Guest blogger Arnon Krongrad, MD

What do these people have in common: 1) a 39-y old stay-at-home mom in Florida, 2) a web master in Melbourne Australia, 3) a gay Broadway producer, 4) the Clinical Director of Psycho-Oncology at the Winship Cancer Center at Emory University, and 5) a dentist in Ottawa? They are all new members of the New Prostate Cancer InfoLink social network.

Prostate cancer is a global problem with no apparent global solution. It is also a chronic and multi-faceted clinical challenge. Be it matters of early detection or treatment selection or management of clinical complications and loss of partner intimacy, there is more to consider than any one doctor or specialist can. Moreover, with the numbing quantity of online information, there is more than any single site can efficiently deliver. Patients drown in useless information while seeking the bit that relates to them.

To address what we perceived a poorly constructed online delivery, we recently resurrected what in 1995 was launched as the world’s first prostate cancer web site, the Prostate Cancer InfoLink. We kept its best parts, including the simple articles and interactive “Ask Arthur,” and launched the new version with modern tools: blog, syndication, and social network.

The New Prostate Cancer InfoLink sites bring friendly interactive mechanisms for helping the individual man and his partners and friends. For example, the “Ask Arthur” has been expanded to be Ask Arthur, Ask Amy, and Ask Arnon, which represents 50 man-years of prostate cancer experience. The social network has uniquely brought together urologists, radiation oncologists, psychiatrists, writers and more. Discussion has been thoughtful and in many cases supremely well informed.

We’re new in existence and new in concept. Please have a look. And if you run a web site or blog, please post links to:

http://prostatecancerinfolink.net articles, blog, and online support

http://prostatecancerinfolink.ning.com social network

# # #

Guest blogger Arnon Krongrad, MD, is Founder and Medical Director of the Krongrad Institute for Minimally Invasive Prostate Cancer Surgery and co-Founder of the New Prostate Cancer InfoLink.

According to a recent article in Forbes this may well be the case. The argument is that as a result of highly differentiated healthcare delivery not perhaps providing the value added clinical and economic benefits - patients may have to turn to a more generic (and effective?) form of healthcare delivery.

While this story is mainly about pharmaceuticals it may well apply to homecare products as is evidenced by NCART - National Coalition For Assistive And Rehab Technology and others actively campaigning to have complex rehab products excluded from the National Competitive Bidding program.

PRESS RELEASE

Healthy Living Expo 2008

A chance for companies to showcase their newest supplements, products and equipment for a healthy living.

This year’s expo will again be held in the Fountain Court at Sandton City, on 5th – 7th September 2008.

2007’s event was a great success, with almost all the stall holders agreeing that their sales and exposure had certainly been boosted by the enormous volume of traffic through the vibrant centre.

This is a great opportunity for consumers to see what new products have been developed in the last year, as well as displaying new health equipment and a variety of supplements for a healthy lifestyle.

The Healthy Living Expo is supported by the HPASA (Health Products Association South Africa), with the aim of updating the industry and consumers on the latest scientific information regarding health, and related topics.
The HPASA is a respected and professional body, promoting ethical behaviour and ensuring that manufacturing and advertising of health products follow regulation.
[Read more →]

Robert K. Gudbranson has been appointed to the position of senior vice president and chief financial officer. He rejoins Invacare after a stint at Lincoln Electric. He formally held the positions of Investor relations, business development director as well as being based in Europe where he was CFO.

Press Release

Brian Sterner is thrown from his wheelchair by police in the state of Florida, United States.

UPDATE: February 16, 2008:

Hillsborough County Deputy Charlette Marshall-Jones, 44, turned herself in and was booked into the Orient Road Jail early Saturday, jail records show.

Reuters and more at CNN.

Per-Gunnar Borhaug, CEO Handicare AS and Hardy Brännström President Romedic AB announce the acquisition of Romedic by Handicare.

Handicare AS acquires RoMedic AB in Sweden and strengthens its position internationally within lifting-, transfer- and positioning products for elderly and handicapped.

Handicare’s revenues are estimated at over 225 million Euros ($320 million) putting it in our top 3 European homecare companies (similar category).

Handicare which is owned by the Ferd Private Equity Fund has been selectively acquiring higher value product companies in the Homecare space, including Freelift and Movingpeople in the Netherlands.

We originally wrote about Nordic companies on the acquisition trail end 2005 “The Return Of The Homecare Vikings”.

Seems like they have done pretty well from my vantage point.

or, who should US voters vote for?

According to AAHomecare even more cuts are planned.