Orion Health Offers Health Information Exchange Solution as a Service, for Rapid Implementation and Reduced Up-Front Investment

Orion Health Offers Health Information Exchange Solution as a Service, for Rapid Implementation and Reduced Up-Front Investment



Orion Health’s HIE solution is now available in a Software as a Service (SaaS) model, reducing initial capital outlay and allowing organizations to get their HIE programs up and running quickly as they work to engage and promote faster uptake by providers and stakeholders.



Santa Monica, CA (Vocus) December 7, 2010



Orion Health’s Health Information Exchange (HIE) solution is now available in a Software as a Service (SaaS) model, reducing initial capital outlay and allowing organizations to get their HIE programs up and running quickly as they work to engage and promote faster uptake by providers and stakeholders. Recognizing the importance of early ROI, financial sustainability and reduced risk exposure for those making investment decisions, the Orion Health HIE SaaS solution includes a complete HIE feature set in a customizable modular format that makes it easier for HIE organizations to plan and evolve the scope of state, regional, or enterprise health information exchange projects over time.



Paul Viskovich, Orion Health President of North America says the SaaS solution provides private hospitals and community health organizations who were previously faced with difficulty funding the significant financial investment of an HIE with a more realistic and progressive approach. “Using the service model, health organizations can build out HIE infrastructure and functionality, matched to the rate at which the organization can drive demand to use and invest in it.”



The Orion Health HIE SaaS solution allows healthcare organizations to facilitate extremely rapid uptake and engagement, enabling more people to be connected faster, while seamlessly automating data exchange. Moving beyond the initial benefits, taking advantage of Orion Health’s modular solution, HIE’s can tailor the services offered to stakeholders and providers to add functionality and value in a sustainable way. Financial sustainability is a key issue for HIEs and according to 199 active health information exchanges who responded to the eHealth Initiative 2010 Survey on Heath Information Exchanges, 62 of these HIEs, including state designated entities, were still reliant upon federal funds in the last fiscal year. 107 respondents claimed they were not dependent on federal funding, however only 18 of these respondents stated that they broke even as a result of operational income alone. Orion Health’s solution helps HIEs avoid incurring initial capital costs while ensuring stringent privacy and security requirements are met, without dedicated IT resources.



“In effect, Orion Health offers HIE’s easy and fast access to a more progressive, more responsive business model which HIE’s can use to secure reliable income streams faster. At the same time, they can realize better health outcomes for patients and providers through data aggregation, sharing and information exchange,” Viskovich continues.



In developing the current SaaS delivery model, Orion Health drew upon knowledge gained from the company’s existing SaaS model solution that has been available in Europe. With organizations in the US under pressure to achieve more with less and still needing to meet Meaningful Use guidelines the solution is now being introduced in North America to help make IT work smarter and deliver high-quality patient care in the most efficient and cost effective way possible.



Orion Health has a successful history in the HIE market with 22 diverse health exchange models internationally, and has helped develop some the of the largest health information exchanges in the world including Alberta Health Services and New South Wales Health. Orion Health’s expertise extends to regional and rural HIEs which include Maine’s HealthInfoNet, Western Washington Rural Health Care Collaborative and Chatham County Safety Net Planning Council, and are also known as leaders in government health data exchange with over 47 states using Orion Health integration technology to improve collection and tracking of reportable diseases making it one of the most widely adopted integration platform used by public health departments.



About Orion Health Information Exchange Solution

Orion Health™ Health Information Exchange (HIE) Solution provides a platform for exchanging patient information between organizations and across regions to enable a shared view of the patient records and provides a foundation for community care and chronic disease management solutions. The Orion Health HIE solution offers a collection of components featuring an integration engine, enterprise master patient index (EMPI), physician and patient portals, data repository, customizable notifications, provider index, and analytical and quality reporting tools. With over 15 years of experience and more customers across the globe than any other vendor in this market, Orion Health is the leader in HIE solutions. For more information please see http://www. orionhealth. com/solutions/healthcare-organizations/health-information-exchange.



