Business News

Mental health report focuses on multicultural groups

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:29:00 +0000

CALGARY, March 15 /CNW Telbec/ - Statistics Canada is predicting that 1 in 3 Canadians will belong to a visible minority by 2031. The Mental Health Commission of Canada has released a report addressing the needs of multicultural, immigrant and refugee groups. The study is part of its mandate to improve mental healthcare across all areas of Canadian society.

"These groups face unique challenges and are more exposed to factors that promote mental health problems and illnesses," says Steve Lurie, Chair of the Commission's Service Systems Advisory Committee.

The document, titled 'Improving Mental Health Services for Immigrant, Refugee, Ethno-cultural and Racialized (IRER) Groups,' outlines factors that policy makers and service providers may want to consider when working to improve mental health services for these groups.

"Migration, discrimination, language barriers and lack of awareness of services have an impact on mental health," says Lurie. "Trust in services, cultural competence, targeted health promotion, and...

ERT Offers a New Self-Rated Version of the C-SSRS, Facilitating Prospective Suicidality Monitoring

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:00:00 +0000

PHILADELPHIA, March 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ERT (Nasdaq: ERES), a leading provider of centralized services to global pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies, announces a pioneering electronic self-rated version of the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) to facilitate compliance with regulatory requirements for prospective monitoring of suicidal ideation and behaviors. The validated eC-SSRS solution, developed in collaboration with the scale lead author, is a cost-effective method of prospectively monitoring for suicidality. It has been designed, in line with anticipated FDA requirements, to reliably and reproducibly assess suicidality in clinical trials; thereby, protecting patient safety while significantly reducing the burden on study sites.

In recent years, there has been increased focus on treatment-emergent suicidality and the development of a reliable assessment method for use in clinical trials to enhance effective patient-safety monitoring. The FDA is developing guidance on regulatory requirements for suicidality monitoring. In light of concerns regarding the burdens...

Netsmart Announces 'My Avatar' at National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare Annual ...

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:00:00 +0000

GREAT RIVER, N.Y., March 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Netsmart Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of enterprise-wide software and services for health and human services organizations, today announced the planned release of My Avatar™, the next generation of the company's industry leading electronic health record (EHR) and practice management software suite. The My Avatar software is being demonstrated at the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare's 40th Annual National Mental Health and Addictions Conference and Expo held March 15-17 in Orlando, Fla.

Scheduled for availability in fall 2010, My Avatar will enable staff in provider organization to personalize screen views and functionality in Avatar software by individual work roles.

"For providers to realize the efficiency and productivity gains from software, it needs to work the way their staff works, provide a user-friendly experience and offer them functions in a readily-available format that does not complicate their current work flow," said James L. Conway,...

NHI Announces $29.7 Million of Purchase/Leaseback Transactions with Three Assisted Living ...

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 22:31:00 +0000

MURFREESBORO, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- National Health Investors, Inc. (NYSE:NHI) announced today a total of $29.7 million in purchase/leaseback transactions. The transactions include three assisted living and memory care facilities totaling 102 units in Minnesota with Suite Living Senior Specialty Services (formerly known as Comforts of Home) for $17.2 million and a 66-bed acute psychiatric hospital known as Alvarado Parkway Behavioral Institute in La Mesa, California with Helix Healthcare for $12.5 million. The purchases were funded with borrowings from NHI’s revolving credit facility. The transactions will bring NHI’s total investments to date in 2010 to $96.7 million....

Northstar Healthcare to announce Q4/2009 financial results March 15 and hold conference call ...

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:27:00 +0000

TORONTO, March 11 /CNW/ - Northstar Healthcare Inc. (TSX: NHC) today announced that it intends to announce its 2009 fourth quarter financial results following the close of markets on Monday, March 15, 2010.

A conference call for the investment community will be held on Tuesday, March 16 at 10:00 a.m. (ET). The call-in numbers for participants are 647-427-7450 or 888-231-8191. A live audio feed of the call will also be available on the Internet at:

http://www.newswire.ca/en/webcast/viewEvent.cgi?eventID=2993540

A replay of the call will be available from 1:00 pm ET on March 16, 2010 until 11:59 pm ET on March 23, 2010. To access the replay, call 416-849-0833 or 800-642-1687, enter pass code number 61652334, and then press the pound # key. The replay can also be accessed over the Internet at the above address.

    <<
    About Northstar Healthcare Inc.
    -------------------------------...

