Manhasset, NY (PRWEB) May 10, 2012

Antipsychotic medications are increasingly prescribed in the US, but they can cause serious side effects including rapid weight gain, especially in children. In the first study of its kind, researchers at Zucker Hillside Hospital and the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research identified a gene that increases weight gain in those treated with commonly-used antipsychotic drugs. These findings were published in the May issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.

Second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) were used as the treatment in this study. SGAs are commonly used to treat many psychotic and nonpsychotic disorders. However, it is important to note that these SGAs are associated with substantial weight gain, including the development of obesity and other cardiovascular risk factors. The weight gain side effect of SGAs is significant because it often results in a reduced life expectancy of up to 30 years in those who suffer from chronic and severe mental illnesses. The weight gain also prompts some to stop taking the medication, adversely impacting their quality of life.

In this genome-wide association study (GWAS), researchers first evaluated a group of pediatric patients in the US being treated for the first time with antipsychotics. They then replicated the result in three independent groups of patients who were in psychiatric hospitals in the United States and Germany or participating in European antipsychotic drug trials. The gene that was identified to increase weight gain, MC4R or melanocortin 4 receptor, has been previously identified as being linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes. In the new study, it was found that patients gained up to 20 pounds when on treatment.

“This study offers the prospect of being able to identify individuals who are at greatest risk for severe weight gain following antipsychotic treatment,” said Anil Malhotra, MD, investigator at the Zucker Hillside Hospital Department of Psychiatry Research and Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. “We hope that those who are at risk could receive more intensive or alternative treatment that would reduce the potential for weight gain and we are currently conducting studies to identify such treatment.”

Additional Details About the Study

Researchers conducted the first GWAS of SGA-induced weight gain in patients carefully monitored for medication adherence who were undergoing initial treatment with SGAs. To confirm results, they next assessed three independent replication cohorts: 1) a cohort of adult subjects undergoing their first treatment with a single SGA (clozapine), 2) a cohort of adult subjects treated with the same SGAs as in our discovery sample, and 3) a cohort of adult subjects in the first episode of schizophrenia and enrolled in a randomized clinical trial of antipsychotic drugs.

The discovery cohort consisted of 139 pediatric patients undergoing first exposure to SGAs. The 3 additional cohorts consisted of 73, 40, and 92 subjects. Patients in the discovery cohort were treated with SGAs for 12 weeks. Additional cohorts were treated for 6 and 12 weeks.

This GWAS yielded 20 single-nucleotide polymorphisms at a single locus exceeding a statistical threshold of P

About The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research

Headquartered in Manhasset, NY, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research is home to international scientific leaders in Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, psychiatric disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, sepsis, inflammatory bowel disease, human genetics, pulmonary hypertension, leukemia, neuroimmunology, and medicinal chemistry. The Feinstein Institute, part of the North Shore-LIJ Health System, ranks in the top 5th percentile of all National Institutes of Health grants awarded to research centers. For more information visit http://www.FeinsteinInstitute.org

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2012 Life is good Festival

Boston, MA (PRWEB) May 17, 2012

Following sold-out shows across the country, the Fresh Beat Band makes a return engagement to Boston to headline the Good Kids Stage at the 2012 Life is good Festival.

The Life is good Festival takes place September 22-23, 2012 at Prowse Farm in Canton, MA, a suburb of Boston, at the base of the Blue Hills. The festival is hosted by Life is good®, a Boston-based company that spreads the power of optimism through its products and non–profit efforts to help kids in need. All proceeds raised by the festival will benefit The Life is good Playmakers.

The Fresh Beat Band is based on the television show of the same name, which airs on Nickelodeon. The show centers on four friends who perform as the Fresh Beat Band as they learn music and solve problems through song and dance. Also joining the line-up for the Good Kids Stage will be Dan Zanes & Friends, The KIDZ BOP Kids, who will be making their Boston-area debut and local kids favorite Josh & the Jamtones.

Tickets for the 2012 Life is good Festival at Prowse Farm go on sale Thursday, May 17 at 10:00 a.m. at Lifeisgood.com. Adult tickets are $ 65 per day or $ 120 for a two-day pass. A limited number of tickets for children 12 and under are currently available free with the purchase of an adult ticket. Free tickets are limited and when gone, children’s tickets will be $ 20 per day or $ 35 for a two-day pass. The full line up for the Life is good Festival will be announced on June 7 at 10:00 a.m.

