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Saturday, March 6, 2004

$1.1M in Grant Funds Awarded Globally by Ronald McDonald House Charities

More Than 40,000 Children to Benefit Across the Globe

Oak Brook, Il (Vocus) September 14, 2010

More than 40,000 children worldwide are benefiting from $1.1 million in grant funds recently awarded by Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®) to six international non-profit organizations. RMHC annually awards grants to non-profit programs (http://rmhc. org/what-we-do/grants/) that extend the reach of the Charity helping to provide much-needed program services and resources directly to children and their families worldwide.

“Thanks to the generosity of our donors, more than 40,000 children globally are receiving direct care through program grants this year,” said Marty Coyne, president and CEO, RMHC. “Our organization seeks to be part of the solution helping to eliminate many of the barriers that prevent families and children from getting the care they need and ultimately, expand the Charity’s capacity to change children’s lives around the world.” Coyne said that quality healthcare resources are in high demand for vulnerable populations, which is why RMHC makes it a priority to support these critical needs both domestically and globally.

2010 grant recipient recipients include:
Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support at St. Joseph’s University (Philadelphia, PA) – $25,000 granted to support the After-school Social Skills Program for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, which helps individuals with autism increase social motivation, initiation of social interaction, and appropriate social responses. The program will target 96 children, between the ages of 3 – 21, annually in Philadelphia.

One Heart Worldwide - $280,280 to support the Pregnancy and Village Outreach Training project in Mexico and Nepal to benefit 23,775 women in childbearing years. Grant funds will support the development, implementation and management of this project that includes a “train the trainer” model designed to strengthen skills and knowledge of community based providers through ongoing technical expertise and medical education so they can educate women and family members in the community how to prevent disease and recognize maternal and pediatric emergencies to help decrease the high number of maternal and infant deaths. United Cerebral Palsy Association of Greater Chicago (Chicago, Illinois) - $366,912 to benefit 16,000 children in Georgia and 9,500 children in Minnesota. Grant funds will provide teaching resources for children with specialized learning needs. These resources will foster and enhance their learning experiences and provide opportunities to better communicate and socialize, as well as achieve success in all school subjects and activities of daily living.

Water For People in Rwanda - $30,000 for a Children’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Program in Rwanda to benefit 5,600 children. The program will increase sustainable access to water and sanitation facilities, as well as promote hygiene practices among primary school students. Water For People will facilitate the construction of ecological sanitation latrines for girls and boys and rainwater catchment tanks at five schools.

Women’s Equity in Access to Care and Treatment (WE-ACTx) in Rwanda - $253,600 awarded to support an innovative pediatric and youth program which serves 600 children suffering from HIV/AIDS. Grant funds will be used for intensive youth-specific services, including intensive psychological therapy, peer leadership development, clinical assessments and family-focused support groups, provided in two clinic sites."

IVUmed (Salt Lake City, UT) - $100,000 representing the final year of a 3-year funding commitment from RMHC. IVUmed is committed to making quality urological care available to people worldwide by providing medical and surgical training. The funding is being used to continue to support the Pediatric Education Program, a surgical and education program that responds to the needs of developing counties like Honduras, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Mozambique, Nepal and Mongolia.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities

Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®), a non-profit, 501 (c) (3) corporation, creates, finds and supports programs that directly improve the health and well being of children. Through its global network of local Chapters in 53 countries and regions, its three core programs, the Ronald McDonald House® (http://rmhc. org/what-we-do/ronald-mcdonald-house/), Ronald McDonald Family Room® (http://rmhc. org/what-we-do/ronald-mcdonald-family-room/) and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile® (http://rmhc. org/what-we-do/ronald-mcdonald-care-mobile/), and millions of dollars in grants to support children's programs worldwide, RMHC provides stability and resources to families so they can get and keep their children healthy and happy. All RMHC-supported programs provide a bridge to quality health care and give children and families the time they need together to heal faster and cope better. For more information, www. rmhc. org or follow us on Twitter (@RMHC) and Facebook (Facebook. com/RMHC Global).

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Cortiva Institute Forges Alliance With Continuing Education Specialist The Upledger Institute

National massage therapy community of schools, Cortiva Institute, announces the formation of a strategic partnership with The Upledger Institute, an international leader in health and wellness continuing education.

