endometriosis, PCOS, low-tech treatment options, weight and infertility, and much more, visit https://www.shadygrovefertility.com/resources/educational-resources.

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.

Health: Addiction

PAINWeek 2020 Welcomes the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians

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ASIPP looks forward to presenting a full-day track that educates frontline practitioners on the development and practice of safe, high quality, and cost-effective interventional pain management techniques.


MONTCLAIR, N.J. (PRWEB)

PAINWeek, now in its 14th year, is the largest US pain conference for frontline practitioners. This year, the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP) is pleased to present—for the first time—a full day track at the PAINWeek National Conference on Thursday, September 10. The conference, convening at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, September 8-12, offers a multidisciplinary faculty and diverse curriculum in acute, behavioral, and interventional pain management; chronic pain syndromes; medical/legal issues; neurology; palliative care; pharmacotherapy, and physical therapy along with over 30 Special Interest Sessions.

The American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians is a not-for-profit organization representing interventional pain physicians across the country. The organization has been growing rapidly since 1998 and has had a substantial impact on the practice of interventional pain medicine.

Debra Weiner, Executive Vice President, Program Development, remarked, “We are very pleased to welcome the ASIPP to PAINWeek. Given the evolving landscape of pain management, there is a large and growing interest among practitioners to learn more about alternatives to nonpharmacologic treatments for their chronic pain patients.”

Mayank Gupta, MD, CEO and President of the Kansas Society of Interventional Pain Physicians said, “ASIPP looks forward to presenting a full-day program that educates frontline practitioners on the development and practice of safe, high quality, and cost-effective interventional pain management techniques.” Topics will include evidence-based rationale for interventional procedures, minimally invasive interventions for lumbar spinal stenosis, regenerative therapies for chronic pain, diagnostic injections, and best practices for identifying patients for interventional procedures.

To learn more about PAINWeek or to register for the conference, click here or visit https://www.painweek.org/painweek.html.

About Global Education Group:

Global Education Group focuses on producing partnership-based CME for healthcare practitioners. The Global team works with a select group of medical education companies, associations, academic institutions and healthcare facilities to develop and accredit live healthcare conferences and workshops as well as online activities. With each partnership or joint providership, Global brings accreditation expertise, project management excellence and grant funding intelligence. Based in Littleton, Colo., Global has accreditation with commendation from the ACCME. Global also holds accreditations to offer continuing education for nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, dietitians, dentists and psychologists. Global is a division of Ultimate Medical Academy.

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MCG Health Publishes 24th Edition of Industry-Leading, Evidence-Based Care Guidelines

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MCG

MCG is licensed by nearly 2,000 hospitals and nine of the largest U.S. health plans.

“MCG editors are the industry experts in evidence analysis, and once again, they’ve produced a robust volume of clinical knowledge that will inform care decisions for millions of people.” – Jon Shreve, President & CEO, MCG Health


SEATTLE, Wash. (PRWEB)

MCG Health, part of the Hearst Health network and a leading provider of informed care strategies, announces the release of its 24th edition of evidence-based care guidelines. Many new additions to MCG solutions were driven by the healthcare industry’s move to value-based care and include new and updated tools for payers and providers to better leverage available scientific evidence through MCG clinical content.

Since 1988, MCG has been reviewing the latest medical research and distilling this information into evidence-based, clinical guidelines and plans of care. To date, MCG physician and nurse editors have reviewed 161,999 scientific articles, incorporating a cumulative 46,694 unique citations into the MCG care guidelines. With the publication of the 24th edition alone, the unique citation count expanded by an impressive 6,995.

With the costs of neonatal intensive care estimated to be $26.2 billion per year in the United States[1], the placement of neonates in the proper level of care is among the most critical of decisions for clinicians. To support the identification of the appropriate NICU level, MCG has added new features to its Inpatient & Surgical Care volume to help guide decision-making and support required clinical documentation.

