MEDai Analyzes the Utilization of Evidence-Based Data for Managed Care Decision Making

MEDai Analyzes the Utilization of Evidence-Based Data for Managed Care Decision Making

MEDai, Inc., a leading provider of advanced solutions for healthcare that utilize award-winning predictive modeling technology, headquartered in Orlando, FL, announced earlier this week that Diane Lee, Executive Vice President, will be discussing how utilization of evidenced-based data can be used for managed care decision making at the upcoming Evidenced-Based Medicine for Pharmaceutical Marketing conference on January 23 in Philadelphia, PA.

Orlando, FL (PRWEB) January 26, 2006

MEDai, Inc., a leading provider of advanced solutions for healthcare that utilize award-winning predictive modeling technology, headquartered in Orlando, FL, announced earlier this week that Diane Lee, Executive Vice President, will be discussing how utilization of evidenced-based data can be used for managed care decision making at the upcoming Evidenced-Based Medicine for Pharmaceutical Marketing conference on January 23 in Philadelphia, PA.

Managed care organizations are controlling rising pharmaceutical costs by adding only those therapeutics to formularies that can deliver improved patient outcomes while favorably impacting overall treatment costs relative to the standard of care. Manufacturers must find ways to prove to payors that their products offer compelling pharmacoeconomic value or face coverage rejection. Ms. Lee will introduce ways of utilizing evidence-based data and technology to help manufacturers address this concern and be more aggressive in their development targets.

For more than a decade, Risk Navigator Clinical has accurately forecasted prospective high-risk patients to improve patients' health and quality of care while controlling cost. The advantage of MEDai's prediction engine is its use of the right combination of linear and non-linear models to correctly "fit" the characteristics of the client's population. In addition to forecasting those that are high-risk/high-cost, Risk Navigator Clinical allows care managers to quickly identify members with the greatest impact potential from both financial and quality of life perspectives, improve underwriting accuracy, increase renewal rates and identify clinically effective therapies.

About MEDai

MEDai, Inc. is a leading health information company offering award-winning solutions for the improvement of healthcare delivery. Utilizing cutting-edge technology, payors and care management organizations are able to predict patients at risk, identify cost drivers for their high-risk population, forecast future health plan costs, evaluate patient patterns over time and improve outcomes. For more information on MEDai, visit www. medai. com.

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Homeless Teen Shelter Receives a $135,000 Gift Photocharity awards fourth annual check to The Storefront Emergency Shelter

Homeless Teen Shelter Receives a $135,000 Gift Photocharity awards fourth annual check to The Storefront Emergency Shelter

For the fourth straight year since its founding in 2000, Photocharity has raised much needed funds for The Storefront, San Diego's only emergency teen shelter, located in Hillcrest and operated by San Diego Youth and Community Services.

(PRWEB) July 20, 2005

For the fourth straight year since its founding in 2000, Photocharity has raised much needed funds for The Storefront, San Diego's only emergency teen shelter, located in Hillcrest and operated by San Diego Youth and Community Services. Photocharity awarded the results of its 2004-2005 fundraising efforts to The Storefront in a ceremony held at the facility on July 5, with founder and president Jeffrey Sitcov presenting a giant check for $135,000 to Fern Steiner, Vice President, Board of Directors, San Diego Youth & Community Services. The funds will be used to pay for operational expenses and programs that help troubled teens regain control of their lives and feel good about themselves. To date, Photocharity has raised over half-a-million dollars in its efforts to support The Storefront, its sole beneficiary.

"We are absolutely thrilled to present our largest check yet to The Storefront," said Sitcov. "Our community has really rallied behind this cause. They've said loud and clear that we've got to do something about the nearly 2,000 teens that are homeless on our streets every day. Thanks to all the angels in San Diego that are donating time and money, we were able raise over $135,000 for The Storefront this year."