Hoboken, NJ (PRWEB) September 26, 2007

National massage therapy community of schools, Cortiva Institute (http://www. cortiva. com/), announces the formation of a strategic partnership with The Upledger Institute, an international leader in health and wellness continuing education. Cortiva Institute will support The Upledger Institute's programs starting this fall by offering several of their introductory courses at Cortiva locations nationwide.

Cortiva Institute will offer students a unique opportunity to explore new modalities by providing one-day, seven hour introductions to Upledger's curriculum. By exposing students to courses of study they might not otherwise have considered, the alliance between Cortiva Institute and The Upledger Institute will allow students to expand into new areas of learning; provide exchanges of insight and technique between two educational companies that focus on different touch modalities; raise the national standard of health and wellness professional training; and fulfill employer's needs within a rapidly evolving industry.

Barb Richmond, Vice President of Communications for The Upledger Institute says, "We've developed an international reputation over the past 22 years, and Cortiva Institute has demonstrated that quality education is a priority. It's a great match and a marvelous opportunity because we each have complementary areas of expertise to offer to students and practitioners." Cortiva Institute VP Employer & Alumni Relations Diane Trieste says, "The Upledger Institute is an industry leader and is very well known. At Cortiva, we take a personalized approach with our graduates, and by adding The Upledger Institute's continuing education options, we believe we will continue to advance massage therapists as practitioners and as people." Richmond adds, "For example, students and professional massage therapists will be able to learn about CranioSacral Therapy from the company that developed it, including the philosophy and anatomy behind it. Exploring The Upledger Institute's curriculum through introductory courses will allow Cortiva students and alumni to investigate whether they have a natural aptitude for a new modality."

Cortiva Institute is implementing a new online tool that will send users e-mails alerting them to upcoming courses to notify therapists when an Upledger Institute class they may be interested in becomes available for registration. Additionally, participants who take The Upledger Institute's introductory classes at Cortiva will receive discounts if they decide to register for the related, four-day course with The Upledger Institute.

The Upledger Institute (http://www. upledger. com/) has trained over 80,000 therapists for the past 22 years in complementary and alternative therapies in a variety of modalities, including CranioSacral Therapy, Healing from the Core, Lymph Drainage Therapy and the Advanced Brain Curriculum.

For more information about Cortiva Institute and its community of schools, please visit cortiva. com.

About Cortiva Institute
Cortiva is an education company that believes in a new kind of professionalism - one that brings a progressive health and wellness professional to the world. An active and dynamic person that is present, competent, compassionate and humane. Cortiva's focus on technique, anatomy and physiology, hands-on-practice, clinic experience and insistence on ethics forms the foundation of a high quality educational experience for its students. Cortiva's growing list of locations includes New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida, Illinois, Washington, Arizona and Massachusetts.

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Wednesday, March 3, 2004

Asheville Web Design Company Jaymunda Launches Cutting-Edge Web Site for Optix Eye Care of Weaverville, NC

Asheville-based Jaymunda, Inc. recently completed the design and launch of a new Web site for Optix Eye Care of Weaverville. The full-service Web design and Internet marketing company is also creating print material to match the new site (http://www. optix-eye. com) to provide Optix Eye Care with a comprehensive solution for promoting its quality services.

Ashville, N. C. (PRWEB) May 2, 2009

Asheville-based Jaymunda, Inc. recently completed the design and launch of a new Web site for Optix Eye Care of Weaverville. The full-service Web design and Internet marketing company is also creating print material to match the new site (http://www. optix-eye. com (http://www. optix-eye. com)) to provide Optix Eye Care with a comprehensive solution for promoting its quality services.

Optix Eye Care is well known for its cutting-edge solutions in eye care, such as cyber imaging, optical coherence tomography and contact lens wavefront technology. The new Web site is a further example of the company's commitment to provide consumers with the latest eye-care information and services to meet their needs. Through the interactive Web site, patients can request appointments, order contact lenses and download forms. Web site visitors can also take a fun eye quiz to test their knowledge, read informative how-to tips and articles, and learn how to achieve the best eye health.

Optix Eye Care is well known for its inventive eye care products and services, said Jason Syzdek, president of Jaymunda. "We enjoy creating high-quality solutions, and we are pleased to have been chosen to provide Optix with a state-of-the-art Web site to support its brand image."