With the proliferation of new DNA sequencing technology, genetic testing has become more commonplace in the diagnosis and treatment of various conditions. However, identifying those genetic tests which exhibit clinical utility still proves to be a challenge for many organizations practicing patient-specific care. The 24th edition of Ambulatory Care helps address this issue with five new guidelines and also features new evidence in other high-cost areas such as diagnostic imaging, durable medical equipment, and specialty medications.

With mental health parity a rising concern for providers and payers, MCG Behavioral Health Care guidelines can help support compliance when used as part of a comprehensive clinical strategy. This content volume added several new guidelines to existing material that already provided robust, evidence-based support for opioid management and other substance use disorders.

For post-acute care, the 24th edition has enhanced content for our population health solutions (MCG Chronic Care and MCG Transitions of Care), as well as provided alignment with industry quality measures (MCG Recovery Facility Care) and updated level of care tools.

MCG has also updated its Indicia platform with a new option for reviewer statistics dashboards which can intuitively provide hospital leadership with specific insights on how employees are using MCG care guidelines in the clinical workflow.

MCG President and CEO, Jon Shreve, commented on the 24th edition by saying, “MCG editors are the industry experts in evidence analysis, and once again, they’ve produced a robust volume of clinical knowledge that will inform care decisions for millions of people. With the 24th edition, healthcare professionals will have MCG as an objective source of truth to support better patient outcomes while addressing on-going industry changes such as parity enforcement or CMS’ Patient-Driven Groupings Model.”

MCG care guidelines are unique among clinical decision support offerings as they are licensed by nine of the largest U.S. health plans and nearly 2,000 hospitals, making them a trusted, clinical language for both the payer and provider communities. MCG will once again be offering educational workshops at its annual Client Forum to train clinicians and case managers on updates in the new edition. For those clients who cannot attend the conference, MCG will offer special webinars via its online Learning Management System.

References:

1. Guat Sim Cheah, Irene. Economic assessment of neonatal intensive care. Transl Pediatr. 2019 Jul; 8(3): 246–256. Accessed at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6675687/

About MCG Health

MCG, part of the Hearst Health network, helps healthcare organizations implement informed care strategies that proactively and efficiently move people toward health. MCG’s transparent assessment of the latest research and scholarly articles, along with our own data analysis, gives patients, providers, and payers the vetted information they need to feel confident in every care decision, in every moment. For more information visit http://www.mcg.com or follow our Twitter handle at @MCG_Health.

About Hearst Health

The mission of Hearst Health is to help guide the most important care moments by delivering vital information into the hands of everyone who touches a person’s health journey. Each year in the U.S., care guidance from Hearst Health reaches 85 percent of discharged patients, 205 million insured individuals, 99 million home health visits and 3.2 billion dispensed prescriptions. The Hearst Health network includes FDB (First Databank), Zynx Health, MCG, Homecare Homebase, MHK (formerly MedHOK—Medical House of Knowledge) and Hearst Health Ventures (http://www.hearsthealth.com). Hearst also holds a minority interest in the precision medicine and oncology analytics company M2Gen. Follow Hearst Health on Twitter @HearstHealth or LinkedIn @Hearst-Health.

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health and fitness

Atlanta Based Alloy Personal Training Franchise Set To Expand In The Atlanta Market

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Stronger Together

Alloy Personal Training Franchise

“We are excited to open up the Atlanta market. Being in such close proximity to the flagship location or the ‘mothership’ as we like to call it will enable us to use our knowledge and experience of the market to help our hometown investors and set our new franchisees up for success.” Suzanne Robb


ATLANTA (PRWEB)

Rick Mayo launched his original personal training business as North Point in Roswell, Georgia, back in 1992. After nearly a quarter-century of success in 2011, Rick and his team started Alloy Personal Training to assist major gym chains, independent gyms, health clubs, and fitness businesses around the world in deploying personal training systems for their members. At that time, the original North Point location updated its brand name to Alloy as well, and Rick entered into a partnership with long time colleague and Atlantian, Suzanne Robb, who serves as Alloy Chief Operating Officer.