Those funds will be used by The Storefront to fund the following for the coming year: breakfasts for the teens, a music program director and two assistants, music program supplies, an African drumming anger management program, an after school arts program, recreational activities including snowboarding, surfing, snorkeling and rock climbing; a full-time independent living skills coordinator and assistant, a half-time outreach worker, health education, a clinical psychologist for weekly supervision and testing as needed, water utility bills, property maintenance, and gasoline for the outreach van.

"We are so fortunate to have a partner like Photocharity," said Steiner on behalf of The Storefront. "We couldn't do everything we do without their vital support. Photocharity has helped us provide several innovative programs that really help the teens regain their self-esteem and build skills they'll need for living."

About Photocharity

Photocharity is a San Diego-based, non-profit (501-c3) organization founded by Jeffrey Sitcov in July of 2000. Photocharity's mission is to save homeless youth globally, one community at a time. The organization started its efforts in San Diego, raising money for the Storefront homeless teen shelter, the only such shelter in the community. In 2005, the organization is expanding its efforts to San Francisco, and will also start to build the Photocharity House, a long-term residence for homeless youth in San Diego. Photocharity raises money through corporate sponsorships, planned giving, benefit concerts, and the sale of memorabilia. More information about Photocharity and the Storefront can be found at www. photocharity. org.

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Improving Patient Care is Number One Concern of Therapists According to a Recent TherapyJobs. com Survey

Improving Patient Care is Number One Concern of Therapists According to a Recent TherapyJobs. com Survey

Improving patient care was the number one concern of therapists in a recent survey conducted by TherapyJobs. com. The healthcare reform survey, which was emailed to over 10,000 practicing therapists, asked for therapists to provide their opinions on the current healthcare system as well as the "Universal Healthcare" System being proposed by several presidential candidates.

Alpharetta, GA (PRWEB) May 13, 2008

May 13, 2008 Improving patient care was the number one concern of therapists in a recent survey conducted by TherapyJobs. com. The healthcare reform survey (http://www. therapyjobs. com/healthcarereform/), which was emailed to over 10,000 practicing therapists, asked for therapists to provide their opinions on the current healthcare system as well as the "Universal Healthcare" System being proposed by several presidential candidates.

Regardless of the number of years practicing, all therapists seemed to be concerned with how a revamped healthcare system would affect patients. In response to the question "If healthcare reform is adopted, what factors might have a bearing on your career plans?," one therapist responded "If patient care diminished even more, it would be time for a new career." Another therapist commented, "I am going back to school for a second degree because I am fed up with the healthcare system and cannot wait for a new one to be implemented."

When asked specifically about how a Universal Healthcare System would impact patient care, 60% agreed that patient wait time for medical procedures would increase dramatically. They also felt by a small margin (37% to 31%) that patient care would be worse under such a system as opposed to better.

On the positive side, therapists agreed that if a Universal Healthcare System was implemented, patients would have greater access to affordable prescription drugs and more efficient processing of their electronic medical records.

Therapists overwhelmingly agreed regardless of what type of healthcare system is in place, citizens who live a "healthy lifestyle" should be granted special breaks. Tax credits and reduced healthcare costs were the most frequently mentioned rewards. One therapist respondent suggested we offer tax deductions for healthcare memberships.

There was a strong consensus among survey respondents that healthcare reform is critically important in this election. Their overall goal was to vote for the candidate that would help them achieve better total healthcare for their patients. Therapists were evenly divided as to which current presidential candidate they felt would best deliver on the promise of an improved healthcare plan.

A sampling of comments related to key survey questions illustrates the diversity of opinions expressed by therapist respondents:
•I would want to provide the best care to the most patients.
•I don't see healthcare reform as a personal issue - it's about the patients.
•I am tired of fighting ridiculous battles over every charge I submit.
•I want what is great for our country. I do not vote for political leaders based on how it benefits me. "Ask what you can do for your country"
•I would like for insurance companies to be eliminated and healthcare for all, but I do not want the supposed pitfalls that come with Universal Healthcare.

