Specialty Providers

"We're looking to take care of the sickest of the sick," said Greg LoPresti, vice president and COO. "We want the patients that have from 10 to 40 prescriptions from (multiple) prescribers. When you have that many prescribers, you're chance of medication errors goes up exponentially. We are looking to be their one pharmacy."
Upstate patients can order prescriptions online or via e-mail; it also offers home delivery. For now, the pharmacy will focus on oral medications, although it may expand to some over-the-counter items in the future.

Smith & Nephew first entered the negative pressure wound therapy market in 2007 when it bought Blue Sky Medical, but the company has a long track record--150 years--of working in wound care. The NPWT market, currently about $1.2 billion annually in the United States, presents a "big, attractive opportunity," says Tom Dugan, president, North America for Smith & Nephew advanced wound management.

Helping Hand Medical Supply recently signed contracts with three skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) to do CPAP set-ups. It was a natural fit for the company, which already provides DME and respiratory products and services in SNFs.