Having grown their business serving thousands of fitness facilities with millions of members around the world, the team at Alloy decided to expand via franchising last year. The Alloy vision is to provide a superior personal training franchise solution uniquely focused on serving the ever-growing, “active aging” population.

The decision to pivot to franchising given their experience and understanding of the fitness industry appears to have been timely; in only months following their initial launch, the company has already sold several development deals. Now the brand has its sights set on the Atlanta market where they project eight markets are available, including Roswell, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Buckhead, Midtown, Marietta, Suwanee, and East Cobb for people interested in becoming franchisees in the fitness space.

Fitness industry expert Bryan O’Rourke, board member of IHRSA (International Association for Health Clubs) and investor in several global fitness brands, said, “The Alloy team’s experience and understanding of the marketplace and business models sets them apart as a fitness franchise. I expect great things ahead for this brand.”

“The name ‘Alloy’ is the notion of strength and motion meeting; those two things coming together to create something bigger, stronger, and longer-lasting,” says founder Rick Mayo. “Over the past few years, our team wanted to do even more to meet our mission. We know a formula that works, and that is a key ingredient to a successful franchise.”

A native Atlantian, Mayo has received many accolades as a fitness and personal training guru over the years. He has traveled the world speaking on fitness business trends in Australia, Europe, and the Americas. In 2019 Mayo was recognized with the prestigious AFS Fitness Business of the Year award. The AFS award honors a studio or gym that excels in all areas of business and whose owner has demonstrated the ability to create excellent customer experiences, dedicated staff, motivated clients, and leadership in their community.

“We are excited to open up the Atlanta market,” says Suzanne Robb, Alloy COO, “Being in such close proximity to the flagship location or the ‘mothership’ as we like to call it will enable us to use our knowledge and experience of the market to help our hometown investors and set our new franchisees up for success.”

“We have incorporated everything that we have learned to own and operate a successful Personal Training Fitness Business,” says Tony Chemer, VP of Franchise Sales, “allowing us to provide total support for our business partners with the specifications and systems that are already proven in thousands of gyms worldwide.”

Team Alloy is Founder and CEO Rick Mayo, COO Suzanne Robb, VP of Franchise Development Tony Chemer, and VP of Education Matt Helland.

Discovery days are underway, and territories are now being awarded. If you or someone you know is interested in having their own successful personal training business, the Alloy systems are well developed, and they are focusing on very discreet segments.

# # #

About Alloy:

Alloy’s fitness program was created in 1992 around a very straightforward philosophy: people who get personalized coaching get better results. Today, Alloy programs are among the most effective programs in the world for helping people, especially those over 50, who want to look and feel their absolute best.

Alloy’s established, effective fitness platform and business management solutions have delivered real results throughout the world. Alloy Personal Training Franchise gives franchisees the chance to make an impact, both on their community and their future with a branded, brick-and-mortar Alloy personal training franchise location.

Learn more at http://www.alloyfranchise.com

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Industry: Healthcare

TurunUK and Accutech Security Forge Successful Partnership in Offering Critical Healthcare Security Solutions throughout the UK and Beyond

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“This partnership expands upon Accutech’s growing installation base throughout Europe which includes Ireland, Denmark, Wales, Northern Ireland, England and Scotland.”


FRANKLIN, Wis. (PRWEB)

TurunUK and Accutech Security formed an exclusive partnership to design and deliver high-quality wander management security solutions to healthcare facilities throughout the UK.

Accutech Security is a leading manufacturer in healthcare security solutions and is actively installed in more than 5,000 facilities worldwide. TurunUK is an experienced healthcare leader of patient safety products and services, headquartered in London and serving the UK market for more than 25 years. The two companies are working together to provide Accutech’s security solutions to clients in the UK and beyond. The duo is able to provide expert knowledge, detailed design and ease in implementation through ongoing support of custom security solutions.