Given the shortage across all therapy specialties including physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, the therapist viewpoint is critical to the healthcare system. The American Physical Therapy Association released a report in early April stating that 28% of employers quote 2-5 years as the average amount of time it takes to fill a physical therapy opening in a skilled nursing facility. Sixteen percent cite one to two years and 17% cite up to one full year to fill their positions. In an acute care hospital, 42% of employers state it can take up to 180 days to fill their open physical therapy positions with 24% taking up to a year.

The survey results in their entirety can be found online at http://www. therapyjobs. com/healthcarereform/ (http://www. therapyjobs. com/healthcarereform/).

About TherapyJobs. com
With over 9,000 registered therapists and 15,000 available therapy jobs, TherapyJobs. com is dedicated to providing therapists with the choices and resources to best manage their career in therapy. Providing therapists with a customizable experience, TherapyJobs. com ensures that they will maximize all of the therapy career resources (http://www. therapyjobs. com/therapy-careers/) the site has to offer. Exclusively targeting therapy professionals in the fields of speech pathology (including audiology), physical therapy and occupational therapy, TherapyJobs. com offers therapy employers thousands of qualified candidates from one central location. The website provides employers with a made to order therapy recruitment experience, so they are sure to find the perfect candidate for their therapy position. TherapyJobs. com is part of a network of healthcare niche sites powered by Healthcare Job Boards.

About Healthcare Job Boards
The leading provider of career concierge sites in the healthcare market, Healthcare Job Boards is dedicated to providing premier career concierge sites for the healthcare disciplines its network searches. Healthcare Job Boards (http://www. healthcarejobboards. com/) currently manages online career concierge sites for the therapy, nursing and physician market. The corporate website listing all of its specialty job boards can be found at HealthcareJobBoards. com

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Martial Arts Training Legend GrandMaster Dr. Ted Gambordella Releases a New Membership Site on Effective Self Defense Moves and Techniques

Martial Arts Training Legend GrandMaster Dr. Ted Gambordella Releases a New Membership Site on Effective Self Defense Moves and Techniques

GrandMaster Dr. Ted Gambordella, author of "The 100 Deadliest Karate Moves" is launching a membership site where he will be providing his more than 30 years of experience to anyone interested in martial arts and self defense training.

Lafayette, OR (PRWEB) September 10, 2007

Living Legend Dr. Ted Gambordella, author of more than 40 books and DVDs on different areas of martial arts training and self defense techniques, is releasing a new membership site that is suitable for beginners and advanced.

Dr. Ted, is aware of the growing demand in America for martial arts training (http://www. secretsofmartialartsmasters. com), karate, mixed martial arts or any other kind of self defense methods. "18.1 million Americans participated in karate or some form of martial arts at least once in the past year" and every day more people are using the internet to find advice and training that they can practice at their own time.

There has been a huge growth of demand and flow of information on the internet on many martial arts disciplines, karate, mixed martial arts training, kung-fu, Aikido, Teakwood, kick boxing, etc. However, this also brings a lot of misinformation, if you don't have the proper guidance. Dr Ted wants to create a helpful community of like minded people that are passionate and want to help each other.

On the other side there is a growing demand for self defense training from people that want more personal security. "In America, there is one murder every 22 minutes, one rape every 5 minutes, one robbery every 49 seconds and one burglary every 10 seconds," they want street fight self defense advice and Dr Ted has the experience to teach the effective ways to do it.

Dr. Ted's books and programs have been used and endorsed by top universities and professional teams for over 30 years. He now wants to step forward and bring the community a way to learn his techniques, tactics, fitness programs, weapon training and more in one single place.

There are two kinds of people that want martial arts training, people who want to feel more secure on the Streets and have the confidence to confront any hard situation and people who want to practice martial arts as a sport, discipline that will give them a healthy life.