Optix Eye Care's innovative use of technology made Jaymunda the ideal Asheville Web design company to develop its new Web site. Jaymunda has distinguished itself as a respected Web design and Internet Marketing company that provides premium services to small and medium-sized businesses. Jaymunda offers a range of services, including advertising, Web design, programming, ecommerce solutions and marketing consulting. The firm uses its proprietary Word of Mouth Marketing approach to help businesses combine technology and communication to effectively reach their target audience. Under this unique strategy, components such as brochures, product placement, reputation, press releases, sales staff and advertisements are strategically blended to support each other, using the Web as the centerpoint for all marketing.

Jaymunda is dedicated to helping companies of all sizes leverage the power of Web technology to enhance their operations. The company is privileged to serve businesses in a wide variety of industries, and its client roster primarily includes well-established businesses with a strong appreciation for technology and marketing. A privately-held Ashville Web design company, Jaymunda is driven by its superior service and customer referrals. Its ultimate goal is to help small businesses expand and excel in the marketplace--which ultimately contributes to the success of the community as a whole.

For more information about Jaymunda's Web design and other Internet Marketing services, please visit http://www. jaymunda. com (http://www. jaymunda. com). Or contact Jason Syzdek directly at (828) 254-0892, Ext. 802.

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Tuesday, March 2, 2004

Hypnosis Practitioners Win Top Honors

The International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association at their Annual Continuing Education Conference in Daytona Beach, FL. May 17, 2008, named Michael B. Ellner and Daniel F. Cleary 2008 Educators of the Year.

Daytona Beach, FL (PRWEB) May 22, 2008

On May 17th, 2008, New York City resident Michael Ellner, and West Palm Beach resident Daniel F. Cleary, Medical Hypnotists, considered leaders in the field of pain relief education, were honored for their participation as Course Directors and Faculty members of PAINWeek 2007, a Collaborative Continuing Medical Education conference for frontline Licensed Pain Specialists.

They were also recognized for their guided self-help programs for helping people take the suffering out of painful chronic conditions. Ellner and Cleary were deeply moved by the awards.

The International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association® International Referral Service, founded in 1986 with its international headquarters in Laceyville, PA, provides the international community with well trained Certified Medical Hypnotists. These professionals work in conjunction with local medical and health care providers to aid individuals with specific medical challenges and procedures. IMDHA's international continuing education conference is held in Daytona Beach, FL, the 2nd weekend of May every year.

Ellner and Cleary will be offering trainings throughout the rest of the year and will be teaching at PAINWeek 2008 in Las Vegas, September 3rd - 7th 2008 and will also be returning to the 2009 IMDHA conference.

Ellner and Cleary can speak extensively about the many benefits of Hypnosis and are available for interview. Ellner also has a Complementary and Alternative Blog on the multi-award winning website: Therapytimes. com

Ellner - 212-580-3471
Www. ellner. info
Cleary - 561-313-1844
Www. danclearyhypnosis. com

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Monday, March 1, 2004

New Life Hiking Spa Wins in Five Categories in 5th Annual Spa Finder Readers' Choice Awards

New Life Hiking Spa in Killington, Vermont, has been named "Best for Weight Loss, Best for Hiking, Best for Fitness Program, Most Affordable and Best for Going Solo" in 5th Annual Spa Finder Readers' Choice Awards.

Killington, VT (PRWEB) September 20, 2007

Spa Finder, Inc., the global spa resource, has announced that New Life Hiking Spa has been named among the top-10 best spas in the world for "Best for Weight Loss, Best for Hiking, Best for Fitness Program, Most Affordable and Best for Going Solo" in its fifth annual Spa Finder Readers' Choice Awards. Based on thousands of votes submitted by Spafinder. com visitors and Luxury SpaFinder Magazine, the awards represent the most complete consumer assessment of the global spa market.

"Now in its fifth year, our Readers' Choice Awards have become the industry's premier award program - the spa world's answer to the Academy Awards," said Spa Finder, Inc. President Susie Ellis. "With a huge surge in international voting and more than twice as many votes overall compared to last year, this represents an especially meaningful validation of the spa experience provided by New Life Hiking Spa."

