PITTSBURGH, Feb. 21, 2012 — /PRNewswire/ — BodyMedia, Inc., a leader in wearable body monitors designed for health and wellness, today announced a strategic partnership with HealthSpot, Inc., an Ohio-based health and technology company providing medical kiosks for community-based remote care. The agreement enables healthcare professionals offering videoconference consultations through HealthSpot Care4 Stations to recommend BodyMedia FIT armband-based body monitoring systems to help patients improve their diets, become more active, and get more sleep, all of which can have positive health impacts. BodyMedia armbands will also be sold at retail stores that have HealthSpot kiosks to make it easy for consumers to follow practitioners’ advice.

The HealthSpot Care4 Station is a fully enclosed kiosk that uses real-time high-definition videoconferencing to connect patients to healthcare providers in convenient neighborhood settings like pharmacies, supermarkets and workplaces. HealthSpot is developing a network of healthcare partners that include doctors as well as nutritionists and wellness coaches.

BodyMedia FIT armbands track calories burned, steps taken, level of physical activity and sleep patterns that affect health and weight, utilizing a proprietary four-sensor system that collects 5,000 data points per minute. Companion software stores that information, allows users to set goals and document daily food intake, and recommends activity and dietary adjustments based on each user’s weight and fitness goals, actual calorie expenditure and food intake for the day.

“Physicians traditionally have had few behavioral modification tools to help patients make lifestyle changes. Our BodyMedia FIT armband system meets that need,” said Christine Robins, BodyMedia CEO. “Now healthcare professionals participating in the HealthSpot kiosk program can offer a solution that requires no prescription and has been clinically proven to help patients make positive changes to live healthier lives.”

“Our kiosks enable affordable, face-to-face medical consultations without an office visit. The challenge is how to help patients help themselves and stay on track once the doctor’s visit is complete,” said HealthSpot CEO Steve Cashman. “Partnering with BodyMedia gives us a way to answer that challenge, encourage change, and track the results.”

HealthSpot will be demonstrating its Care4 Station with digital medical equipment at the 2012 HIMSS health IT conference and exhibition in Las Vegas in Sprint booth #3055.

About BodyMedia, Inc.

When your body talks, BodyMedia listens. BodyMedia has been unlocking and deciphering secrets of the body since 1999. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA, BodyMedia is the pioneer in developing wearable body monitoring systems designed to help people lose weight, improve performance, and lead healthier lives. Our patented multi-sensor technology provides continuous body-monitoring that tracks physical activity levels, calories expended and sleep patterns. What sets BodyMedia technology apart is our validated accuracy, our clinically proven outcomes and our FDA status as a Class II medical device. For more information, visit www.bodymedia.com.

About HealthSpot, Inc.

HealthSpot is a health and technology company based in Dublin, Ohio. The company was founded in 2010 with the goal of increasing access to affordable healthcare while enhancing the patient experience. HealthSpot has built a telemedicine practice management platform that connects doctors and pharmacists to patients, delivering a first-of-its-kind consumer experience through its Care4 Station. HealthSpot empowers healthcare professionals to offer a wide range of medical services in convenient locations like pharmacies and retail settings in the heart of where patients live and work.

For more information, visit www.healthspot.net or follow @health_spot.

Contacts:

BodyMediaMolly Antos Morey, 847-415-9327SS|PRmantos@sspr.com

or

HealthSpotAngie Homan, 614-389-4375ahoman@healthspot.net

SOURCE HealthSpot, Inc.

Article source: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/02/21/3891062/bodymedia-partners-with-healthspot.html

Eric George/ThisWeek

Javon Bess and Central open Division I district tournament play against Dublin Jerome at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, at Jonathan Alder.

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ThisWeek Community Newspapers

Wednesday February 22, 2012 10:31 AM

With something of a chuckle, Pickerington High School Central boys basketball coach Jerry Francis acknowledged a district semifinal loss last year still motivates his team.

The Tigers’ second-year coach is careful, however, to keep his team focused after it clinched the OCC-Ohio Division championship with one game to play in the regular season.

“Maybe that’s more a hidden agenda among the players and coaches,” said Francis, whose 2010-11 team’s season ended with a 71-49 loss to Westerville South. “We’re taking it one game at a time, going with a humble approach. But I do think that’s in the back of the guys’ minds, that they know they want to exceed our expectations from last year and do better.

“It can leave a bitter taste in your mouth after having a good regular season and winning your conference title if you fall short in the tournament. We just want to continue our winning ways, take it one game at a time and respect our opponents at all times. Just enjoy that opportunity to compete.”

The Tigers, who received the fourth seed for the Division I district tournament, open the postseason against Dublin Jerome at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, at Jonathan Alder. The winner will play Groveport in the second round at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 29, also at Jonathan Alder, with that winner returning to the same site March 7 for a district semifinal against eighth-seeded South, Logan, Teays Valley or Westerville Central.

Pickerington Central, which finished the regular season at 18-2 overall and 13-1 in the OCC-Ohio, defeated Jerome 78-62 on Dec. 13 and swept Groveport in two league games, winning 74-41 on Dec. 20 and 86-29 on Feb. 3.

The Tigers did not play any of their potential district semifinal opponents during the regular season.

