Olympic Sailing Hopeful Backs Hospital Ship Charity

Olympic Sailing Hopeful Backs Hospital Ship Charity

Laser Sailor Paul Goodison goes for gold and aims to give back to Mercy Ships

Garden Valley. TX (Vocus) August 5, 2008

Reigning four-time European Laser Champion and one of Britain's greatest medal hopes at the Beijing Olympics, racer Paul Goodison, has announced his support for the international seagoing charity Mercy Ships which provides free medical care to the people of Africa.

While his dreams of winning an Olympic gold are his top priority, Paul has taken the time this week to confirm his support of Mercy Ships as he is acutely aware that the suffering of millions of people around the world will continue throughout the Games.

Paul said, "The work Mercy Ships does to supply people around the world with much needed medical care is fantastic and I am excited about being able to help spread the message. I am looking forward to working with Mercy Ships."

Goodison, Team Volvo for life sailor, won his fourth consecutive Laser European Championship title in Belgium last month and is touted as the "man to watch" for laser competition in Beijing. He heads to China unbeaten after winning Olympic test events at Qingdao in 2006 and 2007.

He continued, "I feel ready for China. My training has been great, I feel fit, and to become European Champion for the fourth year running in such challenging conditions gives me great confidence going in to the Olympics."

Racing for the Laser and Laser Radial classes gets underway on Tuesday 12 August.

"We are thrilled that Paul has committed to supporting our effort to bring hope and healing to the forgotten poor of the world. Paul's success in competitive sailing is substantial and we are honoured to have him join the Mercy Ships Team. An endorsement from an athlete of his calibre is special as it not only brings visibility to our cause, but he will help to serve as a great example of success through hard work and focus," stated Mercy Ships Interim CEO Sam Smith.

Updates on Paul's Olympic campaign can be found at www. paulgoodison. com and you can watch his latest video diaries at www. volvocar. co. uk/sailing (http://www. volvocar. co. uk/sailing)

About Paul Goodison:
Paul Goodison is a world class laser sailor and is the reigning four-time European and British Champion. He is also a member of Team Volvo for life. Paul was selected to compete in the Beijing Summer Olympics 2008 and remains unbeaten in China - having one both Pre - Olympic test events there. The Laser is one of the two single handed dinghies which are sailed at the Olympics by men.

Paul, was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire and taught to sail by his father at a young age. He enjoys windsurfing, kite boarding and plays golf in his spare time. He now spends his time living between, Rotherham, Yorkshire, Weymouth, Dorset and on the road at Olympic Class regattas throughout Europe and the US. www. paulgoodison. com

About Mercy Ships:
Founded in 1978, Mercy Ships is a leader in using hospital ships to deliver free world-class health care and community development services to the forgotten poor. Over the last 30 years, Mercy Ships has worked in over 70 countries providing services valued at more than $670 million.

Mercy Ships has treated more than 230,000 people in village medical clinics, performed more than 35,000 surgeries, 190,000 dental treatments and completed over 950 construction and agricultural projects, including schools, clinics, orphanages and water wells.

More than 850 crew worldwide representing more than 30 nations are joined each year by thousands of short-term volunteers. Professionals including surgeons, dentists, nurses, community developers, teachers, cooks, seamen, engineers, and agriculturalists donate their time and skills to the effort. www. mercyships. org. uk

About Team Volvo for life:
Paul Goodison is a member of Team Volvo for life. Volvo sponsors this inspirational team, who represent the best of British sailing as they seek to attain their ultimate sailing goals. The Team work with the next generation of British sailors through Volvo's grass roots sailing sponsorships, inspiring youngsters to follow in their footsteps with the same passion and determination.

For more information about Paul Goodison:
Gail Willows, Volvo Sailing Press Officer
Email: gail. willows @ intotheblue. biz
Tel: 01983 203527
Www. volvocars. co. uk/sailing (http://www. volvocars. co. uk/sailing)

Mercy Ships U. S.A.
Pauline Rick
U. S. Public Relations Mngr.
Mercy Ships
T:903-939-7649
Rickp @ mercyships. org
Www. mercyships. org
Www. mercyshipsnews. org

Mercy Ships International
Diane Rickard
Director Media Relations
Mercy Ship
T: 44 1438 727 800
Www. mercyships. org
Www. mercyshipsnews. org

Mercy Ships UK:
Lois Boyle
Senior Consultant
Media House International Ltd
T: 0141 220 6040
Lois @ mediahouse. co. uk
Www. mercyships. org. uk

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C4 IP Hosted Unified Communications Solution Wins 21st Award for Excellence and Innovation

C4 IP Hosted Unified Communications Solution Wins 21st Award for Excellence and Innovation

Cypress Communications’ flagship hosted unified communications solution has been recognized for outstanding innovation by Internet Telephony Magazine.

Atlanta (Vocus) April 2, 2010

Cypress Communications® announced today that Technology Marketing Corporation’s (TMC®) INTERNET TELEPHONY magazine has named C4 IP® as a 2009 Product of the Year. As the leading hosted VoIP and hosted unified communications solution for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs), C4 IP delivers an array of functionality to help users connect, communicate, collaborate and continue®. This is the 21st award for C4 IP and the 25th award Cypress has received for product excellence and innovation.

“INTERNET TELEPHONY is proud to grant Cypress Communications a 2009 Product of the Year Award for their C4 IP hosted unified communications solution. Cypress Communications has proven its commitment to quality and excellence while addressing real needs in the marketplace,” said Rich Tehrani, CEO, TMC. “We’re happy to recognize and honor Cypress Communications for their development of IP communications technology. We look forward to more innovative solutions from them in the future.”

C4 IP is a comprehensive hosted VoIP and hosted unified communications solution that comes complete with converged voice and data services and a powerful suite of productivity-enhancing collaboration tools such as audio and web conferencing, presence, file sharing, chat and more. Cypress partners with SMEs to customize the C4 IP solution -- down to the features needed for each user -- so companies get the functionality they need to improve communications and optimize processes without paying for more than they require.

“While being lauded for product excellence and innovation is incredibly rewarding, we are even more gratified by the success our customers have experienced as a result of our solutions,” said Frank Grillo, executive vice president of marketing and customer support at Cypress Communications. “With its end-to-end hosted delivery model, C4 IP has proven to be an effective way for SMEs to improve productivity and performance while controlling costs, which are key elements in positioning their companies to pull ahead of their competition as the economy turns around.”

As a fully hosted solution, C4 IP enables SMEs to take advantage of comprehensive unified communications functionality with no upfront capital expense and no need to hire, train or dedicate internal IT staff to maintaining the solution. Cypress manages all of the voice and data services from its robust network cloud to the phone on each desk, so SMEs gain a premium communications experience without the hassle of managing multiple vendors.

About INTERNET TELEPHONY magazine
INTERNET TELEPHONY has been the IP Communications Authority since 1998™. Beginning with the first issue in February of 1998, INTERNET TELEPHONY magazine has been providing unbiased views of the complicated converged communications space. INTERNET TELEPHONY offers rich content from solutions-focused editorial content to reviews on products and services from TMC Labs. INTERNET TELEPHONY magazine reaches more than 225,000 readers, including pass-along readers. For more information, please visit http://www. itmag. com].

About TMC
Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC) is a global integrated media company helping our clients build communities in print, in person and online. TMC publishes Customer Interaction Solutions, INTERNET TELEPHONY, Unified Communications, and NGN magazines. TMCnet, TMC's Web site, is the leading source of news and articles for the communications and technology industries. TMCnet is read by two million unique visitors each month on average worldwide, according to Webtrends. TMCnet has ranked within the top 3,500 in Quantcast's Top U. S. sites, placing TMCnet in the nation’s top.03% most visited Web sites. In addition, TMC produces INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference & EXPO (ITEXPO); 4GWE Conference and M2M Evolution (in conjunction with Crossfire Media); Digium|Asterisk World (in conjunction with Digium); and Smart Grid Summit (in conjunction with Intelligent Communication Partners). For more information about TMC, visit http://tmcnet. com/].