Qualifacts is Behavioral Health SaaS Provider of Choice in Connecticut

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:40:00 +0000

New Directions is newest member of CareLogic™ user community.

Nashville, Tenn. (Vocus) March 11, 2010 -- Qualifacts Systems Inc. , the largest Software as a Service (SaaS) provider of Electronic Health Record (EHR) and enterprise management systems to behavioral health and human services providers, has added New Directions Inc. to its client roster – making the company the seventh CareLogic™ user in Connecticut.

New Directions provides outpatient substance abuse and mental health treatment services in Enfield and the surrounding towns located in the north central region of Connecticut.

“We looked at several different software companies and what differentiated Qualifacts is that its CareLogic product was already in use by several treatment facilities in Connecticut and they have a proven track record of easily adapting to the needs of these care givers,” said Chris Leary, president and CEO of New Directions. “The Qualifacts team ensured effective communication to the various Connecticut state agencies requiring...

N.J. bill mandates public employees live in state [The Philadelphia Inquirer]

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:23:00 +0000

Mar. 11--If New Jersey taxpayers fund your paychecks, you ought to live in the Garden State, too.

That's the thinking behind a bill proposed in the Legislature this week, which already has drawn bipartisan support from Gov. Christie and Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D., Gloucester), among other political leaders. It also has attracted loud criticism from public employees.

State Sen. Donald Norcross (D., Camden), sponsor of the bill, said a residency requirement was a "fair and reasonable expectation" of employees whose salaries were paid by taxpayers.

The bill would affect teachers, firefighters, police officers, and all other employees of state, county, and local governments, as well as public authorities, boards, agencies, commissions, and state colleges and universities. Both full-time and part-time employees would be affected.

New employees would have four months from the start of employment to move into New Jersey, while anyone living out of state would have 21/2 years after the...

DGCMH selects Netsmart's Avatar software suite

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:58:00 +0000

Mar 11, 2010 (Datamonitor via COMTEX) -- Douglas Gardens Community Mental Health or DGCMH has selected Netsmart Technologies's Avatar software suite as its integrated electronic health record and billing system, replacing a legacy software system from another behavioral health software provider.

Douglas Gardens will utilize Netsmart's behavioral health software and related services to manage and integrate key financial, clinical and management processes, and enhance reporting and compliance with the State of Florida.

The Avatar software suite will serve as the foundation for the Douglas Gardens implementation. Included is Avatar Practice Management, Avatar Clinician Workstation electronic health record (EHR) and Netsmart's workflow-driven Florida state reporting solution within Avatar.

Francine Massaro, director of admissions, health information management, privacy officer and risk manager at DGCMH, said: "We expect the EHR will not only increase efficiency and reduce duplicative efforts for our staff, but more importantly, increase the convenience and quality of care for our consumers. We...

US Bain Capital in advanced talks on Psychiatric Solutions acquisition

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:51:00 +0000

US private equity firm Bain Capital is negotiating the acquisition of US behavioral healthcare specialist Psychiatric Solutions (NASDAQ:PSYS), the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing several sources in the know.

The value of the deal is not yet known, but Psychiatric Solutions, with a market capitalisation of some USD1.35bn (EUR990m), is seeking to get a premium of 25% to its market price. Psychiatric Solutions stock was trading at nearly USD24 on Wednesday. The company has USD1.2bn debt, which would have to be included in any deal.

An agreement is expected in a week, but, according to the sources, there is no guarantee that talks would not fail despite their advanced stage.

Other private equity firms showed interest in the mental health facilities operator since last fall, but they eventually withdrew.

A Psychiatric Solutions spokesman refused to comment, the paper said.

Psychiatric Solutions is advised on the deal by Bank of America Merrill Lynch,...

New Online Tool Helps Hospitals Calculate Health IT Stimulus Dollars Available to Fund EHR

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

SAN DIEGO, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 03/11/10 -- Medsphere Systems Corporation, the leading provider of open-source healthcare IT solutions, today unveiled a new Stimulus ROI Calculator designed to help hospitals make more informed, financially sound health IT decisions.

"This online Calculator," explained Medsphere President and CEO Mike Doyle, "demonstrates the ability of most hospitals to leverage federal stimulus dollars and totally fund a proven and comprehensive electronic health record solution, specifically, Medsphere's OpenVista® EHR. Moreover, our rapid six-to-nine-month implementation process assures OpenVista hospitals that they will be enabled to achieve meaningful use in time to qualify for maximum stimulus dollars. And to let hospitals know how committed we are to helping them achieve meaningful health IT use and thereby meet federal stimulus requirements, we put one-third of our subscription fees at risk."

