by I Advance Senior Care Corporate Profiles (PDF opens in a new window)
Next month kicks off Long-Term Living’s 60th anniversary! To celebrate our “legacy of leadership,” we’ve planned a year’s worth of special editorial and commemorative projects for our 50,000 subscribers, all presented in a fresh, brand new print package to be unveiled with the January issue.
In anticipation of this year-long celebration, we’ve invited our advertising partners to participate in this Corporate Profiles section-a dedicated forum in which they can share their history, mission, and products and services with the long-term care community. We value their support over the past 60 years, and invite you to get to know them a little better in the pages that follow. We look forward to many more years of collaboration in the service of industry education, dialogue, and community.
Warmly,
Patricia Sheehan
Editor-in-Chief
American Data
Company History
American Data was founded in 1984 by a Wisconsin nursing home administrator, who realized that there was a better way to document patient care than the paper systems in place at that time. The company has grown over the years without commissioned salespeople, venture capitalists, or investment bankers, and has shown double-digit annual growth for the past two decades.
But the best way to demonstrate the history of the company is to consider that it was the “First” in releasing many capabilities, including: relational databases (1984); ALL departments in LTC computerized (1984); EMR documentation tied to the MDS (1990); mouse-driven DOS-based system (1992); auto-best reference date for an MDS/EMR (1998); CNA picture charting in an EMR (1999); wireless charting (2000); campus-wide coverage (2000); clinically based AR/Billing(2001); seamless pharmacy communication (2002); alerts and alarms (2002); biometric authentication (2002); patient scheduling (2005); true pharmacy formulary (2008); and user-controlled push button access (2010).
Stock in the company is being gifted from the founder to the employees so that their unique work will continue to benefit the next generation of clients and the people served by those clients.
Mission, Philosophy, Goals
American Data’s mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of the people who live and work in a long-term care facility setting. The company achieves this by producing the best software product to reduce the amount of time staff spends completing documentation, which enables them to spend more time with residents, and providing the best 24/7 customer support possible.
Products and Services
American Data provides EMR/EHR and financial solutions to long-term care providers. Believing the user should be able to adjust the system to bend to individual facility needs and ever-changing times, the system was created with extreme flexibility as well as consistency.
These are just a few of the capabilities American Data offers:
Easy Access
Physician Orders
e-MAR, e-TAR
CNA Picture Charting
HL7/CCHIT/HHS
Other Departments
MDS 3.0
Reports
Accounts Payable
Time Clock
Marketing
E-mail/Alarms
Pharmacy Formulary
Nurse Charting
Patient Scheduling
Therapy
Best Reference
Care Plans
Accounts Receivable
General Ledger
Human Resources
PROFILE
Name: American Data
Location: Sauk City, Wisconsin
Contact: John Ederer, April Burlage
Phone: (800) 464-9942
E-mail:info@american-data.com
Year Established: 1984
Public/Private: Private
Products: EMR/EHR/AR/Billing
Contributions to the Field
The best recognition a company can receive is from its clients. Here are a few:
Thanks, Thanks, Thanks for Easy ACCESS! We are having so much fun/success streamlining the computer work for different user groups. I have customized Easy Access screens for several groups, and today for the State Surveyor, who said he loved it! It was always extra work for staff to go to shared file folders, email, a separate system for in-house paging, etc. All were connected to their personal screens.
The world is only a button word away!
-Linda Chew, ECS System Supervisor
Grandvue Medical Care Facility
I am happy to report that we just finished our annual ODH survey and were found Deficiency Free!! The surveyors found ECS user friendly and were impressed that they could easily navigate through our electronic charts including therapy, social services, and separate nurse charting as well as the physicians orders, diagnosis, and electronic MAR. They said it made their job easier and they were able to leave earlier than anticipated.
Thank You American Data!!
-Connie
SEM Haven
Our Future
American Data’s EMR/AR system has revolutionized electronic medical records in long-term care for the past 27 years. The company has plans for 2011 that will further revolutionize EMRs with capabilities only found in million-dollar hospital systems and will announce those confidential company plans in 2011.
American HealthTech
Company History
American HealthTech has been serving the post-acute care community for more than 30 years. Our rich history includes a strong record of exceeding customer expectations with solutions and delivering exceptional industry expertise in a supporting role to our applications. American HealthTech’s stability has provided ongoing confidence and assurance to our customers, year in and year out.