About Orion Health Inc.

Orion Health™ is a leading Health Information Exchange (HIE) solution provider with expertise in clinical workflow and integration technology for the healthcare sector. Orion Health’s easy-to-use solutions and applications improve patient care and clinical decision making by enabling the exchange of healthcare information among disparate systems and providing integrated health data in a single, unified view. By extending existing healthcare information systems, the Orion Health™ Rhapsody Integration Engine and workflow solutions, provide healthcare workers with easy access to patient data and trends, and reduce errors and omissions by streamlining information transfer.



Worldwide, Orion Health has deployed health information communities involving over 35 million patients with hundreds of thousands of active clinical users including Maine’s HealthInfoNet, Alberta Health Services and Spain’s IB Salut. Orion Health’s partners include leading health system integrators and IT vendors such as Accenture, Allscripts, IBM, Oracle, Philips and others. Orion Health has more than 1,000 clients around the world, including Lahey Clinic, UCLA Medical Center, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Spain's IB Salut, South Eastern Norwegian Regional Health Authority, New Zealand Ministry of Health. Orion Health is a preferred Canada Health Infoway Solution. More information can be found at http://www. orionhealth. com.



Orion Health and Rhapsody are registered trademarks of Orion Health Inc, its parent/or its affiliates. Other names used may be trademarks of their respective owners.



# # #

You have read this article health with the title 2004. You can bookmark this page URL http://ysagabriellechong.blogspot.com/2004/12/orion-health-offers-health-information.html. Thanks!

Offering More Than Material Goods to World's Most Needy in Season of Giving

Offering More Than Material Goods to World's Most Needy in Season of Giving



While many charities provide basic necessities to communities in disaster regions, most forget about the incredible benefit of simple joy obtained through entertainment when and where needed most. During this season of giving, one organization's work of providing what money can't buy is even more important. Magicians Without Borders, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, is fulfilling a great need for laughter, love and actual magic for refugee and orphan children living in many of the most war-torn, least accessible places in the world.



Bristol, VT (PRWEB) December 15, 2006



While many charities provide basic necessities to communities in disaster regions, most forget about the incredible benefit of simple joy obtained through entertainment when and where needed most. During this season of giving, one organization's work of providing what money can't buy is even more important. Magicians Without Borders (http://www. magicainswithoutborders. org (http://www. magicainswithoutborders. org)) , a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, is fulfilling a great need for laughter, love and actual magic for refugee and orphan children living in many of the most war-torn, least accessible places in the world. The magic helps restore the lost sense of wonder to these isolated children, and is often their only reason to smile. This prevents them from giving up hope and feeling forgotten by the world, after years of waiting in a refugee camp or orphanage.



Most commonly Magicians Without Borders is the only entertainment that has ever visited these impoverished people. They are thrilled and delighted beyond measure, while still living in deplorable conditions. These performances of magic, comedy, audience participation, etc. help restore a lost sense of wonder & joy in the middle of their chaotic situation. The visit means that the world knows where they are and have not forgotten them. This results in not only laughter and magic, but also a sense of hope that their suffering will end and their dreams of going home will one day magically appear.



Traveling To the Greatest Need, Regardless of Difficulty



Traveling to places that generally only receive the world's attention during the immediate crisis, Magicians Without Borders, has visited Burma and Thailand (after the Tsunami), Bangladesh, India, Haiti, Sudan, Somalia; Macedonia, Kosovo, Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia; Louisiana, and in the U. S., Mississippi, and Alabama after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Volunteers from the organization visit El Salvador every three months and perform in the isolated, poverty stricken villages. They are also teaching a group of teenagers in Santa Ana magic and theater skills. Until recently, these children were actually living in a large garbage dump outside the city of Santa Ana. They have been rescued by a Salvadoran doctor who created a program for them, The Barefoot Angels.