TMC also serves technology professionals with industry-specific Web sites: IT. TMCnet. com, 4G-wirelessevolution. TMCnet. com, M2M Evolution. com, Smart-Grid. TMCnet. com, Smart Products Ecosystem, Robotics. TMCnet. com, Cable. TMCnet. com, Satellite. TMCnet. com, Green. TMCnet. com, Healthcare. TMCnet. com, and Education. TMCnet. com.

About Cypress Communications
For over 25 years, Cypress Communications has been helping small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) connect, communicate, collaborate and continue® with a range of fully hosted and managed voice, data and Internet solutions. Beginning in 2006, Cypress revolutionized the communications industry with its hosted VoIP and hosted unified communications solution, C4 IP, making it easy for SMEs to take advantage of productivity-enhancing technology such as integrated audio and Web conferencing, multimedia collaboration tools, presence, chat, Microsoft® Outlook integration, and more. As a Deloitte Fast 50 and Fast 500 award recipient, Cypress is recognized as one of the fastest growing telecommunication companies in North America. In 2008, the company was also named one of Atlanta’s Best Places to Work. Cypress has won a total of 25 awards for excellence and product innovation to date. The company’s Web address is http://www. cypresscom. net].

For more information, contact:

Heather Whitt Roberts
Cypress Communications
404-442-0034 
Hwhitt(at)cypresscom(dot)net

Jan Pierret
Marketing Manager, TMC
203-852-6800, ext. 228
Jpierret(at)tmcnet(dot)com

© 2006-2010 Cypress Communications, Inc. The Cypress Communications logo is a registered service mark of Cypress Communications, Inc. C4 IP and Connect. Communicate. Collaborate and Continue are registered trademarks of Cypress Communications. All other marks used herein are the property of their respective owners.

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Organizations Worldwide Continue to Invest in Marketing without Effective Measurement

Organizations Worldwide Continue to Invest in Marketing without Effective Measurement

Alterian Annual Survey reveals difficulties facing marketers and predicts on and offline spending patterns for 2009

Chicago (PRWEB) January 20, 2009

2009 will see companies continue to invest significantly into online marketing, although less than half (47 percent) of marketers actually use analytics to measure their campaigns. This is the key finding of the sixth Alterian (LSE: ALN) Annual Marketing Survey (http://www. alterian. com/news__events/events/january_webinar_annual_survey. aspx).

Online marketing investment is predicted to increase for the 6th consecutive year as organizations begin to look to social networks as well as email, SEO and pay-per-click advertising. Yet alarmingly, only 47 percent use analytics to measure the success of this activity. A quarter of those surveyed cite analyzing results as the hardest part of any campaign.

David Eldridge, CEO Alterian said: "With the current economic climate, it is refreshing to see results that show businesses investing in areas that can directly drive sales - essential in this market. What is less encouraging is the low number of marketers who use analytics to evaluate and refine their campaigns."

With responses from more than 1,500 marketers, agencies, marketing services providers and systems integrators, the survey provides a comprehensive analysis of spending and investment priorities for the industry over the coming year.

Despite the widespread coverage of the death of offline media and marketing, only a fifth of those surveyed are predicting a reduction in offline marketing investment, with 38 percent predicting it will actually increase. Online direct marketing is also set to see healthy growth this year, with nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of organizations citing planned increases in budgets.

Marketers are still using multiple applications to do their job, with around a quarter of respondents using more than seven applications on campaigns. With more than half of those surveyed (51 percent) using between three and six applications it means that a vast majority of marketers are attempting to analyze data from disparate systems, with little or no integration.

Eldridge continued: "Multichannel marketing is commonplace in 2009, but the challenge for marketers is to measure the value and draw results across these various systems in order to provide a true picture of ROI back to the business. This seems to be a tough challenge for many organizations as they continue to market in the dark."

The survey also provided interesting insights into the importance of a website in the overall marketing mix. One-fifth of respondents claimed that their website was only 'basic' and not at the core of its marketing activity, but with increased investment predicted in online marketing channels, companies need to better understand the importance of the website in effectively underpinning its online presence. This demonstrates a need for companies to better understand the channels available to them before investing their marketing funds.

Eldridge concluded: "Online marketing offers organizations almost limitless ways of engaging with their customers and prospects, but in the rush to make the most of these new technologies some businesses are getting the basics wrong. Marketers must not forget that their own website is the destination that many of their activities drive customers and prospects to, and they need to be extracting the maximum value this cornerstone of any forward-thinking company's marketing activity."

Notes to Editors
The Alterian 2008 Survey polled a total of 1,545 marketing professionals. The annual survey, now in its sixth year, was conducted in North America and the United Kingdom in October and November 2008 through a dedicated website landing page and hardcopy in-person interviews at the 2008 Direct Marketing Association Conference and Exhibition in Las Vegas, the 2008 Ad:tech Exhibition in New York and the 2008 Interactive Marketing Show in Manchester.

Bob Barker, Vice President of Corporate Marketing at Alterian will be presenting the full results of the 2008 Annual Marketing Survey in a global webinar on 22nd January 2009 at 4pm UK time. Please click on the following link to register for the webinar: www. alterian. com/news__events/events (http://www. alterian. com/news__events/events).

If you are interested in receiving a copy of the full survey report, please email.

About Alterian
Alterian (LSE: ALN) empowers marketers with an integrated marketing software platform combining database, online and operational marketing applications on a shared data infrastructure. The Alterian Integrated Marketing Platform makes it practical and cost effective for marketers to use actionable insight to execute an integrated marketing strategy across online and offline channels.

It is the unique integration of analytics, content and execution through Alterian's industry leading tools, such as the Alterian Messenger email platform, and the award winning Alterian Content Management web solutions, which enables marketers to drive a seamless, multichannel customer experience.

Alterian's analytically-led software is delivered to approximately 1,000 marketing departments, across 26 countries, and an international network of more than 100 business partners, including marketing services providers, agencies and systems integrators. Its partners, such as Accenture, Acxiom, Allant Group, Cap Gemini, Carlson Marketing, Experian, Epsilon, InfoUSA, LogicaCMG, Merkle, Ogilvy One and Euro RSCG Worldwide, deliver Alterian software alongside their own domain and services expertise to help market leaders such as Princess Cruises, General Motors, Zurich, Astra Zeneca, HSBC, Limited Too, AEGON, Avis, Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment, Dell, Amnesty International and Vodafone integrate marketing processes and drive competitive advantage. For more information about Alterian, products within the Alterian Integrated Marketing Platform or our Partner Network, please visit www. alterian. com.

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Your Future Includes Health Insurance, Says Florida Health Insurance Web

Your Future Includes Health Insurance, Says Florida Health Insurance Web

"The Democratic Party, if elected on November 4, 2008 will deliver health insurance to every man, woman, and child," that according to Morgan Moran of Florida Health Insurance Web, a health insurance web site. Moran spoke after the Democratic Convention in Denver saying, "One thing is for certain, electing Obama means an affordable health insurance plan for everyone.

Fort Lauderdale, FL (PRWEB) August 31, 2008

In Denver, as the Democrats one after another selected Barack Obama as their candidate, one message was heard over and over, 'health insurance' for everyone. That's great news, said Morgan Moran, a Florida health insurance consultant, "every speaker not only mentioned health insurance; health insurance coverage is on the front burner, it's on the top of the list for Democrats."

Michelle Obama, smiled from the convention floor said her husband promises "to make health care available for every American," and "will make sure wounded soldiers coming home from Afghanistan and Iraq are welcomed home not just with medals and parades, but with good jobs, benefits, and health care, including mental health care." Florida's free health insurance web said in this month's health insurance journal, "New mental health insurance plans for veterans is not only welcomed but seriously needed after the last few years in Iraq."

The health insurance pledge continued with Edward Kennedy. He returned to his promise of 1980, with his promise to get health insurance to every American regardless of where they live. Kennedy said, "For me, this is a season of hope. New hope that we will break the old gridlock and guarantee that every American -- north, south, east and west -- young and old -- Will have decent, quality, affordable health care as a fundamental right and not a privilege."

Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, continued, saying, "America needs a president who knows that health care is a right, not a privilege" and Joe Biden, Obama's Vice-Presidential pick, said in his speech that Barack Obama will bring down health care costs by $2,500 for the typical family, and, at long last, deliver affordable, accessible health care for all Americans."