“We’ve sold the Stanley product for the last 24+ years,” said Pedro Pereira, General Manager at TurunUK. “Our new product line this year has included Accutech’s LC 1200 and LS 2400 Wander Systems. Not only do our clients like the look and options, but the support from Accutech staff has been outstanding. The Accutech products fit well in our portfolio and aligns with our company’s standard of excellence and customer service.”

Focusing on innovation, easy-to-use solutions and the patient experience are foundational to both Accutech and TurunUK. Working together since January 2020, the partnership has already seen success through the implementation of 20-plus systems.

“This partnership expands upon Accutech’s growing installation base which includes Ireland, Denmark, Wales, Northern Ireland, England and Scotland,” said Chris Konicek, of Accutech. “Beyond that we also have installations in Australia, Mexico, Trinidad/Tobago, Philippines, Guam, and Saudi Arabia.”

TurunUK’s healthcare consumers realize all the benefits of a custom designed, integrated security system, installed and serviced by a dedicated, trained, and licensed team. TurunUK’s professionals are focused on ensuring the success of solutions through comprehensive research and detailed project requirements. This coupled with Accutech Security products equals unparalleled client results for safety and security of patients/residents.

All Accutech systems are manufactured in the U.S., installed and serviced by a vast network of authorized dealers, and backed by the industry’s most comprehensive customer support program.

“Accutech’s solutions have allowed us to confidently provide innovative solutions and exceptional customer service to our clients,” said Pedro. “The Accutech brand is a trusted brand.”

For an analysis of healthcare systems, security remedies to challenges and custom designed solutions, contact TurunUK and Accutech Security for comprehensive and effective results.

About TurunUK

TurunUK has earned a reputation as an expert specializing in solutions for fall prevention, patient wandering, infant security and asset tracking since 1995. TurunUK products are designed for caregivers to help enhance care and reduce concern and worry. When used in conjunction with caregiver watchfulness, and programs that include training, risk assessment and evaluation, TurunUK technology solutions help healthcare providers meet the highest standards of safety and quality.

About Accutech Security

Founded in 1985, Accutech Security is a leading manufacturer of advanced electronic monitoring and security systems, marketed and sold under the Accutech brand. Accutech’s specialized, security systems are actively installed in more than 5,000 healthcare facilities across the world. As a leading manufacturer of security systems for over 35 years, Accutech continues to provide innovative, reliable and cost-effective solutions for the safety of babies, patients and residents worldwide.

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Health

Associated Hearing Professionals Celebrates March 3, World Hearing Day

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“Noise-induced hearing loss is a preventable and significant factor,” said Dr. Margaret Fritsch Juelich, audiologist.


ST. LOUIS (PRWEB)

In 2007, the World Health Organization designated March 3 as World Hearing Health Day in order to raise awareness of the growing numbers of those suffering from hearing loss and the importance of hearing health care.

Associated Hearing Professionals and The American Academy of Audiology are focused on educating the public about hearing loss and the impact it has on quality of life. We are grateful that this awareness day was created to shine a light on the significance of hearing loss.

“Noise-induced hearing loss is a preventable and significant factor,” said Dr. Margaret Fritsch Juelich, audiologist. Associated Hearing Professionals and a member of the American Academy of Audiology. “This growing health problem is often unrecognized in U.S. adults, adolescents and children and it leads to a long list of problems including depression, isolation, academic delays, impaired communication and cognitive decline. In 2013, a study from the Johns Hopkins Center of Aging and Health concluded that those with untreated hearing loss showed a faster decline in cognition (brain function) than normal hearing individuals. Untreated hearing loss can also cause an increase in cognitive load, and this can lead to anxiety.