PROFILE
Name: American HealthTech
Location: Ridgeland, Mississippi
Contact: Devin Simmons, VP of Sales & Marketing
Phone: (800) 489-2648, ext. 1051
E-mail:dsimmons@healthtech.net
Year Established: 1977
Number of Employees: 138
Public/Private: Private
Products: Clinical Management, Financial
Management, Resident Accounting, Enterprise Management
Mission, Philosophy, Goals
Our mission is to listen and deliver. American HealthTech understands that our customers are experts at what they do. We strive to provide tools that enhance their ability to do what they do well. We focus on helping our customers better serve their customers by freeing up busy hands to deliver care to those in need.
Products
Post-acute care is what we do best. To best serve that market, American HealthTech’s product was designed from the ground up as a single, fully-integrated solution. We’ve avoided the interruption of bolting together products with very different looks acquired from other software companies, enabling us to deliver the most advanced and seamless product on the market today.
From pre-admission to discharge, American HealthTech offers a complete solution for you. Our single-database solution incorporates real-time notification technology, touch screen kiosks, wireless access, electronic medication administration, and real-time electronic medical records. All of this technology feeds a real-time billing solution and offers roll-up reporting and financials for the management team.
Our current product offerings include:
Clinical Management
Resident Accounting
Financial Management
Enterprise Management
Our Future
As a leader in post-acute care solutions, American HealthTech will continue to focus on such business challenges as interoperability, strategic alliances, rich point-of-care tools and data extraction, among many other important business needs. Additionally, American HealthTech will be looking into the future to better address the potential demands placed on operators by such trends as bundling, outcomes, and ACOs.
Direct Supply, Inc.
Company History
Founded by visionary leader Bob Hillis, Direct Supply began in 1985 as the nation’s first virtual distributor. Since then, Direct Supply has built one of the brightest, hardest-working teams in America, still operating under the founding values of honesty, integrity, and excellence.
As a 100 percent employee-owned company, Direct Supply’s rapid growth and success is driven by the approximately 1,000 Partners who operate the family of innovative companies. This commitment can be found in everything we do-from technology and equipment design to every one of our product and service solutions.
Mission, Philosophy, Goals
Direct Supply’s mission is to enhance the lives of the millions of residents in senior living. We do this through our tremendous commitment to providing quality, eldercare-approved products and services, an unexcelled response to customer needs, and by leading the charge for industry advocacy in Washington, D.C. Direct Supply embraces the principles of treating employees as partners, encouraging diversity, providing outrageous customer service, and maintaining a commitment to quality, excellence, and integrity. It’s with this conviction that Direct Supply continues to improve the way equipment and services are delivered to millions of America’s seniors.
Products
Direct Supply has five strategic business units to meet the challenges senior living faces.
Direct Supply® Equipment & Furnishings brings tremendous value to every step of equipment procurement, with 1 million product solutions and streamlined capital project management.
Direct Supply® Aptura develops transformational living environments with specialized interior design, renovation and commercial kitchen design.
Direct Supply® Services & Solutions provides customized equipment-based solutions, including resident monitoring systems, energy management, emergency generators, and more.
Our innovative, Web-based facility management system, Direct Supply® TELS®, helps reduce downtime, increase warranty fulfillment, and increase compliance.
Direct Supply® DSSI is a revolutionary online system that allows senior living organizations to automate procurement and spend optimization while driving compliance. It is the foremost purchasing and reporting system designed specifically for senior living.
PROFILE
Name: Direct Supply, Inc.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Contact: Account Manager
Phone: (800)634-7328
E-mail:info@directsupply.com
Year Established: 1985
Number of Employees: 1,000
Public or Private: Private
Products/Services: Healthcare, environmental, foodservice and furnishings equipment, design/build, electronic procurement and work order tracking systems
Contributions to the Field
From the very beginning, Direct Supply founder and CEO, Bob Hillis, has made his voice heard in our nation’s capital. Today, you’ll find Mr. Hillis and our executive team raising awareness in Washington, D.C. Their efforts ensure senior living has the resources it needs to continue caring for our seniors. Direct Supply, Inc., leads and supports the most important efforts shaping national policy for senior living. Our investment is substantial-millions of dollars annually. We are 100 percent committed to this initiative, because seeing our customers succeed makes good business sense-for both Direct Supply and senior living.