Hillary Clinton said a vote for Obama would mean "a new health care system that is universal, high quality, and affordable so that parents no longer have to choose between care for themselves or their children or be stuck in dead end jobs simply to keep their insurance." She also said that Obama will "make sure that middle class families get the tax relief they deserve. And can't wait to watch Barack Obama sign a health insurance (http://www. floridahealthinsuranceweb. com) plan into law that covers every single American!"

Bill Clinton first endorsed Obama as the next President of the United States, and said a vote for McCain would mean "a band-aid for health care that will enrich insurance companies, impoverish families and increase the number of uninsured."

"The health insurance topic was hammered over and over, and came to a head with Barack Obama himself." Obama, speaking in front of millions, said, "Now is the time to finally keep the promise of affordable, accessible health care for every single American." "If you have health care, my plan will lower your premiums. If you don't, you'll be able to get the same kind of coverage that members of Congress give themselves." "And as someone who watched my mother argue with insurance companies while she lay in bed dying of cancer, I will make certain those companies stop discriminating against those who are sick and need care the most."

It's clear to see, Moran said, that if the Democrats win the White House and take over the Senate, quality health insurance is in everyone's future. "We will all have an affordable health insurance plan, thanks to the many years of hard work by people like Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, and the Democratic Candidate for President, Barack Obama."

To find out more about details about health insurance, contact Morgan Moran at www. FloridaHealthInsuranceWeb. com.

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New Military Medical Aid Facility Built Through Innovative Process

New Military Medical Aid Facility Built Through Innovative Process

New approach has made possible opening of healthcare facility at an Air Force base near Las Vegas. The facility was built in Tennessee, then shipped to the base for installation on an awaiting foundation. "Component construction" produces quality facilities in fraction of time and cost, according to former Air Force Surgeon General.

Creech Air Force Base, NV (PRWEB) February 19, 2009

A new approach is being credited for making possible opening of a new healthcare facility at an Air Force base near Las Vegas. The 4,161 - square foot medical aid facility at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada was actually built in Tennessee, then shipped across the country for placement on an awaiting foundation.

The concept is called "component construction," says Lieutenant General P. K. Carlton (retired), former US Air Force Surgeon General and part of the collaborative team that completed the project. According to General Carlton, "The project was struggling. It sat idle for several years because traditional builders couldn't complete the project within the budget allocated."

The turning point came during a 2007 project at Texas A&M University that explored innovative ways to re-build Iraq's healthcare infrastructure. During a discussion of "component construction", it became clear that the concept could be used for military healthcare facilities in the U. S., particularly in rural areas where the pool of construction contractors is limited. "It makes perfect sense. Component construction can produce quality facilities in a fraction of time and costs of traditional approaches," says General Carlton who is now Director of Homeland Security for Texas A&M's Health Science Center.

A collaborative team was formed by Texas A&M, Modern Renovators of Tennessee, healthcare integrators U3 Innovations of San Antonio, and Aspen Street Architects of Angels Camp, California. The team presented a concept to Creech Air Force base that would result in a completed project in only four-and-a-half months.

"The key," says Modern Renovators Principle Gary Housley "is our ability to build the six components in the controlled environment of our factory in Tennessee, lay the foundation in Nevada while construction was underway in Tennessee, then ship the components to the site to install on the foundation." Marc Sager of U3 Innovations, who spent 26 years as a US Air Force hospital administrator, says "Creech got a great building quickly within budget without compromising on the strict standards enforced by the U. S. Army Corp of Engineers." Sager says the Army Corp, "showed innovation using a different approach."

Architect Dave Hitchcock who specializes in healthcare facility design says Modern Renovators responded in an "amazingly short period of time." Of Modern, he said, "I don't know of anyone else who could have put together such a quality product in such a small amount of time."

Hitchcock sees use of component construction in healthcare as a trend. He says, "Component construction can provide costs and time savings while satisfying demanding requirements. Healthcare facilities need communications, electrical systems, medical gases and fire protection, and often other qualities such as special shielding for radiological and MRI technology."

Representatives of various military operations, federal healthcare facilities programs such as Indian Health Service, and Congressional staffers attended last week's ribbon-cutting at Creech Air Force Base.

About…
Texas A&M Health Science Center, Office of Homeland Security: The Office of Homeland Security addresses homeland security issues related to health. The Office provides services, conducts evaluations, brings new products to the market place, and conducts symposiums.

Modern Renovators is a Loretto, Tennessee-based company that specializes in component construction for healthcare. Modern has completed hundreds of projects around the U. S.

U3 Innovations is an integrator with special expertise in healthcare project management, healthcare administration, and architecture. The company is based in San Antonio, TX.

Aspen Street Architects, Inc. is a full-service architectural/engineering firm specializing in healthcare and educational projects for rural areas, as well as research and development of component design solutions for various applications. The company is based in Angels Camp, CA.

Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs, Nevada is home to the 432d Wing and 432d Air Expeditionary Wing "Hunters" under Air Combat Command's 12th Air Force. The 432d also reports to U. S. Air Forces Central. The 432d Wing and 432d AEW consists of combat-ready Airmen who fly the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper aircraft to support American and Coalition warfighters.

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TRC Market Research Conducted a Survey of Market Research Users that Reveals Concerns about Benchmarking

TRC Market Research Conducted a Survey of Market Research Users that Reveals Concerns about Benchmarking

TRC, a marketing research company, conducted a study among market research professionals to learn about the usage of norms and benchmarks in market research. The study revealed that many researchers view benchmarks with skepticism, especially those who have worked in the research industry longer. TRC published a white paper, titled Survey of Researchers Reveals Concerns about Benchmarking, detailing the survey results and providing suggestions on what to be mindful of when making benchmarking comparisons. It provides practical advice on how to maximize the reliability of benchmarking efforts and how to address inconsistencies between primary data and external data.

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) October 31, 2009

TRC Market Research (www. trchome. com]) announced today the results of a study conducted among market research professionals about the usage of norms and benchmarks (http://www. trchome. com/white-paper-library/wpl-general-research-and-statistics/348/#utm_source=PRW&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=normswhtpr). The study was conducted among 97 market research users involved in market research for their organization, 83 of them had a designated market research function. They represent various industries, with the highest concentrations in insurance, utilities, high tech, healthcare, and financial services.

Nearly all have used benchmarking data in their current job. Over half mentioned using this normative data to provide context to measure their own results. As one researcher put it,
"Is 60% sat good? If other companies are at a 40% level, then absolutely. However, if the others are at 90%, not so much." Some use these data to help set strategic goals, allocate resources or establish performance targets. Others to track changes or trends over time.

So norms serve a purpose but aren't necessarily trusted. The study revealed many researchers view benchmarks with skepticism. This is especially true among those who have worked in market research longer. Only over half of those who have been in the industry for at least 11 years are confident in making comparisons to external benchmarking data, a significantly lower number than those who have been in the industry for less than 11 years.

The white paper, titled Survey of Researchers Reveals Concerns about Benchmarking and authored by Jennifer Van de Meulebroecke and Michele Sims, details study results and offers suggestions on what to be mindful of when making benchmarking comparisons. It provides practical advice on how to maximize the reliability of benchmarking efforts and how to address inconsistencies between primary data and external data.

The white paper can be found at TRC White Paper Library along with many other market research white papers (http://www. trchome. com/white-paper-library/wpl-all-white-papers/#utm_source=PRW&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=normswhtpr).

About TRC Market Research, a consultative custom market research firm
TRC Market Research is a full-service custom market research company dedicated to answering business questions. This market research firm (http://www. trchome. com/#utm_source=PRW&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=normswhtpr) specializes in satisfaction and loyalty research, linking survey data to financials, tricky new product development efforts and segmentation.

Philadelphia-based TRC Market Research is affiliated with the Council of American Survey Research Organizations (CASRO) and the American Marketing Association.

For more information, call (215.641.2225) Lenka Kolar, TRC's Director of Marketing.

