In brief: VGM & Associates, HR HealthCare add new faces & Mobility City hosts event

WATERLOO, Iowa – Nikki Grace will join VGM & Associates as director of the Orthotic and Prosthetic Group of America (OPGA) and Cindi Petito will join as director of clinical networks. 

Grace previously worked as the director of North American operations for Osseointegration International, where she offered support to amputees worldwide. Grace, the 2023 O&P Woman of the Year, established Central Illinois Amputees, a nonprofit organization that raises awareness and addresses the specific challenges faced by amputees in rural areas, bridging gaps in access to care. 

“I am thrilled to join OPGA and honored to contribute to its legacy during such exciting times for the O&P profession,” said Grace. “With new technologies emerging and a new generation of clinicians entering the field, I am eager to support OPGA members by creating opportunities for access to care through education, business development, and member services.” 

Petito brings more than 29 years of experience in multiple health care settings, including complex rehab, and is a certified home accessibility specialist and key opinion leader in home modification and accessibility. In her new role, she will support U.S. Rehab and VGM Live at Home, both divisions of VGM & Associates, and she will lead the charge to build out a network of occupational therapists that will allow VGM to increase referrals to members, among many other initiatives, to better align mutual efforts and support market growth. 

“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this outstanding organization, support VGM's members and vendor partners, and the industries to which I have devoted my career,” said Petito. 

HR HealthCare launches patient services division 

YORK, Pa. – HR HealthCare has appointed two senior leaders for a newly created Patient Services division. Dallas Donald has joined the company as vice president of patient services and will be responsible for the division’s day-to-day operations and essential functions, including customer service, medical records, billing and compliance. Melissa Georgeoff has joined as chief contracting officer and will be responsible for the national expansion of the company’s contracting efforts. "Under the leadership of Dallas and Melissa, we are drawing on decades of combined industry experience and proven track records of implementing effective operational strategies," said Colby Wiesman, president and CEO of HR HealthCare. "Significantly expanding our network of covered payers will provide patients with greater access to the care and supplies they need through HR HealthCare Patient Services — aligning perfectly with our purpose of putting patients first." Both Donald and Georgeoff will report directly to Wiesman. The headquarters for the Patient Services division will continue to reside in Woodstock, Ga. All other functions, including human resources, accounting, finance, information technology, business intelligence and marketing, will be centralized or operated as shared services under HR HealthCare. HR HealthCare develops, manufactures and supplies health care products, including catheters. 

Mobility City Holdings hosts owners conference 

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Mobility City Holdings recently brought together 141 franchise owners, industry experts and exhibitors for its Fifth Annual Franchise Owners Conference. The three-day event featured keynote speeches, interactive workshops and vendor exhibits, all designed to empower franchise owners with the knowledge and tools needed to continue providing top-tier customer service and mobility solutions. "Bringing together our franchise owners with industry leaders and other HME CEOs truly elevated this year's conference," said Diane Baratta, CEO of Mobility City Holdings, Inc. "The event was an excellent opportunity for our franchisees to gain valuable insights and build strong partnerships that will help them grow their businesses and better serve their customers." Another highlight of the conference was an address given by Scott Meuser, chairman of Pride Mobility Products. Additionally, attendees had the opportunity to network and exchange best practices. 

Pharmacist sentenced for Medicare, Medicaid fraud 

LONDON, Ky. – Stephanie Collins, a former pharmacist, has been sentenced to 20 months for her role in a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid by billing for medications that she never dispensed to her customers. According to her plea agreement, Collins operated as a registered pharmacist and operated Stephanie’s Down Home Pharmacy, a retail pharmacy located in Corbin, Ky.  The pharmacy sought reimbursement from Medicare and Kentucky Medicaid for drugs and other medical products it dispensed to its customers.  As part of the scheme to defraud these taxpayer-funded health care benefit programs, Collins used the pharmacy’s computer system to submit claims for payment for drugs that patients never picked up or received. Collins also submitted fraudulent claims for diabetes test strips, billing Kentucky Medicaid for more expensive test strips when she was actually giving her customers lower-cost test strips. In total, her false and fraudulent claims caused Kentucky Medicaid and Medicare to reimburse Collins’ pharmacy $730,055. Under federal law, Collins must serve 85% of her prison sentence. Upon her release from prison, she will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for two years. Collins was also ordered to pay $730,055 in restitution. 

United Spinal applauds airline fine 

NEW YORK – United Spinal Association applauds the $50 million fine levied against American Airlines by the U.S. Department of Transportation to addresses the airline’s longstanding mistreatment of passengers who use wheelchairs. “It is very unfortunate that the DOT has to enforce a monumental fine against an iconic air carrier to ensure our basic rights are respected and protected,” said Vincenzo Piscopo, United Spinal president & CEO, who uses a wheelchair. “Money won’t fix the indignity of being mistreated while traveling as a wheelchair user, but it sends a message to the industry that change must come. No excuses. We applaud DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s commitment to our community.” As many as 1,000 wheelchairs, mobility devices, and scooters are lost, damaged, or destroyed on flights every month. United Spinal says damage to equipment prevents wheelchair users from attending work, enjoying pastimes and being able to live independent and fulfilling lives. It says life-changing injuries—or death—can also result from the mishandling of passengers with disabilities. United Spinal says it strives to ensure that all wheelchair users can book the commercial flight of their choosing to their next adventure, business meeting, or visit with family and friends, trusting they will arrive safely with their bodies, equipment and dignity intact. Visit United Spinal’s Accessible Air Travel initiative for more information. 

VGM launches management playbook 

WATERLOO, Iowa—VGM & Associates has released its fourth playbook of the year, “Mastering Business Management and Optimization.” This playbook publication aims to provide actionable insights and advice that enhance business operations, financial health and customer relationships throughout the industry. “VGM members are beginning to plan and budget for 2025, and we want to set them up for success by offering considerations and best practices for business management operations to do business better,” says Mandi Rodgers, vice president of marketing at VGM & Associates. “Our goal with this publication is to encourage everyone who reads it to embrace the opportunities and challenges that mastering business management and optimization presents to flourish in 2025.” Covering a wide range of industry topics, the playbook explores cybersecurity measures; financial health checks, which intend to prevent money from being left on the table; and proactive fraud prevention strategies that can protect businesses. The playbook also investigates ways to enhance referral relationships and improve customer experiences, while providing guidance on operational excellence and business expansion strategies.