The Life is good Festival is a two-day celebration of music and optimism featuring three stages of nationally-known musical talent, hands-on games and interactive arts activities. More importantly, it is a one-of-a-kind fundraiser for the Life is good Playmakers and creates a community of fundraisers. When an individual purchases a ticket, they will be directed to a personal fundraising page. Festival-goers who raise $ 500 or more for the Life is good Playmakers will be rewarded with exclusive backstage hospitality, preferred concert viewing, artist meet and greets, and other perks.

The first Life is good Festival was held in 2003 in Portland, ME, making 2012 the 10th anniversary of Life is good Festivals and the third time the event has been held at Prowse Farm in Canton. To date, Life is good has raised over $ 8 million for kids in need.

“The Life is good Festival is a celebration – of good music, good times, and optimism. More importantly, it brings together a community of people who put their time and effort into raising funds for kids in need,” said Bert Jacobs, chief executive optimist for Life is good. “This year’s festival is going to be better than ever before. We can’t wait to see everyone in Canton in September.”    

In addition to attendee fundraising, 100% of profits from ticket sales, sponsorship and onsite merchandise sales will benefit The Life is good Playmakers, which provides training, resources, and support to professionals who dedicate their lives to helping kids overcome poverty, violence, and illness. In 2011, the festival raised more than $ 1 million for The Life is good Playmakers.    

The Life is good Playmakers work with thousands of child care providers, teachers, counselors and healthcare professionals who have dedicated their lives to the healthy development of children. By providing play-based training, support and resources to these frontline heroes, the Life is good Playmakers are helping children reach their full, joyful potential. To date, Life is good Playmakers have trained more than 3,500 Playmakers across the country who have positively impacted 209,000 children.

More than just a music festival, 2012 Life is good Festival will also feature a host of activities, including backyard games, interactive art projects, great food from local restaurants and vendors and much more. To produce the event, Life is good will once again partner with Superfly Presents, acclaimed producers of the iconic Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival and Outside Lands.

The festival will take place at historic Prowse Farm in Canton, a 44-acre property managed by the Friends of Prowse Farm, a non-profit volunteer organization. The property is located at the gateway of the Blue Hills Reservation, public parkland that has been set aside for recreational use. Prowse Farm is fully accessible via public transportation, with all-day shuttles to and from the nearby Rte. 128/University Avenue train station. A large number of free parking spots are also available.    

For more information on The Life is good Company, The Life is good Playmakers, and The Life is good Festival, please visit Lifeisgood.com.

About The Life is good Company

The Life is good Company, based in Boston, MA, spreads the power of optimism with its collection of apparel and accessories and through its social mission to help kids overcome poverty, violence, and illness. For more information on Life is good, please visit Lifeisgood.com.

About the Life is good Kids Foundation

The Life is good Kids Foundation is an accredited 501(c)(3) public charity. Through its action arm, the Life is good Playmakers, it provides training, resources, and support to professionals who dedicate their lives to helping kids overcome poverty, violence and illness. More than $ 8 million has been raised to date for children in need, principally through Life is good Festivals and the 100% of profits that The Life is good Company donates to the Foundation from nationwide sales of select products. For more information, visit Lifeisgood.com/playmakers.

About Superfly

Superfly Presents was founded in New Orleans in 1996 by Kerry Black, Rick Farman, Richard Goodstone and Jonathan Mayers. Originally set up to become a leading independent local concert promoter, they created Superfly During JazzFest series, now in its 15th year. In 2002, they co-founded and continue to produce the iconic Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. Since its inception in 2002, Bonnaroo swiftly earned its status as the country’s premier music and arts event and Rolling Stone called the festival “one of the 50 moments to change the history of rock and roll.” In 2008, Superfly co-founded the acclaimed San Francisco-based Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival. The company has also created the Superfly Marketing Group, a boutique entertainment-marketing agency designed to complement Superfly’s diverse divisions. Superfly Marketing Group leverages the company’s experience, expertise and industry relationships to develop brand partnerships geared towards the passionate entertainment and lifestyle consumer.

Life is good® is a registered trademark of The Life is good Company

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

M.C. Spookytooth, who doubles as an Arkansas attorney, gets 38,000 Mercy co-workers hoopin’ to healthify for national employee health and fitness day.