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NEW Medicare Breakthrough for Nursing Homes!! Mind-Body and Holistic Treatments, For the Very First Time, Are NOW Available to the Residents of Long Term Care Facilities through Medicare!... the secret is out.... FACILITIES SHOULD ACT NOW TO TRIGGER THIS

NEW Medicare Breakthrough for Nursing Homes!! Mind-Body and Holistic Treatments, For the Very First Time, Are NOW Available to the Residents of Long Term Care Facilities through Medicare!... the secret is out.... FACILITIES SHOULD ACT NOW TO TRIGGER THIS

This year, for the very first time, Medicare is now paying approved professionals to provide revolutionary mind-body and holistic medical treatments to residents of long term care facilities. These tested modalities can be remarkably effective, as an adjunct, for all the diseases of aging; from incontinence to Parkinsons to diabetes... and on and on;these are proven treatments of medical-health psychology; and are now reimbursable when provided by Medicare-approved psychologists. These innovative techniques can speed recovery, slow deterioration, and dramatically boost quality of life and health. And finally they are available to the residents of forward-looking nursing homes!

(PRWEB) August 28, 2002

In 2002, for the first time, Medicare provides time-tested mind-body treatments for nursing home residents. These advanced techniques can enhance treatment compliance, speed recovery, slow physical deterioration, and boost quality of life. Some nursing homes already have clinical psychologists. But these psychologists usually have dealt exclusively with mental illnesses.

However, this new Medicare breakthrough has made the elite specialty of clinical health psychology now available to nursing homes and other long term care facilities. Health psychologists target the symptoms of residents' physical illnesses, from Parkinsons Disease to diabetes to cancer, to all diseases of aging. Proven mind-body and holistic techniques serve as key catalysts and adjunctive treatments; they help patients control symptoms, adopt health-optimizing attitudes and reduce frustration about body and lifestyle losses. They also include goal-oriented family counseling to coach relatives in little-known ways to support the achievement of resident treatment targets. Some of the proven techniques developed by clinical health psychologists include: non-drug pain management, environmental adjustment consultation, treatment compliance coaching, illness and treatment education, relaxation and stress-reduction training, lifestyle expectation restructuring, health-optimizing value education, nurse-physician problem-solving consults, targeted family consultations...on and on...but the list doesn't stop there.

The treasury of techniques now available also include counseling to provide the troubled resident with a rewarding stable identity, in spite of a deteriorating unstable body; self-esteem enhancement in spite of burgeoning powerlessness; and competance-building in spite of a chronic and crushing dependence on others. Importantly, clinical health psychologists can dramatically lighten the load on doctors and staff. They provide rigorously tested adjunct techniques which rapidly accelerate the treatment already in place. Not only do these state-of-the-art technologies boost resident quality of life, but administrators can advertise them as evidence of the facilities' COMPREHENSIVE CARE to new prospects...and because health psychologists bill residents insurance independently, ALL THIS IS AT NO COST TO THE FACILITY! Remember, ordinary nursing home psychologists just deal with mental disorders. But to get these NEWLY AVAILABLE resources for ALL ILLNESSES of aging you need the advanced specialized tools of state-of-the-art health-medical psychology.

THEY'RE YOURS JUST FOR THE ASKING...all you need to do is ACT TO TRIGGER THE BENEFIT! It's easy. To get all the details, call The Health Psychology 24 Hr INFOLINE. CALL NOW:1-847 516-1454; or write: Dr. M. Sherri, 121 Brookbridge Rd, Cary, IL 60013. It couldn't be easier.

Global Language Solutions Revamps its Online Language and Translation Industry Publication, the “Global Communicator”

Global Language Solutions Revamps its Online Language and Translation Industry Publication, the “Global Communicator”

Monthly publication features tools, resources, and original articles based on a new featured language and vertical industry each issue.

NEWPORT BEACH, CA (PRWEB) August 4, 2006

Global Language Solutions, Inc. (GLS), a full-service translation, localization, and interpretation firm with more than a decade of experience delivering language solutions to organizations around the globe, today unveiled its revamped monthly electronic publication, the “Global Communicator.” Now, the more than 10,000 subscribers to the free online publication have easier access to information, tools, resources, and original articles. Each issue delivers new content such as suggestions on website translation, foreign search engine registration and international website marketing, case studies of successful international advertising campaigns, tips sheets for conducting clinical trials in a multilingual environment, and more.

The fresh layout, which offers easier navigation and access to industry-specific tools and resources, is expected to increase the number of subscribers. Adds Inna Kassatkina, president of Global Languages Solutions, “Our readers want more than information about our language services - they want to learn how to better compete in a global economy. They also want access to white papers, research, associations, and events that impact their daily work. Each month we showcase articles, tip sheets, and web links related to both the featured language and industry.”

“Global Communicator” subscribers now have the opportunity to utilize the newsletter content for naturally optimized articles on their own websites, positively impacting an active search engine optimization (SEO) campaign. This great source of information is also an ideal starting point for any companies or individuals who are also blogging. GLS invites subscribers to link to and comment on its Global Communicator content and use it to help improve their blog content.

The publication, which has been produced for more than four years in a text-only format, is now also archived online at http://www. globallanguages. com/en/news/newsletter (http://www. globallanguages. com/en/news/newsletter). Organizations interested in submitting their links, events, and articles to the “Global Communicator” for consideration as an industry tool or resource, or to republish the original content published each month, can contact GLS via email.

About Global Language Solutions

Global Language Solutions (GLS) is a full-service translation company delivering solutions in over 100 languages to increase its clients' multicultural and international market share. GLS provides culturally and linguistically accurate document translations, website localization, multilingual typesetting/ graphic design, real-time interpreting, voice-overs, and globalization consulting services. The company's clients include leading pharmaceutical, medical device, clinical research, and healthcare organizations. GLS has offices in Newport Beach, CA and Chicago, IL. For more information, visit http://www. globallanguages. com (http://www. globallanguages. com) or call +1-949-798-1400.

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Mitio Announces New Scholarship Program

Mitio Announces New Scholarship Program

Mitio Provides Bilingual Working Adults Online Program for Medical Interpreting

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) April 9, 2007

The Medical Interpreting and Translating Institute Online (Mitio), an industry leader in online delivery of medical interpreting and translating education, today announced the launch of it's new scholarship program available to students who are working in facilities with predominantly Hispanic patients.

The program consist of three courses that cover the interpreters professional code of ethics, interpreting procedures and protocol, as well as medical terminology, medical procedures, and translating guidelines. These skills are invaluable for the medical interpreter, since they facilitate communication between a patient of Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and a health care provider.

Facilities that illegally use children to interpret for their LEP parents are in violation of the OCR guidelines of 2000, which require facilities to provide interpreting services to LEP patients free of charge. Mitio's scholarship program provides training to bilingual individuals at a low cost, thus enabling the facility to be compliant with regulations while avoiding medical liability.

Students currently working in facilities that serve predominantly Hispanic patients are eligible for the scholarship that brings their tuition down to $250.00. Students can enroll into the program directly through Mitio's website.

About Mitio

Mitio's online medical interpreting and translating program is a 6 week160 hour self paced program with continuous enrollment, thus enabling students to enroll at any time.
The program uses Blackboard as its platform. To learn more, visit: http://www. mitio. org (http://www. mitio. org)

Contact:
Nelva Lee, Mitio CEO
678-458-1671

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Interstar's Boardless T.38 Fax over IP Software Attains GSA Approval for US Federal Fax Requirements

Interstar's Boardless T.38 Fax over IP Software Attains GSA Approval for US Federal Fax Requirements

Next week’s FOSE 2006 government IT show in Washington, DC will showcase Interstar’s boardless XMediusFAX® T.38 Fax over IP (FoIP) fax server software, a GSA-approved (General Services Administration) FoIP solution for the US Federal government.

Montreal, Canada (PRWEB) March 8, 2006

Interstar Technologies (www. faxserver. com), the global IP fax leader since 2002, will exhibit at next week’s FOSE (www. fose. com) government IT tradeshow (booth 839), March 7-9, at the Washington Convention Center, in Washington, DC. Interstar will showcase its award-winning XMediusFAX boardless T.38 Fax over IP (FoIP) fax server software, a GSA-approved IP fax solution for U. S. Federal government agencies worldwide.

