Siemens Healthineers, a global leader in medical technology, announced that it has received CE Mark for the AcuNav Volume ICE (Intracardiac Echocardiography) catheter, which is a therapy-enabling imaging guide that provides real-time, wide-angle visualization of heart anatomy during Structural Heart and Electrophysiology procedures. AcuNav Volume ICE is the market’s first Volume ICE catheter, developed based on 20 years of innovation history in ICE.

Due to the growth of the world population over the age 65 the number of Structural Heart Disease procedures within this population is rapidly expanding. Serving these patients better and faster requires advanced imaging tools to increase procedural efficiency and image quality. With these challenges in mind, Siemens Healthineers developed 4D Volume ICE catheter technology.

“The AcuNav Volume ICE catheter is a pioneering innovation in Structural Heart Disease. It is a result of Siemens Healthineers’ focus on designing catheters that meet the needs of interventional cardiologists and electrophysiologists for clinical efficiency with reduced scheduling efforts, staffing needs, procedure time and costs”, said Jim Gilmore, Head of Intracardiac Imaging, Siemens Healthineers.

The AcuNav Volume ICE catheter further transforms care delivery by enabling treatment of patients who were not able to previously receive access to Structural Heart procedures. This group includes patients with TOE (transoesophageal echo) or general anesthesia contraindications, as well as some patients suffering from tricuspid regurgitation.

The tricuspid valve can be sufficiently visualized with TOE imaging in only 11% of cases1. Less than 0.5% of 1.6 Million of patients with moderate or severe tricuspid regurgitation are treated annually2.

“Today, we see an increasing focus on the so called “forgotten valve” – the tricuspid valve. Due to the increasing number of repair and replacement devices for the tricuspid valve, imaging guidance for these procedures is getting more important than ever. With the AcuNav Volume ICE catheter, we are able to clearly visualize the tricuspid valve anatomy from the right heart atrium”, said Dr. von Bardeleben, Head of the Center of Structural Heart Disease Interventions and the Heart Valve Center in Mainz, Germany.

“The interest in using 4D Volume ICE came through a patient need”, said Dr. Carlos Sanchez, Ohio Health Riverside Methodist Hospital, USA. ”For patients not able to undergo TOE or general anesthesia, we started using 4D ICE for LAAC (Left Atrial Appendage Closure). With 4D Volume ICE you only need one view, and from that view you can reconstruct the whole LAA. Once the device is deployed, you can do all the required measurements to comply with the PASS criteria, which is very important to make this procedure successful”.

Additionally, AcuNav Volume ICE catheter offers potential cost reduction due to reduced cath lab turnaround time and shorter hospital stay, increasing procedural efficiency. Eliminating general anesthesia can cut LAAC procedure and recovery time by 57% compared to TOE3, with potential cost savings of 33%4.

The AcuNav Volume ICE catheter is offered exclusively on the ACUSON SC2000 PRIME ultrasound system, a complete Structural Heart Disease solution delivering advanced visualization and AI-powered quantification with 2D and 4D TTE, TOE, ICE and TrueFusion.

Real Time Medical Systems (Real Time), the leading healthcare interventional analytics company connecting post-acute care facilities, hospitals, ACOs, and payers, announces the launch of its new Real Time Notifications App. As a companion application to Real Time’s suite of advanced Interventional Analytics solutions, the app allows Real Time customers to access live Clinical Alerts and Keyword Notifications to improve the continuity of care for patients residing in post-acute care (PAC) settings.

The free app, available on Apple and Android devices, offers customizable features enabling care teams to prioritize Real Time alerts by role, payer source, and unit(s) – within and across all facilities.

“Because the Notifications App puts live, actionable data directly into the hands of clinicians on a smart device, they gain even quicker line-of-sight into patient status changes and can administer more timely interventions,” explains Jim Shearon, Real Time’s Vice President of Clinical Solutions. “Noting these condition changes, the app also helps staff assess additional reimbursement opportunities.”

Receiving immediate notifications pulled directly from PAC EHR data, the Notifications App is a critical tool in improving transitions of care – especially during the first 72 hours of a patient’s admission to the facility when readmission risk is highest. Real Time’s live clinical alerts, sent 24/7/365, ensure care teams can easily identify high-risk patients and immediately apply appropriate interventions to reduce unnecessary rehospitalizations and prevent adverse events from occurring.

“Real Time is excited to share our new Notifications App with the dedicated care management and clinical teams who oversee PAC patients. Not only can it help them improve the quality of care; it helps detect and reduce potential patient risks and improve clinical workflows,” said Real Time Executive Vice President of Health System Solutions, Phyllis Wojtusik.

