The SunTech Vet40 Surgical Vital Signs Monitor for Companion Animals
This versatile surgical vital signs monitor for companion animals is ideal for both exam and operating rooms. The Vet40 enhances veterinary care with comprehensive monitoring features, including NIBP, temperature, SpO2, ECG, and optional ETCO2.

MORRISVILLE, N.C., January 13, 2024 (Newswire.com) - SunTech is introducing the Vet40 surgical vital signs monitor for companion animals. This new monitor will expand on the features of the clinically validated SunTech Vet BP products.

The veterinary monitor uses SunTech’s Advantage Vet blood pressure, an animal-specific algorithm, to provide accurate readings on companion animals. To better manage nervous animals, the Vet40 features extremely quiet operations, with the option to turn off or customize alarms and audible indicators.

The Vet40 is designed for measuring a patient’s vital signs in the operating room while being portable enough to be used in exam rooms or other areas. The Vet40 combines SunTech’s non-invasive blood pressure, temperature, pulse oximetry (SpO₂), electrocardiogram (ECG), and optional end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO₂) and respiratory rate capabilities for monitoring before, during, and after a procedure. The monitor is also equipped to program automatic readings at intervals during a monitoring period.

The Vet40 is both portable and rechargeable. It features a 5-inch touchscreen and the ability to connect to an external display to increase the size of the viewing screen. The monitor can retain up to 960 data points and 48 waveform traces, even when powered down. Using Bluetooth connectivity or a USB-C wired connection, data can be transferred to a reporting PC application for printing or saving reports.

SunTech will be showcasing the new Vet40 at the Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX) in Orlando, Florida (from January 14-17, 2024) and at the Western Veterinary Conference (WVC) in Las Vegas, Nevada (from February 19-21 2024).

The Vet40 is for use only by or on the direction of a licensed veterinarian. For more information on SunTech Medical’s full line of clinical-grade, non-invasive blood pressure products and technologies, call 1-800-421-8626 or visit www.suntechmed.com.

Team Photo

MEDFORD, Mass., January 12, 2024 (Newswire.com) - Advanced Addiction Center is excited to announce the grand opening of its new outpatient center on January 13, 2024. This event marks a significant milestone in the center's commitment to providing comprehensive and accessible addiction treatment options to the local community. The state-of-the-art facility is fully licensed and poised to make a substantial impact in the lives of individuals struggling with addiction.

The owners of Advanced Addiction Center, local to the area, have dedicated themselves to addressing the urgent need for quality addiction treatment services in the community. They are passionate about offering hope and effective treatment solutions to individuals and families affected by addiction.

The outpatient center provides a variety of services, including individual counseling, group therapy, family support programs, and innovative treatment methods, all administered by a team of seasoned and compassionate professionals.

"In anticipation of our grand opening on January 13, 2024, we invite the community to join us in taking a significant step forward in combating addiction," said Joseph Simonelli, the founder of Advanced Addiction Center. "Our new facility is more than a treatment center; it's a vital community asset aimed at enhancing lives and fortifying the fabric of our community."

The facility's flexible schedule allows clients to seek treatment while managing their everyday lives, making access to recovery services more convenient than ever. Advanced Addiction Center is dedicated to removing barriers to treatment and offering high-quality care to everyone in need.

For additional information about Advanced Addiction Center, its services, or to arrange a visit to the new outpatient center, please visit https://advancedaddictioncenter.com/ or contact 781-679-5454.

About Advanced Addiction Center: Advanced Addiction Center is a leading provider of addiction treatment services. It offers comprehensive, individualized care aimed at holistic recovery and community engagement, striving to make a positive impact on its clients and the broader community. 

First 5 Association of CA
F5AC logo

SACRAMENTO, Calif., January 11, 2024 (Newswire.com) - The First 5 Network appreciates the Governor and administration of California for maintaining their commitment to early childhood education, infant and early childhood mental health, and protecting early childhood systems of care as part of the proposed 2024-2025 budget plan. Despite the difficult budget year, the First 5 Network is committed to ensuring the well-being of the state's youngest residents and their families.

“First 5 California continues to be grateful to the Governor and Legislature for last year’s unprecedented, values-based investments in children, families and communities. Although the budget shortfall will be a challenge for our state, we believe the Governor’s 2024 budget proposal is a carefully crafted and thoughtful first draft that addresses the state’s budget deficit while maintaining crucial investments for our youngest Californians, their families, as well as early learning and care educators,” said Jackie Thu-Huong Wong, First 5 California Executive Director.