Senior guard Caris LeVert scored 13 and 18 points in the two Groveport games, and sophomore guard Connor Kern had a then-career-high 23 points against Jerome. He eclipsed that with 24 points in a 74-42 league title-clinching victory over Lancaster on Feb. 13. Kern had four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter of that game.

“It’s coach Francis’ first (OCC title) and our first (since 2003-04). It feels good being able to achieve something like this,” Kern said. “We definitely are looking at districts and maybe past it. We want to go even farther. The regionals are a huge goal for us. Hopefully we can go even farther than that.”

Jerome’s Nick Neale scored 17 points, Kyle Christman had 16 and Donovan Wilson added 12 in the December game. Central hopes that kind of familiarity will smooth its road toward exceeding last year’s finish.

“Now we’re starting to get into a tournament mindset. We just have to be focused,” senior guard Chad Nelson said. “We can’t break down mentally like we did a few times this season. We have to be intensely focused and ready to play every game.”

•North finds itself in perhaps the most evenly-matched portion of the district bracket. The Panthers, who were seeded 13th of 42 teams, open against Dresden Tri-Valley at 7:45 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, at Marysville. The winner will play St. Charles or Zanesville in a second-round game at 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 29, also at Marysville.

Zanesville has the best record of that group at 15-5, but St. Charles is 13-7, Tri-Valley is 12-8 and North is 11-9.

“We have a good seed considering our record. It’s a favorable draw and, we think, an evenly-matched one. We have to win our first game then we’ll see what happens,” coach Pete Liptrap said. “We saw Tri-Valley down at (Ohio University’s) summer camp and we played them a few years ago in an OHSAA foundation game. We’re not totally unfamiliar with them, but we have a lot to learn about them.”

Tri-Valley, which competes in the Muskingum Valley League, is led by 6-foot-3 sophomore forward Avery Williams and 5-7 junior guard Kris Michael. Williams was averaging 10.6 points and 6.3 rebounds through 19 games; Michael was averaging 2.3 assists and 2.1 steals.

Whichever team emerges from that bracket has an almost-certain meeting with top-seeded Northland in a district semifinal March 7. The Vikings play 0-20 Central Crossing in the first round Thursday, Feb. 23, then would play 0-20 Columbus West in the second round Wednesday, Feb. 29. All games will be at Marysville.

North might not have senior forward Jake Butt, who missed the final two regular-season games with a shoulder injury. Liptrap was unsure late last week whether Butt will be cleared by the tournament opener.

“Whenever you lose 17 points and about seven and a half rebounds a game and the player that usually guards the opponent’s best player, that’s a big loss that no one player will be able to fill,” Liptrap said. “Everybody will have to step up more.”

Article source: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/pickerington/sports/2012/02/21/central-keeps-last-seasons-tourney-loss-in-back-of-mind.html

DUBLIN, Ohio, Feb. 21, 2011 — /PRNewswire/ – Cardinal Health today announced the availability of its complete portfolio of surgical gloves, including the Protexis™ powder-free surgical gloves and Triflex® powdered surgical gloves, in sustainable, half-fold packaging.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120221/CL55713-a )

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120221/CL55713-b )

The standardized surgical glove packaging is the industry’s only half-folded format and makes Cardinal Health uniquely able to help reduce consumption of materials and help customers reduce their environmental footprint and minimize waste. The new packaging configuration also helps customers maximize their storage space.  

“By standardizing our glove packaging to the industry’s only half-folded gloves packaging, we’re helping customers meet sustainability goals and make the most of their storage space,” said Lisa Ashby, president of Category Management at Cardinal Health. “These changes reflect great strides in our efforts to be a leader in environmental sustainability.”

The packaging has received a green leaf icon designation from the Premier healthcare alliance, which identifies “environmentally preferred purchasing products” for its members. Products and services with the green leaf tag have environmentally preferable attributes that reduce the negative impact on the quality and health of the environment and consider, for example, the product materials, production, packaging, reusability, energy efficiency, disposal, nationally recognized certification, or its impact on the environment.

The Cardinal Health half-fold glove dispenser boxes are at least 30 percent smaller and use at least 15 percent less cardboard than competitive products sold in tall packaging configurations. Individual pouches within the half-fold dispenser boxes are at least 48 percent smaller than competitive products. And, over 95 percent of the company’s surgical gloves feature paper-based wrap material, or inner wallets, which are made from renewable resources and are recyclable.

In addition to packaging enhancements, Cardinal Health also has implemented a number of initiatives to address and improve its surgical glove manufacturing operations in Thailand, including non-hazardous waste recycling, heat recovery and water recycling. The company’s energy conservation efforts have been recognized in Thailand, including receiving two Energy Awards by King Mongkut University of Technology, sponsored by the Department of Alternative Energy and Efficiency in Thailand. Cardinal Health also received a Green Industry Award Level II certification for sustainability by the Ministry of Industry in Thailand, recognizing the company’s commitment to sustainable resource use, among other qualifying factors.