New Life Hiking Spa was started by Jimmy LeSage who combined his talents as an expert chef and professional counselor to start New Life Hiking Spa in 1978. New Life Hiking Spa is renowned for being an affordable destination spa with some of the country's best hiking and fitness programming. New Life Hiking Spa is for individuals trying to improve their fitness level, eating habits or seeking a weight loss retreat during a healthy vacation.

This is the second year in a row New Life Hiking Spa has won in these five categories from the Spa Finder Reader's Choice Awards. New Life has also been selected as one of the top 10 places to get in shape by MSNBC and was chosen as one of the "eight weight loss vacations that really work" by SHAPE Magazine. New Life Hiking Spa is open from mid May through the end of September every year. 2008 will be New Life Hiking Spa's 30th Anniversary. More information on New Life Hiking Spa can be found on their website at http://www. newlifehikingspa. com (http://www. newlifehikingspa. com).

To help spa consumers identify the best spas for their unique goals, Spa Finder asked its readers and web visitors to name their picks for the best spas in 23 specific categories -- from "best accommodations" and "best cuisine," to "best for men" and "best urban hotel spa." Spa-goers also selected their favorite spas in more than 20 global regions and their overall favorite spas on six continents. In all, ballots were cast for more than 1,500 different spa properties worldwide. Voters were asked to only cast ballots for stay spas they've personally visited within the past three years.

Visit Spafinder. com for a Complete List of 2007 Readers' Choice Winners
A complete listing of Readers' Choice Award winners will be featured in Spa Finder's 2008 Global Spa Finder, the definitive worldwide spa directory, and can be viewed at http://www. spafinder. com/spaguide/readerschoice/2007.jsp (http://www. spafinder. com/spaguide/readerschoice/2007.jsp)

About Spa Finder, Inc.
The world's largest spa marketing and media company, Spa Finder reaches millions of wellness-focused consumers via Spafinder. com, its award-winning website, and Luxury SpaFinder magazine, the trusted authority on the luxury spa lifestyle. Redeemable at 3,600-plus spas worldwide and available at thousands of retail outlets across North America, Spa Finder Gift Certificates and Gift Cards represent the world's largest spa gift certificate/card program. Spa Finder, the global spa resource, also publishes the annual Global Spa Finder and operates Spa Finder Europe and Spa Finder Japan, two native-language websites showcasing relationships with local day spas, salons, and onsens. Founded in 1986, the privately held company is headquartered in Manhattan.

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Leslie Saunders Insurance Agency Recognized Among Top 100 Regional Minority Businesses

Leslie Saunders Insurance was awarded Top 100 Minority Business Enterprise Award as recognized by the Center for Business Inclusion and Diversity. The award was presented on October 21. Leslie Saunders Insurance is the only woman-owned WBE/DBE insurance agency to be certified in Unified Certification Programs in 240 airports and nationally by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

Lutz, FL (PRWEB) October 23, 2010

Leslie Saunders Insurance is proud to be selected to receive the prestigious Top 100 Minority Business® Enterprise Award. In its fifth year, this program is designed to acknowledge and pay tribute to outstanding women and minority business owners. The awards were presented during the 2010 Top 100 MBE Awards Ceremony at the Inn and Conference Center at University of Maryland University College in Adelphi, Maryland on Thursday, October 21, 2010.

A panel of distinguished judges chose Leslie Saunders Insurance from five thousand nominations. Selection was based on entrepreneurs who demonstrated outstanding achievement in four key areas: entrepreneurship, client satisfaction, professional and community contributions. This year's ceremony sponsor organizations are: The Center for Business Inclusion and Diversity (CBID); the University of Maryland University College (UMUC), Southwest Airlines, HMSHost, PNC Bank, the State of Maryland, and greiBO media.

"I am proud that Leslie Saunders Insurance has been recognized as one of the region's Top 100 minority businesses," said Leslie Saunders, president and CEO of Leslie Saunders Insurance. "Leslie Saunders Insurance is the only woman-owned WBE/DBE insurance agency to be certified in Unified Certification Programs in 240 airports and nationally by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC). We have more than thirty years of experience developing innovative insurance products, employee benefits plans, marketing and training services for a variety of companies and industries, including travel industry organizations, car rental companies and airport concessionaires.