They are now in school and living relatively healthy and safe lives. The children are becoming good little magicians and have begun to perform around El Salvador in orphanages, hospitals and the sites of natural disasters, such as a recent volcano eruption that destroyed the homes of 1500 families - two of these children, Pedro and Alajandra, traveled for two days entertaining the homeless children living in makeshift huts. Those who receive this simple gift of joy often return it to others in their moments of need, and so the cycle continues… 



Teaching Magic to Barefoot Angels in Santa Ana, El Salvador



In just the last four years, Magicians Without Borders has visited and performed for 150,000 children. Non-governmental organizations (NGO's), such as the UN, World Vision, International Rescue Committee, International Red Cross and Crescent often provide oversight & coordination. These organizations often ask the charity to bring some laughter and magic to children they are working with, knowing it's a type of medicine they need and can't receive any other way. The NGO's do not pay for the trips but sometimes provide needed transportation, once in a served country, and help organize the trips.



The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) gives security clearance for access to certain refugee camps and transportation to these often far away, isolated settlements. Once the magician volunteers drove ten hours along a rutted road to get to the Demme Refugee camp on the Ethiopian-Sudan border. The UN has written several articles on Magicians Without Borders, some of which are posted on the organization's web site.



The non-profit organization is solely supported by individual donations, and does not yet receive Foundation support. All money raised goes completely to support the work. Presently, all personnel receive do not receive salaries, and must raise funds or pay their own way for these trips of compassion. Magicians Without Borders volunteers take about six trips a year, each trip averaging three weeks. They find that the sense of fulfillment they receive is worth more than every penny and every minute they give.



Funds are desperately needed to buy plane tickets, visas, inoculations, accommodations and food. This is a very efficient organization, operating with little overhead, unlike many large, even worthwhile charities. Therefore all donations directly bring love, laughter and magic to many of the most forgotten refugee and orphan children in the world. Please visit http://www. magicainswithoutborders. org (http://www. magicainswithoutborders. org) for further information and to help provide a little magic to those who really need it NOW!



# # #

You have read this article health with the title 2004. You can bookmark this page URL http://ysagabriellechong.blogspot.com/2004/12/offering-more-than-material-goods-to.html. Thanks!

Combined Insurance Named in National Underwriter Life & Health's Top 200 List as a Top Insurance Provider

Combined Insurance Named in National Underwriter Life & Health's Top 200 List as a Top Insurance Provider



Leading Supplemental Insurance Company Recognized for Services and Growth by Top Industry Publication



Chicago, IL (PRWEB) September 17, 2008 -



Combined Insurance (http://www. combinedinsurance. com/), a leading provider of supplemental insurance, today announced that it has been named to National Underwriter Life & Health's Top 200 list in a broad range of categories. This annual list highlights top insurance providers in life, annuity and health categories and provides statistical reports tracking growth for each category and company.



The 2007 report, which appeared in the August 18 issue, indicated strong growth for the top 200 life insurance companies. Combined Insurance ranked among industry leaders in 14 categories, including top 11 rankings for the Individual Health Insurance Leaders, Non-Cancellable Premiums and Guaranteed Renewable Premiums categories.



"As the need for innovative insurance services continues to grow, Combined Insurance is dedicated to providing supplemental insurance that meets the unique needs of its customers," said Doug Wendt, CEO of Combined Insurance. "It is a privilege to be recognized among our peers by such a highly respected industry publication. Our continued appearance on this annual list is a testament to our services and continued growth."



National Underwriter Life & Health, a National Underwriter Company publication, identifies, analyzes and comments on the latest trends and developments for the life, health and financial services industry. The publication strives to give readers the information they need to make critical business decisions.



Data for the 2007 list was compiled by Highline Data, an affiliate of National Underwriter.



The entire National Underwriter Life & Health's Top 200 list can be found online at: http://www. lifeandhealthinsurancenews. com/cms/nulh/website (http://www. lifeandhealthinsurancenews. com/cms/nulh/website).



