In brief: Medtrade location, Quipt expansion, CGM access

ATLANTA – Medtrade will take place March 28-30 in Dallas next year, show organizers have announced. 

The event will take place at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in the Convention Center District in downtown Dallas. 

“Switching to one show per year was motivated by feedback from attendees and exhibitors,” said York Schwab, show director, in today’s Medtrade Monday. “Moving the show to Dallas is part of the same equation. Dallas is centrally located with reasonably priced lodging, exhibitor-friendly rules, first-rate transportation, great restaurants and lots of non-stop flights arriving from countless cities.” 

Show organizers announced in April that that they would be combining Medtrade West and Medtrade East into one event in 2023 called just Medtrade. 

Schwab says the show will be designed to pack a lot of information and products into three days. 

“Time is money, and we believe three days offer tremendous value for people who are looking to get out of the office, but not for too long,” he said. “The main takeaway is that the majority of attendees and exhibitors wanted one central show as a rallying point for the industry. They wanted it in Dallas, and they wanted it in the spring to properly launch the new year. We listened, and we are looking forward to a new era in 2023.” 

In the meantime, show organizers are focused on Medtrade East scheduled for Oct. 24-26 in Atlanta. They opened registration for the event today. 

AAH prepares to counter OIG study 

WASHINGTON – AAHomecare has engaged Dobson | DaVanzo & Associates to conduct a study to assess the direct and indirect costs of providing intermittent catheters. 

The goal of the study is to help the Office of Inspector General, CMS and other payers better understand the comprehensive costs of caring for individuals who receive these products (A4351, A4352, A4353). 

“Suppliers who provide intermittent catheters to Medicare beneficiaries are encouraged to take the survey,” AAHomecare stated. “Individual company responses will be confidential, and data will only be shared in aggregate with the overall nationwide survey findings.” 

The OIG is currently working on a report on the acquisition costs for urological supplies compared to the Medicare fee-for-service allowables for these products that it plans to share with CMS. 

AAH has engaged the OIG multiple times on the issue, sharing its concerns that the agency is looking at only acquisition costs and is not factoring in the non-product costs of providing urological supplies, such as customer support, compliance, documentation requirements and overall business operations. 

To participate in AAH’s study, please contact Ashley Plauché at ashleyp@aahomecare.org. 

Quipt enters 19th state 

CINCINNATI – Quipt Home Medical has acquired Access Respiratory Homecare, a Louisiana-based provider with unaudited trailing 12-month annual revenues of about $6.5 million and anticipated adjusted EBITDA of $1.3 million post-integration. 

With Access Respiratory’s two locations in Louisiana, Quipt gains access to the large market of New Orleans, as well as Lafayette and surrounding areas. 

“We are extremely excited to close the acquisition of Access Respiratory Homecare, providing us a meaningful entrance into Louisiana, representing our 19th state of service,” said Greg Crawford, chairman and CEO of Quipt. “Louisiana is an attractive market that we have been looking to enter with over 300,000 COPD sufferers across the state, and we are thrilled to be able to do so on the heels of this acquisition.”  

Access Respiratory adds more than 1,000 referring physicians, bringing Quipt’s network base to more than 20,600, and adds more than 6,000 active patients, bringing its total active patient count to more than 190,000. 

As part of the integration process for Access Respiratory, more than 2,400 patients are set to join Quipt’s resupply program, an immediate revenue synergy. 

“Our resupply program is an immediate actionable revenue synergy for us,” Crawford said. “Moreover, the valuable commercial insurance contracts, strong referring physician base, and opportunity for a land-and-expand approach in the state make this a fantastic acquisition for us.” 

Mobility City thrives with 'innovative franchise model’ 

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Mobility City added 14 franchise locations in eight months, bringing its total to 34 in 22 states. 

The newest locations are in major markets, including Las Vegas, Phoenix and Dallas, as well as locations in Maryland, Florida, Idaho and Colorado. 

“Wheelchairs and scooters are the most frequently used pieces of equipment that help seniors and the disabled get around to enjoy life,” said Diane Baratta, president and CEO. “Our products and services are essential to the independence and quality of life many seniors are fortunate to enjoy. Our rapid growth is planned to continue for several years. Mobility City Holdings Inc. has thrived and continued to grow despite the pandemic-fostered business challenges faced these past two years.” 

Mobility City, a woman-owned company, offers repair, rental and sale services for mobility products, including stair lifts, hospital beds, lift-out chairs, wheelchairs, power chairs and mobility scooters. 

In May, the company was ranked 91 out of the 150 top franchise brands under five years old by Entrepreneur Magazine. 

