Archive: 2013

RAPID CITY, S.D. - This nightstand is for sleep apnea patients who want a good night's sleep—and a neat bedroom. Perdue Woodworks will introduce a bedside cabinet that conceals CPAP and BIPAP devices, even while they're in use, at the Las Vegas Market on Jan. 26. The machine and its components tuck neatly behind a pair of doors, while the hose that delivers air to the patient's mask runs through a slot in the cabinet to the patient's bed, according to a story in Furniture Today. Each nightstand...

People the world over are counting down the minutes and hours until the New Year arrives. Except perhaps for Jo in the next cube. She's singing "White Christmas." I am personally counting the minutes until I get sprung from this joint today. No special reason, I just have holiday brain. So let's talk resolutions. I make a few soft ones every year and don't beat myself up when they (inevitably) fall by the wayside. This year's have to do with fitness, both physical and fiscal. One idea I got, just...

YARMOUTH, Maine - A recent recommendation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could provide a big boost to the makers and providers of alternative pain management therapies like TENS.Concerned about the abuse of narcotic painkillers, the FDA wants to reduce by half—to 90 days—the supply that patients can get without new prescriptions. The agency's move is no surprise to Ryan Moore, a physical therapist who is vice president of sales for Roscoe Medical's Pain Management Division.“We've...

LONDON - Mortality rates among COPD patients in low-income countries are linked more to poverty than the prevalence of smoking, according to a new international study published in Thorax. Researchers examined COPD mortality data from 170 countries, finding a strong inverse correlation between mortality and gross national income (GNI). Where the annual GNI was below $15,000, they found COPD mortality rose, but it had no clear link to smoking. Mortality was strongly correlated with spirometric restriction,...

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Mediware Information Systems will host a four-part webinar series to help providers prepare for the Oct. 1, 2014, transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10 codes, the company announced Dec. 30. Paula Digby, principal at AQ Consulting, will host the series on Jan. 22, March 26, June 25 and Sept. 10. Registration is limited to the first 500 attendees. The webinars are part of an outreach effort that will also include whitepapers, studies, surveys and testimonials on a variety of topics.

OCONOMOWOC, Wis. - Bruno Independent Living Aids is donating a “Joey” platform lift to Sam Wedig, a 10-year-old with cerebral palsy. The lift will allow Sam's grandparents, Coleen and Mark Wedig, who are raising him, to take him to school and church, and to watch the Iowa Cubs baseball team. Advanced Rehab Technologies in Urbandale, which supplied Sam with his power wheelchair, will install the lift in the Wedig's Dodge Caravan. Bruno and Advanced Rehab learned about Sam through...

YARMOUTH, Maine - What resolutions do industry consultants have for HME providers for the new year?Eliminate re-work like it's your jobKaren Moore thinks providers should be working smarter and harder in 2014, but mostly smarter. In the wake of competitive bidding, providers are feeling tremendous reimbursement pressure, and they no longer have the time nor resources for “re-work,” she says.“If you look at the top denials for Medicare, it's submitting duplicate claims,” said...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Chuck Vollmer has opened a 101 Mobility location in Sarasota, Fla., where senior citizens make up one-third of the population. 101 Mobility sells, services and installs a complete line of mobility and accessibility products and equipment. Vollmer's relationship with Harmar Mobility will benefit customers of 101 Mobility, according to a release. “They will notice added quality assurance, product diversity and reasonable price-points,” it states. 101 Mobility has an equity...

MATTHEWS, N.C. - As Carolina's Home Medical Equipment prepared for the Jan. 1 implementation of the Round 1 re-compete, President and CEO Frank Trammell took a few minutes to tell HME News what his company has done to remain viable in the competitive bidding market.HME News: What did you learn from Round 1 that helped you in the re-compete? What worked and what didn't? How did you prepare for this round?Frank Trammell: Understanding how each line item is weighted and how it impacts the composite...

FREDERICK, Md. - Faced with stiff opposition from some pilot groups, lawmakers and physicians, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has put on hold plans to test all overweight pilots for sleep apnea, according to news reports. The FAA had planned to start testing pilots with body mass indices of 40 or greater in January. The FAA has now agreed to consult with industry groups to balance the concerns of all stakeholders, according to news reports. When the FAA announced its plans, legislation...