“We appreciate the commitment to long-term investments to build the infrastructure necessary to continue to create healing-centered, trauma-informed, culturally responsive systems that will ensure equity for all Californians during this time of economic uncertainty. This is highlighted by his continued commitment to the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, among many other programs. We look forward to continuing to work with the administration and the Legislature in crafting a final budget that reflects California’s priorities.”

Recognizing that 90 percent of brain development takes place during the first five years of life, First 5s delivers essential programs and services to over 600,000 children per year. These include family strengthening programs, infant and early childhood mental health services, and high-quality early learning and literacy. In addition to state revenue challenges, First 5’s tobacco tax revenue continues to decline, and First 5 investments are at risk of cuts. Without new funding, many First 5 programs will end. In light of these projections, the First 5 Association of California will seek state investments to protect critical services for California’s youngest children.

“While belt-tightening during lean budgets is necessary, it is also an opportunity to double down on our best investment – and there is no better investment than California’s young children,” said Avo Makdessian, Executive Director of First 5 Association.

“Our state leaders have made tremendous strides for young children and their families over the last few years with investments in the expansion of Medi-Cal, universal transitional kindergarten, and early learning rate reform. The budget proposal from Governor Newsom keeps to that commitment of protecting investments in early childhood serving systems despite a significant state deficit,” said Karla Pleitéz Howell, Executive Director at First 5 LA. “We look forward to working with state agencies, the Legislature, and the administration to center communities facing the greatest systemic barriers by committing to ongoing funding for core programs and services, so that every child in California has the resources needed to reach their full developmental potential.”

The First 5 Network looks forward to continued collaboration of the Legislature and Governor to ensure this invaluable work continues unabated.

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About First 5 Association
The First 5 Association of California (F5AC) elevates the voice of the 58 county First 5s, created by voters in 1998 to ensure our youngest children are healthy, safe and ready to thrive in school and life. The First 5 Network impacts the lives of more than 1 million kids, families and caregivers each year. F5AC advocates for the state’s youngest kids, uniting partners and leveraging funding to improve and scale up California’s early childhood programming piloted by county First 5s. Learn more at www.first5association.org.

About First 5 LA
As one of the state’s largest funders of early childhood and an independent public agency, First 5 LA advocates for children and their families, amplifies community voice, and partners for collective impact so that every child in Los Angeles County reaches their full developmental potential throughout the critical years of prenatal to age 5. Learn more at www.first5la.org.

About First 5 California
First 5 California First 5 California was established in 1998 when voters passed Proposition 10, which taxes tobacco products to fund services for children ages 0 to 5 and their families. First 5 California programs and resources are designed to educate and support teachers, parents, and caregivers in the critical role they play during a child's first five years--to help California kids receive the best possible start in life and thrive. For more information, please visit www.ccfc.ca.gov.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., January 11, 2024 (Newswire.com) - BioGX, a leading global provider of easy molecular diagnostic solutions, is pleased to announce the test menu expansion support to Departments of Health (DoH) with the addition of its Candida auris assay. BioGX currently services 6 DoH agencies with expansion to 10 agencies expected in Q1 2024.

"We are excited to support the state Departments of Health by providing  menu expansion solutions to meet stringent assay performance requirements," said Shahin Iqbal, PhD, BioGX President & COO. "Our goal is to empower healthcare professionals with the best tools available, and this expansion is a testament to our commitment to improving public health outcomes in the region."

As healthcare continues to evolve, the importance of robust and accurate diagnostic solutions has never been more critical. BioGX is committed to providing innovative and reliable molecular diagnostics solutions to support public health initiatives. State health departments  play a pivotal role in safeguarding public health, requiring cutting-edge molecular diagnostics to quickly respond to the ever-changing landscape of testing needs.

This expansion will provide Departments of Health with access to BioGX's molecular assays, which are designed for speed, precision, and reliability. These assays may assist in the rapid and accurate detection of pathogens, contributing to more effective disease control and management.

BioGX has a proven track record of providing reliable solutions that are easy to use and adhere to high stringency standards of performance. By expanding the test menu, the company is ensuring that healthcare providers have access to a broad range of tools to best serve their communities.

About BioGX:

BioGX is a global leader in providing molecular diagnostic solutions designed to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of diagnostic testing. The company's innovative technologies enable faster and more reliable results for a wide range of applications. BioGX Sample-Ready™ PCR assay* is for use on many real-time PCR instruments including the BD MAX™, ThermoFisher QuantStudio™, Bio-Rad CFX Touch™ and the new BioGX pixl™ platform.

BioGX’s Sample-Ready™ line of products for use on many real-time PCR instruments including the BD MAX™, ThermoFisher QuantStudio™, Bio-Rad CFX Touch™ BioGX pixl™ are offered as custom manufactured or Research Use Only PCR assays, lyophilized in a single vial and fine-tuned to ensure high performance across multiple platforms that are commonly used in laboratories today.

