In brief: Rotech, Drive Medical make deals

ORLAND, Fla. - Rotech Healthcare has purchased the respiratory assets of a local DME provider in the Gulfport, Miss. area. “We are pleased to expand our existing services in the Gulfport area,” said CEO Tim Pigg in a press release. “Rotech will continue to look for expansion opportunities and pursue asset purchase agreements with the best local providers across the country.” In the last two months, Rotech has acquired assets from Specialized Medical Services in Cody, Wyo., and an unnamed company in Natchitoches, La.

Drive Medical becomes more Specialised

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. - Drive Medical has acquired U.K.-based Specialised Orthotic Services (SOS), a manufacturer and distributor of specialized seating and mobility products. “The acquisition of Specialised Orthotic Services extends our already significant presence in Europe and expands our portfolio of products in the specialized seating and rehabilitation market,” stated Harvey Diamond, CEO of Drive Medical, in a press release. The acquisition complements Drive Medical's Wenzelite line of mobility and seating products. Specialised Orthotic Services is known for its P Pod, Nessie and a wide range of other postural seating systems. “(These products) will enhance our global product offering in this market segment,” stated Richard Kolodny, president of Drive Medical, in the release. “We are confident that we will achieve additional growth in this area through the introduction of Drive's complementary product lines to the SOS customers.” Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Lawmakers reintroduce home infusion bills

WASHINGTON - Stakeholders are back with new bills that seek to require Medicare to cover home infusion therapy. Sens. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Mark Warner, D-Va., and Reps. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., and Pat Tiberi, R-Ohio, introduced “The Medicare Home Infusion Site of Care Act of 2015” on Jan. 28 in the Senate and House of Representatives. Medicare will cover most infusion drugs but, unlike private payers, it provides only limited coverage for related supplies, services and equipment. “Home infusion therapy has been the accepted standard of care within the private sector for more than three decades, providing patients with high-quality infusion care in a setting that is often cheaper and more comfortable than a hospital or doctor's office—their homes,” said Warner, in a press release. The bills are similar to those introduced in past legislative sessions, including one introduced by Engel and Tiberi in September. Stakeholders hope to bolster support for the bills with a study, released in 2014, which found that Medicare could save $80 million over a 10-year period by covering home infusion therapy. The study was conducted by Avalere, a non-partisan healthcare policy firm.

Rovi staffs up in preparation for product launch

CARSON, Calif. - Rovi Mobility Products, which plans to introduce its first product, the Rovi X3, early this year, has hired Eli Anselmi as director of education. Most recently, Anselmi was a consultant for Convaid in clinical education and product design. “We are thrilled to have someone of Eli's caliber join our organization at such an early stage and we look forward to the depth of experience he adds to our team,” stated Cody Verrett, president of Rovi Mobility, in a press release. Rovi Mobility is the complex rehab division of Shoprider.

Aeroflow launches new breastpump commercial

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Aeroflow Breastpumps launched a TV campaign aimed at educating pregnant women on how to qualify for a free breastpump through their insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Maria Eilers, marketing manager at Aeroflow, said in a press release that the company is eager to “educate moms on their breastfeeding benefits and help them through what could be an extremely stressful and confusing process.” The new commercial is currently airing on TLC, ABC Family, Lifetime, HGTV, SYFY, Lifetime Movie Network and Investigation Discovery. Aeroflow Breastpumps is a subsidiary of Aeroflow Healthcare.

Shield upsizes operations

VALENCIA, Calif. - Shield HealthCare has moved its sales and distribution operations in Chicago to Elmhurst, Ill. A new, larger facility there will allow the provider of home medical supplies to gain efficiencies as it responds to its growing customer population, according to a press release. Shield offers a variety of disposable medical supplies, including incontinence, enteral nutrition, urological and wound care supplies.

Medtrade involves attendees in retail product awards

LAS VEGAS - Show organizers are shaking up the retail product awards at this year's Medtrade Spring, March 30 to April 1 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Attendees of “The Best New Retail/Cash Opportunities” session will hear 10 finalists present their products and will have the opportunity to ask them questions. After the session, not only the judges but also the attendees will vote for winners. Show organizers will tabulate the votes and announce the winners on April 1.

Short takes: Inogen, ResMed, Shield HealthCare, Mercy Health

Goleta, Calif.-based Inogen will donate an Inogen One G3 portable oxygen concentrator to Holocaust survivor Ben Fainer in honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2015. Fainer endured six different Nazi concentration camps between the ages of 9 and 15 before being liberated. Now an author and traveling speaker, Fainer suffers from lung disease…ResMed Director Gary Pace sold 48,000 shares of stock on Jan. 26 in a transaction valued at $3.2 million. The stock was sold at an average price of $66.77…Shield HealthCare has named the winner of its 14th annual “What Makes Caregiving Rewarding” story contest: a woman named Cheryl in Denver. Cheryl honored her grandmother, who recently celebrated her 100th birthday…Mercy Health Mall in Janesville, Wis., has been accredited by the Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP).

People in the news: BOC, Ottobock, Inova Labs

The Board of Certification/Accreditation (BOC) has announced its 2015 Executive Committee. Elected to another one-year term are Chairman James Hewlett, DMEPOS consultant for ConsultantsPRN; Vice Chairman R. Jeffrey Hedges, president of R.J. Hedges and Associates; Treasurer James Newberry, owner/practitioner at Mahnke's Orthotics-Prosthetics; and Immediate Past Chairman John Kenney, vice president of Ongoing Care Solutions. BOC also welcomes L. Bradley Watson, owner/practitioner at Clarksville Limb & Brace and Rehab as secretary; and William Powers, a retired COO of the American Nurses Association, as member at large… Ottobock has hired Rod McCrimmon as director of marketing for Ottobock North America. He will lead the product marketing team that manages prosthetics, orthotics, bracing and mobility. McCrimmon comes to Ottobock from St. Jude Medical, where he was the director for integrated lab marketing. Ottobock has also hired Cali Solorio as a marketing manager. She will focus on supporting new product introductions and the orthopedic rehab business. She previously worked as senior marketing manger at Inova Labs…Inova Labs has announced that Dennis Meteny will join the company's board of directors as a non-executive director. Meteny was vice president and CFO at Respironics from 1984 to 1994, and president and CEO from 1994 to 1999.