About Cardinal Health

Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is a $103 billion health care services company that improves the cost-effectiveness of health care. As the business behind health care, Cardinal Health helps pharmacies, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers and physician offices focus on patient care while  reducing costs, enhancing efficiency and improving quality. Cardinal Health is an essential link in the health care supply chain, providing pharmaceuticals and medical products to more than 60,000 locations each day. The company is also a leading manufacturer of medical and surgical products, including gloves, surgical apparel and fluid management products. In addition, the company supports the growing diagnostic industry by supplying medical products to clinical laboratories and operating the nation’s largest network of radiopharmacies that dispense products to aid in the early diagnosis and treatment of disease. Ranked #19 on the Fortune 500, Cardinal Health employs more than 30,000 people worldwide. More information about the company may be found at cardinalhealth.com and @CardinalHealth on Twitter.

SOURCE Cardinal Health

Article source: http://www.bradenton.com/2012/02/21/3889754/cardinal-health-marks-dedication.html

By Jamie Smyth in Dublin

Article source: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/09d3c9ec-5d54-11e1-869d-00144feabdc0.html

Prior to Fabio Capello’s shock departure, there had been some speculation that Scholes was again on the Italian’s radar following his sensational retirement U-turn.

Capello had already made one failed attempt to get Scholes back in an England shirt for the first time since Euro 2004 ahead of the 2010 World Cup.

Now Pearce must decide whether to turn the clock back.

And whilst United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has already ruled it out, Dublin can see the merits of Scholes starring for his country again at the ripe old age of 37.

“I can see that,” said Dublin.

“I imagine if you took a poll of players, there wouldn’t be many who didn’t want Paul Scholes in their side. He defies age.

“He hasn’t lost any passion for the game. He has an aura about him that makes you think he can do anything.

“He is a very special player.”

The ease with which Scholes has returned to the highest levels of the game after seven months out has been staggering.

Dublin is not surprised though.

Speaking to promote Disney XD’s hit football series Goalmouth, which premieres tomorrow, the ex-England international only has to recall the work he has done on behind the scenes jobs in football for a new segment called “Gendle’s Footy Jobs” to know the effort that goes into getting a Premier League player on the pitch.

Even a straightforward character like Scholes has the back-up of nutritionists, dieticians, fitness coaches, physios, kit men and countless other vital members of the United back-up team.

“I am not surprised how easily he has adapted back to the game,” said Dublin.

“It is the same for anyone. I am sure I could go out there now and do exactly the same things if my body would hold up.”

PA

Article source: http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/dion-dublin-backs-paul-scholes-international-comeback-7294374.html

(UKPA)
–
2 hours ago 

Former Norwich striker Dion Dublin has praised manager Paul Lambert for the attitude and aptitude he has shown at the Carrow Road helm.

The former Scotland international took the reins at the Canaries in October 2009 when they were a League One club. He then led them to back-to-back from promotion and Norwich currently lie eighth in the Barclays Premier League, just eight points off a Champions League spot.

Dublin has been amazed by the way Lambert has changed the fortunes of his former club and believes it is no less than the Canaries deserve. He said: “I suppose I am surprised at their league position but not their overall performances. Paul Lambert has given them so much self-belief. He doesn’t get over excited at anything.”

He added: “He remains calm and the players feed off that. They have taken on board his ideas and everyone has pulled in the same direction.

“Norwich don’t have a Wayne Rooney or a Didier Drogba, who can come up with a moment of world-class skill to win a game.

“They all have to work hard and follow a game plan. They started to win games and from that confidence has increased.

“It is a fantastic club and deserves to be in the Premier League.

“People don’t think of it as a soccer hotbed but the supporters are as intense and passionate as they are at any of the big clubs.”

Copyright © 2012 The Press Association. All rights reserved.

Article source: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5iFdfPNnIuK8tsLq-dpe5sa--7-xg?docId=N0692531329925186773A

All 19 Fairport High School students and the three adult chaperones who accompanied them on a ill-fated winter-break trip to Ireland that never made it past Newark, N.J., will likely get all their money back, and more.

But that was of little solace to the students who had planned about a year for the trip to visit Irish students who visited here in October.

Sue Robins said her 17-year-old son, Cory, has wanted to visit Ireland since he was in the fifth grade.

“This was the dream. Now it’s shot,” she said before a meeting of parents and students about the vacation nightmare at Fairport High School Tuesday.

“This really stinks,” said Pete Gropp, an 18-year-old senior at Fairport High.

“It’s just a total letdown,” said Ben Fuess, 18, another member of the group.

About 50 people gathered at the school to review what happened and discuss the next steps.

Wayne Ackles, assistant principal of the school and one of the chaperones, rehashed the three-day saga that started Friday afternoon when the group’s Continental Airlines flight to Newark left Rochester late.

As a result, they missed the flight from Newark to Dublin even though Continental had promised the plane would wait for them.

They wrangled with airline workers Friday, Saturday and Sunday but the airline was never able to arrange to get them all on the same flight with hard copies of boarding passes for flights that would take them all the way to Dublin.

Each night Continental paid for hotel rooms for the group. By Sunday evening, in consultation with Superintendent Jon Hunter, they decided to go home on Monday.

They’re still waiting for their luggage that apparently made it to Dublin without them.

Michael Hamm, president of 1st Choice Educational Tours Ltd., which arranged the trip, said Continental promised to deliver the luggage to their homes in a few days.

