HIDA Government Affairs Update By Linda Rouse O’Neill, Vice President, Government Affairs In June, HIDA hosted more than 85 leading distributor and manufacturer executives at its fourth annual Washington Summit. During this event, 72 attendees took part in 120 meetings with members of Congress and their staff, a new HIDA record. Once again, HIDA staff and members … [Read more...]
July 2017
Click Here to Read (pdf version) Sharps Injuries Providers face new reporting requirements PUBLISHER’S LETTER The Hill 2017 IMCO Convention Underscores Theme: ‘Together Towards Tomorrow’ MSS: Value Beyond Price Amazon’s Mixing Things Up Former distributor and GPO executive leads Amazon’s B2B healthcare strategy Osteoporosis Guidelines Issued Some … [Read more...]
More telehealth for Medicare patients?
A bipartisan group of legislators introduced two pieces of legislation in May to expand access to telehealth services under Medicare. The Representatives were Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), Gregg Harper (R-Miss.), Diane Black (R-Tenn.) and Peter Welch (D-Vt.). The Medicare Telehealth Parity Act would: Remove the geographic barriers under current law and allow for the … [Read more...]
Optimal, WellVia: Telemedicine partners
Two years ago, Optimal – the Stafford, Texas-based provider of master distribution, government contract/sales services and overstock solutions – began exploring telemedicine as a benefit for its employees. “After vetting several companies in the space, it became obvious that WellVia was the right choice for us,” says Parker Bigley, executive vice president, Optimal. “Optimal … [Read more...]
IMCO distributors to offer CareSpan Virtual Clinic
CareSpan USA Inc., a provider of digital healthcare delivery systems, and IMCO, Inc., the network of independent medical supply distributors, have agreed to offer the CareSpan Virtual Clinic through IMCO’s 134 distributors and over 1,000 sales representatives. Unlike typical “video-only” telemedicine systems, the CareSpan Virtual Clinic is said to provide all the essential … [Read more...]
Healthcare Comes Home
By David Thill Telehealth adoption is low, but don’t expect it to stay that way for too long Telehealth may be talked about more than it is actually used, but that may change soon. According to a 2016 annual survey by the National Business Group on Health, nine in 10 large employers will make telehealth services available to their employees in 2017. As technology improves … [Read more...]
Windshield Time
Keep your eyes open for bikes Biking is great exercise, a good way to minimize carbon emissions and, for many, a lot of fun. But, particularly in congested cities, mixing bikes and cars on the roads can be disastrous. For instance, Chicago has been called America’s Best Bike City. Yet, more than 300 cases of cyclists crashing into open car doors on the streets of the city were … [Read more...]
Sharps Injuries
Providers face new reporting requirements New reporting requirements from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration may make it easier to ascertain just how many sharps injuries and/or needlesticks are incurred every year by healthcare workers. The agency is betting that the requirements will “nudge” providers to take extra steps to safeguard their … [Read more...]
Trade Shows: Great Sales Opportunity Or A Waste Of Time?
Smart Selling: Distributor Sales Strategies From HIDA By Elizabeth Hilla Senior Vice President, Health Industry Distributors Association I attend a lot of trade shows, and I know they are familiar territory for many healthcare sales reps. For some, these events are a big waste of time – they’re standing at a booth schmoozing with unqualified prospects, or chatting with … [Read more...]
Pandemic Preparedness Again A Key Issue In Washington
HIDA Government Affairs Update By Linda Rouse O’Neill, Vice President, Government Affairs While the ongoing debate over the future of the Affordable Care Act has dominated the news cycle, lawmakers will soon have to consider other vital healthcare legislation. One of these key issues is pandemic preparedness. The Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness … [Read more...]