St. Louis, MO (PRWEB) May 14, 2012

If 40-year-old Shaquille O’Neal, weighing in at 325 pounds and topping out at 7-foot-1-inch, can join in the nation’s hula hoop craze, so too can 38,000 Mercy co-workers across Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma for National Employee Health and Fitness Day, May 16.

“As a culture, it has completely dropped out of our brains that exercise can be fun. We have forgotten how important it is to have recess as adults,” said Dr. Lance Luria, Mercy’s health and wellness vice president and medical director. “We make sure to break out our long to-do lists every day but we forget to exercise and eat healthy. Without balance in our lives, everything gets out of whack and we become very unhealthy – physically, emotionally and spiritually.”

In an effort to bring back balance and have fun, Mercy co-workers will pick up hula hoops and get moving as they are “Hoopin’ to Healthify.” Nurses, doctors, surgeons, administrators and staff across Mercy’s four states will take part in hula-hoop obstacle courses, javelin throws, giant ring tosses and traditional hula hooping contests at the Olympic-like festivities. (Last year, co-workers did 1.3 million jumping jacks across Mercy for national fitness day.)

“The message is simple: get to hoopin’ or moving. Find something you like and make it a part of your routine whether it’s rock climbing, swimming, biking, bowling or running,” said Dr. Luria. “You only have one life to live, so live it to the fullest. Make every day count.”

Healthification, Mercy’s wellness program, is designed to encourage well-balanced, healthy lifestyles through nutrition, physical activity, emotional and spiritual wellness, and smoking cessation.

“As health care providers, we have a responsibility to model healthy lifestyle choices for a nation that is sedentary,” said Dr. Luria. “We must measure up to the same expectations we teach our patients and our communities.”

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, over the next six years the nation’s rate of obesity will continue to grow at an alarming rate.

“We’re tipping the scales,” said Lynn Britton, president and CEO of Mercy. “Many of the states Mercy serves lead the nation in obesity. Sadly, our country’s youth are following in those footsteps. Through healthification and awareness, Mercy’s goal is to reverse the trend.”

To get everyone hoopin’, Rapper M.C. Spookytooth created a toe-tapping music video with Mercy co-workers hoopin’ to the beat. [Insert link here]

According to the American Council on Exercise, although hula hooping is a low-impact workout, it’s possible to burn 200 calories in a 30-minute session. More reasons to pick up a hula hoop include:

    It improves flexibility and balance, which reduces chances of injury in daily activities.
    It’s a lot more fun than sit-ups or side-bends and still tones the midsection.
    Regardless of a person’s level of fitness, it’s a challenging technique with real benefits.

“I haven’t hula hooped since grade school, but I encourage co-workers to join me, pick up a hoop and get moving,” said Britton. “Drop your inhibitions at the door. No hula experience is required – just a willingness to have fun.”

Mercy is the eighth largest Catholic health care system in the U.S. and serves more than 3 million people annually. Mercy includes 31 hospitals, more than 200 outpatient facilities, 38,000 co-workers and 1,600 integrated physicians in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. Mercy also has outreach ministries in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. For more about Mercy, visit http://www.mercy.net.

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IBISWorld Market Research

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) May 12, 2012

The Psychiatric Hospitals industry treats about 15.0% of the US population in any given year, according to a report by the Surgeon General, and the incidence and awareness of mental illness and substance abuse disorders has been on the rise. Partly due to the mounting awareness of mental health, the industry is expected to grow 1.9% per year on average to total $ 20.4 billion during the five years to 2012. The economic recession only had a minor impact on the industry in 2009, causing revenue growth to slow that year. Revenue is expected to expand a moderate 1.1% in 2012, which reflects a weak economic recovery. According to IBISWorld industry analyst Sophia Snyder, reduced capacity, mental health parity legislation and increased demand for behavioral health services have improved industry fundamentals during the past five years. The government has been making efforts to reduce healthcare costs by emphasizing care in community and residential settings. Additionally, managed-care organizations are becoming larger through consolidation, which has increased the price negotiating power of these companies. The net result has been a reduction in psychiatric beds. Although consolidation has been increasing in recent years, the Psychiatric Hospitals industry remains fragmented. The top firm is Universal Health Services Inc. Concentration can be particularly high within some geographic regions, since location is a key success factor; once a large psychiatric hospital has established itself in a market, it is more difficult for a small company to compete.