"Leslie Saunders Insurance represents the best of what our region's minority business community has to offer," said Sharon R. Pinder, CEO of the Center for Business Inclusion and Diversity and founder of the Top 100 MBE® Awards Ceremony. "This award is the culmination of sacrifice, dedication and hard work and will inspire future minority business entrepreneurs to strive for the same level of success." To obtain tickets for the 2010 Top 100 MBE ®Awards Ceremony or for a complete listing of this year's winners, please visit http://www. top100mbe. com

Please visit, http://www. saundersbenefits. com for more information about Leslie Saunders Insurance.

Leslie Saunders Insurance and Saunders Benefits Advisory is a full-service benefits consulting firm helping businesses of all sizes navigate the challenges of the changing healthcare environment and offer affordable and meaningful benefits to employees. Leslie Saunders Insurance is also a recognized leader in providing innovative insurance products, marketing and training services for travel industry organizations including leading car and truck rental companies, hotels, and other travel-related businesses and airport concessionaires.

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Healthcare Market Resources, Inc. Predicts Home Health Agencies are at Risk for Health Care Reform Cuts

Healthcare Market Resources (HMR), a leading provider of custom data for home health agencies and hospices predicts the home health industry is at risk of detrimental health reform cuts. Its data analysis puts the potential industry loss at $55 billion due to over-inflated industry profitability rates.

Dresher, PA (PRWEB) December 12, 2009

The home health industry could be the next victim of the health reform scalpel resulting in a $55 billion loss in Medicare reimbursements over the next 10 years, predicts Healthcare Market Resources (HMR), a leading provider of custom data for home health agencies and hospices. According HMR's analysis of industry data, the current health reform bill puts home health agencies at risk of substantial cuts due to overinflated industry profitability rates.

In the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's (MedPAC) January 2009 analysis of Medicare payment levels by sector, the profit calculations of hospital-based home health agencies were excluded. This is primarily because MedPAC considered hospital-based home health agencies as "inefficient producers," likely based on the overhead allocations they receive from their parent organizations. HMR contends, however, that hospital-based agencies serve a financially less attractive patient population compared to freestanding agencies.

Because of a less chronic patient population, hospital-based facilities tend to have shorter lengths of stay. This results in less reimbursement and fewer visits, while the cost to deliver services comes at a greater price tag. As a result, these agencies have proportionately higher indirect costs resulting in lower profitability levels.

"Leaving this sector out of the equation based solely on their hospital-affiliated status is not reason enough as MedPAC would assert," Healthcare Market Resources' CEO Richard Chesney stated, "Because their patient population is so different, hospital-based home agencies should be included in the calculations."

In addition, the MedPAC January 2009 report examined seven categories of service providers and also excluded the profit calculations of hospital-based agencies in both the dialysis and home health sectors. These financials are not calculated into the hospital profitability reports either, making the overall analysis incomplete. By not taking into account these lower profit margins, Congress incorrectly concludes that the home health industry can sustain deep cuts to curb what they view as a healthcare segment with huge levels of profitability.

"If you include hospital-based home health agencies' figures in the calculations, the industry's profitability rate drops from 17.5 % to 13.8 %," explained Chesney. "Therefore, Congress' current proposed cuts are based on figures that show home health industry profitability at a higher level than it actually is."

If the proposed cuts do go into effect, states in which hospital-based facilities are the dominant providers will have to grapple with whether they can continue to deliver current levels of services. In Oregon, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska, for example, more than 50% of home health agencies are hospital-based. Furthermore, states with hospital-based agencies that receive more than 50% of the Medicare reimbursement include Alaska, Oregon, North Dakota, South Dakota and Arkansas.

"As government officials look for ways to reform our nation's healthcare," Chesney concluded, "the debate should focus on patient care accessibility versus solely profitability."

For additional information about the key factors that drive revenue and have the greatest impact on profitability rates of hospital-based facilities, refer to Healthcare Market Resources' data posted at www. healthmr. com/HomeHealthCuts (http://www. healthmr. com/HomeHealthCuts).

Healthcare Market Resources, Inc., is a leading provider of custom data for home health agencies and hospices. Its customized local market reports give healthcare leaders a competitive edge for business development and strategic planning initiatives. The insight gained from these marketing tools enables home health agencies and hospices to benchmark their financial, operational, and market performance against their competition. More information about Healthcare Market Resources and the data and services it provides is available at www. healthmr. com.

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