In brief: Quipt Home Medical cooperates, Bellevue Healthcare grows, Tennr hires expert
By HME News Staff
Updated 11:02 AM CST, Wed March 5, 2025
CINCINNATI – Quipt Home Medical says David Kanen, Philotimo Fund and Kanen Wealth Management have agreed to withdraw their notice to solicit proxies in support of four director candidates in opposition to those recommended by the company.
As part of a new cooperation agreement, the company's board of directors has granted Kanen certain board access rights for as long as Kanen maintains aggregate beneficial ownership of at least 3.5% in the company’s outstanding shares. This includes the right to request and conduct quarterly discussions with either the chairman of the board or another non-executive director designee of the board.
“We want to thank Kanen for their constructive discussions and valuable insights,” said Mark Greenberg, lead independent director of the board. “We appreciate the perspectives of all shareholders and welcome ongoing engagement as management executes on our strategic growth plans to drive long-term growth.”
As part of the agreement, Quipt has also agreed to establish a new committee of the board to review and provide analysis and non-binding recommendations pertaining to Kanen’s previously communicated recommendations on corporate governance and other areas related to the company’s operations.
Additionally, Kanen has agreed to a customary standstill, a voting commitment and other provisions.
“We appreciate the company’s willingness to engage with us and its commitment to maximizing value for Quipt shareholders,” said David Kanen, president and CEO of Kanen. “The formation of this committee is an important step, and we look forward to working constructively with the company to help unlock long-term value.”
-
Related: Investor to oppose Quipt board nominees.
Study: Sleep apnea linked to increased risk of Parkinson’s, but CPAP may reduce risk
MINNEAPOLIS – People with obstructive sleep apnea have an increased risk of Parkinson's disease, but if started early enough, CPAP therapy may reduce that risk, according to a preliminary study released March 2, 2025, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 77th Annual Meeting taking place April 5–9, 2025, in San Diego and online.
The study found using CPAP within two years of a sleep apnea diagnosis reduced the risk of Parkinson's.
"Obstructive sleep apnea is common, and previous research has found when untreated, it is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke," said study author Gregory D. Scott, MD, PhD, of the VA Portland Health Care System in Oregon. "While our study found an increased risk of Parkinson's disease, the good news is people can do something about it, by using CPAP as soon as they are diagnosed with the sleep disorder."
For the study, researchers reviewed more than 20 years of medical records to identify nearly 1.6 million veterans who had obstructive sleep apnea and nearly 10 million veterans who did not.
Researchers looked at rates of Parkinson's disease five years after a sleep apnea diagnosis. After adjusting for age, sex and health factors such as smoking, researchers found among people with sleep apnea, there were 1.8 more cases of Parkinson's disease per 1,000 people compared to people without sleep apnea.
Of participants with sleep apnea, 10% had documented use of a CPAP machine. These participants were divided into two groups: Those who received a CPAP machine within two years of their diagnosis and those who received one after two years.
Researchers found similar rates among people with sleep apnea who started CPAP after two years as those who did not use CPAP, with 9.5 and 9 cases of Parkinson's disease per 1,000 people respectively. However, researchers found a lower rate of Parkinson's among those who started CPAP early, within two years of diagnosis, with 2.3 fewer cases per 1,000 people when compared to people who did not use CPAP.
"It is encouraging to know that while obstructive sleep apnea may increase the risk of Parkinson's disease, treating it right away with CPAP may reduce that risk," said Scott. "Future studies are needed to follow people more closely after receiving a sleep apnea diagnosis and over longer periods of time."
A limitation of the study was that, while researchers could identify which people had a CPAP device, they were unable to tell if people used the treatment daily, as prescribed.
The study was supported by the U.S. Veterans Administration and the U.S. Department of Defense.
