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CHAD Makes Move to Enter Sleep Market
With companies everywhere expanding into the sleep disorder market, CHAD Therapeutics Inc will not be left behind. The Chatsworth, Calif-based company has entered into product development and license agreements with AirMatrix Technologies Inc and ACOBA LLC. Together, these companies plan to address potential applications in the growing sleep therapy market and develop technology to expand CHAD’s home and hospital respiratory product lines. “We are excited about the opportunity to develop technology with the potential to significantly expand and diversify CHAD’s product lines and addressable markets,” says CEO Thomas E. Jones. This product development program, a joint project between CHAD’s product development team and ACOBA, should take 12 to 24 months before the initial products are ready for market introduction, Jones says. Cash flow from operations will likely provide funding. Overall, CHAD reported increased revenues and net earnings for the third quarter and first 9 months of fiscal 2003 ended December 31. Jones attributes part of the company’s success to domestic sales of conservers and expects growth earnings to continue to grow for the remainder of this year and in fiscal 2004.
InnoMed Sues Worldwide Medical
In January, InnoMed Technologies Inc, Boca Raton, Fla, filed a lawsuit against Worldwide Medical Technologies, Woodbury, Conn, alleging that the company illegally obtained proprietary information about its Nasal-Aire nasal cannula interface, which it used to make a competing device called Spiritus. The suit asserts that after InnoMed acquired the assets of Nasal Aire Technologies, the former owners of the company provided Worldwide Medical with drawings and manufacturing molds of Nasal-Aire. Furthermore, the suit includes claims for violations of federal and state law for unfair competition, theft of trade secrets, breach of contract, and fraud. In addition, InnoMed seeks an injunction barring the further sales of the Worldwide Medical nasal interface product, Spiritus, and unspecified money damages. “InnoMed is committed to defending its ownership of the design of the Nasal-Aire brand product, which was introduced into the respiratory treatment markets by InnoMed through substantial clinical trials, investment in patient education, and other product promotions,” InnoMed CEO Patrick Karem says. The case is pending in Orlando, Fla. A trial date has not yet been set. Portable Sleep System Gets 510(k) Clearance
HME providers looking to offer clinicians the means to test obstructive sleep apnea patients in their own homes may benefit from the newly Food and Drug Administration-approved handheld polysomnographic system, SleepScreen, by VIASYS Healthcare Inc’s Respiratory Technologies Group, Yorba Linda, Calif. The company received the 510(k) clearance in February to market the system, which according to VIASYS, will be helpful for testing patients without the expense of complex laboratory instrumentation. “SleepScreen is complementary to our Somnostar diagnostic systems and our sleep therapy products: Spiritus nasal interface, Orion, and Pegasus CPAP,” says Brian Long, the company’s product manager for sleep diagnostics. “SleepScreen’s home-orientation and small size allows overnight testing in almost any setting where a patient sleeps. Our market approval includes using the SleepScreen in the home where it can aid in the detection of OSA and monitor the use of various sleep therapies.”
| HME Insider | | In December 2002, CareTech USA, Ft Myers, Fla, jumped into the HME industry. Now the fledgling company, under its parent company CareMed, Taipei, Taiwan, keeps its eyes to the future under the direction of CEO Pia Johansson. She shared with Dealer/Provider how the company provides quick turnaround designing and manufacturing of affordable bariatric products. Q As a brand-new, relatively small company, what sets CareTech USA apart from the rest? A I think what sets us apart is that our engineers, our COO, and I have about 40 years of medical sales experience. I am a nurse, and I have worked with trauma patients, patients with pressure ulcers, and those who need wound care. With all that experience, we can look at what patients really need from a clinical aspect and incorporate that into a design. Q How does research and development play into the company’s larger corporate strategy? A It is the heart of CareTech USA. The first person hired here was Bob Novak, our designing engineer. Bob and I used to work together at Hill-Rom in Charleston, SC, so we specialize in making products with feedback from the customer, which I think is very important. For instance, when we redesign one of our blower boxes for our specialty beds, I look at it from a nursing standpoint and say, “No one will ever do that,” because some of the engineers don’t realize that. So, it works out great from a product development standpoint. Q What is the company’s current focus? A CareTech is focused on bariatric products, including lateral rotation products and low air-loss products. We are really focusing on the bariatric line and how we can improve what is in the marketplace. For instance, although we have pressure reduction, we will be looking at putting pressure relief into some of our chairs. The other part of our focus is designing and manufacturing for other companies. We are an OEM designer and manufacturer. Our specialty is reducing manufacturing and design time for companies, as well as cost. One of the reasons people are calling us is because they want a less-expensive alternative for the manufacturing of their goods. I’m talking about large companies with lots of volume. Because we have access to our own factory with 1,500 employees, we can turn a prototype pretty quickly, where someone else might take a year. Q What is the most important role of a manufacturer in the HME industry? A We really focus on the patient and the caregiver to develop the products and try to be cost-efficient at the same time. CareTech is also really focused on the customer. For instance, a customer just called and asked me to FedEx a prototype of a product we have been manufacturing for them. I told him, “No, I’d rather just drive 3 hours” because I’d rather really listen to what he tells me he needs in person. He told me exactly what he was looking for, what he didn’t like about the previous company, and now we have addressed all his issues. Q How is CareTech looking to expand in the future? A I would like to be a major manufacturer of medical products. I’d like to see four or five engineers here having different projects that they work on. I would also like to expand our line of patient care products. So, our goals are twofold. One suffices the needs of what’s going on right now in the market, and the other one helps customers. |
| In Brief | - Computer Applications Unlimited Inc (CAU), Harrisburg, Pa, now exceeds the requirements of a business associate as defined by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 Privacy Rule with its latest release of Solution/One HME Systems and other internal procedures, CAU President and CEO Terry Dinsmore says. Both Solution/One HME and Solution/One HME Lite now include a privacy log that automatically records and stores required data whenever a patient’s personal health information becomes available.
- In January, Essentially Women™ Buying Group, Oxford, Mich, added three new participating vendors: Christina America Inc, New York; Global Health Products Inc, Rochester, NY; and JUZO, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
- Mark Liebetrau joined Sunrise Medical, Longmont, Colo, in January as president of commercial operations, North America. His responsibilities include sales, marketing, and customer service for the company’s home care operations.
- To better reflect the association’s membership, the Homecare Products Manufacturers Association changed its name to Homecare Products Manufacturers and Distributors Association.
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