Tag: HME News
Time flies when you’re having fun
May 22, 2025John Andrews
I go back to the beginning with HME News. I was there in the mid-90s, when founder Neil Rouda dressed up like a newsboy to pass out the inaugural issue to everyone at Medtrade Spring in Las Vegas. At the time, I was senior editor with MPS (Medical Product Sales) and after reading the first issue, I was impressed by the depth and scope of the editorial staff’s HME industry knowledge. When I hung out my freelance shingle in January 2000, former HME News Editor Jim Sullivan inquired about my availability...
Putting the whole wacky year to bed
December 18, 2024Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
One of the last things we do with every issue is hammer out a cartoon idea. Sometimes this is fun and easy; other times, it’s a slog that we have to sleep on.
This was one of those months where it was the latter.
Since we’re working on the January issue and getting ready to put this whole wacky year (in HME, in politics, in life) to bed, I half-seriously suggested a big peace sign, no other messaging.
You see, I’m feeling in need of a fresh start and a fresh outlook as...
From Sports Illustrated to the gridiron, changing the game
May 17, 2023Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
This month, editor Liz and I had a lot of fun with our cartoon, which plays off the news that Medline has partnered with Martha Stewart on a new line of home safety and mobility items. Martha’s instantly recognizable and lauded for, among other things, her good taste, two attributes that I am sure Medline is banking on.
We changed it up a bit, though, by swapping out Martha’s famous, “That’s a good thing,” with one from her pal, Snoop Dogg, “If the ride...
CareCentrix adds accreditation
May 9, 2023HME News Staff
HARTFORD, Conn. - CareCentrix has achieved Accreditation in Utilization Management from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). This accreditation focuses on consumer protection and improvement in service to customers. It recognizes that organizations have open access networks and can improve service quality and utilize customized structures to meet purchaser needs. “CareCentrix is committed to coordinating the right patient care at the right time from hospital to home, and we’re...
Joy for All hits half-million mark
November 3, 2022HME News Staff
PAWTUCKET, R.I. – Ageless Innovation has delivered its 500,000th Joy for All Companion Pet. “We want to thank health care leaders, aging advocates, non-profit and governmental organizations that we have worked with over the last several years,” said the company. “We appreciate your progressive and innovative thinking with respect to addressing social determinants of health, dementia care and supporting caregivers.” Ageless Innovation's Joy for All Companion Pets...
The end of an era? Often, that's best
September 15, 2022Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
Fall, for me, is a time of new beginnings. Maybe it’s because for so long, it was the start of a new school year. Maybe it’s because the New England air finally sheds its muggy curtain and I can breathe again. Feeling a sense of renewal and looking to make a fresh start at home, I hired a housecleaner to come in and do a deep clean. They scrubbed the markings off my stove dials and tried to overcharge me, but hey, my kitchen sink looks brand new.
For the HME industry, fall...
Newspoll: Backlogs drag on, testing patience
August 19, 2022Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine – While providers are starting to see improvements in backlogs, nearly all (96%) of the respondents to a recent HME Newspoll say they are still seeing a lag in getting the parts and equipment they need.
The backlog, which has stretched over more than a year, is driven by ongoing supply chain issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic and a widespread recall on certain CPAP devices and noninvasive ventilators that was issued in June 2021.
“CPAPs are still...
Altimate Medical receives certification
April 5, 2022HME News Staff
REDWOOD FALLS, Minn. – Altimate Medical, maker of the EasyStand, has received ISO 13485:2016 certification for Medical Device and Quality Management Systems (QMS). The audit to recertify Altimate’s QMS and expand its scope to include the functions of the former ActiveAid business took place in early February. “ISO 13485:2016 is the most internationally recognized quality system standard and Altimate’s certification demonstrates we comply with the laws and regulations of the...
Game plan: Get to know H.R. 6641
February 16, 2022Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
Lest you think a reporter’s work life is all glamour and press junkets, think again. It’s often a dull retread through accumulated information to provide context and updates while we wait for the next big story.
Take that old staple we here at HME News refer to as the legislative update.
Every month (every week, if she could get it), Editor Liz Beaulieu pesters me for a legislative update, even when it feels like there’s nothing new to report.
I, in turn, pester...
ABC Medical launches tool to aid in transition to home
August 12, 2021HME News Staff
PORT SAINT LUCIE, Fla. – ABC Home Medical Supply has launched Navigator, a nationwide digital portal that includes live support, to provide patients with spinal cord injuries access to critical resources as they transition from rehab to living life back home. "Research shows that SCI patients who find helpful connections and peer mentoring after rehab demonstrate a significant decrease in unplanned re-hospitalization during the first six months," said Gary Bang, president. "It is with this...