This automated ROI Calculator uses Medicare and Medicaid discharge information to calculate the estimated federal stimulus dollars a hospital...

AdvancedMD Appoints William Stone Vice President and General Manager of Billing Services ...

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0000

SALT LAKE CITY, March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- AdvancedMD® Software, Inc., a leader in software-as-a-service (SaaS) electronic health record (EHR) and revenue cycle management (RCM) automation solutions designed to optimize medical practices, announced that William H. Stone has joined the executive management team as Vice President and General Manager of Billing Services. Stone will direct all aspects of business development and sales growth related to AdvancedMD business partners, reporting to Eric Morgan, CEO.

Stone will be responsible for launching the new AdvancedBiller partner program designed to provide qualified billing services with marketing, co-selling and lead sharing programs. Unlike most EHR/PM software providers, AdvancedMD has a made a commitment to not compete with its billing service partners, but instead supports them with advanced web-based billing and clinical software combined with sales and marketing support to help them grow.

William Stone joins AdvancedMD with more than 17 years of sales and medical billing...

Healthways Recognized for Commitment to Gender Balance Among Top Corporate Leadership

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:15:00 +0000

Healthways, Inc. (NASDAQ: HWAY) was recently honored by the CABLE organization, Tennessee's largest and most established network of professionals, for being one of the few Tennessee public companies to include more than two women in the makeup of its Board of Directors. Healthways was one of only 11 companies named to the inaugural CABLE Board Walk of Fame during a ceremony for the award in mid-February (see also Healthways, Inc. ).

Two women are currently serving on the Healthways Board. Mary Jane England, M.D., a Director since 2004, is President of Regis College in Weston, Mass., and the former President of the Washington Business Group on Health. Dr. England is also a former Vice President of Prudential Insurance Co., a former Associate Dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and a former Commissioner of Social Services and Associate Commissioner of Mental Health in Massachusetts. She also...

APA To Spotlight Symposium On 'Hot Topics In Afro-American Mental Health'

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0000

The American Psychiatric Association will spotlight several sensitive issues on African Americans and Mental Health, on Wednesday, May 26, 2010 at the APA Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana. The overall session title is: Hot Topics in Afro-American Mental Health. Heading the team for this symposium is David Wayne Smith, Addiction Psychiatrist with the Center for AIDS Research, Education and Services in Sacramento, California.

(PRWEB) March 10, 2010 -- Dr. Smith will present challenges in treating blacks in mental health, HIV and other taboo topics including, HIV and African American men ‘on the down low.’ The Center for Disease Control defines the phrase, ‘on the down low’ or ‘on the DL,’ as the ‘behavior of men who have sex with other men as well as women and who do not identify as gay or bisexual.’ The risks associated with this activity present widespread challenges for HIV prevention professionals. The...

Hospital staff cannot continue to deliver high quality services in an environment of ...

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:00:00 +0000

TORONTO, March 9 /CNW/ - The Ontario government is undermining the most efficient hospital system in Canada and laying the groundwork for a private hospital system, the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions charged today.

Ontario Council of Hospital Unions/CUPE President Michael Hurley stated today that "hospital employees have been working in an environment of restructuring and reorganization for the last 30 years. The announcement of 'perpetual reform' in the throne speech sends a chill through the workforce. It's like we are working in a healthcare system run by Leon Trotsky with an MBA."

"Creating a competitive market in the hospital sector will undermine the most efficient hospital system in Canada. The changed funding for Ontario's hospitals sets the stage for rural and northern hospital closures. Productivity bonuses for hospital managers for meeting targets set by the Ministry of Health will drive a system focused on price, rather than quality," Hurley charged.

"CUPE's...

Hospitals and Physicians Can Receive Billions in Subsidies With Meaningful Use of EMRs

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:42:00 +0000

WALTHAM, MA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 03/09/10 -- Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) hospitals and physicians can receive $19 billion in subsidies over five years for making "meaningful use" of certified Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems. Under the Stage 1 draft guidelines published in the Federal Register on Jan 13, 2010, "meaningful use" involves 22 transactional standards and a security standard, referred to as "item 23." Item 23 requires that hospitals and Eligible Professionals "Conduct or review a security risk analysis per 45 CFR 164.308(a) (1) and implement security updates as necessary." Stage 3 compliance, required in 2015, is expected to require full compliance with the HIPAA Security Rule to continue to receive funds. Compliance with the transactional standards is available from a variety of EMR vendors but few, if any, offer qualifying risk assessment services, much less full HIPAA Security Rule compliance.

