Health Technology

LHC Group to acquire home health provider in Georgia

LHC Group

LHC Group announced an agreement to purchase Three Rivers Home Health, a provider headquartered in Eastman, Ga. The acquisition includes nine total locations – expanding LHC Group's service footprint in 36 counties in the Certificate of Need state of Georgia.

The acquisition is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2022, subject to customary closing conditions. LHC Group expects annualized revenue from this purchase of approximately $12 million and that it will not materially affect its 2022 diluted earnings per share.

Three Rivers Home Health will continue operating under its current name and from its present locations. There will be no interruption in the care provided to patients.

Three Rivers Founder and President for the last 43 years, Kaye B. Smith, RN, said: "It is time for us to step aside and allow Three Rivers to become part of a larger organization. This transaction will make it possible for our employees to have greater opportunities and to continue providing the high-quality care they do every day."

LHC Group is a leading national provider of in-home healthcare services. In addition to expanding LHC Group's service area, this acquisition aligns with the company's co-location strategy to provide multiple in-home healthcare services in certain markets, as well as its strategy of retaining and operating under a family of well-known local brands.

"This is a great opportunity to serve more patients and families in Georgia with the quality in-home healthcare they want and deserve. Our new team members at Three Rivers have earned an outstanding reputation for the service they provide. Together, we will help ensure greater access to care in the patient's preferred setting – their home."

Keith G. Myers, LHC Group's chairman and CEO

About LHC Group, Inc.
LHC Group, Inc. is a national provider of in-home healthcare services and innovations for communities around the nation, offering quality, value-based healthcare to patients primarily within the comfort and privacy of their home or place of residence. The company's 29,000 employees deliver home health, hospice, home- and community-based services, and facility-based care in 37 states and the District of Columbia – reaching 68 percent of the U.S. population aged 65 and older. Through Imperium Health, the company's ACO management and enablement company, LHC Group helps partners improve both savings and patient outcomes with a value-based approach. As the preferred joint venture partner for more than 400 leading U.S. hospitals and health systems, LHC Group works in cooperation with providers to customize each partnership and reach more patients and families with an effective and efficient model of care.

Spotlight

Other News
Healthcare Analytics

AirLife Completes Acquisition of Avanos Medical’s Respiratory Health Business

Business Wire | October 04, 2023

AirLife, a leading North American manufacturer and distributor of consumable medical devices for anesthesia and respiratory care formerly known as SunMed, today announced the completion of its acquisition of Avanos Medical, Inc.’s (NYSE: AVNS) (“Avanos”) respiratory health business, including the BALLARD*, MICROCUFF* and endOclear® product lines. The acquisition adds three complementary brands, the R&D expertise behind them and two manufacturing facilities into AirLife’s growing platform. The transaction advances AirLife’s strategy to enhance its leading portfolio of the most trusted products in anesthesia and respiratory care and serve even more customers as a one-stop source for the highest-quality consumable breathing solutions that support the best patient outcomes. “We’re thrilled to complete this exciting milestone in AirLife’s evolution as we strengthen our leadership as a premier, completely dedicated consumable breathing products company,” said Hank Struik, AirLife CEO. We are especially pleased to welcome the exceptional team that has driven the success of these market leading brands to our company. As some of the most trusted closed suction and endotracheal consumables used to treat patients in critical care, this addition to AirLife unlocks new opportunities to accelerate our growth, serve more healthcare practitioners and drive innovation across our comprehensive portfolio of leading brands. [Source – Business Wire] Goodwin Procter LLP is acting as legal counsel to AirLife. About AirLife AirLife, formerly known as SunMed and headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan with manufacturing and distribution sites in the United States, Mexico, China and Europe, is a leading medical device manufacturer, offering one of the most comprehensive portfolios of consumable anesthesia and respiratory care products. AirLife’s product portfolio spans the continuum of care from first responders to hospitals and home care, with safety, patient comfort and clinical performance in mind. AirLife’s comprehensive portfolio of trusted anesthesia products and respiratory care include premier brands such as Salter Labs®, Ethox Medical™, Ventlab™, Westmed™, AirLife™ and Vital Signs™. Currently, AirLife has over 1 million square feet of manufacturing space, providing comprehensive expertise in all plastics materials and conversion—supported by a world-class Quality Management System. Frazier Healthcare Partners, a leading healthcare investment firm, acquired a majority ownership stake in AirLife in 2021.