The many consequences of untreated hearing loss lead to social isolation and that contributes to depression and a decrease in brain stimulation. Treating hearing loss allows people to become more engaged socially and social engagement is considered one of the most important factors affecting quality of life.

While age is still the greatest factor in hearing loss, many younger people also experience hearing problems due to exposure to loud music and noises including occupational noise. Among adults aged 70 and older with hearing loss who could benefit from hearing aids, fewer than one in three (30 percent) has ever used them. With adults aged 20 to 69 only approximately 16 percent of those who would benefit from hearing aids have ever used them.

“Audiologists diagnose and treat hearing loss,” Dr. Juelich explained. “Anyone suspecting a hearing issue should see an audiologist who will perform a series of tests to determine the problem, if there is one, and will then recommend treatment.”

Some signs of hearing loss may include:

  • Having to turn up the volume of the television, radio, or stereo and having other family members complain that the volume is too loud.

  • Difficulty understanding people speaking to you and asking people to repeat themselves.

  • Difficulty with phone conversations and understanding the other person.

  • Sudden inability to hear the door bell, the dog barking, and other household sounds.

  • People telling you that you speak too loudly.

  • Ringing in the ears.

School-aged children with hearing loss will sometimes exhibit poor school performance because they can’t understand the teacher assignments or classroom interactions. If hearing loss has been present from a young age, they often don’t recognize the loss and can’t identify the problem.

The audiologists of Associated Hearing Professionals are passionate about improving quality of life through better hearing. A mild hearing loss is not a mild problem. Untreated hearing loss has a significant impact on overall health and interactions with family, friends and co-workers. Improve your hearing, improve your health and improve your happiness!

The American Academy of Audiology is the world’s largest professional organization of, by and for audiologists. The active membership of more than 12,000 is dedicated to providing quality hearing care services through professional development, education, research, and increased public awareness of hearing and balance disorders. To find an audiologist, go to http://www.audiology.org/FindAnAudiologist.

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Industry: Healthcare

Sebela Pharmaceuticals Announces FDA Approval of Pizensy™ for oral solution for the Treatment of Chronic Idiopathic Constipation in Adults

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The approval of Pizensy represents a major step forward in treatment options for CIC. Pizensy will be the only FDA approved product which the patient can self-titrate based on their own results for stool consistency, said Jack A. Di Palma, M.D.


BRAINTREE, Mass. (PRWEB)

Sebela Pharmaceuticals announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Pizensy™ (lactitol) for oral solution for the once-daily treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) in adults. Pizensy is a simple monosaccharide sugar alcohol that exerts an osmotic effect, causing the influx of water into the small intestine leading to a laxative effect.

“The approval of Pizensy represents a major step forward in treatment options for CIC. Pizensy will be the only FDA approved product which the patient can self-titrate based on their own results for stool consistency,” said Jack A. Di Palma, M.D., Professor of Medicine and Fellowship Program Director of the Division of Gastroenterology at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine and Past-President of the American College of Gastroenterology. “Pizensy will allow practitioners and patients to jointly take control of their condition using a product with the same proven and safe mechanism of action as we have seen in bowel prep products such as SUPREP® Bowel Prep Kit.”

Unlike current prescription treatments which are solid oral doses, Pizensy is mixed with the patient’s fluid of choice, e.g., water, juice, coffee, tea or soda, and taken once a day at whatever time the patient prefers, preferably with food. Pizensy allows patients to adjust the dose of the product. In the clinical trials versus placebo, approximately 25% of patients were able to at least temporarily reduce their dose.

Pizensy is expected to be available in the U.S. in the second half of 2020. Pizensy is a New Chemical Entity and is expected to have patent protection until 2037. Sebela intends to commercialize Pizensy in the U.S. with a marketing partner and has received preliminary expressions of interest from a number of interested parties.