"We attribute our success to our innovative franchise model, which provides our franchise owners with the opportunity to grow businesses while truly helping people,” said Vincent Barratta, COO. “Our unique business model includes retail, residential and commercial services. Our model has proven itself and has allowed us to weather the storm. We are financially stronger than ever, and my executive team and our system are positioned to continue our fast-paced growth." 

Pneuma Systems taps home infusion pioneer 

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. – Pneuma Systems Corp. has named Stanley Chamallas as director of infusion therapy process improvement for home care. Chamallas was one of a handful of pioneering pharmacists that created the now well-established field of home infusion therapy, helping to develop early methods for bulk preparation of intravenous nutrition products. Pneuma plans to support a network of Centers of Infusion Excellence where therapies are carried out in controlled environments under intense observation. "I have long envisioned creating a streamlined process for drug delivery, but the technology never supported it," said Chamallas. "The approach by Pneuma is different; they look at the entire process rather than just a product. It reminds me of the transformation with Uber, in which all the 'friction' has been removed from a process.” Chamallas recently retired from OptionCare Health. 

Owens & Minor names HR exec 

RICHMOND, Va. – Owens & Minor has named Tammy Gomez as executive vice president and chief human resources officer. Gomez brings more than two decades of health care industry experience to Owens & Minor, having held leadership positions of increasing responsibility, most recently as senior vice president, Global Human Resources Centers of Excellence & Human Resources Services and Solutions, for Cardinal Health. “I’m honored to become an Owens & Minor teammate and to be part of a team that shares my passion for building strong teams that support overall company success,” said Gomez. “I’m excited to continue building on the solid cultural foundation that this company is known for.” Gomez will assume leadership of Owens & Minor’s teammate strategy in addition to overseeing global human resources operations. She will work closely with leadership on driving strategies for retaining, developing, engaging and attracting the right talent to support overall growth and performance. Gomez will also be responsible for furthering Owens & Minor’s commitment to fostering an innovative, collaborative culture that aligns with core company values and progresses existing diversity and inclusion (D&I) initiatives. 

BraunAbility teams with Chrysler, Kelly Clarkson Show, Jay Leno 

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – BraunAbility has teamed up with The Chrysler brand, The Kelly Clarkson Show and Jay Leno to surprise Christian Arrue, a long-serving Los Angeles Police Department Officer, and his family with a customized 2022 wheelchair-accessible Chrysler Pacifica. During a live taping of The Kelly Clarkson Show on June 20, Jay Leno presented the family with the vehicle to help Bella, the officer's daughter who has cerebral palsy. The wheelchair-accessible Chrysler Pacifica celebrates BraunAbility's 50th anniversary and is the latest in a long line of accessible vehicles engineered between the company and Chrysler. BraunAbility’s latest Chrysler Pacifica offering is the most spacious wheelchair van in the industry, the company says. Visit the official The Kelly Clarkson Show YouTube channel to view the June 20 segment. 

SmartSaver rates in effect for Medtrade East 

ATLANTA – Registration is open for Medtrade East, scheduled for Oct 24-26 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. SmartSaver rates are now in effect through July 1 and are the lowest rates available ($125 for a Conference Pass and $30 for an Expo Pass). A Conference Pass includes full access to the Expo floor. This is the last year for Medtrade East. Beginning in 2023, there will be one combined event in Dallas on March 28-30. 

VGM Education to host Women in Health Care Leadership Breakfast series 

WATERLOO, Iowa – VGM Education is hosting a Women in Health Care Leadership Breakfast series, a quarterly virtual webinar to empower women, create meaningful connections and build community. “The idea behind the webinar series is to build a virtual community that focuses on the specific needs of women both in the workplace and at home,” said Cindy Diehl Yang, vice president of VGM Education. The next virtual Women in Health Care Leadership Breakfast takes place June 29 at 9:30 a.m. CDT. Guest Dr. Claire Muselman will discuss, “executive presence,” where attendees will gain insights into first impressions, authenticity and likability. Muselman is the chief risk officer at Emory Industrial Services, COO of B3: Beauty & Beast in Business, and an adjunct professor of management and international business at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. The two-hour session costs $50 per attendee, with VGM members receiving a $10 discount. To register, go to https://live.vgmu.com and click on the Leadership Breakfast Series.  

NSM takes NSM Momentum Academy to Oregon 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – National Seating & Mobility will host an NSM Momentum Academy event August 18, 2022, to educate clinical partners, including physical therapists, occupational therapists, and other healthcare providers, on mobility solutions, industry best practices and the latest in assistive technology. The event will consist of three different morning and afternoon educational tracks encompassing a variety of topics, including the impacts of wheelchair configuration, therapeutic interventions, seating and positioning, and funding and documentation best practices It will also include an Assistive Technology Exhibit Hall, which is free and open to consumers from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. NSM Momentum Academy will be held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Portland, Ore. Admission to the NSM Momentum Academy event is $45 per person and registration will be open until August 12. Throughout 2022, NSM plans to host seven Momentum Academy events. More information about NSM Momentum Academy and each individual event is available at nsm-seating.com/nsm-momentum-academy. 

