In brief: Woman of the Year finalists, supply chain relief, Quipt’s acquisition

WATERLOO, Iowa – The finalists for this year’s HME Woman of the Year are Trisha Bailey, CEO of Medical Hotspots/Bailey’s Medical; Neidi Mack, vice president for ancillary services at Prism Health Care Services/The Alden Network; Katie Stevens, CEO at Reliable Medical Supply; and Victoria Peterson, administrator at RespMed. “These HME Woman of the Year finalists are leaders in their companies and communities,” said Clint Geffert, president of VGM & Associates. “They are relentless advocates whose dedication, innovation and selfless service make a difference every single day – for their patients and the industry as a whole. We are honored to work with them and to recognize them for everything they do.” There were 64 nominations from 38 nominees from 19 states across the U.S. An honorary selection committee chose the finalists using criteria including implementing new business processes, advocating on behalf of the industry, improving the lives of patients and impacting their community through volunteerism. Members of the committee are Patty Mastandrea, the 2020 HME Woman of the Year and CEO of MedCare Equipment Co.; Liz Beaulieu, editor at HME News; Andrew Miller, regional vice president of AdaptHealth; Jeff Bowman, vice president of HME sales at McKesson; and Jack Hogan, president and CEO of Health Complex Medical. The 2021 HME Woman of the Year will be announced during a virtual ceremony on Dec. 16. 

HIDA calls for further transportation action 

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Health Industry Distributors Association has called for further action to avoid delays in delivering medical supplies to health care providers. 

In a *letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation, HIDA first thanked the administration for its recent work to expand the business hours of ports.  

“Unprecedented transportation delays have hindered reliable and timely movement of medical products,” said Linda Rouse O’Neill, HIDA vice president of supply chain policy & executive branch relations. “This restricts the supply chain’s ability to support healthcare providers responding to COVID-19 and providing essential medical services.” 

The next steps are to align all modes of transportation to 24/7 operations and prioritize critical cargo, such as personal protective equipment, through ports and onto rail and truck for expedited delivery to health care providers, says HIDA. 

Specifically, HIDA recommends: 

Developing a “fast pass” system to expedite global transportation of essential medical products. 

Utilizing “fast pass” with railroads, trucks, and small parcel carriers. 

Aligning transportation operations to support health care during public health emergencies. 

Listen to what Linda Rouse O’Neill had to say about supply chain issues on the HME News in 10 podcast. 

Quipt ramps up in Illinois 

CINCINNATI – Quipt Home Medical recently acquired a business with operations in Illinois with unaudited trailing 12-month annual revenue of about $2.5 million. 

Post-acquisition, Quipt expects an adjusted EBITDA for the acquisition of about $600,000. 

“Since July, we have now completed six acquisitions with combined revenues of over $16 million,” said Greg Crawford, chairman and CEO. “Combining these newly acquired entities provides us a pathway to scale into new states with each business having a proven track record in the markets they serve and diversified product mixes. In this short period of time, we have amassed infrastructure in four new states and further penetrated existing states, such as Illinois.” 

Benefits of this latest acquisition include a strategic location to better serve Illinois, not to mention St. Louis, and Chicago; a heavily weighted respiratory product mix (85%); and more than 3,700 active patients, as well as important insurances contracts. 

Under the terms of the purchase agreement, Quipt acquired the operations for about $1.7 million in chase and real estate for $500,000. 

TIME honors Permobil’s Explorer Mini 

LEBANON, Tenn. – TIME Magazine has recognized Permobil’s Explorer Mini as a “Best Invention of 2021,” the manufacturer has announced. 

“To be included alongside so many other ground-breaking innovations that are improving the lives of individuals around the world,” says Bengt Thorsson, Permobil’s president & CEO. “The inclusion of the Explorer Mini on this list helps to shine a light on the needs of thousands of very young children with mobility impairments. The Explorer Mini isn’t just about getting these children mobile now, but it’s about laying the foundations for life-long social and cognitive development.” 

Each year, TIME seeks out the top 100 products, software and services that solve some of society's greatest issues. Selections are based on originality, creativity, influence, ambition and effectiveness. 

Permobil developed the first and only powered mobility device for toddlers ages 12-36 months that provides them with on-time mobility experiences, so they can explore and engage with their world in a way that helps them continue their best development. Permobil collaborated with leading experts to design the Explorer Mini and to create a solution for this critical period when mobility and cognitive abilities develop. 

 “Explorer Mini provides young children with mobility impairments the opportunity to gain self-initiated mobility experiences exploring their environment while also promoting postural control, visual-spatial development, and supporting social and emotional benefits,” explains Ginger Walls, PT, MS, NCS, ATP/SMS and director of clinical and technical education for Permobil Americas.  

You can see the full list of winners here: https://time.com/collection/best-inventions-2021/ 

Great Elm DME boosts revenue 

WALTHAM, Mass. – Strong resupply sales helped Great Elm DME grow its revenue to $15.6 million in its first quarter fiscal 2022, a 6.5% increase compared to the same period the previous year. 

