Archive: August 2022

NEW YORK – United Spinal Association will participate in a virtual crew to remotely test Callisto, a technology demonstration payload embedded on NASA’s Orion spacecraft, during the upcoming Artemis I mission. The mission will evaluate how Amazon’s Alexa and other innovative technologies integrated with Callisto could be used to assist astronauts in future crewed missions to the moon and beyond. Rhonel Cinous, a member of United Spinal from Miami, will have the opportunity to simulate...

HOUSTON – Virtis Health, a division of Soleo Health, a provider of complex specialty pharmacy services, has opened an ambulatory infusion center in Houston near Texas Medical Center. “We are bringing a highly personalized care and service model to patients and providers throughout greater Houston with our new Virtis Health AI,” said Shahram Badrei, regional business leader for Virtis Health Houston. “Since our model brings additional resources and options to patients, providers...

AMSTERDAM – Philips has agreed to pay about $4.2 million to settle an alleged violation of the military airworthiness recertification of one of its products. The settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice relates to the sale of certain portable patient monitors to the U.S. military, specifically the IntelliVue MP2 Mobile Patient Monitor, which has since been discontinued. After receiving initial airworthiness and safe-to-fly certifications for the MP2 from the U.S. Army in 2008 and the...

WASHINGTON – CMS will host a virtual listening session with health care providers on Sept. 13 to gather information on their experiences during public health emergencies outside of the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics of discussion will include What have been your facility's experiences in developing and implementing emergency preparedness plans under the CMS regulations, and do the current CMS emergency preparedness regulations create any unintended barriers in your work? This session is the...

DEERFIELD, Ill. – Walgreens Boots Alliance has completed its majority share acquisition of CareCentrix.  WBA announced in October 2021 that it planned to invest $330 million for a 55% stake in CareCentrix, as part of a plan to launch Walgreens Health.  “We created Walgreens Health to reimagine local health care and wellbeing for all,” said Roz Brewer, CEO, WBA. “This partnership advances our ability to address the needs of people across care settings immediately...

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is alerting patients, caregivers and health care providers that Philips Respironics has recalled 386 affected bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) machines that may contain a plastic contaminated with a non-compatible material.  “If that plastic is in the device motor, it may release certain chemicals of concern called volatile organic compounds (VOCs),” the FDA stated. “The plastic may also cause the machine...

CHARLOTTE – BSN Medical has agreed to resolve allegations that it marketed and promoted various products that did not meet the Medicare or Medicaid program’s reasonable and necessary requirements, causing the submission of false claims for patients, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina. Charlotte-based BSN, which specializes in compression therapy, wound care and orthopedics, has agreed to pay $785,672 to resolve the allegations. From...

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Geary Community Hospital has entered into a letter of intent with B & K Medical, based here, to provide medical equipment and supplies to local residents, according to the JC Post. “B & K Medical will operate with an emphasis on long-term oxygen therapy in the patient home and sleep therapy, with a focus on management of patients with obstructive sleep apnea and other sleep disorders.” B & K will also provider other DME ranging from hospital beds to walkers to...

WASHINGTON – Eight drug codes met CMS’s price substitution criteria in the first quarter of 2022 by exceeding the 5% threshold for two consecutive quarters or three of the previous four quarters, according to a new Office of Inspector General report. The OIG is providing the eight drug codes to CMS for its review. The OIG says CMS should review the information to pursue price substitutions that would limit excessive payments for Part B drugs. To conduct the study, the OIG obtained average...

ELYRIA, Ohio – Matt Monaghan has left his role as chairman, president and CEO of Invacare.  Geoffrey Purtill, who has been serving as the company’s senior vice president and general manager, EMEA and APAC, is interim president and CEO.  “After careful consideration, the board determined that now is the right time for a change in leadership to oversee the successful execution of Invacare’s business transformation,” Cliff Nastas, Invacare’s lead independent...