The group purchased trip insurance, so they’ll get their $2,235 refunded, minus $90 for the insurance, hopefully within five weeks.

Hamm told the group that he expects Continental also will give them free travel vouchers. And he expects that Continental will reimburse them for expenses incurred during the time they were stuck in Newark.

“We made a mistake. We’re offering the compensation as an apology,” said Charles Hobart, a Continental spokesman.

“Big deal,” said parent Gary Muldoon by phone before the meeting.

“Continental was not showing the kind of concern that an airline should have in dealing with contingency plans for a group of people of moderate size,” said Muldoon, whose 17-year-old daughter, Lauren, was among the students.

Article source: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20120221/NEWS01/302210051

Protest group prevents home repossession

By Jennifer Hough

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

A county sheriff has been prevented from repossessing a home on behalf of a bank in Laois by a nationwide organisation set up to stop the eviction of people and families from their homes.

In a stand-off with the sheriff, who came to the property in Mountrath, about 30 people from the Anti-Eviction Taskforce stood firm and did not allow the court-ordered repossession to take place.

The group claims the sheriff was acting unlawfully as the family home is protected under the Constitution.

Patrick Grant, a spokesman for the group, said they had been made aware that the repossession was going to take place and so “put a call out” for people to help stop it.

“A man contacted us to tell us the bank was coming to repossess his home. We put a call out for help and about 30 people responded. The county sheriff arrived and was refused entry. They will turn up again we presume, but we are determined that this person will not be evicted and we will respond every time.”

Mr Grant said if the house is eventually repossessed, the group will take it back again.

“The people who live in this house have been threatened with repossession for eight months, it is a very stressful situation. The aim of the taskforce is to set up a network in every county in Ireland ready to come to the aid of anyone in the locality who is threatened with or in the process of being evicted.”

Mr Grant said the group “intends to make its presence felt” at the Allsop Space homes auction on Mar 1 in the Shelbourne Hotel.

Although not directly repossessed, at last November’s auction, 75% of the properties were being sold by receivers with a further two being sold by liquidators. According to Allsop’s, next week’s auction will see 70 of 100 properties being sold by receivers.

“The continued apathy and procrastination of the Government in dealing with the crisis has ignited our movement,” said Mr Grant.

“The tremendous work being done by New Beginnings, The People’s Association Watchdog, Defend Our Homes League and Irish Homeowners Unite is being ignored and given nothing more than a glancing nod of recognition by the Government, while Ireland is sinking deeper into a quagmire of misery and socioeconomic disaster.”

One man, Patrick, who is being assisted by the group, said that until two years ago he had been self-employed and was employing 14 others.

“In 2008 I believed that if I didn’t get on the housing ladder now, I never would as prices were increasing by the day, I still couldn’t afford a house in Dublin but I could at least get a house with easy access to the city via a motorway. The house I chose cost €315,000, very cheap for the time, and I received a mortgage of €260,000, the rest of the money I had saved up.

“I am in arrears with my mortgage but I have absolutely no intention of giving up my home. The banks did not invest any actual money in my home, they merely traded upon my signature which they then sold on.”

a d v e r t i s e m e n t

This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Article source: http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/protest-group-prevents-home-repossession-184677.html

The team provides clients with advice on loan sales and buybacks, acquisition financing, refinancing, development financing and mezzanine debt.

Originally published in

Article source: http://www.independent.ie/business/commercial-property/banks-to-sell-off-loans-3026896.html

CBRE expects to see banks across Europe continue to pursue sales of commercial real estate loans in 2012 as lenders seek to further streamline the process for reducing their exposure to property. In 2011, CBRE recorded the completion of more than 20 loan sales by European banks, representing over €20 billion of real estate debt. At least a further €13 billion has also been placed on the market and is currently under execution. CBRE’s own Debt Advisory team itself saw a threefold increase in loan sale mandates across Europe last year, with the majority of instructions originating in the UK and Ireland. Indications for 2012 show a continued appetite from lending institutions across Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) to reduce their exposure via this method.

Natale Giostra, Head of UK EMEA Debt Advisory, CBRE, said:
“Banks now recognise that, in many cases, loan sales are the most effective way of diminishing their balance sheet leverage and exposure to real estate. In 2011, we saw this reflected in an increasing number of loans brought to the market by a wide variety of institutions. With over €13 billion of loans already understood to be on the market, we expect loans sales in EMEA this year to reach at least the same levels as 2012. Loan sales are a quicker solution for banks than asset level work outs and buyers generally have teams in place with demonstrable expertise in successfully completing asset level work outs.”

At the same time, CBRE has launched a new Debt Advisory team in Ireland to provide expert real estate advice to domestic banks, appointing Andrew Tallon as Associate Director, who will work from both the London and Dublin offices. Andrew previously spent five years at Anglo Irish Bank working in the commercial lending division with a focus on the real estate sector.

The Debt Advisory team, which was established in 2006 within CBRE Real Estate Finance, provides clients with advice on loan sales and buybacks, acquisition financing, refinancing, development financing and mezzanine debt.