For more information, please visit www.biogx.com

*Research Use Only or Custom Manufacture Only.

Sample-Ready, Just Add Water, Xfree and pixl are trademarks of BioGX, Inc.

WASHINGTON, January 11, 2024 (Newswire.com) - The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) today announced the appointment of Tia Butler as Chief People & Diversity Officer and Tricia Elliot as Vice President of Quality Implementation in the Quality Measurement and Research Group (QMRG). Butler will develop and implement human resources strategies that foster a positive work culture, and spearhead NCQA's DEI initiatives. Elliot will oversee innovations in the production, management, testing, and evaluation of digital quality measures and other content. 

"Both Tia and Tricia are exceptional leaders with a wealth of experience in their respective fields," said NCQA President Margaret E. O’Kane. "Tia’s strong record of aligning organizational vision with strategic human capital will be invaluable to NCQA, and her expertise developing an engaged workforce and leading DEI initiatives matches our goal of ensuring all our employees have opportunities to succeed. Tricia’s experience in organizational change management will be instrumental as she oversees innovations in the production, management, testing and evaluation of digital quality measures. We are thrilled to have both these talented leaders join us."

Butler has more than two decades of experience in Human Resources leadership. Most recently, she served as Chief Human Capital Officer for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), where she provided strategic, customer-centric Human Capital services to foster an engaged workforce capable of transforming America's healthcare system. Butler served as co-chair of the inaugural CMS DEI Council and led initiatives to mitigate bias and improve equity in talent processes. Prior to CMS, she served as Deputy Associate Director for Retirement Services at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management and was Executive Director of the Corporate Senior Executive Management Office at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). She was appointed by the VA to the White House Advisory Group on Senior Executive Service Reform under President Barack Obama. 

Butler has more than two decades of experience in Human Resources leadership. Most recently, she served as Chief Human Capital Officer for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), where she provided strategic, customer-centric Human Capital services to foster an engaged workforce capable of transforming America's health care system. Butler served as co-chair of the inaugural CMS DEI Council and led initiatives to mitigate bias and improve equity in talent processes. She was appointed by the VA to the White House Advisory Group on Senior Executive Service Reform under President Barack Obama. 

Elliot brings a wealth of practical knowledge that will inform the expansion and evolution of HEDIS to improve health care. She is a seasoned leader with experience in organizational change management and has worked on quality improvement in hospitals and ambulatory care settings, as well as measure development and endorsement. Elliot began her career in decision support and information systems, driving improvements in care and system effectiveness. At the Joint Commission, she led development of standards for hospitals, critical access hospitals, and skilled nursing facilities, and oversaw digital conversion of standards and measures. She also previously led the Measurement Science and Application division at the National Quality Forum.

About NCQA

NCQA is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA Accredits and Certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQA’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. In recognition of its leadership in diversity, equity and inclusion, NCQA won the Excellence in Diversity Award from the Chesapeake Human Resources Association. NCQA’s website (ncqa.org) contains information to help consumers, employers and others make informed health care choices. NCQA can also be found on Twitter at @ncqa and on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/ncqa.

Media Contact
Theresa Masnik
SHIFT Communications
[email protected]

NEW PROVIDENCE, N.J., January 11, 2024 (Newswire.com) - PRISM Vision Group® (PVG), the largest vertically integrated eye care services organization operating exclusively on the East Coast, celebrates the addition of Delaware Valley Retina Associates (DVRA) to its growing platform. DVRA was founded in 1985 and has built a reputation for providing exceptional patient care in diagnosing and treating a comprehensive range of retinal disorders with five locations that serve New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

“We are thrilled to welcome the entire DVRA team to PRISM,” stated Steven Madreperla, M.D., PhD., President and CEO of PRISM Vision Group; he continued “their commitment to high-quality clinical care combined with their focus on the patient experience made DVRA a natural partner for PRISM as we progress in our journey to be America’s premier independent eye care organization today, and 100 years from now.”

To learn more about PRISM Vision Group, please visit: www.prismvisiongroup.com To learn more about Delaware Valley Retina Associates, please visit: www.dvra.net

About PRISM Vision Group®

PRISM Vision Group® is the largest vertically integrated independent ophthalmology administrative services organization (ASO) operating exclusively on the East Coast. PRISM provides eye care in 91 locations, with 177 providers, 6 Ambulatory Surgery Centers, and over 1300 employees throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. PRISM Vision Group is a physician-led organization with a mission to support practices in providing patients with world-class, comprehensive eye care in an unrivaled practice environment for its network of affiliated physicians and employees.