“Interstar’s XMediusFAX T.38 FoIP products are the perfect fax solutions for VoIP networks, and we are excited that they are now easily available to government entities through GSA federal supply schedule,” said Martin Demers, President and CEO of Interstar Technologies, Inc. “XMediusFAX’s award-winning technology is the first of its kind in the VoIP industry, because it allows for secure and robust IP faxing without fax boards, extra POTS lines, and specialized fax materials and supplies.”

Customer testimonial

Interstar’s fax server solutions are deployed by a number of government agencies, including a US federal legislative branch with 600 offices handling a daily volume of 30,000+ inbound and outbound faxes, and simultaneous fax broadcasts to thousands of outlets. Some other government entities deploying Interstar’s fax server solutions include: Sacramento County, American National Red Cross, Canadian Senate, Canadian Red Cross, and Public Safety Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC), as well as key government contractors such as Titan Corporation, TriWest Healthcare Alliance and Boeing.

“We selected Interstar's XMediusFAX SP solution for its industry-class, fault-tolerant technology and high scalability,” said Rick Green, Vice President & CIO of TriWest Healthcare Alliance is a Phoenix-based corporation that partners with the US Department of Defense (DoD) to provide access to cost-effective, high-quality healthcare for active and retired uniformed services members and their families throughout 21 states in the Western US region.

About Interstar Technologies Inc.

As the world pioneer of boardless T.38 Fax over IP (FoIP) fax server solutions for VoIP networks, Interstar Technologies is “Changing the Way You Fax” everywhere. Recognized for its award-winning XMediusFAX® (boardless T.38 FoIP) and LightningFAX® (for legacy fax boards) fax server software, Interstar Technologies caters to enterprise, government and service provider accounts of all sizes. With thousands of systems installed in more than 40 countries, Interstar is committed to providing world-class FoIP solutions. Interstar dominates the worldwide IP fax server market for the 4th consecutive year, leading with nearly 75% market share, per Davidson Consulting in a July 2005 study.

Interstar Technologies maintains partnerships with Cisco Systems, Avaya Inc., 3Com, AudioCodes, Bell Canada, Groupe SAGEM, Pitney Bowes, HP, IBM, Lotus, Microsoft, and SAP. Its fax server software solutions are distributed worldwide through a global network of business partners, system integrators and OEM partners. For more information, visit the Interstar website at www. faxserver. com.

Media Contact:

Gisèle Seto

Interstar Technologies

Phone: +514-422-4323

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Saferating, Inc. Announces Unlimited, Web-based, Medical Forms for One Fixed Cost - Saferating Makes Medical Data Collection and Medical Reporting Easy

Saferating, Inc. Announces Unlimited, Web-based, Medical Forms for One Fixed Cost - Saferating Makes Medical Data Collection and Medical Reporting Easy

Saferating. com announces its Unlimited Form Subscription Model. Your forms are reproduced and become web-based forms using Paperless Form Technology (PFT). Your data collection and reporting are highly encrypted for HIPAA compliance. All forms are made to conform to JCAHO standards. Each form is custom-designed to report what you need, specifically for your medical practice or facility.

Lewiston, ME (PRWEB) June 2, 2005

In response to customer requests Saferating Inc announces the release on a new customer focused Unlimited Form Subscription.

According to Robert (Bob) Genest, CEO, customers may now subscribe to a new model allowing customers to build and maintain an unlimited number of online, secure data tools utilizing our Paperless Form Technology (PFT).

No hardware to buy. No software to buy. One flat rate. No “per submission” fees. Cost-controlled.

Saferating offers onsite or web-based training showing clients how to build online data forms. It’s easy and effective. All the forms you need. Genest quips, “Think of it as an ‘all you can eat buffet’ -- without the calories.” This decision was driven by the customers. “As they saw the value of our technology, their appetites grew for more Paperless Forms. Saferating decided to offerr existing and new customers this unlimited subscription at one low price.” The more forms you build, the lower the cost per form; this is truly an unlimited offering. This model allows small and large customers the creative license to build forms for all their needs. For pricing and more go to www. Saferating. com

About Saferating:

A leading developer of Paperless Form Technology for the healthcare industry, Saferating. com provides HIPAA compliant applications to document and report clinical activity, as well as other solutions, to meet JCAHO requirements for reporting Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR), Medication Errors, Anticoagulant Treatment Recording, Incident Reporting, Pharmacist Intervention, Patient Satisfaction Surveys, Sample Medication Tracking, Nursing Unit Inspections, Unit-Based Cabinet Dispensing Errors, and Competency Assessment. Saferating. comÂ’s solutions reduce cost and improve patient care by eliminating paper-based forms and eliminating redundant data entry. Saferating. com is based in Lewiston, Maine. For pricing and more information on Saferating. com, please visit www. Saferating. com.

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Pittcon 2011 Honors Scientists for Outstanding Contributions

Pittcon 2011 Honors Scientists for Outstanding Contributions

The Pittcon 2011 Program Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of 10 prestigious awards honoring scientists who have made outstanding contributions to analytical chemistry and applied spectroscopy.

Pittsburgh, PA (Vocus/PRWEB) December 10, 2010

The Pittcon 2011 Program Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of 10 prestigious awards honoring scientists who have made outstanding contributions to analytical chemistry and applied spectroscopy. The awards, presented during a symposium at Pittcon 2011, March 13-18, Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC), Atlanta, Georgia, will recognize scientists from diverse disciplines including bioanalytical science, biomedical, chromatography, electrochemistry, mass spectrometry, nanotechnology, separations science, and vibrational spectroscopy.

The Pittcon Heritage Award recognizes outstanding individuals whose entrepreneurial careers have shaped the instrumentation community, inspired achievement, promoted public understanding of the modern instrumentation sciences and highlighted the role of analytical chemistry in world economies. This year’s award will be presented to the original founders of Thermo Electron, George Hatsopoulos, John Hatsopoulos, and Arvin Smith during Opening Session of Pittcon 2011, which begins at 4:30 p. m. on Sunday, March 13 in the Sidney Marcus Auditorium, GWCC.

Other awards and recipients are as follow:
 Pittsburgh Analytical Chemistry Award, Raoul Kopelman, Richard Smalley Distinguished University Professor of Chemistry, Physics, Biophysics, Biomedical Engineering, and Applied Physics, University of Michigan

 Ralph N Adams Award, James W. Jorgenson, William Rand Kenan, Jr., Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

 Charles N Reilley and Young Investigator Awards – SEAC, Richard Van Duyne, Charles E. and Emma H. Morrison Professor of Chemistry, Northwestern University

 ACS Subdivision of Chromatography and Separation Chemistry Young Investigator Award, Philip Britz-McKibbin, Associate Professor of Bio-analytical and Chemical Biology, McMaster University

 Chromatography Forum of the Delaware Valley Dal Nogare Award, Janusz Pawliszyn University Professor, Department of Chemistry at the University of Waterloo, Ontario

 Pittsburgh Conference Achievement Award, Lingjun Li, Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison

 Pittsburgh Spectroscopy Award, Adriaan Bax, NIH Distinguished Investigator, National Institutes of Health

 Williams-Wright Award, Howard Mark, Mark Electronics

 Bomem-Michelson Award, Isao Noda, Scientist, Proctor and Gamble Company, Cincinnati, Ohio

Complete details on all awards can be found at pittcon. org.

About Pittcon
Pittcon® is a registered trademark of The Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, a Pennsylvania non-profit organization. Co-sponsored by the Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh and the Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh, Pittcon is the premier annual conference and exposition on laboratory science. Proceeds from Pittcon fund science education and outreach at all levels, kindergarten through adult. Pittcon donates nearly a million dollars each year in the form of science equipment grants, research grants, scholarships and internships for students, awards to teachers and professors, and grants to public science centers, libraries and museums. Visit pittcon. org for more information.

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Combination Products, Package Design, and OEE on the Agenda for May 26th Conference in Princeton, NJ

Combination Products, Package Design, and OEE on the Agenda for May 26th Conference in Princeton, NJ

Healthcare Packaging’s annual event for packagers of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, nutraceuticals and biologics is scheduled for May 26 in Princeton, NJ. Combination products packaging, working with the FDA, continuous manufacturing, and brand strategies are among the key topics.

