The National Transitions of Care Coalition (NTOCC) (http://www.ntocc.org/) conducted an Information Exchange to bring together healthcare professionals, consumers, policy makers, and media to learn more about the issue of Transitions of Care. The breakfast meeting took place at the Charlotte Renaissance Hotel in Charlotte, NC on August 14, 2008. Cheri Lattimer, RN, BSN, CMSA Executive Director and Annette Schmidt, sanofi-aventis, spoke on four different topics:

  • The current state of Transitions of Care in America
  • History of the National Transitions of Care Coalition (NTOCC)
  • Overview of the NTOCC vision and the NTOCC Concept Paper, Tools and Resources
  • Preview of the NTOCC website — www.ntocc.org — and its four portals focused on Consumers, Healthcare Professionals, Media, and Policy Makers

There was also a brainstorming session on the topic of “Ways to Work with NTOCC” and how to implement and utilize many of the tools and resources on the NTOCC website. NTOCC is being led by the Case Management Society of America (CMSA) (http://www.cmsa.org/) with support from sanofi-aventis (http://www.sanofi-aventis.us/live/us/en/index.jsp) US LLC.

Transitions of care include situations in which a patient moves from primary care to specialty physicians or moves within the hospital, including moves from the emergency department to other various departments, such as surgery or intensive care; or when a patient is discharged from the hospital and goes home or to an assisted living or skilled nursing facility. Patients, especially older persons, face significant challenges when moving from one level of care or practice setting to another in the healthcare system. During these transitions, lack of communication can result in redundant or conflicting information that often creates serious issues for patients, their caregivers, and their families.

Formed in 2006, the multidisciplinary NTOCC Advisory Board includes the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP), American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA), American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), American Geriatrics Society (AGS), American Medical Directors Association (AMDA), American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), American Society on Aging (ASA), American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP), AXA Assistance USA Inc., Case Management Society of America (CMSA), Consumers Advancing Patient Safety (CAPS), Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG), Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), Joint Commission International Center for Patient Safety (ICPS), Lipitz Center for Integrated Health Care, Mid-America Coalition on Health Care (MACHC), National Association of Directors of Nursing Administration — Long Term Care (NADONA / LTC), National Association of Social Workers (NASW), National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH), National Case Management Network of Canada (NCMN), National Quality Forum, Predictive Health, LLC, sanofi-aventis, Society of Hospital Medicine (SHM), The Joint Commission Disease — Specific Care Certification, United Health Group (UHG), and URAC.

Source: National Transitions of Care Coalition


Rising Medical Solutions, Inc. (Rising), a leading medical cost containment and care management organization, has earned the number one slot on the Private Company Index (PCI) “Top Growth Companies” list for Q2 2008 — a distinction that directly follows its top ranking on the same high-growth listing for Q1 2008.

The PCI listing, published by Entrex, Inc., is generated each quarter by PCI analysts who review revenue data for its portfolio companies and identify those that represent the greatest quarter-on-quarter growth (current quarter versus the same quarter in the previous year).

In this latest reporting of PCI honorees, Rising leads the high-growth pack with its 86.2% increase in quarter-on-quarter revenue. Overall, the “Top Five Growth Companies” for Q2 2008 experienced an average quarterly revenue increase of $1.6 million and a median quarter-over-quarter growth of 56%.

In addition to topping the PCI portfolio in back-to-back quarters, this achievement marks Rising’s third quarter in a row as a PCI honoree.

Comments Stephen H. Watkins, CEO of PCI sponsor company Entrex, “With Rising’s third consecutive Top Five Growth award, they are indeed a stand out among the Entrex Private Company Index participating companies. They have shown consistent growth, proven by the three years of revenue data we have on the company. Since joining, they have quadrupled in size and become a significant player in their sector — proving that private businesses are the hidden economic and employment engine of our economy. Kudos to Rising’s leadership and organizational teams on their effectiveness at managing exponential growth.”

“Our company’s desire to excel as a means to revolutionize the healthcare industry for every person in this country is the driving force behind what we do,” says Rising CEO Jason Beans. “Achieving successive PCI accolades is great validation that we are on the right path and these rankings, combined with our competitive spirit, are one of the many things that will keep us striving to maintain our high-growth trajectory.”

Source: Rising Medical Solutions, Inc.


In November 1994, the Cancer Prevention Coalition and the Center for Constitutional Rights submitted a Petition to the FDA calling for “Cancer Labeling of Talc Products.” Talc products are regularly used by up to 17% of women for genital hygiene.

Supported by about 15 references in the scientific literature, the Petition warned that talc posed major fatal risks of ovarian cancer. These could be avoided by the use of cornstarch powder as a safe alternative. However, the Petition was rejected.