Net income was $2.1 million vs. a net loss of $0.5 million, and adjusted EBITDA was $5.1 million vs. $2.8 million. 

“We reported an excellent period in DME despite the challenges of a relatively slow return to normal operations following the pandemic conditions over the past year,” said Peter Reed, CEO of parent company Great Elm Group. “DME completed the acquisition of MedOne during the period, which marks the second completed acquisition during calendar 2021.” 

Great Elm DME acquired the power mobility assets of MedOne Healthcare, a high service power mobility provider in Arizona, in August. The acquisition enhances the company's power mobility solutions and expands its referral network. 

Insulet highlights ‘growing power’ of Omnipod 

ACTON, Mass. – Insulet Corp. reported revenue of $275.6 million for the third quarter of 2021, up 17.8% over the same period last year. 

It reported revenue was $260.3 million, up 22.7%, for Omnipod. 

"Our third quarter results reflect the growing power of Omnipod,” said Shacey Petrovic, president and CEO. “We are driving global new customer starts, have momentum across our business, and are advancing exciting new innovations. We continue to share compelling clinical data that demonstrates the improved outcomes and quality of life Omnipod offers to people of all ages. We remain on track for Omnipod 5 clearance later this year and cannot wait to bring this transformational product to market and further our mission of improving the lives of people with diabetes." 

Insult reported net income was $12.6 million for the third quarter this year vs. $11.6 million for the same period last year. 

Among the recent clinical data the company highlighted: 

Omnipod 5 Automated Insulin Delivery System pivotal extension results demonstrating statistically significant improved safety and glycemic outcomes observed in the three-month Omnipod 5 pivotal study were maintained over 12 months of home use. 

Omnipod DASH results from the company’s largest cohort study of people living with Type 1 diabetes demonstrated a significant decrease in A1c after 90 days of use for children, adolescents, and adults. 

Published results in Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics demonstrated a CGM-informed bolus calculator was safe when used with Omnipod 5 in manual mode, with fewer hypoglycemic readings in the post-bolus period compared to a standard bolus calculator. 

Insulet expects to generate revenue growth of 19% to 25% for the fourth quarter and 18% to 20% for the full year. 

AAHomecare assesses interest in catheter survey 

WASHINGTON – AAHomecare is considering engaging Dobson DaVanzo & Associates to conduct a study to assess the direct and indirect costs of providing intermittent catheters (A4351, A4352, A4353), but it needs to ensure there are enough suppliers willing to participate. Earlier this year, the Office of Inspector General said it was working on a report regarding acquisition costs for urinary supplies compared to Medicare fee-for-service allowables. The agency’s intent is to provide information on costs to CMS, which will, in turn, consider opportunities to adjust the fee schedule or potentially include the product category in a future round of competitive bidding. To contribute to the initiative and/or confirm interest in participating in the survey, please contact Ashley Plauché at ashleyp@aahomecare.org by Monday, Dec. 6. Additional details can be found here. 

Survey: Pharmacists feel squeeze 

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Independent pharmacies are struggling to fill staff positions and deal with supply chain disruptions, as well as deal with market pressures like pharmacy benefit manager direct and indirect remuneration fees and vertical integration, according to a new survey from the National Community Pharmacists Association. “Pharmacists have worked heroically throughout the pandemic so to have insurance middlemen push so many of these small business owners to the edge is troubling,” said B. Douglas Hoey, pharmacist and NCPA CEO. “Policymakers in Congress, the Biden administration, and in the states should keep this in mind. There are important policy changes they can make to lower drug prices for seniors and protect small businesses, like eliminating pharmacy DIR fees.” Among the findings of the survey: 60% of respondents say they are dealing with supply chain disruptions, and nearly 70% say they are struggling to fill staff positions, with the pharmacy technician and clerk/front-end staff slots being the most difficult to hire. 

Tomorrow Health names two to advisory board 

NEW YORK – Tomorrow Health has named two additions to its advisory board: Steven Nelson and Alan Murray. Nelson is CEO Of Duly Health and Care (formerly known as DuPage Medical Group), a large, independent, multi-specialty, physician-directed medical group in the Midwest. He is also the former CEO of UnitedHealthcare, where he oversaw the company's commercial and government-subsidized health insurance business, including Medicare Advantage, which covered over 5 million seniors. Murray is a partner at Cognitionis Health, a venture advisory firm that works with technology driven health care services and medical device companies to accelerate growth. "The past two years have demonstrated that the home is where patients want to be, and it's up to the industry to enable the infrastructure to ensure patients receive the right care at the right time,” said Murray. 

 NSM adds ATPs in key markets 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – National Seating & Mobility has added veteran ATPs at its branches in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Philadelphia and McAllen, Texas. “Strategically growing our footprint allows us to provide best-in-class services and support to more clients,” said Bill Mixon, CEO. “Employing the industry’s best ATPs ensures that we are able to be a lifelong trusted mobility solutions partner for our clients. The experienced ATPs appointed in these key markets bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to our growing team of experts.” Steven Ward joins NSM in Myrtle Beach; Crystal Lee joins in Philadelphia; and Michael Bird joins in McAllen. NSM operates more than 190 locations across the U.S. and Canada. It has made 12 acquisitions so far this year. 