To meet the item...

Good Shepherd Penn Partners Ensures Staffing Excellence With Selection of Onward Healthcare as ...

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:05:00 +0000

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 03/09/10 -- Onward Healthcare , Inc., one of the nation's largest providers of healthcare staffing services, announced today that it has signed an exclusive vendor management services agreement with Good Shepherd Penn Partners (GSPP), a healthcare rehabilitation leader in the greater-Philadelphia marketplace.

GSPP is a joint venture between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network in Allentown, PA, and Penn Medicine located in Philadelphia, PA. GSPP is a patient-centric rehabilitation services organization, and the physicians and staff of GSPP provide comprehensive rehabilitation and specialty services, including: inpatient rehabilitation care at the Penn Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine; long-term acute care at the Specialty Hospital at Rittenhouse; outpatient rehabilitation care at Penn Therapy & Fitness; and physical, occupational and speech therapy services within three acute-care hospitals of Penn Medicine (Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Hospital and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center).

"The demand for rehabilitation professionals needed to meet the challenges of today's patient...

New Assessment Tool Helps Small Businesses Make Better Hires

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Online human resource assessment application helps companies reduce turnover and develop key talent. PsyMax Solutions, an organizational performance software company, announced the launch of “PsyMax Express”, a human resource assessment application that helps small businesses hire and manage their talent more efficiently and cost- effectively.

Cleveland, OH (PRWEB) March 9, 2010 -- PsyMax Solutions, LLC, an organizational performance software company, announced the launch of "PsyMax Express", a human resource assessment application that helps small businesses hire and manage their talent more efficiently and cost- effectively.

Industry studies prove that even one "bad fit" employee can quickly grow into an expensive mistake. A bad hire can cost a company 150% of the terminated employee's annual salary, not to mention the opportunity cost of not operating at peak performance. Getting the right person in the right job the first time is a critical objective.

PsyMax Express measures a candidate's strengths and weaknesses on a broad variety...

Intellimed and Analytix On Demand™ Partner To Deliver World Class Quality and Performance ...

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Expanded Analytics Enable Healthcare Organizations to Accurately Report on Quality, Improve Efficiencies and Benchmark Performance

Phoenix, AZ and Irvine, CA (PRWEB) March 9, 2010 -- As the Obama administration makes healthcare IT a stimulus priority, Intellimed, Inc. (www.intellimed.com ) and Analytix On Demand™ (www.analytixondemand.com ) today announced a strategic partnership that will help healthcare organizations use business intelligence to improve hospital quality of service.

Using Analytix On Demand’s SaaS business intelligence platform, Intellimed - the top provider of integrated strategic management software and data systems for the healthcare industry - will provide game-changing Healthcare Quality Reporting services to the industry. With a thirty year track record of high-value innovation, Intellimed is introducing a suite of products and services that will extend hospitals’ ability to gather and analyze quality data from every area of a hospital or healthcare organization. This deeper analysis on quality and performance will provide their hospital customers an...

American CareSource Names Matthew D. Thompson as Interim Chief Financial Officer

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:00:00 +0000

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- American CareSource Holdings (NASDAQ: ANCI) announced today that Matthew D. Thompson, Vice President, Finance, has been named Interim Chief Financial Officer. Thompson replaces Steven J. Armond, whose employment with American CareSource Holdings has ended effective immediately.

“Matthew has been a respected member of senior management for some time and has historically demonstrated leadership of our finance team,” said David Boone, American CareSource’s Chief Executive Officer. “He is very much engaged in all aspects of the business and has a solid understanding of all financial matters of the Company. I'm delighted...

Marcolin Group renews Kenneth Cole licensing deal

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:53:00 +0000

LONGARONE, Italy -- The Marcolin Group said it has renewed a licensing agreement to make eyeglasses and sunglasses under Kenneth Cole brand names.

Marcolin secured the right to make eyewear under the Kenneth Cole New York and Kenneth Cole Reaction brand names through 2014.