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) January 24, 2011

Summit Media Group’s Healthcare Packaging returns to Princeton, NJ, for its annual educational and networking conference. This year’s gathering, May 26 at the Westin Princeton at Forrestal Village, will cover operational strategies, package design case histories, global market research and peer-to-peer education on how to create packaging that delivers improved sales, compliance, protection, and profits. The program is designed for packaging decision-makers, including packaging engineers, validation and regulation specialists, package designers, security and quality control professionals, sustainability managers, and solution providers in the pharmaceutical, medical device, and related healthcare industries.

Mike Wokasch, author of Pharmaplasia and long-time pharmaceutical industry veteran, will deliver the keynote address, focusing on what today's pharmaceutical manufacturers must do to weather the uncertainties in the healthcare marketplace. Mike Drues, Ph. D. and president of Vascular Sciences will cover the latest developments in combination products and offer his perspective on working with the FDA. Laure L. Larkin, packaging validation supervisor, Synthes USA, an international medical device company, will address combination product package stability aspects and validation issues.

James Evans, of The Novartis-MIT Center for Continuous Manufacturing, will examine packaging’s role in transforming pharmaceutical production with continuous manufacturing. He’ll describe the benefits this process delivers, including production efficiency, lower capital costs, and minimized waste and energy consumption.

Russ Napolitano, vp of strategic development at New York City brand identity consultancy Wallace Church, will explain how brand owners can make their products stand out in the marketplace. Napolitano will examine Internet and sampling strategies, focusing on packaging structure and graphics. Throughout the day, the Euromonitor International global research firm will share insights and statistics pertaining to consumer behavior and pharmaceutical and healthcare trends. Registration is open at http://www. healthcarepackaging. com/conference.

About Summit Media Group, Inc.

Chicago-based Summit Media Group, Inc. (http://www. summitmediagroup. com) is an integrated media publisher offering business information for professionals in packaging and manufacturing automation. Print magazines include flagship monthly Packaging World, Automation World, Packaging World’s PACK EXPO Showcase, Healthcare Packaging, and Contract Packaging. In addition to publishing a variety of newsletters, Summit also produces webinars and conferences and owns Web resource GreenerPackage. com.

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Legendary Jockeys to Appear at the International Equestrian Festival

Legendary Jockeys to Appear at the International Equestrian Festival

The International Equestrian Festival in Lexington, Kentucky pays homage to the Thoroughbred industry with special appearances and autograph sessions by renowned jockeys Jean Cruguet, Steve Cauthen, Pat Day and Calvin Borel, as well as Secretariat jockey Ron Turcotte and Kate Tweedy (daughter of Secretariat owner Penny Chenery). The jockeys will appear in the Horze exhibition at the Pre-Vent Feeders International Equestrian Festival beginning October 3 through October 7.

Lexington, KY (PRWEB) September 30, 2010

The Pre-Vent Feeders International Equestrian Festival presented by HRTV today announced several special appearances planned to showcase Kentucky’s proud Thoroughbred heritage. Autograph sessions by legendary jockeys Ron Turcotte, Jean Cruguet, Steve Cauthen, Pat Day and Calvin Borel, and a special signing by Kate Tweedy of her book, “Secretariat’s Meadow,” take place at the Horze stage and display at the International Equestrian Festival, which runs now through October 10 at the downtown Lexington Convention Center. 

Sunday, October 3
1:30 p. m. – Triple Crown winning jockeys Ron Turcotte, Jean Cruguet and Steve Cauthen will share with festival goers reflections on their celebrated careers.

2:00 – 4:30 p. m. – Ron Turcotte, Jean Cruguet and Steve Cauthen autograph session

Monday, October 4
2:00 p. m. – Meadow Stable Day – meet Secretariat jockey Ron Turcotte, Kate Tweedy and exercise rider Charlie Davis

Tuesday, October 5
5:00 p. m. – “Secretariat’s Meadow” book signing by Kate Tweedy, daughter of Penny Chenery, owner of the 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat. 

Wednesday, October 6 3:00 p. m. – Jean Cruguet and Pat Day autograph session

Thursday, October 7
3:00 p. m.- Calvin Borel autograph session with special Borel bobbleheads available

About the Jockeys
Ron Turcotte is best known as the jockey of Secretariat, the 1973 Triple Crown winner. That campaign set still-existing track records in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. A Hall of Fame jockey, Mr. Turcotte won over 3,000 races and is the only jockey ever to have won five of six consecutive Triple Crown races.

Jean Cruguet holds the distinction of being the only jockey to ride an undefeated Triple Crown champion – 1977’s Seattle Slew. In his forty years as a jockey, Mr. Cruguet won more than 2,400 races.

Steve Cauthen became the youngest jockey to ever win the Triple Crown when, in 1978, he rode Affirmed to victory, a feat that also garnered him Sports Illustrated’s “Sportsman of the Year” award. A Kentucky native, Mr. Cauthen enjoyed a lucrative career, winning nearly 2,800 races.

With more than 8,800 winning races, Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day holds nine individual Triple Crown race victories. He is the all-time winning jockey at Churchill Downs and holds the record for all-time North American race earnings.

Winning in 2007, 2009 and 2010, Calvin Borel holds the distinction of being the first jockey to win three Kentucky Derbys in a four-year span. He is also one of only a few jockeys ever to win both the Kentucky Oaks and Derby in the same year. In June of this year, Mr. Borel became the second jockey (Pat Day being the first) to win 1,000 career races at Churchill Downs.

The jockeys will appear at the Horze stage and booth, located within the Festival’s shopping expo of more than 200 vendors. Horze is one of Europe’s largest horse and riding equipment providers, with an online shop accessible in English, German, Finnish, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Russian, Spanish, French, Dutch and Italian. For more information, visit www. horze. com.

In addition to the Legendary Jockeys activities, the Festival offers visitors an international shopping expo, horse demonstrations, equestrian celebrities, educational seminars and a wide variety of entertainment options. Tickets to the Festival are $5 for a one-day pass, or $8 for a multi-day pass and can be purchased at the door. For a complete event schedule, visit www. internationalequestrianfestival. com.

Horse Capital Productions, LLC promotes entertainment, education, and tourism for the horse industry with large-scale events production and web-based education and entertainment solutions. The 2010 Pre-Vent Feeders International Equestrian Festival presented by HRTV (September 25 – October 10, 2010), is a Horse Capital Productions event sponsored by Pre-Vent Feeders, HRTV, Active Interest Media, ABC-36 television, The UPS Store, Nutrena, Hollywood Casino, Bayer Animal Health, Martin Collins International, Spoga Horse, Kraft Brothers Inc., Segway of Paducah and Julie Goodnight, with partnerships including Eastern Kentucky University and the Kentucky Horse Council, and support from Horse Radio Network. Horse Capital Productions, which also runs the Kentucky horse farm tours online ticketing system HYPERLINK "http://www. HorseCapitalTours. com" (http://www. HorseCapitalTours. com") www. HorseCapitalTours. com, is based in Lexington, the heart of Kentucky bluegrass horse country, and operates under the philosophy of doing what is right for the horse, the community and the sport of horses. Horse Capital Productions, LLC and the International Equestrian Festival are not sponsors or affiliates of the 2010 Alltech World Equestrian Games.

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Byron Miller for Congress: We can make a difference

Byron Miller for Congress: We can make a difference.

Byron Miller announces his candidacy for the 2006 election to the U. S. House of Representatives, to serve the people of Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District

(PRWEB) February 14, 2005

It is with great pleasure and pride that I announce my candidacy for the 2006 election to the U. S. House of Representatives, to serve the people of Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District. I want to help ensure a better future for us, our children, and our parents by promoting the Democratic Party's platform – promoting the needs of working families and seniors, and increasing access to educational opportunities, health care, and jobs.

Our Constitution enshrines our commitment to a government of, for, and by the people of this great republic. I want to bring our government – our Congress – back to the people, back to its roots: to the citizens it is supposed to serve and protect. I want to help my fellow Pennsylvanians show the world that the ideal of democracy is worth the struggle, worth the fight – and that the freedoms our Constitution holds sacred are open to all.