Guy Hollis, Managing Director of Ireland, CBRE, added:
“The scale of the challenge faced by various Irish lending institutions in de-leveraging their balance sheets will inevitably lead to an increase in loan sales and we are already experiencing client demand for services related to these strategies. CBRE is excited to bring its expertise and reach in this specialist field to the Irish market.”

Article source: http://www.property-magazine.eu/european-banks-eye-further-real-estate-loan-sale-programmes-in-2012-19897.html

Feb. 21, 2012

Wexford Final Results

HILTON HEAD, S.C. – Ohio Men’s Golf completed the first tournament of its 2012 spring season on Tuesday, finishing 12th at the Wexford Plantation Intercollegiate. In three rounds of play, the Bobcats shot 319, 303 and 303 to finish with a total team score of 925.

The Bobcats finished just two strokes out of 11th place, which was held by Samford’s team score of 923. Georgia State claimed top honors in the tournament, shooting a team score of 892. Furman finished second and shot the best team round of the tournament, carding a 292 the second time through the course.

Byron Firestone (Canton, Ohio) shot the best round of the day for the Green and White, finishing with a 71, a score five full strokes below his career average. This was also an eight-stroke improvement from his second-round score, a 79. He finished 23rd in the field of 89 golfers.

Earning Ohio’s best finish of the tournament was Paul Grauer (Dublin, Ohio). The senior had an impressive tournament, averaging just over 75 strokes per round to finish with a final score of 227 and earn a tie for 18th place.

Michael Lamping (Dublin, Ohio) and Connor Coldwater (Clarks Summit, Pa.) finished a few strokes back of Grauer, shooting a 232 and 239, respectively. Lamping rounded out his final day with a 77 while Coldwater shot a 79.

Rounding out Ohio’s participation in the tournament was Bradley Lucas (Worthington, Ohio). The junior shot a three-round 253 and improved greatly from his second round to the third, shaving 14 strokes to shoot a 78.

The Bobcats will next be in action on March 22 when they play Campbell at Pinehurst Country Club in North Carolina.

Follow @OhioBobcats

Article source: http://www.ohiobobcats.com/sports/m-golf/recaps/022112aac.html

This week HealthSpot announced a deal with 3M Littmann to include the company’s Electronic Stethoscope Model 3200 in HealthSpot’s kiosks. The stethoscope will enable clinicians to listen in real-time to critical body sounds during remote examinations of patients using the medical kiosks.

Last year 3M Littmann announced that it was working with the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to equip its astronauts with the 3M Littmann Scope-to-Scope Tele-Auscultation System on-board at the International Space Station (ISS). The system would allow physicians on the ground to hear the actual heartbeat of astronauts in space in real-time. At the time, JAXA planned to use the system for coronary tone data collection in a series of autonomic nervous activity rhythm experiments set to be carried out onboard the ISS. The tests were to include linking Earth-based medical professionals with the astronauts inside Kibo, Japan’s first manned space lab.

More on the HealthSpot deal with Sprint in the press release below:

PRESS RELEASE: OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Feb 16, 2012 – Sprint today announced a new agreement with HealthSpot, Inc. to embed wireless connectivity for the HealthSpot Care4 Station. Together Sprint and HealthSpot will deliver a true integration of telemedicine and primary care, allowing patients access to high-quality, convenient and affordable medical care in the community or workplace.

The HealthSpot Care4 Station is a fully enclosed kiosk that delivers primary and specialty care in private settings such as pharmacies, supermarkets and workplaces. The Care4 Station increases convenient care options like extended hours and physician availability while also bringing healthcare access to remote and underserved populations. The private medical kiosk connects patients to doctors over real-time, high-definition videoconferences with wireless technology. Digital medical devices integrated into the unit allow doctors to collect vital health information. Patient information, video, prescriptions, appointment scheduling and visit records can be transmitted securely over the Sprint 4G network.

“Sprint is focused on providing enabling technologies to empower caregivers and organizations seeking on-site wellness solutions, thus driving the transformation to a more consumer-driven system and bridging the gap as healthcare evolves to a more virtual model,” said Wayne Ward, vice president — Emerging Solutions Group, Sprint. “Working with innovative companies such as HealthSpot to enable the potential of M2M (machine-to-machine) technology to improve patient wellness and physician efficiency in an on-demand setting is just one example of how connected solutions are changing the way we work and live.”

Todd Churchill, chief technology officer of HealthSpot, said “We’ve optimized our remote care delivery platform to work seamlessly over Sprint wireless networks for an exceptional consumer experience. We’re excited to work with a leader in connectivity like Sprint to deploy our solution. This allows us to connect our Care4 Stations nationwide, bringing patients the ultimate in convenient secure healthcare at employer sites, retail locations and more.”

To learn more about the HealthSpot Care4 Station, view this video.

Sprint has sales, engineering, product development and marketing resources in place with a deep history and extensive experience within the healthcare industry. The team understands the industry, standards of practice and care delivery. A key element of Sprint’s commitment to healthcare is embedding wireless connectivity into innovative healthcare solutions through M2M technology. For more information, visit www.sprint.com/healthcare .