There has been substantial merger and acquisition activity among for-profit firms and an increase in the management of state-owned facilities by private operators, continues Snyder. Most notably, Universal Health Services acquired Psychiatric Solutions in 2010. Consolidation in the Psychiatric Hospitals industry has been occurring for quite some time. Prior to the announced deal between Universal Health and Psychiatric Solutions, both companies generated a significant portion of their growth through acquiring smaller operators. Part of the contraction in psychiatric hospitals came from consolidation in the overall healthcare sector. As managed care organizations merged in the 1990s, hospitals, general and psychiatric care alike, consolidated. This improved hospitals’ ability to negotiate with MCOs on payments and pricing.

The number of industry hospitals is expected to decrease to 516 in the five years to 2012. This trend is expected to continue during the next five years as companies consolidate, particularly following the merging of the two largest players in the industry. Although the number of companies is expected to decline, bed counts will begin to stabilize to meet demand as the remaining operators grow in capacity. An improved balance between supply and demand will weaken the industry’s ability to negotiate with managed-care organizations and governmental bodies, which will restrain profitability in the five years to 2017. During this period, operating profit is forecast to decline slightly. The favorable Medicaid reimbursement environment of recent years is forecast to come under pressure during the next five years as states look for ways to cut healthcare spending. This, together with mounting wage and supply costs, will put downward pressure on profitability in the industry. In contrast, the economy is forecast to improve, which will boost the number of people with health insurance coverage and raise disposable income. Consequently, revenue is forecast to increase. For more information, visit IBISWorld’s Psychiatric Hospitals in the US industry report page.

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IBISWorld industry Report Key Topics

This industry includes establishments licensed to provide diagnostic, medical treatment and monitoring services for inpatients who suffer from mental illness or substance abuse disorders. These establishments maintain inpatient beds and a staff of physicians. Facilities that emphasize counseling for mental health and substance abuse rather than medical treatment are not included in the industry.

Industry Performance

Executive Summary

Key External Drivers

Current Performance

Industry Outlook

Industry Life Cycle

Products & Markets

Supply Chain

Products & Services

Major Markets

Globalization & Trade

Business Locations

Competitive Landscape

Market Share Concentration

Key Success Factors

Cost Structure Benchmarks

Barriers to Entry

Major Companies

Operating Conditions

Capital Intensity

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Annual Change

Key Ratios

About IBISWorld Inc.

Recognized as the nation’s most trusted independent source of industry and market research, IBISWorld offers a comprehensive database of unique information and analysis on every US industry. With an extensive online portfolio, valued for its depth and scope, the company equips clients with the insight necessary to make better business decisions. Headquartered in Los Angeles, IBISWorld serves a range of business, professional service and government organizations through more than 10 locations worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.ibisworld.com or call 1-800-330-3772.

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) May 11, 2012

My Gift Basket Ideas, Inc. purveyor of Mother’s Day gift baskets, announces one more reason for enjoying chocolate-themed gifts this year.

An official study conducted by the European Society of Cardiology (escardio.org) found that flavanols from cocoa boost the body’s supply of nitric oxide, which helps to lower blood pressure when eaten in moderation as part of a balanced diet.

A spokesperson from MyGiftBasketIdeas.com said, “We welcome the results of this study. The mood benefits of consuming moderate levels of chocolate has been well-known for years. We’ve also seen studies that show eating chocolate can reduce stress, increase endorphins and even help manage depression in some cases. Confirmation from an official health body that consuming chocolate can help lower blood pressure is wonderful news for chocolate fans this Mother’s Day.”

The spokesperson continued, “Dark chocolate is thought to be the most health beneficial type to nibble on. Why not buy mom a Belgian Chocolate Gift Basket, laden with immune-boosting anti-oxidant rich dark chocolate?”

“Or perhaps for a real once-in-a-lifetime ultimate milk chocolate experience, you could splash out on a delectable Swiss Lindt Chocolate gift basket, which is reduced by 18% especially for Mother’s Day. If mom more a fan of white chocolate, we have that covered with our creamy White Chocolate Gift Basket.”