Bellevue Healthcare expands in Oregon
‘Our vision has remained unchanged, to serve every household in Washington, Oregon and Idaho with same day delivery service, and the Salem location brings us one step closer to that’
BELLEVUE, Wash. – Bellevue Healthcare will open a new location in Salem, Ore., later this month, its 22nd brick-and-mortar location.
Located at 2661 Cascadia Industrial St SE, directly across from the Salem Municipal Airport, this new branch will provide a full range of mobility and respiratory equipment, as well as serve the equipment needs of hospice customers.
“As part of our ongoing commitment to organically expand our service footprint, we’re excited to bring our high level of service and patient care to more customers in Oregon,” said Joel Gallion, president of Bellevue Healthcare. “Our vision has remained unchanged, to serve every household in Washington, Oregon and Idaho with same day delivery service, and the Salem location brings us one step closer to that end. We’ve been able to deliver this level of service for some time now throughout Washington, so it's exciting to see our vision expand to more sites in Oregon."
Bellevue Healthcare says the new location marks another milestone in its 25-year journey of providing top-quality care, and it plans further growth in 2025.
Salesforce launches Agentforce for Health
SAN FRANCISCO – Salesforce has announced a new library of pre-built agent skills and actions called Agentforce for Health that it says will augment care teams, clinicians and service reps with agentic AI to boost operational capacity and help improve patient outcomes. Agentforce now includes prebuilt skills to streamline tasks like benefits verification, diseases surveillance and clinical trial recruitment, speeding time to treatment, the company says. “Only the deeply unified Salesforce Platform brings together apps, data, healthcare-specific workflows, and agentic AI – all wrapped in trust and compliance,” said Amit Khanna, senior vice president and general manager, Salesforce Health. “Backed by over two decades of industry expertise, Salesforce helps healthcare organizations of all sizes reduce the burden on humans by allowing them to collaborate seamlessly with digital colleagues to deliver healthier businesses and outcomes, together.” The new digital workforce with health care expertise includes:
- Patient access and services skills that will answer inquiries and preform eligibility checks with insurers;
- Public health skills that will help health and human services organizations care for at-risk groups with financial assistance and monitor the spread of infections with auto-classified cases; and
- Clinical skills that will help accelerate research and development innovation for drugs and devices with integrated real-time study data and intelligent trial support.
Salesforce says partnerships with athenahealth, Availity and Infinitus.ai will enable Agentforce to take action and expedite care approvals with a real-time view of a patient’s coverage, clinical and demographic data. It says industry leaders like Amplifon, Pacific Clinics, Protas and Rush are using Salesforce are using Salesforce to reduce their administrative burdens and improve patient outcomes.
NCART update: Two more states approve power seat elevation
LUBBOCK, Texas – The Medicaid programs in North Dakota and Idaho have given the green light to power seat elevation, according to NCART. In North Dakota, the Medicaid program has approved the organization’s request to consider power seat elevation (E2298) as a covered benefit and has implemented coverage retroactively back to Feb. 1, 2025. The coverage criteria will be the same as those outlined in the National Coverage Determination and reimbursement will be set at $2,062.20. In Idaho, the Medicaid program has approved NCART’s request to extend coverage for power seat elevation (E2298) to recipients over the age of 21, effective immediately, with certain criteria. Those criteria: must meet power wheelchair coverage; and unable to independently stand or pivot transfer; and limited reach and range of motion that prohibits ability to perform MRADLs independently; requires assistance only with transfers across unequal seat heights; and cannot safely transfer using a lift or standing transfer but can safely transfer independently with the seat elevation feature. Reimbursement will be set at 75% of MSRP. If the pricing documentation is the invoice, reimbursement will be at cost plus 10%, with the addition of shipping if that documentation is provided.