CIC is a complex, functional GI disorder defined by symptoms including fewer than three bowel movements a week and hard-to-pass or incomplete bowel movements, for which there is no identifiable cause.1,2 CIC affects approximately 33 million Americans and an estimated 14 percent of the global population.2 Almost 4.7M brand prescriptions were written for products indicated for CIC in 2019, representing gross sales of $2.36B and growth rates of +6% and +16% versus 2018 respectively.3

The efficacy and safety of Pizensy were evaluated in three Phase 3 clinical trials which included more than 1,400 patients. These included a 6-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, a 12-week, blinded head to head study versus lubiprostone (AMITIZA®) and a 12-month, open-label, chronic use study.

Over the first 12-week course of treatment, patients treated with Pizensy achieved a significantly greater efficacy response compared to placebo (26% vs. 13%, p less than 0.001). This response was sustained in the Pizensy group during Weeks 13 to 24. In both pivotal trials, efficacy responders were defined as patients who had at least three complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs) in a given week and an increase of at least one CSBM over baseline in the same week for at least nine out of 12 weeks, including at least three of the last four weeks.

Over course of treatment, patients who received Pizensy had statistically significant improvements as compared to placebo in stool frequency (as measured by the number of spontaneous and complete spontaneous bowel movements per week) and stool consistency (as measured by the Bristol Stool Form Scale).

The most common adverse event reported in the clinical trials versus placebo was Upper Respiratory Tract Infection at a rate of 9% compared to 6% of patients treated with placebo. Other adverse events reported at a lower frequency include flatulence and diarrhea. The rates of diarrhea and severe diarrhea were similar between the Pizensy and placebo groups. Overall discontinuation rates were low among patients treated with Pizensy at 4% as compared to placebo at 3%.

Indications and Usage

Pizensy is indicated for chronic idiopathic constipation in adults.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Pizensy™ is contraindicated in patients known or suspected mechanical gastrointestinal obstruction or galactosemia.

The most common adverse reactions observed when taking Pizensy (greater than 3%)%) are upper respiratory tract infection, flatulence, diarrhea, Increased blood creatinine phosphokinase, abdominal distension and high blood pressure.

The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of lactitol outside the United States, hypersensitivity reactions, including rash and pruritus.

Pizensy may reduce the absorption of concomitantly administered oral medications. Administer oral medications at least 2 hours before or 2 hours after Pizensy.

Please click here for Full Prescribing Information

About Chronic Idiopathic Constipation (CIC)

CIC affects approximately 14 percent of the global population, disproportionately affecting women and older adults.2 People with CIC have persistent symptoms of difficult and infrequent bowel movements.1 In addition to physical symptoms including abdominal bloating and discomfort, CIC can adversely affect an individual’s quality of life, including increasing stress levels and anxiety.1

About Pizensy™

Pizensy™ (lactitol) for oral solution is a once-daily product wherein 20 grams of the product is mixed with 4 to 8 ounces of fluid, e.g., water, juice or soda for the treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation in adults. If the patient experiences loose stools the dose of Pizensy™ can be lowered to 10 grams mixed with 4 to 8 ounces of fluid.

About Sebela Pharmaceuticals

Sebela is a private, US-focused growth-oriented specialty pharmaceutical company developing and commercializing gastroenterology, women’s health and dermatology prescription products. The company is a pioneer in gastroenterology therapy for bowel cleansing prior to colonoscopy having developed multiple innovative prescription bowel prep and constipation products such as GoLYTELY®, NuLYTELY®, MiraLAX® and SUPREP® Bowel Prep Kit. Sebela has numerous further advances in bowel prep therapy in late-stage clinical development including one NDA currently under review by the FDA. Sebela also has two next-generation Intra-Uterine Devices (IUDs) for contraception in development which holds the promise of better patient experience in addition to excellent efficacy.

Sebela has offices in Roswell, GA; Braintree, MA; and Dublin Ireland, has annual net sales of approximately $250 million and has grown to over 300 employees through strategic acquisitions and organic growth. Sebela’s products in Gastroenterology and Dermatology maintain number one market share positions in the marketplace as branded prescription products for their indications.3

Please visit sebelapharma.com for more information.