Read More

Health Technology, Digital Healthcare

Aspect Imaging to bring Improvements in NICUs for Vizient

Aspect Imaging | September 25, 2023

Aspect Imaging, a global leader in MRI systems for neonatal patients, has been awarded an Innovative Technology contract by Vizient, the nation's largest provider -driven healthcare performance improvement company. This contract recognizes the unique qualities of Aspect Imaging's Embrace Point of Care Neonatal MRI System and its potential to bring improvements to the healthcare industry. The Embrace Point of Care Neonatal MRI System is designed specifically for the imaging needs of prematureand newborn infants, making it a critical tool in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The Embrace is the world's first FDA-cleared and CE-approved MRI system for neonatal patients. It is designed to be placed directly within NICUs, overcoming the size and risk limitations associated with adult MRI scanners. The system includes features such as a temperature-controlled patient bed and a Whisper Quiet sound profile to meet the specific care needs of neonatal patients. This technology enables safer and more accessible MRI imaging for fragile neonatal patients and provides critical information to the clinical care team. Chief Commercial Officer at Aspect Imaging, Wendy Slatery, stated, It is an honor to have the Embrace recognized by the clinical experts at Vizient, as an Innovative Technology, and an exciting opportunity to bring valuable solutions to Vizient customers. We are looking forward to working with Vizient members seeking to expand and elevate neurocritical care of the smallest patients while reducing patient risks and staff time associated with transporting newborns to a traditional MRI. The Embrace MRI gives the neonatal medical team access to information from the life’s first hours and throughout the patient’s time in the NICU, on which critical care decisions will be based. [Source: Business Wire] Vizient's provider customer-led councils recommended the Embrace system for an Innovative Technology contract after evaluating its potential to enhance clinical care, patient safety, and healthcare worker safety, or improve business operations in healthcare organizations. The recognition and award of this contract highlight the potential of the Embrace Point of Care Neonatal MRI System to improve neurocritical care for the smallest patients while reducing risks associated with transporting newborns to traditional MRI facilities. About Aspect Imaging Aspect Imaging, a pioneering force in the field, stands as the global frontrunner in crafting and advancing compact MR imaging systems tailored for both research and clinical use. Their groundbreaking technology centers on compact, high-performance permanent magnets, introducing transformative MRI solutions to tackle unmet requirements in research and medical contexts. These innovations ensure the delivery of the finest quality images, whether at the benchtop or in point-of-care scenarios.

Read More

Health Technology

CareView Launches Software 5.10 for Improved Virtual Care Solutions

CareView Communications | September 13, 2023

CareView Communications, Inc., a prominent provider of integrated virtual care solutions for the healthcare sector, has announced the introduction of its most recent milestone in patient care technology through the unveiling of Software Version 5.10. This release incorporates many cutting-edge features and improvements meticulously crafted to empower healthcare professionals and enhance patient results. Software Release 5.10 introduces a range of significant enhancements, beginning with the seamless integration of CareView with Get Well, a leading patient engagement platform. This integration facilitates bidirectional video communication, ultimately elevating patient engagement, education, and overall satisfaction. Additionally, a new Universal Dashboard has been introduced. This internal tool plays a crucial role in optimizing solutions. It leverages hospital utilization data along with machine learning algorithms to provide predictive analytics and enables in-depth analyses, significantly enhancing the overall offerings. Derek del Carpio, CareView's VP of Product Development, stated, At CareView, we continuously strive to provide innovative solutions that redefine patient care. Software Release 5.10 is a testament to our commitment to advancing virtual care technology and enhancing the well-being of patients. [Source: Business Wire] Further, substantial improvements have been applied to the Virtual Sitting feature, empowering CareView Controllers to manipulate associated views through EquipmentView and introducing Night Mode in SitterView to reduce eye strain, thus enhancing both patient monitoring flexibility and safety. Virtual Nursing has also undergone notable refinements, enabling the virtual Registered Nurse to mute participants during TeleCareView encounters, facilitating participants' easy transition between viewing fellow participants and shared screens, and granting healthcare providers the capability to blur backgrounds in TeleCareView, thereby fostering a more professional and focused virtual interaction environment. CareView maintains a steadfast commitment to fostering collaboration with healthcare providers to elevate patient safety, optimize clinical processes, and enhance overall patient care quality. Introducing this latest software release further underscores CareView's unwavering dedication to providing hospital teams with innovative virtual care solutions to meet their evolving needs. About CareView Communications CareView, leveraging predictive technology and purpose-built hardware, has forged partnerships with more than 200 hospitals to tackle pressing staffing issues and elevate patient safety through its platform. The company collaborates closely with its hospital partners to deliver tailored virtual care strategies that improve patient outcomes and foster a sustainable healthcare ecosystem.