You can have access to Dr. Ted site for more information: visit:http://www. secretsofmartialartsmasters. com (http://www. secretsofmartialartsmasters. com)

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UNIS LUMIN Receives Commercial Success of the Year Award from Cisco Systems

UNIS LUMIN Receives Commercial Success of the Year Award from Cisco Systems

UNIS LUMIN announced it has received the 2004 Regional Award for Commercial Success of the Year in Central Canada from Cisco Systems Canada.

Oakville, Ontario (PRWEB) April 18, 2005

UNIS LUMIN announced it has received the 2004 Regional Award for Commercial Success of the Year in Central Canada from Cisco Systems Canada.

The award recognizes outstanding contribution in the development of a new solution which delivers unique value to our commercial customers in 2004. The award was presented at the recent Cisco Partner Summit 2005, held in Vancouver, British Columbia.

“We are very pleased to be recognized for this award. Cisco's internetworking and voice (VoIP) solutions are great value products for our customers. When you combine Cisco’s solutions with UNIS LUMIN's expertise in integrating customer business applications, our customers are able to maximize their investment value, helping us to meet our goal of making our customers more competitive and profitable”, said John Breakey, President, CEO and founder of UNIS LUMIN.

“We are proud to present UNIS LUMIN with the Commercial Success of the Year Award in Central Canada. UNIS LUMIN has continued to differentiate the value they deliver to their customers and we look forward to new solution development and our mutual partnership success,” said Steve Simmons, vice-president, Canadian Channel and Commercial Operations at Cisco Systems Canada.

Cisco Systems Canada recognizes the top national and regional channel partners annually at its Partner Summit. All awards are reviewed, evaluated and selected by the Canadian executive team.

For more features, news, videos, and photos relating to the Cisco 2005 Partner Summit visit http://newsroom. cisco. com/partnersummit/ (http://newsroom. cisco. com/partnersummit/)

About UNIS LUMIN:

UNIS LUMIN is a leading provider of technology based business solutions. Since 1990, UNIS LUMIN has provided solutions to a wide range of organizations including major corporations, provincial ministries, healthcare and educational institutions helping them to increase efficiencies, reduce operating expenses, and use technology as a competitive edge. The scope of the company's experience and expertise includes the full range of technological services from technology planning and enterprise management to resolving complex integration issues and developing e-business applications. News and information on UNIS LUMIN is available at www. unislumin. com

About Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. Cisco Systems Canada Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Cisco Systems, Inc, has offices across Canada dedicated to customer support, sales, and service. News and information on Cisco Systems Canada is available at http://www. cisco. com/ca (http://www. cisco. com/ca).

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Learn How Muscles Work Before Working Your Muscles; "Anatomy for Strength and Fitness Training" Just Released

Learn How Muscles Work Before Working Your Muscles; "Anatomy for Strength and Fitness Training" Just Released

Essential exercise reference uses detailed, full-color anatomical illustrations of muscles and tendons to provide visual insight into what happens to the body during exercise.

New York, NY (PRWEB) August 17, 2006

More than just a “how to” of exercise and fitness training, "Anatomy for Strength and Fitness Training" (McGraw-Hill) is an essential exercise reference that uses detailed, full-color anatomical illustrations of muscles and tendons to provide visual insight into what happens to the body during exercise. Focused on workouts that increase flexibility and strength, this book offers not just proper technique, but helps readers understand how the exercise works to shape the body.

Each section of the book starts with a basic introduction that focuses on the body part or type of training covered. Part One provides a basic introduction to anatomical definitions and terminology. Part Two presents over 90 exercises featuring illustrations, together with instructions on execution and technique.

The exercises have been selected from a wide spectrum of activities, including strength training and gym fitness, stretching and flexibility training, yoga, Pilates, and bodybuilding, and are grouped by region. For reading and referencing ease, each exercise is classified by type, joint movement, action and skill level, and features an introductory paragraph with fascinating facts and trivia relating to the exercise. Supporting sidebars and graphics demonstrate the proper start and finish positions, stabilizing muscles, detailed analyses of the joints and muscles worked, along with other useful facts and training tips.