When asked to comment on the availability of its chocolate-themed gift baskets, the spokesperson confirmed, “We anticipate our chocolate-themed gift baskets will be top-sellers this Mother’s Day. Shelves have been restocked accordingly, but customers are advised to visit our website soon and place orders early in plenty of time for Mother’s Day, which is on May 13th this year.”

“What better way can there be to help mom relax this Mother’s Day than with scrumptious chocolate-themed gift baskets like those found here? Saying ‘thank you for all you have done’ has never been so delicious – or health advantageous!”

To browse the site’s selection of mother’s day gift baskets, including many chocolate ones, go to http://mygiftbasketideas.com/holiday-mothers-day-gift-basket.html.

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Washington, DC (PRWEB) May 08, 2012

American Mothers, Inc. announced Dr. Ruby Graves Cheves of Georgia as its 2012 National Mother of the Year® and Oklahoma’s Carrie Leonard as National Young Mother of the Year at its annual convention in Washington, D.C. on May 5.

Since 1935, the American Mothers Committee (now American Mothers, Inc.) has bestowed a Mother of the Year ® award upon a mom who embodies the highest qualities of motherhood. Sarah Delano Roosevelt, mother of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, presented Lucy Keen Johnson of Georgia as the first American Mother of the Year ® in 1935 at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. The organization celebrated its first Young Mother of the Year in 1968. Many outstanding individuals throughout America have served as officers, leaders, members, and supporters of this organization such as Sarah Delano Roosevelt, J.C. Penny, Mamie Eisenhower, Phyllis Marriott, Lindy Boggs, and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, 1984 Arkansas Young Mother of the Year.

Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Dr. Ruby Graves Cheves attended Northeast Louisiana University and matriculated to medical school at the Louisiana State University Medical Center. After choosing Obstetrics and Gynecology, she trained at the Greenville Hospital Systems in South Carolina. Married to Georgia native Dr. Harry Cheves, they moved to Georgia to practice and raise their two children, Alex and Rebecca. The family later moved to Zambia, Africa to serve as medical missionaries. Together, they founded the Global Samaritans Children’s Home. Today, Dr. Cheves practices in Athens, Georgia, where she serves as medical director for a busy midwifery practice. She is the assistant clerkship director for OB/GYN at the University of Georgia Medical School.

Oklahoman Carrie Leonard learned the value of service at a young age. She and her husband, Ryan, are the proud parents of four children, Catherine, William, Matthew, and Mary Frances. Before becoming a mother, Carrie earned degrees at the University of Virginia and the University of Oklahoma College of Law. Over the years, she has given her time to Christ the King School, the Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences, Lyric Theatre, Friends of the Mansion, the Junior League of Oklahoma City, Girl Scouts, the Annie Oakley Society, and the American Heart Association. She has worked as the director of development for White Fields, a home for neglected and abused boys, practiced law, and been a stay-at-home mother.

Connell Branan, President of American Mothers, expressed admiration for the 2012 honorees. “For nearly 80 years, we have recognized mothers who are courageous, bold, innovative, and creative. Balancing motherhood, career, and community is truly an art form. We’re honored to celebrate Ruby and Carrie—vibrant women painting bold strokes on their households, communities, and nation.”

About American Mothers, Inc.

American Mothers, Inc. is a nonprofit organization for women and men who recognize the important role of motherhood through educational programs and community outreach. On an annual basis, American Mothers, Inc. selects the National Mother of the Year®, Young Mother of the Year, and Mothers of Achievement from candidates across the United States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. For more information about AMI, visit http://www.americanmothers.org or call 877-242-4264.

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roadfish.com

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) April 30, 2012

RoadFish.com men’s lifestyle and finance magazine today sends its regrets out to the Chicago Bulls, as the team has just lost their starting point guard and last year’s MVP of the season, Derrick Rose, to a torn ACL. Rose went down in the last minute and a half of Saturday’s playoffs Game 1 against the 76ers, with an MRI later confirming a costly injury in the ACL tear.

ESPN’s Stephania Bell reports that a replay of the video of Rose’s last moments on court reveals that he may have been injured just before he jumped into the air, dished the ball off to teammate Carlos Boozer, and landed awkwardly with 80 seconds to go in the fourth quarter. Bell claims that as Rose makes a jump stop to his right, squaring up as though he were going to shoot the ball, it appears that his left knee collapses inward and as Rose jumps into the air a second later, it is completely off balance and he lands askew. In the moments that follow, Rose tries to step using his left leg, but it gives out and he falls to the ground, clutching his knee and writhing in pain.