Forward-Looking Statement

This press release and any statements made for and during any presentation or meeting contain forward-looking statements related to Sebela Pharmaceuticals under the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These statements may be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “anticipate,” “planned,” “believe,” “forecast,” “estimated,” “expected,” and “intend,” among others. There are a number of factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the development, launch, introduction and commercial potential of Pizensy; growth and opportunity, including peak sales and the potential demand for Pizensy, as well as its potential impact on applicable markets; market size; substantial competition; our ability to continue as a going concern; our need for additional financing; uncertainties of patent protection and litigation; uncertainties of government or third-party payer reimbursement; dependence upon third parties; our financial performance and results, including the risk that we are unable to manage our operating expenses or cash used for operations, or are unable to commercialize our products, within the guided ranges or otherwise as expected; and risks related to failure to obtain FDA clearances or approvals and noncompliance with FDA regulations. As with any pharmaceutical under development, there are significant risks in the development, regulatory approval and commercialization of new products. There are no guarantees that future clinical trials discussed in this press release will be completed or successful or that any product will receive regulatory approval for any indication or prove to be commercially successful. While the list of factors presented here is considered representative, no such list should be considered to be a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. Unlisted factors may present significant additional obstacles to the realization of forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements included herein are made as of the date hereof, and Sebela does not undertake any obligation to update publicly such statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances except as required by law.

1Thomas R, Luthin D. Current and emerging treatments for irritable bowel syndrome with constipation and chronic idiopathic constipation: focus on prosecretory agents. Pharmacotherapy Pub. 2015; 613-630.

2 Suares NC, Ford AC. Prevalence of, and risk factors for chronic idiopathic constipation in the community: systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Gastroenterol. 2011; 106(9): 1582-1591.

3IQVIA. National Prescription Audit Report. December 2019.

AMITIZA is a registered trademark of Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

MiraLAX is a registered trademark of Bayer Healthcare LLC

SOURCE: Sebela Pharmaceuticals

Sebela Pharmaceuticals

Jai Wall

VP, Corporate Affairs

jai.wall@sebelapharma.com

Health

MediaPlatform® Customers Cite Crucial Role of Webcasting for Business Continuity

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Markets are reacting to fears that the coronavirus outbreak will negatively impact the ability of companies to conduct their day-to-day operations. Fortunately, our customers have contingency communications and meeting plans in place and business broadcasts play a central role in those plans.


LOS ANGELES (PRWEB)

Amidst global fears of a widening coronavirus outbreak, webcasting is playing a central role in keeping international businesses connected and productive.

Video-savvy enterprises can quickly convert in-person meetings, events and activities into virtual venues that use live video for interactive, real-time information sharing and collaboration. In this way, online video – such as that provided by MediaPlatform’s Enterprise Video Platform – brings employees, partners and customers together to ensure that travel restrictions have a minimal impact on business operations.

“Markets are reacting to fears that the coronavirus outbreak will negatively impact the ability of companies to conduct their day-to-day operations. Fortunately, our customers have contingency communications and meeting plans in place and business broadcasts play a central role in those plans,” said Mike Newman, CEO of MediaPlatform.

MediaPlatform’s Enterprise Video Platform includes it next-generation live webcasting platform, MediaPlatform® Broadcaster, which gives producers easy-to-use, browser-based multimedia production capabilities with enterprise-class security and reliability, and the MediaPlatform® Event Success Dashboard (ESD), a real-time analytics tool that lets business broadcasters monitor in real time how audiences are reacting to webcast content via an audience sentiment widget that lets viewers register sentiment votes using intuitive emoticons.