BOC looks to Joshua Mullins to ‘grow community’
OWINGS MILLS, Md. – The Board of Certification/Accreditation has added Joshua Mullins as director of business development. Mullins joins BOC with more than 15 years of experience in the DMEPOS industry, most recently as vice president of business development for iFIT Prosthetics. “We are delighted to welcome Josh to the BOC team,” said BOC President and CEO Judi Knott. “With his extensive experience in DMEPOS, Josh brings invaluable industry knowledge and a passion for fostering strong partnerships. His leadership will be instrumental in advancing our mission and also growing the BOC community.” Mullins, who is a passionate advocate for the amputee community and making sure amputees have the freedom to make their own health care choices, is also a recognized industry expert in adjustable socket technology.
ABC debuts POP Month
ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics (ABC) on March 3 announced the start of POP Month, a celebration of 15,000 prosthetic, orthotic and pedorthic (POP) professionals who custom design and fit devices that help people improve their lives through better mobility. More than 30 national organizations will commemorate POP Month by recognizing the achievements of POP champions, students, educators and practitioners. "POP professionals have an immense impact on society by helping people of all ages and backgrounds improve their mobility," said Catherine Carter, ABC's executive director. "It's an honor to celebrate these health care heroes and the profound difference they make in people's daily lives." ABC says POP professionals serve more than 5.6 million people in America who live with mobility limitations due to chronic illness, limb loss or other conditions. As part of POP Month, the American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists, Amputee Blade Runners, Hanger Clinic, National Commission on Orthotic and Prosthetic Education and others will host open houses, speak at schools and recognize employees. POP ambassadors—practicing health care professionals from around the United States—will also share stories and experiences from their interactions with thousands of patients.
Tennr names Dos Santos to ‘reach new heights’
NEW YORK – Tennr has appointed Bruna Dos Santos as an HME expert to advance the company’s impact in the industry. Dos Santos has nearly a decade of health care experience, eight of those focused on the HME. "I'm joining because I've always been passionate about making processes as efficient as possible and have been envious of the innovation that other divisions of health care have seen over the years," she said. "Tennr has opened a whole new world of possibilities for the DME industry, and I'm eager to be a part of it. I'm hoping to help Tennr reach new heights by bringing knowledge of DME intricacies and nuances to our architectures and product development." Dos Santos joins Tennr after leading national programs and operations in the DME sector, including the development and expansion of a national breast pump program. She has held leadership roles spanning operations, sales and training, where she specialized in developing leaders and introducing new product lines to seasoned sales teams. "Bruna just absolutely gets Tennr and lives and breathes DME,” said Trey Holterman, CEO of Tennr. “I met her when she was actually speaking at a great conference about running efficient DME operations and then after working with her as a customer it was just obvious she would be able to help us bring so many best practices to providers across the country. Her firsthand knowledge will be instrumental as we continue to refine our platform to better serve the DME industry."
National Ramp looks to Tim Anderson to develop business
NEW YORK – National Ramp has hired Tim Anderson, who has more than a decade of experience in the home accessibility and modification industry, as director of business development. “Tim is a valued asset in the accessibility space and is greatly respected in the industry,” said Garth Walker, CEO of National Ramp. “We are thrilled to have Tim on board and excited to leverage his expertise and contacts to solidify National Ramp as the industry’s leading ramp provider.” Anderson previously served as the national director of dealer sales for Human Care USA. At National Ramp, he will oversee national sales and new business acquisition across the United States and Canada. National Ramp, which was founded in 2005, recently won the 2024 HME Business New Product Award for the “Accessibility: Ramps Home” category and the 2024 Mobility Management Product Award for the “Accessibility” category for its Freedom Series Folding Ramp.