The article goes on to report that the serious ACL tear doesn’t mean just missing the playoffs for Rose, but will also dampen Rose’s ability to play in the summer Olympic Games and could potentially even jeopardize his chances as starting the next NBA season. The timetable for an ACL tear is unfortunately a long one.

RoadFish.com’s Senior staff writer is quoted as saying, “I’m no Bulls fan, but I was definitely disappointed seeing Rose go down yesterday. I think that a true basketball fan hates to see any star player out for the season. He’s an incredible athlete, and I was very excited to see him play in the playoffs, especially after a bumpy season with so many other injuries. I thought this was it, you know, those are in the past and Rose is on the rise. It’s disappointing, and I really feel for him.”

23-year-old Derrick Rose has suffered more injuries than your typical young and healthy pro athlete. Rose injured his elbow just two weeks into the regular season, then sprained his left big toe only a week later. In February, Rose was forced to the bench by lower back spasms and shortly after missed another handful of games due to a groin strain. After the groin injury came a sprained right ankle, and not far behind a injury to his right foot flared up. The above-mentioned ESPN article quotes Rose as expressing frustration from the series of plaguing injuries, and is quoted as telling reports a couple months ago, “For someone to not miss more than seven, 10 games in a year (my first three seasons), to miss 20 something, 30 something games, it hurts, man.”

RoadFish.com doesn’t feel that this is the end of the line for the Bulls. RoadFish.com’s Senior staff writer is quoted saying, “Rose has been plagued by injury for the entire season. As a result, the Bulls have had to learn to play without him, and utilize other assets on the court. I like to believe for their sake that a shot at the Championship is far from over. It’s just really unfortunate that Rose won’t be there for it.”

Reported Neil Hayes wrote an article for the Chicago Sun-Times including Rose’s teammates’ reactions to his injury. Bulls power-forward Taj Gibson is quoted as saying on Satuday, “It sucks because he was just getting back. He looked good in practice yesterday, and he was looking good in the game offensively and defensively. It was good to have our leader back.” Likewise, shooting-guard/small forward Kyle Korver was disappointed by the loss of a high-performing teammate, but expressed hope that the Bulls can still persevere in the playoffs. Korver is quoted saying, “It’s the saddest win. But we have to pick ourselves up. We’ve played a lot of games without [Rose]. Maybe it was just getting us ready for this.”

About RoadFish

RoadFish.com is an online men’s lifestyle and finance magazine targeted toward men in their 30s and 40s that have already attained a moderate level of success in life, and are striving toward more. It goes over current events of interest to this group, such things as exciting adventures, making money, consumer interests, hot chicks, and Summer Olympics news as well as ways to make more and save more money. It is a publication owned by Purpose Inc.

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Consumer-Driven Health Technology Solution

Lorton, Va. (PRWEB) May 02, 2012

Medical and pharmacy claims for all of UPMC Health Plan’s HealthyU products are being effectively and efficiently processed by Acero Health Technologies’s XpandCDH™ enterprise application.

UPMC Health Plan, the second-largest health insurer in Western Pennsylvania, is using XpandCDH to set up and administer a wide variety of consumer-driven spending accounts that are available with HealthyU. Since introducing HealthyU in late 2011, UPMC Health Plan has been relying on XpandCDH to provide its consumer-driven accounts with the same exceptional level of service and support available to members in all of its other products.

“Implementing XpandCDH offered UPMC Health Plan both a comprehensive business solution as well as a scalable technical platform for our HealthyU products,” said Ed McCallister, Chief Information Officer for the UPMC Insurance Services Division. “UPMC and Acero partnered to create an integrated approach that allows us to quickly implement and manage new employer groups and members on HealthyU. This approach allows us to leverage our business knowledge, core systems and people while adding advanced, real-time CDH functionality.”

HealthyU offers employers several plan options, each designed to reward members who exhibit healthy behaviors and become more involved in their health care decisions. HealthyU members may receive financial incentives by completing specific activities, such as a preventive care visit, a flu shot, or a health coaching program. Members can choose from more than 100 activities, developed from UPMC Health Plan’s award-winning wellness and care management programs.