I firmly believe in American values: strong families, a well-rounded education, and opportunity for all. I will stand with you in fighting to uphold these values, and I will hold them dear to my own heart.

It is YOU that I will fight for, YOU that I want to represent – not simply out of the goodness of my heart, but also out of the passion that drives me to help my fellow Pennsylvanians succeed by working to create an equitable future for all.

To find out more information or to contact us please visit http://www. byronmiller. org (http://www. byronmiller. org).

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Consumer Driven Health Plans [CDHP]

Consumer Driven Health Plans [CDHP]

CDHP is about transferring the reins of health-care costs to the participating individual, thereby making him an active and informed decision maker for his/her heath-care needs.

(PRWEB) May 21, 2005

Do you know that skyrocketing health care costs have been draining the federal government and employerÂ’s exchequers over the last couple of years? The health care costs account for 15.5 percent of U. S GDP and is the most expensive benefit paid by employers, seriously affecting their competitiveness in the global market. Health care spending is projected to top $1.9 trillion in 2005, about twice the amount being spent on education. According to the Employment Policy Foundation, employers have spent $331 billion last year for health insurance, a 50 percent increase since 1998. All of these never-improving alarming statistics did result in designing the Consumer Driven Health Plan (CDHP), making the insured person an active member in controlling the costs, rather than being passive and relying on the managed benefit program. The idea was pioneered by Definity Health in Minnesota in the year 2000 and has seen a rapid adoption by the employers/employees over the years due to its inherent cure-for-all strategy.

CDHP ( http://www. healthinsurancedepth. com (http://www. healthinsurancedepth. com)) is all about transferring the reins of health-care costs to the participating individual, thereby making him an active and informed decision maker for his/her heath-care needs. Consumer-directed health plans (CDHPs) are typically a combination of a high-deductible medical insurance plan coupled with an employer sponsored reimbursement account (HRA) or a health care savings (HSA) plan that consumers access to pay for eligible medical care expenses. Unutilized funds may be carried over for health care expenses for future years, encouraging the participants to use the accumulated asset in a wise manner. The plans would also include coverage for any preventive care services such as annual health-checkups, immunizations and childcare. The money from the savings plan can also be used for tax-free reimbursement of post-retirement insurance premiums.

In the HRA version of the plan, the employer sets aside a pre-defined set of dollars for usage by the employee. The HRA plan is not transferable between employers. When the amount is exhausted, there is some out-of-pocket expenditure incurred by the participant. Employers are now able to control the health-care costs, and the member is encouraged to wisely utilize the money using the annual rollover feature to save for possible major future expenses. The HSA based plan, involves contribution to a savings account on a pre-tax basis, by the employer and/or employee and is portable as the participant changes employer / plan. The member also has the flexibility to select the investment options for the savings account. In either of the plans, the participant has to pay the pre-defined level of annual deductible and the remaining expenses are reimbursed by the plan on a co-payment basis, subject to a maximum level of out-of-pocket payment. The memberÂ’s incentive of maintaining the assets in the account encourages proper scrutiny of health-care related bills, costs and/or evaluation of the necessity of visits to the doctor. Inherent to the design of the plan, the participant is rewarded through increased savings by judiciously controlling his/her medical expenses.

HSA is a comparatively newer development in the insurance industry, resulting in a usual time lag of adoption by the employers. As per a recent survey conducted by America's Health Insurance Plans, 79 percent of the HSA adoptions were by individuals. Even though the number of employers offering HRAs outnumber those that offer HSAs, but in the long-run it is estimated that the latter will take over due to its simplicity and popularity among the consumers as they have more control on the accumulated medical dollars.

Another recent survey of employers conducted by Mercer Human Resource Consulting, reveals a preference of HSAs being offered by as compared to the other plan by the year 2006. According to Charles Koser, Infinisource Vice President of Business Development, 40 percent of businesses with less than 10 employees do not offer health insurance based on a recent study done by the National Federation of Independent Businesses [ NFIB ]. He further states that, HSA is a very affordable option for these employers and probably proves the point when the study also reveals that 32 percent of HSA adopters were uninsured.

Proper Communication is probably the key factor in ensuring adoption of CDHPs in an organization. According to Sara Taylor, national leader for annual enrollment at Hewitt Associates "Employers aren't going to see much enrollment in consumer-driven health plans, if it's only one option out of 15 plans….Having a choice between a consumer-driven plan and a traditional health plan is a better way to drive employee enrollment to HSAs and HRAs”. Also, the initiatives must stress on building a healthier and health-care-cost-conscious workforce with cheaper access to preventive care with a CDHP. Over the next couple of years, we are probably going to see more adoptions of CDHPs by the major corporations, giving the employees direct control of the medical dollars and controlling the investment opportunities for the accumulated assets.

A recent survey was conducted by Aon Consulting and International Society of Certified Employee Benefit Specialists (ISCEBS), in January and February of this year. The survey of 208 benefit managers revealed that 22 percent of the businesses offered a CDHP to their employees. To indicate that CDHP has gained significant popularity in recent years, the survey also mentions that 74 percent of the corporations offering a CDHP started doing so in 2004 and 2005, with over half that group having started in January this year. As per a Forrester Research study, about $88 billion of insurance-premium dollars are estimated from adoption of CDHP model by 2007. With a gradual adoption of CDHP model among the employees - an organization of about 10,000 employees, incurring about $8,000 per employee annually – can save up to $10 million over a period of four years.

At the same time, consumer needs to make sure they at least get a PPO (http://www. healthinsurancedepth. com (http://www. healthinsurancedepth. com)) style negotiated price through their health insurance carriers before they meet their deductibles – otherwise savings of the affordable health insurance may go way. More and more doctors and hospitals are getting it in writing from the patients that they will be paying usual and customary charges instead of lower PPO negotiated prices. This trend itself can make Consumer Driven Health and Medical Insurance unattractive.

To sum it up, CDHP seems to be offering a reliable antidote for the raging health-care costs in corporate America and create a new pool of cost-conscious consumers.

For more info visit: http://www. healthinsurancedepth. com (http://www. healthinsurancedepth. com)

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Going Green? Don't Forget Sunscreen

Going Green? Don't Forget Sunscreen

The rush to go green is like the gold rush of 1849. If you really desire to positively impact the environment, one of the first things you should do is get yourself a green sunscreen--one that is made with all natural ingredients.

Panama City Beach, FL (PRWEB) March 6, 2008

The rush to go green is like the gold rush of 1849. If you really desire to positively impact the environment, one of the first things you should do is get yourself a green sunscreen (http://www. puresunscreen. com)--one that is made with all natural ingredients.

Traditional sunscreens contain chemicals that can impact our environment. The chemical UV filters, preservatives and scents wash off and can contaminate pools, oceans, lakes and streams when you go swimming. In fact, there is some evidence that at least one of these chemicals survives the sewage treatment process.

One of the most recent studies to link sunscreen chemicals to adverse reactions in the environment was completed by the Polytechnic University of the Marche (http://www. ehponline. org/members/2008/10966/10966.pdf), Italy. It documents the effects of sunscreen exposure on coral samples from reefs in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. This study concluded that even low levels of sunscreen chemicals, at or below the typical amount used by swimmers, could promote viral infections that can completely bleach coral in just four days.

The Italian researchers estimate that 4,000 to 6000 metric tons of sunscreen washes off swimmers annually worldwide. Eco-parks in Mexico, such as Xel-Ha and Xcaret, have already banned the use of sun-tan lotions and sunscreens with oils and chemical ingredients because, according to their website, "these sunscreens damage marine flora and kill fish."

If you are serious about protecting our planets sensitive ecosystems, using a chemical free sunscreen is an easy transition. One environmentally friendly sunscreen that can make it easy for you is MelanSol®--it contributes to a healthy body and a healthy planet.

MelanSol® is a biodegradable sunscreen invented by Peter Zahner, a basal cell skin cancer survivor. Zahner designed his chemical free sunscreen to be safe for all ages, while being in complete harmony with our environment. "MelanSol® is a great fit for parents who want to make healthy choices for their family and practice environmental conservation at the same time." said Michael Russ, US distributor for MelanSol®.