"Anatomy for Strength and Fitness Training" is also complete with a glossary of terms, index, and resources and Websites for further reading and information.

Mark Vella, who has been involved in the field of health and fitness for more than 15 years, and Dr. Nick Walters, an exercise physiologist with more than 20 years of experience, have designed this easy-to-navigate manual to be helpful for anyone who is participating in a fitness program, from the power-lifter who hits the gym daily, to the person who does Pilates or yoga at home in his or her spare time. This is an invaluable resource for understanding and maintaining your body.

Turn to "Anatomy for Strength and Fitness Training" for:

200+ muscle-by-muscle illustrations for an inside look at how exercise affects 70 different muscles

90+ exercises – ranging from free weights to machines to yoga and Pilates – that will sculpt your entire body

Tips for good form to maximize safety and effectiveness

Expert commentary on each exercise covering everything from history to cautions and benefits

Specific exercise programs for muscle tone and strength

A difficulty rating for every exercise ranging from beginner to advanced

A brief overview of anatomy, from anatomical definitions and terms to how to analyze an exercise

Mark Vella has been involved in the field of health and fitness for more than 15 years as a personal trainer, lifestyle counselor, and massage therapist. He lectures to fitness professionals on a variety of health science topics.

Dr. Nick Walters, an exercise physiologist with more than 20 years of experience, is the vice principal and head of research at the British College of Osteopathic Medicine in London.

Bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts learn how their muscles work before they work their muscles, and so should you!

"Anatomy for Strength and Fitness Training"

An Illustrated Guide to Your Muscles in Action

By Mark Vella, with Dr. Nick Walters

144 pages, 215 color illustrations

Paper, $19.95. ISBN: 0-07-147533-8

Publication Date: September 2006

For review copies and excerpts, contact:

Kenya M. Henderson

Publicist, McGraw-Hill Companies

2 Penn Plaza, 12th Floor

New York, NY 10121

P: 212.904.3346 F: 212.904.4091

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Larger Format LCDs for Commercial Use and Digital Signage Up 67% Y/Y; Commercial Plasma Products Lagging Behind LCDs Despite Size Advantages

Larger Format LCDs for Commercial Use and Digital Signage Up 67% Y/Y; Commercial Plasma Products Lagging Behind LCDs Despite Size Advantages

Commercial Plasma Products Lagging Behind LCDs Despite Size Advantages

Austin, Texas (Vocus) June 13, 2009

While "flat is the new up" for many technologies as the global recession continues, current results show that the flat-panel digital signage market continues to grow with larger-size commercial LCD products outpacing shipments of commercial plasma products 2-to-1 in Q1'09. Results from the recent DisplaySearch Quarterly FPD Public Display Shipment and Forecast Report (http://www. displaysearch. com/cps/rde/xchg/displaysearch/hs. xsl/quarterly_fpd_public_display_shipment_and_forecast_report. asp) revealed that Q1'09 worldwide shipments of larger size (26"+) flat panel displays used in commercial applications for out-of-home environments grew 2% Y/Y, but dropped 10% Q/Q showing that this market may not be completely impervious to the effects of the global recession. Further analysis revealed that this market segment is still healthy, however.

Sequential declines seen in the period came more as a result of fewer plasma shipments in the quarter due to some production transitions in that sector rather than falling demand. Conversely, LCD-based commercial displays saw a 3% sequential growth for the period and an astounding 67% growth when compared to the same period as last year. (Figure 1)

"While LCDs continued to gain momentum as an acceptable Out-of-Home (OoH) flat panel display technology with phenomenal Y/Y growth of 67%, plasma-based technologies were unable to take advantage of their price/size advantage in 50"+ sizes, thus shipments fell 37% in the same period," noted Chris Connery (http://www. displaysearch. com/cps/rde/xchg/displaysearch/hs. xsl/analysts_cconnery. asp), Vice President of PC and Large Format Commercial Displays. "Looking ahead, plasma looks to re-gain its strong foothold on the commercial FPD space as more production capacity--allowing for larger size displays to be produced even more efficiently start to come on board potentially even butting-up against other OoH technologies such as direct view LEDs and Rear and Front Projection systems in indoor venues."