United Spinal backs BBB 

WASHINGTON – The United Spinal Association has come out in support of the Build Back Better Act, which cleared a key procedural vote in the House of Representatives over the weekend. The BBB would fulfill key goals for the disability community by providing a permanent improvement in Medicaid home and community-based services, with an investment of $150 billion over the first 10 years after enactment. The funding to states would be used to clear waitlists for home-based care, which can be years long, and to increase wages for caregivers. “Our members know from experience the pain and hardship that comes from an underfunded, unstable system of caregiving,” said Vincenzo Piscopo, president and CEO of United Spinal. “This longstanding problem was only made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. By making a transformative investment in caregiving, the Build Back Better Act framework will provide millions of people with disabilities a stronger foundation to live independent and fulfilling lives.” The BBB would also permanently reauthorize the Medicaid Money Follows the Person program, which has helped more than 100,000 people transition out of institutional settings and into community settings. 

Study examines impact of home oxygen fires 

LONDON – More than 500 fires involving home oxygen and resulting in more than 300 deaths have been reported by the U.S. media since 2017, a new study reveals. Additionally, there were reports of serious injuries in more than 130 people, as well as injuries to nearly 200 other people, according to the study conducted by BPR Medical. “This data confirms that home oxygen fires represent a material public health issue,” said Richard Radford, managing director, BPR Medical. “Incidents not only affect oxygen patients themselves, but also their families, their neighbors, and the emergency personnel who attend fires. It also reveals the enormous human and financial impact of burns. The evidence for fitting thermal fuses to oxygen tubing, alongside other measures, continues to grow.” BPR Medical designs and manufactures medical gas therapy solutions, including Firesafe Cannula Valves, Firesafe Nozzles and Firesafe Flowmeters. To conduct the study, BPR Medical recorded incident data using a Google Alert algorithm based on the keywords “oxygen” and “fire.” Previous data from the National Fire Protection Association has estimated that up to 70 people are killed each year from home oxygen fires, but it has emphasized that these are “likely underestimates.” 

Össur program meets privacy requirement 

FOOTHILL RANCH, Calif. – Össur has announced that its Empower By Össur program has earned renewed certified status for information security by HITRUST. HITRUST CSF Certified status means that Empower by Össur has met key regulations and industry defined requirements, and that it is appropriately managing risk. “Organizations and programs like Empower by Össur are under more pressure than ever to meet complex compliance and privacy requirements that include technical and process elements such as NIST, ISO, and COBIT,” said Mark Tymchenko, Össur’s vice president of bracing & supports. “We are pleased to demonstrate to our customers the highest standards for protecting sensitive data and information by achieving HITRUST CSF Certification.” Empower by Össur, a fully automated, fully customizable web-based DMEPOS Practice and Workflow Management Solution, combines reimbursement, real-time inventory management and consulting services within a single paperless platform, providing a complete day-to-day practice management solution. It’s fully HIPAA compliant and compatible with HL-7 data sharing standards. It also is one of the few platforms in the world to have earned the elite HITRUST CSF certification for its secure cloud-based file storage system. 

Permobil hits smart milestone 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Permobil says 10,000 power wheelchairs users in 16 different countries are now benefitting from the company’s smart technology. Permobil says connected chairs provide users valuable real-time information via the MyPermobil app on the status of their wheelchair’s battery, on distance traveled and on power seat function usage. Connected chairs also provide their local service technicians with data transmitted automatically to a Fleet Management portal, allowing remote diagnosis. “At Permobil, the focus is on a wheelchair’s ‘uptime’ – how much time can the person use their chair, rather than simply minimizing the ‘downtime’ of a chair,” said Peter Jidesjö, executive vice president services, and global head of MyPermobil and Fleet Management. The MyPermobil app also features Voice Assistant, allowing users to communicate with their power wheelchairs via Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Permobil’s fleet of connected wheelchairs include M3 Corpus, M5 Corpus, F3 Corpus, F5 Corpus and F5 Corpus VS models. 

KORU taps Gilero for contract engineering 

CHESTER, N.Y. – Repro Med Systems, dba KORU Medical Systems, has tapped Gilero as its preferred contract engineering firm to further its strategic focus on expanding and evolving its at-home infusion products and portfolio. “We are increasing our innovation efforts to meet the needs of patients, providers, biopharmaceutical companies and regulators,” said Linda Tharby, KORU Medical's CEO. “This collaboration with Gilero, a company we chose due to their substantial expertise in infusion and combination drug/device platforms, will accelerate our product and service innovation efforts. We will continue to focus our product development efforts on increasing comfort and convenience in the patient infusion process as we look to support the needs of a growing trend to home infusion." Gilero offers end-to-end services in design, development and contract manufacturing in the medical device and drug delivery/combination product markets. KORU’s FREEDOM Syringe Infusion System currently includes FREEDOM60 and FreedomEdge Syringe Infusion Drivers, Precision Flow Rate Tubing and HIgH-Flo Subcutaneous Safety Needle Sets.