No other company cares more about supporting senior living with the right equipment and services than Direct Supply. Every product we offer has been chosen by our product experts for its proven performance and ability to meet the unique demands of eldercare. But our commitment goes well beyond offering high-quality products. We are proud of our close relationships with customers because they help us understand the unique challenges of senior living. It’s not only about developing products to meet their needs; it’s about our passion for our customers. The Partners at Direct Supply genuinely care for our customers and are always looking out for the best interests of senior living, through our products and services, as a voice in Washington, and as friends.
Our Future
Direct Supply has plans to continue developing innovative products and services for the changing landscape of senior living-now and in the future. Our commitment to our customers and to doing the right thing will never waver. We will retain our 100 percent dedication to the professionals who serve our nation’s seniors every day.
MDI Achieve, Inc.
Company History
MDI Achieve has been a leading provider of software solutions to the long-term care (LTC) industry since 1982. In 2005, Logibec Groupe Informatique, Ltd. (Logibec), headquartered in Montreal, Canada, purchased MDI Technologies (MDI), to establish a presence in the U.S. LTC IT market. In 2006, MDI acquired Monette Information Systems to gain product knowledge and experience in the CCRC market. In November 2007, MDI acquired Achieve Healthcare Technologies and the company name was changed to MDI Achieve. The Achieve acquisition was made to expand the company’s presence and infrastructure, and ultimately become the largest provider of eldercare software in the industry. In December 2007, MDI Achieve acquired QuickCare Software Services, Inc., to further increase market share as the number one provider in the industry and increase profitability to fund future development and expansion. Today, MDI Achieve’s U.S. operations include three locations: St. Louis, Minneapolis, and Dallas. In July 2010, OMERS Private Equity bought the shares of Logibec and became MDI Achieve’s new parent company. OMERS’ goal is to continue to support the client commitment and enhance the overall client experience for which MDI Achieve is known.
Mission, Philosophy, Goals
MDI Achieve’s mission is to assist our clients by providing them with effective and easy-to-use software solutions that improve wellness and quality of care and promote efficient management of services. In doing so, we seek to become a leading player in the eldercare continuum and create value for our clients and our employees.
Products
MDI Achieve offers a broad line of easy-to-use software solutions, designed to empower staff throughout the LTC facility with tools to help improve quality of care, documentation, and administration. Each module provides the features and functions to help manage your business more efficiently:
Clinical solutions with the most comprehensive EHR capabilities available in the LTC industry
Financial solutions including flexible billing, accounts payable and general ledger
Staff solutions including human resources, staff scheduling, time clock, and payroll
Marketing solutions to help fill your facility or community
Therapy solutions to track minutes as well as outcomes
Business Intelligence solutions to measure and monitor all aspects of your business
PROFILE
Name: MDI Achieve, Inc.
Locations: St. Louis, Missouri; Minneapolis,
Minnesota; Dallas, Texas
Phone: (866) 469-3766
E-mail:info@MDIAchieve.com
Year Established: 1982
Number of employees: 214
Public/Private: Private
Products: Software Solutions for Long-Term Care
Contributions to the Field
One of the several ways in which MDI Achieve contributes to long-term care is by helping to determine its future.
MDI Achieve is leading the industry in helping to determine what the final EHR is going to be and the certification process that’s involved. Doc DeVore, our Vice President of Industry Relations, sits on the Long Term and Post Acute Care Advisory Task Force that’s been assembled by the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT). CCHIT has been recognized as the official certification body for health information technology by the federal government. Doc DeVore and Beth DeLaHunt, MDI Achieve’s Clinical Product Marketing Manager, are also members of the HL7 Functional Profile Committee for Long-Term Care. The industry has consistently looked to MDI Achieve to provide guidance on industry issues as MDI Achieve works extensively with other organizations that help define EHR standards including: AHCA, AHIMA, NASL, ASCP, and more!
Our Future
MDI Achieve continues to build on our flagship solution, Matrix, and to make it the best EHR platform in the industry. With the completion and general release of the Matrix eMAR, Matrix provides a complete EHR system.
In addition, MDI Achieve is pleased to announce its Data Access reporting tool. MDI Achieve Data Access is a Web-based reporting and management tool that large organizations can use to create and design ad hoc reports.
Penner Manufacturing, Inc.
Company History
Penner Manufacturing was established in 1997 by Lee Penner. After two decades in the bathing market, Lee understood that the bathing systems being offered to facilities were not what the facilities wanted. Penner Manufacturing gathered a production team with more than 150 years of combined experience and set out to give the long-term care market what it wanted. After 13 years of development and growth, Penner Manufacturing has become the leader in bathing spas throughout the United States and Canada.