About Real Time Medical Systems

Real Time Medical Systems is the industry-leading Interventional Analytics solution that turns EHR data into actionable insights. Serving healthcare organizations nationwide, Real Time improves clinical performance by reducing avoidable hospital admissions/readmissions, managing reimbursements, improving care coordination, and detecting early onsets of infectious disease.

Dealing with personal injury claims can be a daunting process, especially if you sustained serious injuries and incurred significant losses. With the potential amount of compensation involved, many individuals or entities will compete so they can take part in your personal injury settlement. Typically, one of these entities is the company that’ll be paying your health insurance claims. This means that they can claim part of your injury claim to recover everything they’ve paid for your medical care.

To have a better understanding of this subject matter, below are five things you need to know about health insurance claims on personal injury cases:

1. Your Health Insurance Company May Take Part Of The Personal Injury Settlement

Legally speaking, your health insurance company has the right to participate in your personal injury settlement case and may pay for your hospital and medical care. This process is called subrogation. The purpose of the subrogation is to provide protection when you’re ill or injured.

This means that if the third-party harms you, your health insurance policy will initially cover your medical expenses since the issues on damages and liability may not have been resolved in your personal injury settlement claim. However, letting the health insurance company take part in your personal injury case can be an overwhelming undertaking. It can become more complicated if you don’t know what to do in the first place.

That being said, it’s important to get legal help to protect your settlement from your health insurance company. By hiring an experienced lawyer, you’re able to better understand who’s entitled to what portion in a personal injury case. They can also help you safeguard the amount of your settlement from your unintended outcomes.

2. A Subrogation Notice Letter From Your Health Insurance Company Will Be Sent To You

If you’ve been involved in an accident and got injured, your health insurance company will send a subrogation notice letter, asking you about the details of what happened. For instance, the letter will ask whether the accident was work-related, whether the third-party was involved, and the name and contact information of the insurance adjuster of the at-fault party.

Also, the letter will ask for certain information as to whether you’ve hired a legal professional who can assist you. Lastly, the letter will reiterate the provision in your insurance policy, stating that the health insurance company has a right to be reimbursed out of your personal injury claim.

In such a case, you may need the assistance of a lawyer to help you explain the advantages and disadvantages of your insurance company taking part in your personal injury case.

3. A State Law May Restrict Health Insurance Companies From Subrogation

While most health insurance policies provide provisions stating that insurance companies have a right to full reimbursement against your injury claims, the state’s law may have restrictions that prohibit them from subrogation. This means that the right of the insurance providers to exercise subrogation isn’t absolute. Rather, it still depends on the state you’re in and the agreement you’ll have with the insurance company.

To make sure your personal injury claim produces better outcomes, like getting your settlement properly calculated, it’s best to check your state’s insurance department to determine whether there are restrictions to subrogation. That way, you’ll know what to expect throughout the process.

4. The Policy May Help Determine The Right Of The Insurer To Subrogation

It’s essential to read your health insurance policy to know and understand what specific rights your insurance provider may assert against your personal injury claim. In other words, by reading the language of your policy, you’ll find out whether it contains a clause or provision that allows your insurer to exercise subrogation.

Thus, if you don’t have a copy of your insurance policy, be sure to ask one from your plan administrator or the insurance company itself.

5. Self-Insured Health Claims By Employers May Give Insurers The Right To Assert A Claim On Your Personal Injury Claim

If you’re working for a big company, there’s a chance that your employer self-insures the employees’ health claims. Fortunately, these self-injured medical claims may have something to do with your health insurance company’s ability to assert a claim on your personal injury case.

Although your state law provides that health insurers may have a right to get reimbursed against the injury claims, it doesn’t work if your employer has a self-insured health plan. Thus, when the reason for filing an injury claim is work-related, your health insurance company may have the right to recover whatever they’ve paid for your hospital and medical care.

Bottom Line

Indeed, understanding personal injury cases in connection with health insurance claims can be a complicated process as it can involve a huge amount of money. Therefore, if you want to safeguard your rights and interests in your personal injury claim, keep these things in mind so you’ll know what to do when you handle health insurance claims on your injury case.

QHR Health, a leading shared service solutions provider for independent hospitals and health systems nationwide, announced it has been acquired by Grant Avenue Capital, LLC, a healthcare-focused private equity firm. QHR will now operate as an independent portfolio company of Grant Avenue Capital and is no longer a subsidiary of Quorum Health Corporation (QHC). Terms of the acquisition are undisclosed.

“This is an exciting time for QHR Health, our clients and the markets we serve,” said Dwayne Gunter, president and CEO of QHR Health. “Our partnership with Grant Avenue fuels the ability to accelerate development of our technology-enabled shared-services, expand our human capital capabilities, and provide the solutions our clients require to remain independent, financially strong, and well-positioned to serve the evolving healthcare needs of their communities.”

QHR was founded in 1977 and provides a broad base of solutions, including management and advisory services, revenue cycle management, supply chain optimization, outsourced IT services and strategic consulting.