XpandCDH is an integrated technology solution that facilitates enrollment, sophisticated contribution designs and claims processing for consumer-driven health plans. It ensures that members receive and use the correct amounts based on their particular plan design. The solution provides members and customer service with a consolidated, consistent and accurate view of benefits and claim information, including details related to the spending accounts.

“The close integration between XpandCDH and UPMC Health Plan’s other core systems permits UPMC Health Plan to focus on its core administrative functions, while eliminating many of the synchronization issues that are sometimes associated with consumer-driven health solutions,” says Alan Merchant, Chief Executive Officer of Acero. “Consumers think of consumer-driven plans as a single product so it is important from a service perspective that health plans have the means to administer these types of plans in the same way.”

“By using XpandCDH we can enroll a new group or new individual members into HealthyU as easily as we can enroll a member into a PPO plan,” said McCallister. “We especially liked the real-time pharmacy integration which allows medical and pharmacy claims to be processed in coordination with the spending accounts. Using a real-time approach avoids many of the synchronization issues that might otherwise occur with PBM integration.”

As a services-based application, XpandCDH offers health plans a robust, easy-to-manage technical solution that will scale as membership grows while also providing the sophisticated business functionality needed to implement many market-leading consumer-driven features such as stacked accounts, integrated pharmacy, embedded deductibles, and many others.

For more information about HealthyU, go to http://www.upmchealthyu.com.

About Acero Health Technologies

Acero Health Technologies, an innovative information technology company serving today’s healthcare visionaries, allows health plans to incrementally add software solutions to address new business challenges without requiring wholesale changes to existing investments. The Acero team has significant health plan and technical experience developing sophisticated enterprise software solutions for health plans and third-party benefits administrators. Acero’s PlanXpandTM engine powers several technology solutions including XpandCDH, a powerful tool for administering consumer-driven health plans and XpandPBMTM an application that facilitates real-time integration of pharmacy and medical benefits. For more information, visit http://www.acerohealth.com.

About UPMC Health Plan

UPMC Health Plan, the second-largest health insurer in western Pennsylvania, is owned by UPMC, one of the nation’s top-ranked health systems. The integrated partner companies of the UPMC Insurance Services Division – which includes UPMC Health Plan, UPMC WorkPartners, LifeSolutions (EAP), UPMC for You (Medical Assistance), and Community Care Behavioral Health – offer a full range of group health insurance, Medicare, Special Needs, CHIP, Medical Assistance, behavioral health, employee assistance, and workers’ compensation products and services to nearly 1.8 million members. Our local provider network includes UPMC as well as community providers, totaling more than 125 hospitals and more than 11,500 physicians throughout Pennsylvania and parts of Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland. For more information, visit http://www.upmchealthplan.com.

Media Contact:

Tom Brady

703.372.1480

Acero Health Technologies

press(at)acerohealth(dot)com

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Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.

Diplomat Pharmacy’s state-of-the-art conveyor system

(PRWEB) October 26, 2011

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy, the nation’s largest, privately owned specialty pharmacy, announced today that Jeanne Ann Stasny, R.Ph., a highly respected industry executive , has joined Diplomat’s Executive Team. Stasny will be responsible for promoting, developing and expanding Diplomat’s service offerings as a leading provider in the Specialty Pharmacy industry.

“Jeanne Ann’s exceptional history as an industry leader combined with her creative and entrepreneurial vision make her a perfect fit for our company,” said Phil Hagerman, Diplomat’s President and CEO. “She truly is a pioneer in the pharmacy industry. The patient centered programs Jeanne Ann first developed almost 15 years ago are still shaping and influencing healthcare organizations today.”

“I’ve been fortunate in my career to work for both small entrepreneurial business development companies, as well as world class large corporations improving the value and efficiency of pharmacy service,” said Stasny. “This is an exciting time in healthcare and I am honored to join Diplomat, a dynamic, fast growing force in specialty healthcare dedicated to maximizing the value of pharmacy services as we help patients stay healthier longer.”