Its end-to-end enterprise video platform also includes the MediaPlatform® On Demand video content management portal, and MediaPlatform’s video delivery capabilities – including its Smartpath network overlay rules engine for management of failover and redundancy across multiple vendor technologies and the MediaPlatform® Edge eCDN.

About MediaPlatform

MediaPlatform is a leading enterprise video platform enabling large-scale live streaming and on-demand video that companies use to engage remote employees, empower and motivate workers by giving them the power to rapidly self-educate and share knowledge, and attract and keep top talent. MediaPlatform gives customers an end-to-end solution and world-class services so they can use their networks for business broadcasts, consolidate disconnected video systems, accelerate their digital workplace transition, and gain insights into the reach and impact of their video communications.

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Industry: Healthcare

NucleusHealth™ presenting at HIMSS in collaboration with Microsoft Azure

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“Companies like NucleusHealth are critical in helping healthcare organizations use technology to address industry challenges and seize opportunities to impact people’s lives in a positive way.”


SAN DIEGO (PRWEB)

NucleusHealth, a medical image management technology company and teleradiology services provider, announced their appearance inside the Microsoft Azure for Healthcare booth at the 2020 Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Global Health Conference and Exhibition. The company will showcase its Nucleus.io platform that is disrupting the imaging space with its cloud native PACS solution.

NucleusHealth chose Microsoft Azure to power the Nucleus.io medical image management platform because of its dependable security and longstanding presence in the healthcare industry. “NucleusHealth delivers its Nucleus.io platform via Microsoft Azure to nearly 7,000 image management organizations. Using a cloud-based platform also enables our teleradiologists to access and read 1.3 million studies per year,” says Claude Hooton, NucleusHealth President and Chief Operating Officer. “We live and breathe the solution that we provide to clients. Azure is a proven cloud provider that allows us to enhance our own cloud platform in day-to-day operations.”

“We’re pleased NucleusHealth is joining us at HIMSS to showcase how technology is helping healthcare organizations succeed in transforming patient care and their businesses. Microsoft Azure helps unify people, devices, apps and information responsibly by prioritizing compliance, security and trust,” said Gareth Hall, director of business strategy for Worldwide Healthcare at Microsoft Corp. “Companies like NucleusHealth are critical in helping healthcare organizations use technology to address industry challenges and seize opportunities to impact people’s lives in a positive way.”

NucleusHealth will be demonstrating the flexibility of its image management platform and how organizations can utilize the Nucleus.io platform to enhance workflows, elevate user experience, reduce IT burden, and eventually replace aging enterprise imaging systems altogether. Claude Hooton, NucleusHealth President and COO will also be presenting in a Lunch and Learn session to show how Nucleus.io cooperates in the market by enabling artificial intelligence and machine learning applications for imaging needs through the usage of standards.

The Nucleus.io cloud-based image management platform is comprised of modular solutions. They are all completely in a web browser and provide image exchange, remote reading, downtime PACS, cloud PACS, and a platform-as-a-service for enabling medical software applications. Nucleus.io is one of the first imaging solutions to use client-side rendering paired with proprietary adaptive streaming protocols to bypass any latency issues currently experienced with all other cloud solutions. This approach allows for the viewing of large medical images in a browser with the same performance as on-premise workstations. More information will be available throughout HIMSS 2020 in Orlando at the Microsoft Azure exhibit, booth No. 2300, Orange County Convention Center.

About NucleusHealth

NucleusHealth is advancing patient care through innovation in cloud-based medical image management, facilitating a global image exchange accessible by patients, physicians and healthcare networks. NucleusHealth licenses its Nucleus.io software as a service (SaaS) and web-scale platform as a service (PaaS) technologies to healthcare organizations and companies across the globe. The company’s StatRad teleradiology service was founded in 1996, by radiologists for radiologists, and develops and implements forward-thinking solutions for radiology groups. For more information, call us at +1(858)251-3400, visit us at http://www.nucleushealth.io, or connect with us on Twitter or LinkedIn.

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