HealthSpot will be featured in Sprint’s booth at the HIMSS12 Conference and Expo. The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society will hold their annual conference Feb. 20 — 24 at the Venetian Sands Expo Center in Las Vegas. Sprint will have telehealth experts on hand in booth #3055 to talk about mobility management, M2M infrastructure and business continuity.

About the Sprint Emerging Solutions Group

With more than a dozen years of experience with M2M, Sprint has been at the forefront of this wireless industry revolution, teaming with and supporting a large and diverse portfolio of innovative companies to create smarter wireless solutions that change the way people work and live. In 2010 Sprint opened the Sprint M2M Collaboration Center in Burlingame, Calif., a hands-on, interactive lab where ideas knowledge and technology unite to produce wirelessly enabled M2M concepts and products. Last year Sprint also introduced the Sprint Command Center, a Web-based portal that allows businesses with Sprint wireless-connected products the ability to manage, activate and de-activate each device. Sprint’s M2M leadership has earned prestigious third-party validation — including the top-ranked North American M2M provider (and second-ranked carrier overall among 12 global service providers) by Analysys Mason, and the Frost Sullivan 2011 Customer Value Enhancement Award in North America for Machine to Machine Communications.

To learn more, visit www.sprint.com/m2m .

About HealthSpot, Inc.

HealthSpot is a health and technology company based in Dublin, Ohio. The company was founded in 2010 with the goal of increasing access to affordable healthcare while enhancing the patient experience. HealthSpot has built a telemedicine practice management platform that connects doctors and pharmacists to patients, delivering a first-of-its-kind consumer experience through its Care4 Station. HealthSpot empowers healthcare professionals to offer a wide range of medical services in convenient locations like pharmacies and retail settings in the heart of where patients live and work.

Follow HealthSpot on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

About Sprint Nextel

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel served more than 55 million customers at the end of 2011 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; offering industry-leading mobile data services, leading prepaid brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Newsweek ranked Sprint No. 3 in its 2011 Green Rankings, listing it as one of the nation’s greenest companies, the highest of any telecommunications company. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint .

Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50170698lang=en

SOURCE: Sprint

Article source: http://mobihealthnews.com/16389/healthspot-adds-sprint-4g-e-stethoscope-to-kiosks/

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120221/CL55713-a )

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120221/CL55713-b )

The standardized surgical glove packaging is the industry’s only half-folded format and makes Cardinal Health uniquely able to help reduce consumption of materials and help customers reduce their environmental footprint and minimize waste. The new packaging configuration also helps customers maximize their storage space.  

“By standardizing our glove packaging to the industry’s only half-folded gloves packaging, we’re helping customers meet sustainability goals and make the most of their storage space,” said Lisa Ashby, president of Category Management at Cardinal Health. “These changes reflect great strides in our efforts to be a leader in environmental sustainability.”

The packaging has received a green leaf icon designation from the Premier healthcare alliance, which identifies “environmentally preferred purchasing products” for its members. Products and services with the green leaf tag have environmentally preferable attributes that reduce the negative impact on the quality and health of the environment and consider, for example, the product materials, production, packaging, reusability, energy efficiency, disposal, nationally recognized certification, or its impact on the environment.

The Cardinal Health half-fold glove dispenser boxes are at least 30 percent smaller and use at least 15 percent less cardboard than competitive products sold in tall packaging configurations. Individual pouches within the half-fold dispenser boxes are at least 48 percent smaller than competitive products. And, over 95 percent of the company’s surgical gloves feature paper-based wrap material, or inner wallets, which are made from renewable resources and are recyclable.

In addition to packaging enhancements, Cardinal Health also has implemented a number of initiatives to address and improve its surgical glove manufacturing operations in Thailand, including non-hazardous waste recycling, heat recovery and water recycling. The company’s energy conservation efforts have been recognized in Thailand, including receiving two Energy Awards by King Mongkut University of Technology, sponsored by the Department of Alternative Energy and Efficiency in Thailand. Cardinal Health also received a Green Industry Award Level II certification for sustainability by the Ministry of Industry in Thailand, recognizing the company’s commitment to sustainable resource use, among other qualifying factors.

About Cardinal Health

Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is a $103 billion health care services company that improves the cost-effectiveness of health care. As the business behind health care, Cardinal Health helps pharmacies, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers and physician offices focus on patient care while  reducing costs, enhancing efficiency and improving quality. Cardinal Health is an essential link in the health care supply chain, providing pharmaceuticals and medical products to more than 60,000 locations each day. The company is also a leading manufacturer of medical and surgical products, including gloves, surgical apparel and fluid management products. In addition, the company supports the growing diagnostic industry by supplying medical products to clinical laboratories and operating the nation’s largest network of radiopharmacies that dispense products to aid in the early diagnosis and treatment of disease. Ranked #19 on the Fortune 500, Cardinal Health employs more than 30,000 people worldwide. More information about the company may be found at cardinalhealth.com and @CardinalHealth on Twitter.

SOURCE Cardinal Health

Article source: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/02/21/4279020/cardinal-health-marks-dedication.html

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MACON, Ga. (WMAZ) — East Dublin’s Redneck Games 2012 has been set for Saturday, May 26.

That’s a change from last year’s July event. Event coordinator Kelvin Cauley says the change in dates should help with the heat.