Prior to joining Diplomat, Stasny was Market Director and General Manager for Wal-Mart’s National Mail Specialty pharmacy business, building an operating infrastructure to improve customer experience while improving operating efficiency costs. She also served in several leadership roles with Medco Health Solutions, improving quality and operating efficiency as well as implementing a new technology platform and one of the first “therapeutic centers.” Prior to that, Stasny worked with decentralized clinical pharmacy practice for a nonprofit Hospital System, St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Milwaukee and was a Vice President for Foxmeyer Health’s Carestream Division implementing new patient centered workflow and technology solutions, partnering with APhA and NARD (NCPA) and state associations implementing the first national pharmacist patient centered community practice training program.

As President Owner/Operator of Pharmaceutical Care Services, Inc., Stasny served on the founding taskforce of APhA’s standards for pharmaceutical care and has been innovating pharmacy practice for 20 years through leadership roles within the independent community, long term care, hospital, mail and retail segments of pharmacy practice.

Stasny graduated from the University Of Houston College Of Pharmacy in 1992 with Phi Lambda Sigma leadership honors. Among her industry recognitions, she was once named one of the top 10 most influential pharmacists by Drug Topics. She was a contributor to Pharmacy in the 21st Century, an APHA thought leadership forum. Stasny was awarded the Albert B. Prescott/Glaxo Welcome National Leadership Award by American Pharmacist Association (APhA) in 1999.

In 2001, the Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA) awarded her the Innovation for Success Award for her patented work on designing work process for patient centered prescription processing with individual patients.

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(PRWEB) May 01, 2012

Haliburton Tourism (http://www.haliburton-tourism.com), the leading directory for hospitality accommodations in the Haliburton County, has recently announced that they will be participating in the Sensational Ontario Vacations promotion offered by award winning web marketer First Page SEO (http://www.first-page-seo.com).

The Sensational Ontario Vacations promotion is a one-time campaign run by First Page SEO. The promotion consists of a web blast email going out to almost 90,000 unique recipients across Ontario and a permanent webpage set up with links to participating resort websites. The permanent page is being promoted through a Google Adwords campaign, and as well the campaign has the support from Haliburton Tourism. The campaign is aimed at driving vacation traffic to Ontario hospitality accommodators by showing vacationers the amazing locations and getaways that are available in their own back yards that are offering great vacation values.

Haliburton Tourism’s participation in the campaign is not limited to just the mail out and webpage listing, but will also include hosting a subpage for the promotion. “As the leading hospitality directory in Haliburton, it made sense for First Page SEO to partner with Haliburton Tourism for this promotion,” said Mark Coles, senior partner of First Page SEO and manager of the Haliburton Tourism website. Haliburton Tourism will be opening up a new subpage that will be entitled “Sensational Ontario Vacations” which will provide another medium for vacationers to find amazing best value local accommodation packages. The new subpage will have a listing of all of the participating Haliburton County resorts, inns, lodges and bed & breakfast properties, directing Haliburton Tourism visitors to their websites. With the high volume of traffic that goes through the Haliburton Tourism website, this will further increase the traffic to participating websites.

As for the mail out and permanent web address, Haliburton Tourism will have the same links as all other Ontario directories, and participating hospitality properties across Ontario. The only difference is that Haliburton Tourism will host an additional subpage directing people to other Haliburton County accommodations that are participating in the promotion.

Contact Information:

Mark Coles

Haliburton Tourism

First Page SEO

PO Box 525

Minden ON K0M2K0

(705)286-3656

http://www.first-page-seo.com

About Haliburton Tourism: Haliburton Tourism is a directory dedicated to showcasing the hospitality accommodations of the Haliburton area. It showcases different accommodation types, and as well area attractions and news, anything pertaining to the Haliburton tourism industry. Haliburton Tourism caters not only to people outside of the county looking to come in, but also offers services for people of the county. All major events are posted on the site, keeping tourists in the know about the area. Haliburton Tourism also offers people the chance to see more of the community, and learn about all of the trails and wildlife that can be found within the county. For the site visitors who are looking for places to stay in Haliburton, whether coming to visit on holidays or just needing a place to stay on a pass through, Haliburton Tourism has a fully indexed complete listing of all major resorts, inns, lodges and B&B in the area. For more information or to advertise on Haliburton Tourism online directory, call 705 286-3656 or visit http://www.haliburton-tourism.com.

©Copyright 1997-

, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
Vocus, PRWeb, and Publicity Wire are trademarks or registered trademarks of Vocus, Inc. or Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.