Some major brands stopped promoting plasma as a technology for commercial applications in 2008 and such movements no doubt hurt public perception of the technology. Major players such as Panasonic are still quite focused on the technology and are preparing for an annual refresh of their professional line of products as well as expanded capacity, which indicates that this technology is far from being out of contention as a strong competitor in this space. DisplaySearch's results indicate that in spite of the drop off in Q1'09 WW total shipments for FPD technologies for commercial environments, Panasonic was the #2 brand for the quarter for large format commercial displays, behind #1 Samsung in total FPD commercial market share. (Table 1)

Looking forward, the display market will help drive market momentum around digital signage. Fabrication plants for larger LCDs and plasma products are will come on-line in 2009 and 2010 with sizes and technologies geared more towards Out-of-Home environments than traditional in-home TV display sizes. Other technologies such as various forms of front and rear projection are still prepared to combat the continued onslaught of FPD technologies as well (especially tiled LCD and PDP solutions) with new innovations on the horizon.

DisplaySearch Quarterly FPD Public Display Shipment and Forecast Report (http://www. displaysearch. com/cps/rde/xchg/displaysearch/hs. xsl/quarterly_fpd_public_display_shipment_and_forecast_report. asp) includes worldwide shipment and forecast data for both LCD - and PDP-based FPD public displays by quarter through 2015 with historical shipments by brand, by size, by region for LCD public displays and historical PDP total worldwide shipments by size from Q1'06 through the present. This report also provides cost forecasts of LCD and PDP modules used in public display environments as well as projected average street prices by size and by technology through 2015. This report is delivered in PowerPoint and includes enhanced Excel data tables. For more information, contact Charles Camaroto at 1.888.436.7673 or 1.516.625.2452, email contact (at) displaysearch (dot) com, or contact your regional DisplaySearch office in China, Japan, Korea or Taiwan.

About DisplaySearch
DisplaySearch, an NPD Group Company, has a core team of 57 employees, located in Europe, North America and Asia, who produce a valued suite of FPD-related market forecasts, technology assessments, surveys, studies and analyses. Visit the DisplaySearch blog (http://www. displaysearchblog. com/) to read about how our top analysts are interpreting up-to-the-minute issues that impact the display industry, and join us in this discussion about technology and the flat panel industry. The company also organizes influential events worldwide. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, DisplaySearch has regional operations in Chicago, Houston, Kyoto, London, San Diego, San Jose, Seoul, Shenzhen, Taipei and Tokyo, and the company is on the web at http://www. displaysearch. com/ (http://www. displaysearch. com/).

About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group is the leading provider of reliable and comprehensive consumer and retail information for a wide range of industries. Today, more than 1,700 manufacturers, retailers, and service companies rely on NPD to help them drive critical business decisions at the global, national, and local market levels. NPD helps our clients to identify new business opportunities and guide product development, marketing, sales, merchandising, and other functions. Information is available for the following industry sectors: automotive, beauty, commercial technology, consumer technology, entertainment, fashion, food and beverage, foodservice, home, office supplies, software, sports, toys, and wireless. For more information, contact us (http://npd. com/corpServlet? nextpage=contact-us_s. html) or visit http://www. npd. com/ (http://www. npd. com/) and http://www. npdgroupblog. com/ (http://www. npdgroupblog. com/).

Media Contact:
Stacey Voorhees-Harmon
Public Relations
Phone: 925-336-9592
E-mail: stacey (at) savvypublicrelations (dot) net

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