RELATED | Review print vendor application
PHOTOS | 2011 Redneck Games

The event schedule is expected to be released in March, Cauley says.

Admission is $5 per person, and all proceeds go to charity. Gates open at 10 a.m. and events start at noon.

TripAdvisor named the Redneck Games number 5 in their list of 10 Wackiest Events in the United States.

(WMAZ Macon)

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Article source: http://www.11alive.com/news/article/229000/40/East-Dublins-Redneck-Games-to-Return-in-May

Paul McDowell, managing director Knight Frank Ireland, pointed out that while Dublin rents compare favourably with those in Munich, Amsterdam, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Brussels, Irish yields are lagging behind those in the same cities.

Dublin office rents average €32 per sq ft which compare favourably with their British and European counterparts. However, Dublin office yields at around 7pc are higher than those cities which show 6pc yields for prime offices.

This, he suggested, was one reason why Dublin yields could contract further and added that “future, prime investment product will perform strongly as overseas funds chase a tight supply attracted by the higher yield.”

Total Dublin office vacancy at around 22pc is now declining, particularly for prime space in core areas.

“There is no new supply of any significance in the pipeline. Dublin take-up in 2011 was around 1.75m sq ft of space, which is equivalent to a 10-year average for the city.

“However, it would appear that yields have moved too far out and there is scope for some yield compression,” Mr McDowell said.

He told representatives of banks, finance houses, investors and receivers that rents for prime space in core areas also have scope for moderate increases in the medium term due to shrinking supply.

In order to drive returns, asset management will be key, as is reacting to tenants’ demands to ensure their economic viability and to keep vacancy to a minimum.

However, he cautioned, “investment structures need to be conservative with loan to values and interest cover that allows for amortisation of the debt and that can withstand any unforeseen shocks, such as vacancy etc.”

He forecast that conditions would improve for new office developments in key locations with 18 months.

- Donal Buckley

Originally published in

Article source: http://www.independent.ie/business/commercial-property/growth-forecast-for-dublin-office-prices-and-rents-3026900.html

By Jamie Smyth in Dublin

Article source: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2777fd46-5cb5-11e1-8f1f-00144feabdc0.html

The 62-lot subdivision would include one cul-de-sac and two
roads that could connect to potential future developments to the
west. The land includes about 30 acres west of Dublin Avenue and
South of Saginaw Road and the Pere Marquette Rail-Trail.

“I think this is an exciting new plat that allows for a real
need in our community right now,” developer Tim Lyons said. “The
plats are a little bit bigger than normal and there’s a real need
for lots where people can build houses in the city of Midland right
now.”

Lyons, a Midland native who moved to the Upper Peninsula, said
if plans are approved quickly, people could be building new homes
as early as this summer. The land was rezoned from an industrial to
residential classification on Monday. The council also approved a
preliminary plat, but a final plat has yet to be approved.

Lyons said he purchased the property in 1979 when there was
still an active railroad and salvage yard there. Now the salvage
yard is gone, the train tracks are a rail-trail and residential
developments are growing to the south.

“I see change is clearly taking place,” he said. “I feel this
single family subdivision zoning is a natural progression of what’s
already been in place for 20 years.”

Teresa Vinson-Dopp, who owns property to the south and east of
Lyons’ land, spoke against the zoning change and plat. She said new
residents might not like their view of her commercial business,
which is on land that will remain zoned as limited commercial,
manufacturing and research property, and she doesn’t want to be
pushed out of property she has owned for years.

“There’s going to be a noise and in that zoning classification I
should be able to do what I want,” she said.

Vinson-Dopp also had concerns with Lyons’ ability to manage the
project after his forester mistakenly logged trees from her
property.

“I just don’t have any confidence in them putting in a
subdivision,” she said.

Lyons acknowledged that it was a “tragic mistake that my
neighbor has suffered for” and said the logging company’s insurance
agents are working to compensate Vinson-Dopp.

Vinson-Dopp also thought the city’s utilities and road network
couldn’t handle the project, but all city departments signed off on
the project’s plans because of adequate capacity. She also
questioned Michigan Department of Environmental Quality wetlands
requirements and the need for more homes in Midland.

“I don’t know where these people are going to come from that are
going to put up these houses,” she said.

Jon Ledy of Apex Engineers spoke on behalf of Lyons, stating
that the MDEQ found that three of four potential wetlands could not
be regulated and the fourth was left undetermined, so the plat was
adjusted to treat it as if it was regulated.

“Everything’s intended to be away from that wetland and not
touch it at all,” he said.

Mayor Maureen Donker acknowledged Vinson-Dopp’s concerns.

“I do hear that there’s concern and what that says to us is
there’s some conflicts out there and we’ll certainly have to work
to manage those conflicts as we progress,” Donker said.

The project still needs final plat approval, which would go
before the county’s plat board, road commission, treasurer and
drain commissioner before going to the state.

At the meeting the council also:

* Received public comment from Dick McCreadie, who asked the
council to explain to citizens what an increase in the county road
millage would mean besides higher taxes. Midland County is expected
to seek a renewal of the current millage in August and an increase
in November.

City Manager Jon Lynch said the city can fund an informational
pamphlet on the ballot measures but cannot campaign either way on
the matter.

