Tag: UPitt
In wake of survey, ‘it’s time to rewrite CMS policy,’ stakeholders say
March 7, 2025Liz Beaulieu, Editor
PITTSBURGH – A recent survey that shows most stakeholders are not satisfied with the current wheelchair service delivery process is damning but necessary if the industry wants to drive change, Mark Schmeler and Brad Dicianno say.
The survey, conducted by the University of Pittsburgh, The Ohio State University and University of Michigan, found that only 18% of 1,052 respondents felt positively about the delivery process.
“People may say, why is this significant; we knew...
Where’s the science? UPitt program will help create it
August 16, 2023Liz Beaulieu, Editor
PITTSBURGH – One of the goals of a new post-doctoral fellowship program at the University of Pittsburgh is to fill a long-standing void in assistive technology research, says Mark Schmeler.
UPitt’s Rehabilitation Science and Technology Department announced in July that it received a five-year grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research to support clinicians with post-doctoral fellowships to advance their careers in assistive...
In brief: Inogen buy, UPitt grant, telehealth decrease
July 14, 2023HME News Staff
GOLETA, Calif. - Inogen has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Physio-Assist SAS, a privately held company based in France that makes a technology-enabled airway clearance device called Simeox, for $32 million.
Simeox has been cleared under CE mark in the EU and is currently being sold in Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
“This acquisition aligns with our strategy to diversify our portfolio to globally improve patient lives through respiratory care,” said...
UPitt receives grant, launches fellowship
July 13, 2023HME News Staff
PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh Rehabilitation Science and Technology Department has received a five-year grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research to support clinicians with post-doctoral fellowships to advance their careers in assistive technology practice, research and policy. The program is called Career Advancement in Assistive Technology Practice, Research & Policy (CAT-PRep). “Other than pursuing a PhD, most clinicians...
Dr. Cooper named to Hall of Fame
January 25, 2023HME News Staff
ARLINGTON, Va. – RESNA Fellow Dr. Rory Cooper is one of 16 innovation pioneers who will be honored as part of the 50th class of National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) inductees, the organization has announced. The 2023 class was announced at the recent Consumer Electronics Show in New York. Cooper is the founder and director of the Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL), a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the University of Pittsburgh. A biomedical engineer,...
Seat elevation study adds evidence to industry’s cause
December 9, 2022Liz Beaulieu, Editor
PITTSBURGH – A new study showing the functional mobility, employment and safety benefits of seat elevation devices is a good example of how large data sets can be used to, hopefully, guide policy and practice, says Mark Schmeler.
The study, published online in Assistive Technology, the official journal of RESNA, in October, pulled findings from the Functional Mobility Assessment tool, which now has more than 13,000 data points.
“This is the first example our industry...
Wheelchair survey seeks to gauge satisfaction
December 3, 2021Liz Beaulieu, Editor
PITTSBURGH – Clinicians, suppliers and manufacturers have a unique opportunity to shape a potential new policy for wheelchair service and funding, says the University of Pittsburgh’s Mark Schmeler.
In November, the university, in collaboration with other investigators, launched a survey to identify the benefits and shortcomings of existing policy in the United States and around the world.
“We want to be able to show, when we design our new policy, that we didn’t...
UPitt seeks input on wheelchair service
November 30, 2021HME News Staff
PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh, in collaboration with other investigators, has launched a survey on wheelchair service and funding and seeks participation from various stakeholders, including clinicians, suppliers and manufacturers.
The goal of the survey: To identify the benefits and shortcomings of various types of existing wheelchair policies, both in the United States and around the world.
“Participation includes responding to a series of questions related...
Policy grant signals 'tide is shifting'
September 30, 2020Tracy Orzel
PITTSBURGH - The University of Pittsburgh, among others, has received a $2.5 million grant over five years to investigate a new health coverage policy for complex rehab wheelchairs. The University of Pittsburgh Department of Rehabilitation Science & Technology, in collaboration with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), UPMC Health Plan, The Ohio State University, University of Michigan and key disability, industry, and policy stakeholders, will be working together on the project. “We...
Complex rehab 'takes next step' with new program
September 11, 2020HME News Staff
PITTSBURGH - More than anything, the University of Pittsburgh's new Master of Rehabilitation Technology program will help to raise awareness among young professionals that specializing in assistive technology is a valid profession, says Mark Schmeler. So far, the department has received MRT applications from 10 students, mostly with engineering or pre-health science degrees, with a goal of up to 20 for the first year of the program. “There's a lot of potential workforce talent out there that...