What sets MelanSol® apart from other sunscreens is that it gives your skin the all important topical anti-oxidant protection traditional sunscreens rarely provide. "Topical anti-oxidants are important because they help prevent the oxidative stress that occurs when free radicals outnumber your body's natural anti-oxidants on the skin," says Zahner. Free radicals (oxidants), caused by UV rays, are the culprits responsible for long-term skin damage that can lead to leathery skin, wrinkles, sagging skin, sun spots and possibly even skin cancer later in life. MelanSol® has been a favorite all natural sunscreen among Swiss Dermatologists for several years.

MelanSol® is the first all natural biodegradable sunscreen to meet the rigorous environmental criterion of the fast growing Green Hotels Association (http://www. greenhotels. com). "Hotels can now proudly offer their guests an all natural sunscreen that fits their image and environmental commitment." said Russ. "Companies can benefit when they provide or recommend a green sunscreen to their employees as part of their green policy."

MelanSol® is made in the USA and distributed by Oceana Naturals, LLC. It is available on the web (http://www. PureSunscreen. com) and through a growing number of selected retailers nationwide.

Media inquiries, please call Michael J. Russ at 866-242-3776.

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SmartNow. com's "Back to You" Makeover Promotion - Already a Winner

SmartNow. com's "Back to You" Makeover Promotion - Already a Winner

SmartNow. com, a site for women over 35 which provides information and community for those who want to feel good, do good and look good, announces early success with its "Back to You" beauty makeover promotion. There were hundreds of applicants. Voting for the winner began August 22nd and thousands of votes have been cast within two days. All are encouraged to visit SmartNow. com and cast their vote before voting ends on September 4th.

San Francisco (PRWEB) August 26, 2008

SmartNow today announced that their first promotion, an all expense paid trip to NYC for a beauty makeover, has attracted and engaged women across the US. SmartNow. com launched in late May with the mission of providing women 35+ with a place to get relevant, age-appropriate information on health, beauty, fitness, relationships, nutrition and philanthropy, while providing a community where women can actively engage with SmartNow's group of experts and with each other.

SmartNow. com posted the Top 20 semi-finalists of its first promotion, the Back to You Makeover on August 23rd. Site visitors are now casting their votes for a winner, and in the first 24 hours thousands of votes were registered. The SmartNow experts will also weigh in on the final winner. For this first promotion, the SmartNow experts involved include Dr. Lenora Felderman, a leading NYC dermatologist practicing at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and Lenox Hill Hospital; Matthew Shields, accomplished hair stylist at Sally Hershberger whose clients have included Jane Fonda and Meg Ryan; Bridgette Raes, stylist and author of Style Rx: Dressing the Body You Have to Create the Body You Want and Raychel Wade, makeup expert and owner of Cheek to Chic in NYC.

The women's stories are all posted on SmartNow. com and anyone can vote. Emails to friends and family are encouraging all to vote early and vote often. Voting ends September 4, 2008 at 5pm PST. The winner must be ready to pack their bag and head off to NYC on September 9th for a day of beauty the following day.

"The women who applied for this makeover had stories that made us laugh, cry and empathize with them. Plus the applicants are really having fun with this promotion and that is part of our mission," said Julie Wainwright, CEO and Co-founder of SmartNow. Based on the traffic patterns so far, it seems that other women are finding the women's stories to be inspiring as well.

To further drive brand awareness and traffic, SmartNow will regularly offer targeted promotions as a key vehicle for women to find and explore SmartNow. The next promotion is a Holiday themed event and begins in September.

About SmartNow. com
SmartNow. com provides women over 35 with information to help them feel good, look good and do good. The site has over 10,000 pages of expert information and community on health, nutrition, fitness, beauty, humor, relationships and inspiration. Dedicated to providing practical advice and solutions, the site has a wide variety of experts, including doctors and researchers, coaches for diet and general wellness, nutritionists, fitness and yoga professionals and beauty experts contributing to the site on a regular basis. www. smartnow. com

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Health Club Marketing and Advertising Powerhouses Join Forces

Health Club Marketing and Advertising Powerhouses Join Forces

Profit Partners LLC of Fair Haven NJ and Susan K. Bailey of Ontario Canada have joined forces to create more effective marketing and advertising for health club owners in the U. S. and Canada. Profit Partners LLC has been creating marketing systems for the health club industry exclusively since 2003. The award-winning firm of Susan K. Bailey has been creating advertisements and lead generators for the health club industry since 1983. Together, these two firms bring decades of experience to deliver the most effective marketing and advertising solutions to health club, fitness center and gym owners.

FAIR HAVEN, NJ (PRWEB) November 16, 2006

Profit Partners LLC of Fair Haven NJ and Susan K. Bailey of Ontario Canada have joined forces to create more effective marketing and advertising for health club owners in the U. S. and Canada. Profit Partners LLC (http://www. myprofitpartner. org) has been creating marketing systems for the health club industry exclusively since 2003. The award-winning firm of Susan K. Bailey (http://www. clubads. com) has been creating advertisements and lead generators for the health club industry since 1983. Together, these two firms bring decades of experience to deliver the most effective marketing and advertising solutions to health club, fitness center and gym owners.

43.8 million Americans have spent $15.9 billion dollars on memberships to health, sports and racquet clubs last year. This industry has grown every year, yet many of the owners of these clubs are reporting flat or declining revenue. The reason is simple; more competition. Although a record number of people are buying memberships, the number of choices has also increased. This has brought with it a new challenge for the owners; get more members than the competition.

The Price of the Membership is not the Problem

In the last twelve months, Profit Partners has surveyed over 2,400 people who have joined health clubs, gyms, athletic and fitness centers. This survey confirmed the fact that price is not the #1 reason people pick one club over another. Yet when you look at health a club ad, that's all they talk about. "People, who are trying to look better and feel better, want convenience, no hassles and variety. If you provide that at a reasonable cost, you will win the market share" said Bob Sisk co-founder of Profit Partners LLC. Profit Partners creates the messaging and systems for clubs from their website, phone scripts and drop in scripts. They create all of the facets of a club's strategic marketing. The focus is on what makes that club unique and different from the rest. "Susan K. Bailey provides the highest quality look needed to create the all important first impression. They continue to exceed the expectations of their clients. Profit Partners are very excited about the finished products." said Allan Boushie Co-Founder of Profit Partners LLC.

The Playing Field Has Been Leveled

Profit Partners has made it possible for small and mid-sized club owners to receive the same high quality marketing and advertising solutions as the $100 million national chains. "In a sense, we have leveled the playing field." Sisk said. Smaller health clubs can now achieve the same impact in the market place as the mega centers. Too many hard working entrepreneurs watched their revenues disappear when a national chain moved into town. With a proven marketing and advertising system a health club will achieve growth in a competitive environment.

Sue Kell, President of Susan K. Bailey, says "People are powered by emotion more than reason. We are 80 percent emotional and 20 percent rational. If we can't get emotional about fitness, why will our customers? The message that we at SKB constantly retain in the back of our creative minds is that being fit simply makes life better. Our focus is clear: to be passionate about our client's club and create compelling advertising that convinces individuals to become members and get more out of life. While reason makes all advertising the same, emotion creates differences no one dreamed of."

Health Club owners don't have the time to learn how to become marketing experts. Thanks to the joint efforts of Profit Partners LLC and Susan K. Bailey Advertising, they don't have to.

About Profit Partners LLC

Profit Partners LLC is headquartered at 492 River Road in Fair Haven, NJ 07704. They are a Marketing firm which was founded in 2001. Since 2003, they have worked exclusively with health clubs and the fitness industry; becoming an industry leader. Their successful programs were launched nationally in 2004. For more information on their services or the other benefits they provide, visit www. MyProfitPartner. org, or call 732-419-9001.

About Susan K. Bailey Advertising

Susan K. Bailey is headquartered at 244 Ashley Street, Foxboro, Ontario, Canada K0K2B0. They are a full scale print shop, mailing house with 19 graphic designers. They have been creating award winning advertisements and lead generators for the industry since 1983. For more information on their services or the other benefits they provide, visit www. ClubAds. com or call 888-349-4594.

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