Mission, Philosophy, Goals
Our goal is to provide facilities with spas that are dependable and easy to operate, with a low cost of ownership. We are a leader in “culture change,” offering the most extensive line of spas on the market today. Facilities may choose from a large selection of colors, enabling them to change their tub rooms into spas.
Products
Penner Manufacturing, Inc., is a leading provider of bathing systems for healthcare facilities. We enable you to change the culture of bathing areas by designing your new spa with the revolutionary Cascade Premier. You can choose your color, design, and style. Features include 26˝ or 32˝ LCD TV, DVD, CD, and Stereo-Sound. All controls are built into and hidden within the cabinet, which also includes a built-in reservoir.
Other products available include: Cascade Side-Entry Spa with built-in post transfer, Cascade End-Opening Spa, Cascade Wide Spa, Cascade Alcove Spa for assisted living communities, Pacific Spa with height-adjustable recumbent system, and Superior Spa, a time-tested concept. All Penner Spas have a five-year limited warranty.
Contributions to the Field
Before Penner Manufacturing, the only options facilities had in bathing were white, institutional-looking tubs. We changed that and give facilities the opportunity to create a spa-like atmosphere, which can be used as a marketing advantage. In addition to giving facilities the look they want, we engineer our spas to be simple to operate and maintain, eliminating the need for service contracts or factory representatives to maintain the equipment.
PROFILE
Name: Penner Manufacturing, Inc.
Location: Aurora, Nebraska
Contact: Kirk Penner
Phone: (800) 732-0717
E-mail:pennersales@hamilton.net
Year Established: 1997
Number of Employees: 15 employees, 9 distributors
Public/Private: Private
Products: Bathing Spas
Our Future
Penner Manufacturing continues to be the innovator in the market. Our future plans include designing new spas that will help facilities market themselves and keep cost of ownership to a minimum. We will continue to listen to the marketplace in all aspects of our business and be proactive as we look to expand our business over the next decade.
RF Technologies
Company History
For more than 23 years, RF Technologies® has been a leading provider of fully integrated radio frequency-based safety and security solutions for the long-term care market, with an installed base of more than 10,000 systems worldwide.
RF Technologies has innovative state-of-the-art systems, including Code Alert® Wandering Management, Code Alert® Wireless Nurse and Emergency Call, Safe Place® Infant and Pediatric Security, and Sensatec® Fall Management Solutions for healthcare facilities.
Mission, Philosophy, Goals
The RF Technologies mission is to be the leader in safety and security solutions for long-term care facilities by delivering innovative and reliable systems that consistently exceed our customers’ expectations. RF Technologies is customer led, sales driven, and engineering supported.
Products and Services
Some of our services and systems solutions include:
Code Alert® Wandering Management Solutions
Code Alert® Nurse and Emergency Call Solutions
Sensatec® Fall Management Solutions
Remote Monitoring and Diagnostics
RF Consulting
24/7 Technical Support
Nationwide Service Management Team
Contributions to the Field
RF Technologies has been awarded more than 30 patents, and is credited for being on the forefront of RFID-based wandering management systems, inventing the first RFID-based infant security system, and developing the first UL-1069 certified wireless nurse call system. RF Technologies is committed to setting the standards for the industry by providing proven solutions to long-term care facilities, hospitals, and commercial facilities worldwide.
PROFILE
Name: RF Technologies®
Location: Brookfield, Wisconsin
Contact: Laura Erickson
Phone: (800) 669-9946
E-mail:Lerickson@rft.com
Web:www.rft.com
Year Established: 1987
Number of Employees: 150
Public/Private: Private
Products: Wireless Nurse and Emergency Call,
Wandering Management, and Fall Management Solutions
Our Future
RF Technologies will continue to provide innovative solutions to the long-term care market in the coming years with more intelligent software to help guide staff in providing improved quality of care and new product aesthetics to create a more home-like environment.
Vancare, Inc.
Company History
Vancare, Inc., is a family owned business, and has been so for more than 20 years. L.A. Vanderheiden started Vancare after retiring from his life profession as a hospital administrator. During his career, he could see the need for quality patient lifts at an affordable price-not only affordable at purchase, but throughout the life of the equipment. So he and his son, Jim (also a licensed healthcare administrator), developed the Vanderlift 450, which Vancare still manufactures today. Many of the original Vanderlifts are still working out in the field. The Vancare team takes great pride in this fact, since L.A. Vanderheiden (who passed away) wanted to build a safe, dependable product that would work a very long time for the end user. Today, L.A.’s grandson, Pat Vanderheiden, serves as vice president of Vancare.