“Strengthening independent community healthcare is foundational to a strong, national healthcare infrastructure,” said Buddy Gumina, founder and managing partner of Grant Avenue Capital. “The QHR team has demonstrated the ability to meaningfully impact and improve the performance of its clients through its broad solution set. We look forward to investing further in QHR, both organically and through acquisitions, to expand its breadth of services.”

Gunter added that although impacted this past year by the pandemic, today the independent hospital market, like the rest of the economy, is moving from survival to growth mode. “Our new partnership provides us with the resources to fully leverage our experience and impact local healthcare by innovating, re-defining, and re-imagining what it takes to serve the needs of independent healthcare organizations who are and will remain a vital component to our nation’s healthcare delivery system.”

Nashville Capital Network and Brentwood Capital Advisors also invested in the transaction alongside Grant Avenue Capital.

Avantor, Inc., a leading global provider of mission-critical products and services to customers in the life sciences and advanced technologies & applied materials industries, announced that it has acquired RIM Bio, a leading China-based manufacturer of single-use bioprocess bags and assemblies for biopharmaceutical manufacturing applications.

RIM Bio provides a complete range of single-use products manufactured in ISO 7 Class 10,000 cleanroom facilities

Rim Bio’s proprietary technology provides single use bioprocess customers with differentiated product offerings

Once someone starts aging, their needs also change. The elderly cannot take care of themselves as we do; thus, they require special care.  While taking care of any senior at home can be stressful, it is essential to carry it in the best manner possible, in their interest. When taking care of the seniors at home, you will want them to be comfortable; thus, you will need to handle them with love, care and give them the support they need.

There are many ways you can take care of your elders at home to make them comfortable. Some of the ways fit every senior, while others depend on the needs of the person. Some individuals do not require much help, while others require monitoring all the time. It is essential to understand the senior needs to cater for them promptly. Here are some tips to guide you.

Check on Their Medications and Wellbeing

Whether the elderly are in your home or a nursing home, it is always essential to make sure their medications are taken care of.  It is crucial that their prescriptions, health insurance covers, and anything else concerning their wellbeing is up-to-date and going on well. Also, you will need to see if they qualify for CADI waiver or other elderly waiver programs for their wellbeing. With it, they will be able to choose the right living option as easy as possible. Instead of sending them to a nursing facility, they can seek care services in their community.

Elderly individuals are prone to infections and other inconveniences. Getting them the right place to live, and proper medication will reduce ailments and stress, enabling them to live their old age comfortably.

Visit Them

Whether the seniors are living alone in a remote place or a nursing home, you should make a schedule of visiting them regularly. This social interaction will relieve their stress and prove that they still matter, even in their old age.  Also, you will get to know if they are safe and healthy or understand their requirements.

During the visit, you need to check how they are faring. You have to check if the elderly homes or rooms are in good condition and if they require assistance, including cleanliness.

Make Modifications at Home

If the elderly live at home, you need to make changes to your house or their house, depending on where they will be spending their time.  There are simple fixes and modifications which you need to do to ensure they can access all areas in the house with ease.

Some of these modifications include:

• Installing handrails and grab bars on toilets and bathrooms
• Constructing wheelchair ramps on doors
• Having a raised toilet
• Removing clutters along the way for their more effortless movement
• Getting non-skid mats and other items to avoid them falling in bathrooms and toilets, among other precautions.

Hire a Helper

Hiring a helper is an essential thing to do for your seniors, especially if living alone.  As discussed, when we get old, our bodies become weak, and we cannot do things by ourselves. At one time or the other, your seniors will require a helper, caretaker, or aid to help them carry out specific duties at home. Someone needs to help them prepare their meals, clean the house, run errands, help them take a bath, among other responsibilities.

When hiring someone, you need to take precautions to get the right person to take care of the elderly. If you can’t get someone from your family, you need to screen an outsider properly before hiring them. You can check on references or hire someone from a reputable agency who knows how to take care of the elderly.

Keep the Elderly Active

Staying in one place doing nothing can be boring sometimes. Besides this, it leads to some lifestyle diseases, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart attack. It would be best to find activities that will keep the seniors active and engaged to avoid diseases, stress, and depression. Exercising is one of the essential activities to enable them to stay healthy.

Ensure you facilitate them well to be moving around by themselves or with other family members. Also, you can find them suitable hobbies, including walking, swimming, knitting, among others which can keep them active during the day. Also, get them some books, movies, music, etc., which will keep them entertained.

Taking care of the elderly doesn’t have to be complicated. If done well, it will enable them to live a happy life, free from stress, depression, and other lifestyle diseases. Follow the above tips to the latter, and you will see their lives changing for the better.  Doing things right makes the caring process more manageable and cheaper.