Archive: June 2009

Pride Mobility Products has a new logo and tag line: “Performance Mobility - Live Your Best.”�The MED Group and Healthcare Networks of America (HNA) have formed a partnership that allows MED members into HNA's panel of accredited providers�SeQual Technologies has appointed Adrian Knight director of sales, the Americas...Respironics has a voluntary recall out on its SmartMonitor2 models 4002 and 4003.

There's no room for pessimism in the scooter market these days. Despite negativity toward Medicare, the retail market for scooters is encouraging positive signs, manufacturers contend. “Scooters have always been appealing to the cash-paying customer,” said Cy Corgan, national sales director, retail mobility, for Exeter, Pa.-based Pride Mobility Products. “Many able-bodied individuals purchase scooters to allow them more freedom on a daily basis and increase their level of independence....

LINCOLN, Neb.--Oxygen providers here claimed victory in May when L.B. 604, which exempts them from Nebraska's Delegated Dispensing Permit, was introduced. Under the permit, which was on the books for years, providers were required to contract with pharmacists to oversee their oxygen policies, procedures and operations (see HME News, March 2009). In the end, it proved too difficult to merge pharmacy and oxygen regulations.

Here's an excerpt from a long interview with new Sunrise Medical CEO Thomas Rossnagel, who took over the company's top spot in late May. HME News: Where do you see the HME industry headed? Thomas Rossnagel: This is very difficult to predict. A lot of things speak to the fact that there needs to be consolidation, especially when considering the overcapacity in our industry. This is something that has been discussed many times since I joined the industry over 13 years ago, and it has not happened...

STUART, Fla.--Liberator Medical launched a new division in May: Liberator Health and Education Services, which offers a diabetes self-management program. Liberator CEO Mark Libratore said in a statement: “(The new division) complements our current medical supply operations and provides additional revenue streams and business line diversification.” The American Diabetes Association awarded its “Education Recognition” to the new division.

CHARLOTTE, N.C.--Diagnostic Devices Inc. (DDI) plans to bring most of its offshore manufacturing operations to the United States and add about 100 jobs in the next two years, according to a May 22 article in the Charlotte Business Journal. Right now, DDI manufactures the Prodigy Meter in China and Taiwan, but by 2011, it will manufacture 80% of its products in Charlotte.

ARLINGTON, Va.--RESNA is one step closer to having a specialty certification in seating and mobility. The organization in May was analyzing the results of a survey it sent out to about 2,500 professionals to determine the tasks needed to provide seating and mobility equipment and how they should be prioritized. It received more than 500 responses. “The work is ongoing,” said Anjali Weber, RESNA's director of certification. The survey results will form the basis for RESNA's exam on seating...

MARTINEZ, Ga.--Independent HMEs consider competitive bidding a more pressing issue than repealing the 36-month oxygen cap, according to a new survey by the Committee to Save Independent HME Suppliers (CSI: HME). The newly formed organization will use the survey results to prioritize its advocacy efforts on behalf of independent providers, said David Petsch, CSI:HME's managing director. Of the 242 people who responded to the poll, 111 listed repealing national competitive bidding as most important;...

HME News Contributing Editor John Andrews e-mailed me the link to a recent Washington Post article about “how an industry lobby scored a swift, unexpected victory.” The industry lobby: the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). The victory: up to $36.5 billion to create a nationwide network of electronic health records - part of President Barack Obama's $787 billion stimulus package. Andrews, who also covers the healthcare IT industry, wrote me: “Even though...

WASHINGTON--Carolyn Cole, The VGM Group's vice president of communications, stepped onto the big stage June 3. That's when VGM ran an in-your-face, full-page, color ad in Roll Call, a popular inside-the-beltway publication, with a commentary written by Cole that asks: What part of home care don't lawmakers and CMS officials understand? The commentary first appeared in the May issue of HME News (“Bravo, Barack, for telling the world”). VGM founder and CEO Van Miller liked it so much he...