Mission, Philosophy, Goals
Vancare’s mission is to deliver safe, quality products and services that better the lives of the people they touch. Our philosophy is that people are not the same. Each person has individual needs and requirements for care, which is why adaptability and a caring heart are necessities for delivering quality products to people. Vancare strives to be the trusted, dependable manufacturer and equipment provider that people deserve.
Products and Services
Vancare supplies a complete line of safe patient handling products, including:
Floor/Mobile lifts
Ceiling lifts
Lateral transfer aids
Manual lift assist devices
Patient lift slings
Custom patient slings
Recumbent bathing systems
Shower chairs
Ergonomic programs
Vancare’s ceiling and floor lifts, which can handle up to 1,000 pounds, are manufactured and assembled here in the U.S. Vancare also manufactures our slings in the U.S. Local manufacturing gives us the ability to customize and adapt a product or sling for a customer in a very timely manner. Among the features that differentiate our products from the competition is our floating four-point hanger assembly. This assembly allows the sling to form to the body, unlike the fixed four-point or two-point, which makes the body conform to its size and shape. This hanger assembly is also available on our ceiling lifts, allowing for the same sling use and comfort.
Vancare was also the first company in the industry to have our patient lifts tested and listed with the UL/MET Laboratories in accordance with the Medical Device Standard. To maintain this extra distinction for our products, Vancare must adhere to stringent manufacturing practices and undergo semi-annual audits.
PROFILE
Name: Vancare, Inc.
Location: Aurora, Nebraska
Phone: (800) 694-4525
E-mail:info@vancare.com
Web:www.vancare.com
Year Established: 1989
Public/Private: Private
Products: Complete Line of Safe Patient Handling Products
Safe Patient Handling “soft goods” are also a very important component to preventing injuries. Vancare carries the most complete line of these products. We offer products to handle lateral transfers, repositioning in bed, and transfers for emergency staff. These products are currently being made for Vancare in Sweden, with technology and fabrics that are new to the U.S. Vancare is proud to take advantage of this technology and deliver it here, to our customers in the U.S. market.
Vancare is able to give its customers a full range of quality patient handling products through a nationwide distributor group that is dedicated to serving you and your needs. We look forward to assisting your organization with its safe patient handling needs.
Contributions to the Field
Vancare has maintained and help spread the concept that the safety of customers and patients/residents comes second to none.
Our Future
Vancare plans to stay on the leading edge of Safe Patient Handling and maintain our unwavering devotion to deliver safe and quality products to the healthcare industry.
eHealth Data Solutions
Company History
eHealth Data Solutions (eHDS) was founded in 1997 by partners John Sheridan, Roi Qualls, and Jeannette Petten. What started as a project to determine if nurses could use MDS data to increase the quality of resident care and secure appropriate payment for that care, eHDS has grown into one of the premier Web-based data analytics companies in the nation. Our flagship product, CareWatch®, was introduced in 2002, and has since been joined by sister products RiskWatch® (2004) and UBWatch (2008). In 2008, total Web-based application subscriptions to our products surpassed 1,000 for the first time. eHDS is now in 35 different states and, due to its reputation as a thought leader and innovator, continues to thrive and develop comprehensive solutions for the long-term care profession.
Products
The eHealth Data Solutions trio of products-CareWatch®, RiskWatch®, and UB Watch-work together to enhance organizational performance and continuous quality improvement using an evidence-based approach. We provide data analytics that address clinical, administrative, and reimbursement concerns, enabling organizations and facilities to pro-actively convert their data into meaningful, measurable action.
Serving organizations and facilities nationwide in the LTC industry, we provide more than 1,000 subscriptions to our partners for our data analytics, risk management, and financial integrity products. These innovative, Web-based information systems focus on providing accuracy, a reliable foundation for MDS assessments, UB-04s, RUG rates, occurrence reporting, an
I Advance Senior Care is the industry-leading source for practical, in-depth, business-building, and resident care information for owners, executives, administrators, and directors of nursing at assisted living communities, skilled nursing facilities, post-acute facilities, and continuing care retirement communities. The I Advance Senior Care editorial team and industry experts provide market analysis, strategic direction, policy commentary, clinical best-practices, business management, and technology breakthroughs.
I Advance Senior Care is part of the Institute for the Advancement of Senior Care and published by Plain-English Health Care.
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