HME Home Health puts focus on pediatrics
RICHMOND, B.C. – HME Home Health on Feb. 26 held its Annual Pediatrics Day at its Richmond corporate office. The event brought together pediatric therapists from across British Columbia – in-person and via live stream – with pediatric equipment manufacturers and representatives from key pediatric funding sources. “The pediatric equipment space is an ever-evolving landscape with new technology and best practices constantly being updated,” said Robert Boscacci, CEO and co-founder. “From our first Pediatrics Day in 2023 to our event this year, we’ve seen how valuable these training events are for clinicians.” Led by HME’s team of 15 pediatric specialists, the day focused on funding, product development, and first-hand product training and demonstrations. “HME is B.C.’s largest pediatric equipment provider, and we are honored to have so many clinicians from all areas of the province join us for an excellent day of learning, networking and fun,” said Cameron Fleming, CIO and co-founder. “HME looks forward to continuing this vital event annually to keep moving the Pediatric equipment space forward.
Senseonics, Ascensia hit sweet spot
PARSIPPANY, N.J. – Senseonics Holdings and Ascensia Diabetes Care have integrated SweetSpot with the Eversense 365 Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) System in the U.S., providing endocrinology practices that partner with them the ability to continue to improve patient care by seamlessly and regularly reviewing data from patients. SweetSpot combines a centralized software platform for managing diabetes device data with wrap-around clinical support services, including a virtual team of certified diabetes care and education specialists to perform monthly CGM data reviews and coordinate with providers and patients on treatment plan assessment and changes. “We are pleased to enable integration with SweetSpot to help health care providers using the software platform to optimize care for patients using Eversense 365,” said Mukul Jain, COO of Senseonics. “Our CGM offers a completely fresh approach to diabetes management by collecting a whole year of glucose data with just one CGM. We continue to focus on bringing Eversense 365 to more people across the country and are excited to see how integrations like this can further enhance our compelling offering for patients and healthcare providers.”
-
Related: Ascensia launched the Eversense 365 in 2024.
Save the date: Medtrade 2026 returns to Phoenix
PHOENIX – After three consecutive years in Dallas, Medtrade will head to the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix next March 2-4. The nation’s largest HME-focused trade show took place in Phoenix in 2021 and 2022. “The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas is unavailable for the 2026 show due to the facility being used as a media hub for the Federation Internationale de Football Association [FIFA] World Cup soccer tournament,” said Sarah Varner, vice president of marketing, Industrial Connections Group, Emerald. “However, we will be returning to Dallas for the 2027 show. Dallas and Phoenix are both fantastic host cities for us, so it’s a win-win situation. I will say that Phoenix weather in March sounds nice.” The shift West to Phoenix is welcome, exhibitors like Tom Nardone say. “We booked our booth for next year in Phoenix and we are excited about it,” said Nardone of Dignity Lifts, an exhibitor at Medtrade 2025. “We hope to get more of those west coast customers next year.”
-
Related: ‘Pumped up’ industry returns to Dallas.
ACHC renewed as deeming authority for home health accreditation
CARY, N.C. – The Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) has received continued approval from CMS as a national accrediting organization for home health agencies (HHAs). This renewal, effective until 2031, affirms that ACHC’s accreditation program meets or exceeds Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for HHAs. “ACHC remains committed to delivering high-quality, patient-centered accreditation services that help home health providers ensure compliance with CMS requirements while driving excellence in care,” said Susan Mills, ACHC senior program director. “This six-year renewal reflects our dedication to upholding the highest standards in the home health industry and supporting agencies in their mission to deliver outstanding patient care.” Deeming authority allows ACHC-accredited home health agencies to demonstrate compliance with Medicare CoPs without undergoing routine state surveys. Instead, ACHC conducts rigorous accreditation surveys that assess HHAs on critical operational and clinical performance standards, ensuring quality and safety in home-based health care services. To achieve continued CMS approval, ACHC underwent an extensive evaluation process, which included a comprehensive review of ACHC’s accreditation standards to ensure alignment with federal regulations, an assessment of ACHC’s surveyor training and performance to ensure consistency and effectiveness, a comparison of ACHC’s accreditation process with CMS survey requirements, including monitoring noncompliance and responding to deficiencies, and an analysis of ACHC’s ability to report survey findings and corrective actions in a timely manner.
Comments