Read More

Healthcare Analytics

FDA Grants De Novo for Xenex's LightStrike+ UV Robot in Healthcare

Xenex | September 11, 2023

United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has issued a De Novo authorization to Xenex Disinfection Services, Inc. (Xenex) for its LightStrikeTM+ device, an advanced high-intensity, broad-spectrum ultraviolet (UV) light robot. The LightStrike+ devices are designed for microbial reduction on non-critical medical device surfaces in healthcare environments, following manual cleaning and disinfection practices. They are authorized for use in various healthcare settings, including unoccupied operating rooms and hospital rooms. These devices have an impressive track record, with over 1,200 healthcare facilities worldwide employing LightStrike robots for over 37 million cycles. The new LightStrike+ device, capable of microbial reduction in as little as 2 minutes, represents the culmination of over a decade of knowledge accumulation from healthcare facilities' best practices, supported by 45 peer-reviewed studies demonstrating its safety and effectiveness, a portfolio of 193 patents, and unparalleled technical and epidemiological expertise. Dr. Mark 'Tuck' Stibich, Xenex's Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, emphasized the long-standing collaboration with healthcare partners spanning more than a decade to enhance patient safety and public health. As an infectious diseases epidemiologist, Dr. Stibich expressed concern about antibiotic resistance within hospital environments and the potential for FDA authorization to facilitate the broader adoption of the LightStrike+ tool in combating pathogens. Perilous pathogens persist on surfaces within healthcare facilities, notwithstanding diligent manual cleaning endeavors. The LightStrike+ robot employs a xenon lamp to generate high-intensity pulsed UV light, which effectively diminishes the presence of these pathogens on surfaces and plays a pivotal role in interrupting the transmission chain from one patient or healthcare worker to another. Xenex's FDA authorization is substantiated by comprehensive testing conducted on more than 10,000 samples of vegetative bacteria and Clostridiodes difficile (C. diff) spores. This authorization establishes a novel medical device product classification, with the LightStrike+ robot being its inaugural and sole product. It is a landmark in the FDA's regulatory framework for UV robots designed to diminish pathogens on non-porous, frequently touched surfaces within healthcare settings. Furthermore, Xenex's Chief Executive Officer, Morris Miller, acknowledged the challenges hospitals face when evaluating UV technologies, citing the prevalence of unverified and exaggerated claims by some manufacturers. He underscored the significance of FDA authorization in instilling confidence among hospital decision-makers, assuring them of the accuracy and validation of Xenex's claims regarding the LightStrike+ device. Numerous world-renowned hospitals, such as HonorHealth, Mayo Clinic, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Ochsner Health System, Stanford Health Care, and Texas Health Resources, have integrated LightStrike robots into their comprehensive disinfection strategies. About Xenex Xenex is a global leader in pioneering strategies and solutions grounded in UV technology. Its fundamental mission revolves around enabling its partners to safeguard lives and reduce human suffering by eliminating the dangerous microorganisms that cause infections. The company benefits from substantial support from renowned investors, including EW Healthcare Partners, Piper Sandler, Malin Corporation, Battery Ventures, Targeted Technology Fund II, Tectonic Ventures, and RK Ventures.

Read More