NEWS BRIEFS
NEWS BRIEFS
Latest JCAHO manual published
The Oakbrook Terrace, IL-based Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) recently published its 1999-2000 Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Home Care. Some 25 standards were deleted through the incorporation with other standards, intent statements, or other examples. The manual costs $195, and may be ordered by calling (630) 792-5800 and using order code CAHC-99EM.
Flagship purchases IV Concepts
Miami Lakes, FL-based Flagship Healthcare recently acquired IV Concepts, the largest infusion therapy provider in south Florida, increasing Flagship’s annual net revenues to $80 million. Flagship raised $42 million to finance the acquisition and provide capital for future growth. The purchase assists the company’s goal of building a network of post-acute healthcare services in various markets along the East Coast.
Taxotere provides favorable results
According to a recent study presented at the 21st annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, the addition of Taxotere (docetaxel), an active single chemotherapy agent, to the combination of Adriamycin (doxorobicin) and Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide, is an effective and safe first-line therapy for women with metastatic (spreading) breast cancer. The combination did not cause an increase in cardiotoxicity, a side effect frequently resulting in the cumulative doses of doxorubicin.
The Phase II multicenter study included 55 patients diagnosed with previously untreated metastatic breast cancer. The patients were administered Adriamycin, 50 mg/m2, as an intravenous bolus, followed by Cytoxan, 500 mg/m2, as an IV bolus, and Taxotere, 75 mg/m2, one hour later as a one-hour infusion. This regimen was repeated every three weeks. The overall response rate was 77% of the 47 patients evaluable for response.
For more information on the study, visit their Web site, www.pninternational.com, or contact the Alberta Cancer Board at (403) 437-0859.
Apria leaving infusion markets
In an effort to return to profitability, Apria Healthcare Group, of Costa Mesa, CA, recently sold its California infusion operations to Cerritos, CA-based Crescent Healthcare. Apria retained enteral therapy services. It is also shopping its home infusion businesses in Texas, Louisiana, various parts of Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
CA continues move to health care worker safety
California recently approved Assembly Bill No. 1208, requiring Cal/OSHA and the Department of Health Services to compile a list of "Needleless systems which shall be available to assist employers of health care workers to comply with the requirements of the new standard." The new regulations are to become effective no later than Aug. 1.
CINA conference is coming
The Canadian Intravenous Nurses Association annual conference will be Oct. 20-22, 1999, in Toronto. The association is seeking abstracts on subjects that include home IV therapy, ethics, pediatric IV therapy, IV insertion techniques, basic IV skills, and IV therapy for the elderly. For more information, call the association at (416) 292-0687.
Trial shows long-term results of Rituxan
Results of a long-term follow-up single agent pivotal trial of Rituxan recently presented at the American Society of Hematology conference showed that 48% (80 of 166) of patients with relapsed or refractory, low-grade or follicular, CD20-positive, B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma responded to treatment.
Six percent were complete responses and 42% were partial, with the median duration of response 11.6 months. However, the remission of 22 of the 80 respondents is from one-and-a-half to three years.
The only approved monoclonal antibody therapy for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and the first new agent in 11 years, Genentech and Idec Pharmaceuticals recently sent a letter to doctors regarding their Rituxan drug, following several severe infusion-related adverse events.
Eight deaths, with severe symptoms (severe bronchospasm, dyspnea, hypotension, and/or angioedema) occurring in seven of the eight instances during the first infusion. The cause of death was not reported or remains unknown for two of the eight cases.
Health care-focused Y2K resource available
Rx2000 Solutions Institute, a Minneapolis-based non-profit organization, has established a Rapid Response Communications Center to alert health care providers of year 2000 (Y2K) problems identified with computers and medical devices. Providers can call (888) 835-4478 or (612) 835-4478 and leave a message regarding any Y2K problem they encounter. Information will be collected and disseminated to member providers.
For more information, contact Rx2000 by visiting its Web site at www.rx2000.org.
ACHC releases pharmacy and infusion manual
The Accreditation Commission for Home Care, of Raleigh, NC, recently released its Pharmacy/Infusion Accreditation Resource Manual. ACHC has accredited companies in 14 states from coast to coast. For more information, contact ACHC at (919) 872-8609; E-mail: achc@ mindspring.com, or visit the organization’s Web site at www.achc.org.
Amedysis takes final step in restructuring
Baton Rouge, LA-based Amedysis recently acquired 67% of Tanglewood Surgery Center, a multispecialty outpatient surgery center in Odessa, TX. Amedysis also sold its DME division and is now entirely focused on home health care, infusion therapy, and ambulatory surgery centers. Amedysis secured a $25 million asset-based line of credit and a $3 million three-year term loan from National Century Financial Enterprises.
Unsolicited tender made for Amedysis stock
The Bradford Group, a newly formed Louisiana limited liability company, recently commenced an unsolicited tender offer for $5 per share for all the outstanding shares of Amedisys common stock.
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