Mayor Maureen Donker said the millage can help address
deteriorating roads.

“We are aware that there are issues and we’re working to improve
them,” she said.

* Received public comment from resident Eugene Moore, who urged
the council to help reduce the federal deficit by rejecting a
proposed $1.3 million roundabout on the U.S. 10 Business Route and
instead reduce the speed limit. Moore said there is a
spend-it-or-lose-it mentality. “There seems to be something not
quite right with that concept,” he said.

* Approved a site plan for the 68-unit Autumn Brooke Town Home
development on 9.82 acres at 405 Joseph Drive. The project by Kloha
Properties would involve one- and two-story town houses on Hope,
Grace and Kloha lanes. “It looks like a good fit for area,”
Councilman Marty Wazbinski said, adding that there had been other
proposed uses for the vacant land.

* Approved a site plan for a 39,968-square-foot manufacturing,
office and warehouse space for Eco Bio Plastics on 6.54 acres at
4037 S. Saginaw Road, behind Gerace Construction. The company plans
to use shredded paper and additives to make plastic pellets that
can be sold to other companies to make consumer goods.

* Approved a two-year extension for the final approval of a
preliminary plat for the 50-lot Broadhead Estates residential
subdivision on 20.72 acres east of Jefferson Avenue and south of
Julie Ann Drive.

* Set a public hearing for March 12 on an industrial facilities
tax exemption request from CPI Engineering.

* Approved city ordinance text amendments to update language,
permit existing porches extending up to 6 feet into front yards to
be covered, increase the maximum height of a fence in a front yard
from 3.5 to 4 feet to meet pre-made fence heights and more.

Copyright 2012 Midland Daily News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Article source: http://www.ourmidland.com/news/article_8ade1d8b-ae61-5786-a6dc-da2fcfc231fe.html

EOGHAN Mac CONNELL

REDUCED HOSPITAL activity on bank holiday weekends, cuts to respite care hours and 111 community nursing home bed closures feature in the Health Service Executive service plan for the Dublin Mid Leinster region, revealed yesterday.

The measures are designed to try to cope with a 4.6 per cent budget cut as well as 1,038 health staff retirements in the region under the public service exit arrangements.

Unveiling the 2012 regional service plan, HSE regional director of operations Gerry O’Dwyer admitted 2012 would be an extremely challenging year for health services in the region.

“We have a very serious challenge and we are working closely with the staff association to do more with less, that’s our agenda,” Mr O’Dwyer remarked.

The problems arising from retirements and the €125 million budget cut are compounded by an 8.5 per cent increase in population in the region since 2006. The number of people leaving private health insurance was also likely to add pressure on services, the health forum was told.

Mr O’Dwyer said nine local health offices were to be reconfigured to four areas. He spoke of “maximising procedures right throughout the system”.

In primary care, child health screening and BCG school immunisation will be challenging in 2012. Health promotion programmes, such as anti-smoking and breast-feeding campaigns, are to be reduced. The allocation of primary care services will be more selective and only provided to people who are fully eligible.

However, there will be some improvements in primary care, such as the planned out-of-hours GP service for Tallaght and Bray. The HSE also plans to commence the rollout of the newborn hearing screening programme in the region.

Disability services are to lose 535 nights of respite care and face a “small reduction” in day services.

There are expected to be challenges in meeting emerging needs, such as hospital discharges and in emergencies in disability services.

Meanwhile, the executive is looking for a 50 per cent reduction in agency staff and a 50 per cent reduction in primary care patient transport. It also wants to centralise the administration of the Nursing Home Support Scheme in the region.

Inpatient capacity for acute and long-stay mental health patients is also expected to diminish. Staff shortages at the Central Mental Hospital are likely to be compounded by retirements.

Outside the meeting, Abbeyleix and District Hospital Action Committee spokesman Gary O’Keeffe described the executive’s approach to community nursing homes as “nonsensical”.

While the bed closures are only due to take place with consultation, Mr O’Keeffe said the executive had failed to consult in any meaningful way.

He said there were “beds within an acute unit being misused or not used properly, and there are cost-neutral beds within community nursing units that aren’t being used”.

He insisted elderly patients who are being kept at great expense in Portlaoise hospital could avail of empty cost-neutral beds in Abbeyleix Community Nursing Unit.

Chairman of the regional forum, Labour councillor Denis O’Callaghan, began the meeting by slamming the executive’s centralising of medical card processing. He said he received a number of calls from councillors and although he contacted the executive, no response was forthcoming on the matter.

“This forum at the very outset had motions here tabled saying that it wouldn’t work,” he said.

He called “for the person in charge to be brought to the next meeting in Naas to explain the debacle”.

Article source: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0222/1224312170089.html

Churchtown: The former McGowan’s bar and the Braemor Rooms at Churchtown, Co Dublin, are to be offered for sale at €1.25 million by joint agents BNP Paribas Real Estate and Morrisseys.

The 1,371sq m (14,757sq ft) premises stand on a site of 0.73 of an acre along a busy road and, according to the selling agents, will be of interest to publicans, retailers, restauranteurs or as a petrol filling station.

The business has been closed for some time.

Article source: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2012/0222/1224312162490.html