In brief: Quantum Rehab leaps forward, Covidien exits CPAP market

LAS VEGAS - It's full steam ahead for Quantum Rehab's manufacturing and distribution facility here. This month, Pride Mobility's custom-rehab division adds the final piece of its manufacturing puzzle: tilt-and-recline seating, said Kirsten DeLay, Pride's senior vice president of sales management and operational planning. Pride opened Quantum West in May 2009. By being able to build and ship its full array of complex rehab products from Las Vegas (rather than from Pride's headquarters in Exeter, Pa.), Quantum has reduced delivery times to providers in the western U.S. by five to seven working days. Additionally, by relocating some of its Quantum division to Las Vegas, Pride has freed up manufacturing capacity in Exeter. That added capacity has reduced delivery times east of the Mississippi from one to two days, depending on the configuration, DeLay said.



Covidien exits CPAP market

DUBLIN - Covidien has agreed to sell its CPAP and Bi-level products to PH Invest, a privately held company located in Luxembourg, the company announced June 1. As part of the deal, PH will acquire the Nancy, France, manufacturing facility, as well as related commercial operations in Europe. Several products sold under the GoodKnight and Sandman brands are included in the deal. The agreement excludes the sleep interface products sold and marketed under the brand names Adam, Breeze and Dreamfit, which Covidien will continue to sell. Financial terms of this transaction were not disclosed. Covidien announced last year that it planned to exit the home respiratory and sleep businesses to focus on more profitable, faster-growing product lines.



CMS reviews OIG reports

BALTIMORE - CMS announced last week a series of four national outreach listening sessions that will focus on several DME-related Office of Inspector General (OIG) reports. The purpose of the calls: To educate providers on specific vulnerabilities that exist in DME, Part A, Part B and home health and hospice settings. The reports that will be covered: Inappropriate Medicare Payments for Pressure Reducing Support Surfaces (OEI-02-07-00420); Vulnerabilities in Medicare Payments for Pressure Reducing Support Surfaces (OEI-02-07-00421); Memo Report: Medicare Power Wheelchairs Claims Frequently did not Meet Documentation Requirements (OEI-04-07-00401); and Comparison Prices for Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Pumps (OEI-02-07-00660). FMI, including dates and times: http://www.cms.gov/opendoorforums/17_odf_hhhdme.asp?.



Award honors Dr. Petty's memory

ELYRIA, Ohio - Invacare and the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) have renamed a home respiratory award in the name of Dr. Thomas Petty, "the father of home oxygen therapy," they announced last week. Established by Invacare in 1992, the Invacare Award for Excellence in Home Respiratory Care is presented annually at the AARC International Respiratory Congress. It will now be known as the Thomas L. Petty, MD Invacare Award for Excellence in Home Respiratory Care. "Dr. Petty was truly the father of home oxygen therapy and a pioneer in homecare," said  Joe Lewarski,  BS, RRT, FAARC, vice president of the respiratory group at Invacare. "His scientific work is unparalleled and his advocacy efforts  have  resulted  in  millions  of patients receiving home oxygen therapy. It seems only fitting that we honor his memory by renaming the award for excellence in home respiratory care in his name." This year's recipient will be named at the 2010 AARC Congress Dec. 6-9 in Las Vegas.



KCI steps forward on initiative

SAN ANTONIO - Negative pressure device manufacturer Kinetic Concepts, Inc. (KCI) announced last week that it would voluntarily submit its product labels for inclusion in a new device-labeling repository on the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) Web site. The FDA is launching a 10-month pilot program as part of its efforts to ensure that complex medical devices are safe for home use by patients. The repository will allow homecare patients and caregivers to access important information about the safe use of their devices.