Provail Announces Partnerships Provail, a Seattle nonprofit organization, has announced a philanthropic partnership with Varilite, the medical products division of Cascade Designs, Seattle. As part of the agreement, Varilite was a prime supporter of the 4th Annual Pat Cashman Golf Classic in May, and will also sponsor Provail’s Wyckoff Awards Banquet and Conference. Proceeds from both events benefit the Uncompensated Care Campaign, which allows Provail to continue to provide the current level of care based on need rather than reimbursement rates. In addition, Varilite announced that it has entered into an agreement with RGK Wheelchairs Inc, Ottawa. The agreement makes RGK the exclusive distributor of Varilite seating and positioning systems in Canada. Continuum Divests Occupational Health Business Continuum, Springfield, Pa, has completed the divestiture of its occupational health businesses to ClinNet Solutions and Examplar International. ClinNet is a newly formed business focusing on the management of physical examinations and substance abuse testing services, while Examplar is a provider of mobile health and audiometric testing services. Continuum says it will focus the proceeds from these transactions and its management resources on the continued development of its CareSys and Health Promotion subsidiaries. CareSys provides managed care services and technology solutions for workers’ compensation and disability management. The company’s Health Promotion division features Health Calls, a telephone-based health counseling program, which addresses the most prevalent health risk factors contributing to rising health benefits costs. Genesis Rehab and Keiser Corp Announce Collaboration Genesis Rehabilitation Services, Kennett Square, Pa, and Keiser Corp have announced that they will collaborate to provide wellness and strength training programs and equipment to older adults in continuing care retirement communities, assisted living facilities, and skilled nursing centers throughout the United States. The programs are designed with the spiritual, medical, and physical needs of older adults in mind, through specialized programs such as nutrition classes, walking clubs, massage, and tai chi. In addition, the Genesis wellness program will incorporate Keiser’s S.T.E.P. in the Right Direction program, designed to show facilities how to train senior participants using stability and mobility training to improve their quality of life. Genesis is a provider of contract rehabilitation therapy services, while Keiser is best known for its compressed air strength training equipment. Currently, Genesis serves more than 730 skilled nursing and assisted living facilities, retirement communities, acute care hospitals, and outpatient clinics in 20 states and Washington, DC. Preferred To Participate in National Private Healthcare Systems PPO Preferred Therapy Providers Inc, Phoenix, has extended its relationship with Private Healthcare Systems Inc (PHCS), Waltham, Mass. Preferred will now serve as a national provider in the PHCS Network, offering access to outpatient physical, occupational, and speech therapy clinics across the country. As a PHCS national provider, Preferred will serve as a liaison for the negotiation, execution, and implementation of contractual relationships between its group of private practice rehabilitation clinics and Private Healthcare Systems. Preferred has been a member of the PHCS Network on a regional basis since 1994, providing enrollees with convenient access to rehabilitation providers in Arkansas, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. With this announcement, the PHCS Network will now include more than 800 clinics in 34 states. Paralympic Committee Announces New Events The International Paralympic Committee (IPC), Bonn, Germany, announced during its recent executive committee meeting that a limited number of exhibition events for athletes with an intellectual disability will be included in the Athens 2004 Paralympic Games. The IPC reiterated its decision taken in January 2003 that staging events for intellectually disabled athletes as full medal events at the 2004 Paralympic Games is not possible, as there is no satisfactory eligibility verification system in place that could ensure fair competition. In addition, both the IPC and the International Sports Federation for Persons with an Intellectual Disability agreed to follow the IPC’s proposal to establish a joint eligibility verification committee, which will strive for the development of an eligibility verification system that will meet the requirements of the IPC. Boston University Developing Outcome Measurement Software Boston University’s Center for Rehabilitation Effectiveness was recently awarded $1,733,650 from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research to develop computer adaptive software that will more effectively measure outcomes of rehabilitation in post-acute care settings. The software will be designed for use by hospitals, outpatient clinics, and long-term care facilities that need to demonstrate the effectiveness of their programs and services. The software will maintain accuracy and precision at lower levels of response burden for the patient and provider by replacing the paper and pencil measures currently used and eliminating the need to answer questions that are not relevant for a particular client or individual. Benchmark Announces Promotion Benchmark Medical Inc, Malvern, Pa, has announced the promotion of Peter G. Grabaskas, PT, to regional vice president of operations for the West Region. Grabaskas was most recently the area vice president for the Erie-Pittsburgh market, managing 50 facilities with the most recent acquisition of Matrix. Benchmark currently operates 380 clinics in 17 states, 110 of which comprise the West Region.