Marcolin, based in Logarone, Italy, also makes eyeglasses under brands such as DSquared2, Ferrari, John Galliano, Montblanc, Roberto Cavalli, Tom Ford and others. Its shares are listed on the Milan Stock Exchange.

Navvis & Company Acquires Physician Executive Management Center

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:45:00 +0000

ST. LOUIS, March 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Navvis & Company (St. Louis), a leading consultancy in the health services industry, announced today the acquisition of Tampa-based Physician Executive Management Center (PEMC).

Physician Executive Management Center is the nation's only executive recruitment firm focused solely on recruitment and placement of physicians in executive leadership positions. The company was founded in 1983, originally as a joint venture with the American College of Physician Executives, and later became an independent firm.

Its founders – Jennifer Grebenschikoff and David Kirschman – are widely respected experts on physician executive search, career counseling and compensation. They also bring considerable experience in health care management, having served as executives in large physician organizations, health plans and health systems.

"The expertise and capabilities of Physician Executive Management Center will bring enormous value to Navvis & Company clients in addressing the increasing demand for executive physician leadership," said Michael...

Prism Medical Ltd. (PM:TSX-VEN) Reports 2009 Annual Financial Results

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:05:00 +0000

TORONTO, March 5 /CNW/ - Prism Medical Ltd. ("Prism" or "the Company") (PM:TSX-VEN) today announced its results for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2009.

In 2009, revenues were $65.7 million compared to $51.9 million in 2008.

Sales in North America increased $9,374 or 43% to $31.1 million driven by increased sales in both the United States and Canada. The increase in U.S. sales was caused by market share gains on traditional products and channel and driven by direct sales efforts. The increase in Canada was driven by strong institutional demand for our products partially supported by government funding. In addition, the UK experienced a sales increase of 27% in British Pound Sterling (GBP) as they continued to expand into new geographies, however due to the decline of the GBP relative to the Canadian dollar sales actually increased by 15%.

In 2009, gross profit increased $6.0 million (26%) over 2008 driven by...

Rural/Metro to Expand Service in Northern Kentucky With Planned Acquisition of TransCare ...

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:00:00 +0000

SCOTTSDALE, AZ -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 03/08/10 -- Rural/Metro Corporation (NASDAQ: RURL), a leading national provider of ambulance and private fire protection services, announced today that one of its subsidiaries has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire TransCare of Kentucky, a leading regional provider of emergency and non-emergency ambulance services in Northern Kentucky, for an undisclosed price.

Conrad A. Conrad, interim President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "We have long held the belief that expansion through hospital-based ambulance services is a viable growth strategy that will serve us well in the future. We look forward to expanding our operations in northern Kentucky and to a seamless transition of service as we continue to provide the highest-quality patient care."

TransCare provides 24-hour advanced life support and basic life support ambulance services to and from hospitals, medical testing or treatment facilities and long-term care centers. Additionally, the company provides emergency ambulance...

State targets care provider [The News and Observer, Raleigh, N.C.]

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:54:00 +0000

Mar. 8--RALEIGH -- Medicaid officials say a Raleigh company overcharged the state more than $824,000 for in-home personal care services meant for poor and disabled people who in many cases never received or didn't qualify for the care.

State regulators want to recoup that money, plus fines and penalties that raise the total to $926,000, and have started the process of pulling the license from Royal Healthcare Inc., which operates out of a single family home at 4124 Viewmont Drive, off Rock Quarry Road.

Division of Medical Assistance spokesman Brad Deen said the investigation comes at the leading edge of intense state scrutiny of personal care services companies, as the state invests in high-tech modernization of its decades-old billing systems. Using old-school methods of poring over printouts and checking complaints, Medicaid investigators found overpayments to Royal Healthcare in about 100 recipients' cases. Of those cases:

More than 90 failed to meet minimum...

Aetna Wins Contract for Pennsylvania Medicaid Program

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:32:00 +0000

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The State of Pennsylvania notified Aetna (NYSE: AET) that it has awarded a Medicaid managed care contract to Aetna Better Health,^SMAetna’s Medicaid business.

Aetna Better Health of Pennsylvania will administer Medicaid benefits for the state of Pennsylvania. Aetna Better Health will begin providing services in Pennsylvania on April 1.

The program will offer health care coverage to Medicaid Medical Assistance (MA) members in the five-county Southeast Zone, including Philadelphia, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Bucks counties. The...