Archive: February 2008
Apria forecasts continued growth
February 29, 2008HME News Staff
LAKE FOREST, Calif. - Apria Healthcare in February reported revenues of $452.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2007, a 15.7% increase from the fourth quarter of 2006. Net income was $25 million for the fourth quarter this year compared to $21.4 million for the fourth quarter last year. Respiratory therapy and infusion therapy experienced solid revenue growth in the fourth quarter of 2007: 5.1% and 8.2%, respectively. Including the impact of Apria's December acquisition of Coram, infusion therapy...
Fastrack debuts buying group
February 29, 2008HME News Staff
PLAINVIEW, N.Y. - Fastrack Healthcare Systems has roughly 1,000 provider customers (85% HMEs) with $4 billion in annual purchasing power. That seems like a pretty good reason to start up a buying group/member service organization, which the software vendor did in January, said President Spencer Kay.
"That is huge," said Kay. "That is just with our customers. We're making it available to everyone and we are making it free."
Free to providers. Vendors will pay an administrative fee.
Fastrack hopes...
'I learn something every day'
February 29, 2008HME News Staff
BRIDGEVILLE, Pa. - Tammy Zelenko, president and CEO of AdvaCare Home Services, recently became one of 70,000 women who belong to the National Association of Professional & Executive Women (NAPEW). She joined the association to network with other women who run small- to medium-sized businesses and to "widen her horizons," she said.
HME News: How do you expect NAPEW to "widen your horizons"?
Tammy Zelenko: If you look only at your own company or your own region, you're limiting yourself. You need...
Sales drop in winter? Heat up marketing!
February 29, 2008HME News Staff
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The winter doldrums may be settling in, but Vicki Blevins says that's the perfect time to light a fire under her marketing efforts.
In February, the manager of VDK Turning Point, a women's health boutique, planned a women's health segment on a local noontime TV show, discussing new products and featuring a spring swimwear fashion show.
"A lot of local shows love to do anything like this," said Blevins. "And it's 15 minutes of free TV time that would cost a fortune if I had to buy...
Public affairs
February 29, 2008HME News Staff
Q. In light of unfriendly media reports, what can the HME industry do to get more positive press coverage? (Part 2 of 2)
A. Part 1 suggested an exercise in journalistic jujitsu--taking seemingly negative stories and creating opportunities to position the HME industry in a positive light.
Remember that journalists view themselves as impartial truth seekers. Simply criticizing a story (playing defense) is usually met with countercharges of "blaming the messenger."
South Florida DME fraud stories,...
Advanced keeps up with technology
February 29, 2008HME News Staff
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Advanced Home Care, a home healthcare provider with 26 locations in North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee, has extended its relationship with Authentidate Holding, a Berkeley Heights, N.J.-based software vendor. Advanced Home Care already uses Inscrybe Healthcare, an eCMN module that streamlines key operations and reduces document-processing costs. Now, it has deployed Authentidate's ePOC module to streamline the exchange of POC forms and other interim documentation with referring...
Service: CMS keeps providers in dark
February 29, 2008HME News Staff
It makes perfect sense. Once the cap rental period ends and a Medicare beneficiary assumes ownership of a piece of DME, he naturally might want to sign a service agreement with his provider to maintain the equipment.
Not so fast, say industry attorneys. It may make perfect sense--much like an extended warranty for a kitchen appliance--but CMS has yet to release details on how to structure such an agreement, and it's best to hold off until it does.
"There is not much written guidance out there right...
Southern Home cooks up new business strategy
February 29, 2008HME News Staff
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Southern Home Medical Equipment set out in early 2007 to take on a turbulent Medicare landscape by rolling up independent home medical equipment providers. One year later, the company is backpedaling.
Southern Home Medical announced Jan. 15 that it would dedicate "a significant portion of our resources" not to HME but to medical staffing. Its Encore Medical Staffing division provides healthcare professionals like registered nurses to hospitals and other medical facilities on a...
Luxfer shuffles manufacturing operations
February 29, 2008HME News Staff
RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Luxfer Gas Cylinders plans a restructuring that will eliminate 140 jobs and move its aluminum cylinder manufacturing from Riverside to its plants in North Carolina and England. The company will consolidate its two U.S. composite cylinder plants in the Riverside facility, along with its large-diameter composite liner manufacturing operations. Service center operations will cease. The restructuring is aimed at increasing manufacturing efficiencies, said President John Rhodes in...
Providers laud Invacare
February 29, 2008HME News Staff
YARMOUTH, Maine - Rehab providers nationwide applauded Invacare's decision to stop selling power wheelchairs to the Scooter Store, writing off about $10 million a year in revenue in the process.
"We're impressed, because for many in the industry, money is the bottom line," said Debbie Libby, the rehab coordinator for Susquehanna Valley Mobility Services in Montandon, Pa. "It's nice to see someone finally standing up for what's right."
Invacare stopped selling power wheelchairs to the Scooter Store...