In May 2008, the Coalition submitted a further Petition updating the evidence for the major cancer risks of genital talc products, as detailed in 11 leading national and international scientific journals. This Petition was endorsed by leading national scientific authorities including Dr. Quentin Young, Chairman of the Health and Medicine Policy Research Group, and past president of the American Public Health Association; Dr. Peter Orris, Chief of Services, University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center; Ronnie Cummins, National Director of the Organic Consumers Association; and more recently the National Congress of Black Women. However, the FDA has failed to respond to the Petition.

As FDA Commissioner Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, former Director of the National Cancer Institute, must be aware, the mortality from ovarian cancer for women over the age of 65 has escalated dramatically since 1975, by 13% for white and 47% for black women. There are now about 15,300 deaths from ovarian cancer each year. This makes it the fourth commonest fatal cancer in women after colon, breast and lung. Yet, Dr. von Eschenbach has failed to mandate a cancer warning label on talc powder, let alone ban its continued use.

Dr. von Eschenbach’s reckless indifference to cancer prevention extends to sunscreens. Sunscreens pose scientifically well-documented risks of cancer, besides toxic hormonal effects. While well known for over a decade, they remain unregulated by the FDA, and ignored by the industry.

Sunscreens block short wave ultraviolet light (UVB), which is responsible for sunburn. This encourages prolonged exposure, particularly of children. Moreover, sunscreens are ineffective against long wave ultraviolet light (UVA), which is responsible for malignant melanoma, the fastest growing known cancer. As a result, its incidence has increased by 130%, and its mortality has increased by 26% since 1975.

Of further concern is FDA’s failure to issue new regulations for informative labeling of sunscreens as proposed in August 2007. In response to FDA’s inaction, Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal wrote to the FDA on July 24 this year criticizing its failure to regulate the sunscreen industry, and prevent it from making “dangerously misleading claims” on the safety and effectiveness of its products. A week later, Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Christopher Dodd (D-CT) introduced the “Sunscreen Labeling Act of 2008.” This gave the FDA six more months to finalize comprehensive rules, otherwise the Act will become law.

Talc products should be banned immediately. The “Sunscreen Labeling Act” should be the first step to developing a comprehensive “Cosmetics and Personal Care Products Labeling Act.” This could be modeled along the lines of California’s precedential 2007 Safe Cosmetics Act.

As warned by Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) at September 10, 1997, Hearings on the FDA Reform Bill, “The cosmetics industry has borrowed a page from the playbook of the tobacco industry by putting profits ahead of public health.” This warning remains recklessly unheeded by the FDA. Clearly, Dr. von Eschenbach is unable or unwilling to protect the public against major avoidable risks of cancer from cosmetics. These include over 20 known carcinogens, and a similar number of “hidden” carcinogens or carcinogen precursors.

Source: Cancer Prevention Coalition


Globus Medical, Inc., the largest privately held spinal implant manufacturer in the world, today announced that the first FLEXUS(TM) Interspinous Spacers have been implanted under an Investigational Device Exemption (“IDE”) recently granted to Globus by Dr. Donald Johnson II and Dr. Rhett Murray.

The FLEXUS(TM) Spacer is placed with a unilateral approach between two spinous processes with minimal disruption to the surrounding musculature and tissue. FLEXUS(TM) is a unitary radiolucent implant that requires no intra-operative assembly and a single incision to insert. It is manufactured from PEEK radiolucent polymer rather than titanium to more closely match the biomechanical properties of bone and eliminate MRI scatter.

“FLEXUS(TM) is the culmination of utilizing surgeon input and engineering simplicity to create innovative technologies to treat spinal stenosis. The FLEXUS(TM) IDE reflects Globus’ position as the worldwide leader in the development of posterior motion preservation devices. We are excited to begin the clinical trial to develop strong supportive data for the product,” said Michael Boyer, Group Engineering Manager for Interlaminar Fixation.

“The combination of a unilateral approach and a unitary implant makes FLEXUS(TM) not only a more efficient procedure but also one that is less traumatic to the patient,” said Dr. Donald Johnson II, a spine surgeon of the Southeastern Spine Institute in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. “I am pleased with the PEEK design as it will enable better radiographic follow-up and allow me to monitor both the decompression and the adjacent anatomy.”

After implanting the first FLEXUS(TM) device, Dr. Rhett Murray, a neurosurgeon of The Spine and Neurosurgery Center in Huntsville, Ala., said, “The surgical technique and approach was very straightforward. The simplicity of the FLEXUS(TM) design in distracting the stenotic segment may be beneficial in treating this painful condition. We are excited to participate in this IDE.”

The 340 patient prospective, randomized FLEXUS(TM) IDE study will seek to prove equivalence with the X-Stop device over the two year study period. The study will involve patients that are over 50 years old who may benefit from the decompression provided by the FLEXUS(TM) device, at up to 20 clinical sites across the United States.

Source: Globus Medical, Inc.


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