Össur positions system as tool for new requirement 

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. - Össur’s Empower Practice and Workflow Management system now seamlessly complies with new prior-authorization requirements announced by CMS for some commonly prescribed knee and spinal orthoses. “Although CMS has previously enacted prior authorization requirements, the new standards can create authorization challenges for patients with urgent medical needs and the clinicians who care for them,” said Mark Tymchenko, Össur’s vice president, Americas Bracing & Supports. “It is important that clinicians comply with the new regulations to avoid payment delays or clawbacks for claims already paid.” Empower by Össur is a fully automated, fully customizable web-based solution that helps physician practices and DMEPOS suppliers with day-to-day practice management solutions by combining reimbursement, real-time inventory management and consulting services within a single paperless platform. To date, the team at Empower by Össur has processed nearly 4 million orders and supported more than 87,000 physicians in more than 4,800 billing locations, collecting more than $350 million in reimbursement, the company says. 

People news: Alyssa Golden, Kelli Vriend 

Alyssa Golden, digital marketing manager for Golden Technologies, has joined the board of the Scranton Lackawanna Industrial Building Company. “As a third-generation Golden family member, I enjoy participating in our local community and creating meaningful relationships that represent what Golden values: innovation, entrepreneurship, and community,” Golden said. “SLIBCO is a fantastic group that supports job creation, economic growth, and the expansion of our community. I'm thrilled to be a part of it, especially being elected as one of the youngest members of the board of directors.” SLIBCO is a nonprofit industrial development affiliate of the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce…Kelli Vriend has been named director, member services, for Ability Members Group, a network of independent HME providers in Canada. This is a newly created role to better support a growing number of members. “We are thrilled to have Kelli on the team,” said Jamie Church, CEO of Ability. “Her skills in working with independent owners and driving collaboration between them and suppliers will be an important asset for the organization.” Previously, Vriend held roles with increasing seniority across the Dell Group, the Katz Group, Drug Trading and most recently McKesson Canada. 

Aeroflow: Pandemic impacting urology 

ARDEN, N.C. – Almost half of the respondents to a survey conducted by Aeroflow Urology say their trips to the bathroom have increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings from the survey include: 25% report altering their schedules to urinate more often; 22% who had COVID report having more frequent urges to urinate; 53% report urinating more than six times in 24 hours; and 43% report decreased physical activity and an increase in trips to the bathroom. Aeroflow Urology surveyed 2,501 people working remotely about their continence during the pandemic. 

TRICARE expands access to CGMs 

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – The TRICARE pharmacy benefit now covers two brands of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs): the Abbott FreeStyle Libre 2 and the Dexcom G6. Previously, CGMs were only available as DME under the TRICARE medical benefit. They will also continue to be covered under the medical benefit. “This change in expanded coverage will improve access for patients to get the CGMs they need,” said Edward VonBerg, PharmD, chief of the Defense Health Agency’s Formulary Management Branch. “We aim to make TRICARE benefits as accessible and affordable as possible, so beneficiaries feel good and can lead healthy, productive lives. Adding CGMs to the pharmacy benefit is an example of this.” As part of the pharmacy benefit, CGMs are available through TRICARE retail network pharmacies and TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery. Active-duty service members pay nothing for covered prescriptions from military pharmacies, home delivery and network pharmacies. 

Hollister contracts with Premier, Vizient 

LIBERTYVILLE, Ill. – Hollister has announced two significant new contracts. The company has been awarded an AscenDrive contract with Premier, a health care improvement company uniting an alliance of about 4,400 U.S. hospitals and health systems and more than 225,000 other providers and organizations. AscenDrive is a new program designed to drive commitment and savings for members through aggregated purchasing of high-quality products and services. The company has also been awarded a three-year group purchasing agreement for urological products with Vizient, a member-driven health care performance improvement company whose customers include academic medical centers, pediatric facilities, community hospitals, integrated health delivery networks and non-acute health care providers. The agreement will provide Vizient members with increased access through negotiated pricing to the full portfolio of the Hollister Incorporated Urological products, including its VaPro hydrophilic catheters. "People who use intermittent catheters often use multiple catheters per day, and people with an ostomy use ostomy products around the clock," said Casey Haan, Hollister general manager, United States. "Offering high-quality medical products for these very personal conditions is how we demonstrate our commitment to human dignity and people-centric care, and each contract we sign is an opportunity for us to deliver further on that commitment. We look forward to working with our GPO partners, along with other healthcare organizations, in helping make life more rewarding for those who use our products and services.”