About The National Underwriter Company:

NUCO, formed in 1897, is the leading publishing and information services business for the insurance industry. Headquarters are in Erlanger, Kentucky, a suburb of Cincinnati, and principal editorial and advertising sales offices are in Hoboken, New Jersey. NUCO's Insurance Magazine Division publishes two weekly newsmagazines for the property/casualty and life/health sectors of insurance carrying the National Underwriter brand. The company also publishes Claims, a monthly magazine for claims executives; Tech Decisions, for IT insurance professionals; Advising Boomers, for financial advisors to the baby boom generation; and two regional titles, Florida Underwriter, and Insurance Advocate, for the New York metro market. In live events, NUCO sponsors the Annual Claims Exposition, and the Life Insurance Sales Mastery Forum. NUCO's Professional Publishing Division issues its Fire, Casualty and Surety bulletins, reporting on the latest developments in insurance policy application and legal interpretation; and the Tax Facts Series, summarizing how the tax code affects insurance and investment decisions, among some 160 titles in all. For more information about NUCO, visit www. nationalunderwriter. com.



About Combined Insurance Company Combined Insurance (www. combinedinsurance. com) is a leading provider of supplemental accident, health and life insurance products and is a member of the ACE Group of Companies. With a field sales force and corporate staff in excess of 10,000 people worldwide, Combined Insurance meets the growing coverage needs of policyholders around the globe. For more information, call 1-800-490-1322 or visit www. combinedinsurance. com.



About ACE The ACE Group of Companies is a global leader in insurance and reinsurance serving a diverse group of clients. Headed by ACE Limited (NYSE: ACE), the ACE Group of Companies conducts its business on a worldwide basis with operating subsidiaries in more than 50 countries. Additional information can be found at www. acelimited. com.



###

You have read this article health with the title 2004. You can bookmark this page URL http://ysagabriellechong.blogspot.com/2004/12/combined-insurance-named-in-national.html. Thanks!

More Women Reducing Breast and Other Cancer Risks by Using Colopril to Detoxify

More Women Reducing Breast and Other Cancer Risks by Using Colopril to Detoxify



As Breast Cancer Awareness Month is well underway, many doctors and leading experts are advising women around the world to purge their bodies of toxins in order to better prevent and ward off dangerous diseases like breast cancer. At the forefront of such recommend cleansing methods are total body detoxification supplements, like Colopril colon cleanse.



Manalapan, NJ (PRWEB) November 1, 2009



It's National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and more women from around the world are better educating themselves on ways that they can more efficiently care for their bodies through detoxification, which can allow the body to be better able to defend itself and ward off illnesses like cancerous diseases. Not surprisingly, many experts are heralding natural colon cleanses, like Colopril, as part of a crucial series of detoxification methods that allows the body to best defend itself against deadly diseases like breast cancer.



In an October 10th, 2009 news article that was published in Big Island Weekly, a popular online news medium, entitled "Detoxifying for a clean bill of health," Nancy Gardner, PhD, offers her advice for women who are seeking to boost their body's immune system and render a better defense to ward off illnesses like breast cancer. Amongst the top six things on Gardner's list that allow women to best prepare their bodies to ward off diseases like breast cancer, from top to bottom, they are as follows: A Cleansing Diet, Colon Cleansing, Liver Cleansing, Lung Cleansing, Kidney Cleansing and Lymphatic Cleansing.



With regards to the positive effects and immediately realized benefits of a colon cleanse, the article offers some pretty solid advice for women who are seeking to thoroughly cleanse their bodies and internal organs using the most effective methods.



Not surprisingly, colon cleansing is listed as second on that list.



"Prevention, taking proactive measures to detoxify your body." teaches Dr. Gardner, "can reduce the incidence of all types of cancer, as well as heart disease and diabetes, improves the quality of your life, and even extends it." At her last lecture in Hawaii, she recommended COLON CLEANSING - as a regular habit to aid the colon. (Source: BigIslandWeekly. com; 2009)



Colopril spokesperson, Tammy Willis, agrees that there are many great benefits to overall health and an increased immune system that consumers can realize from using Colopril to detoxify.



"Colopril has indeed been proven to thoroughly cleanse and detoxify the colon, kidneys, lungs and the heart," Willis says. "It has also been shown to greatly boost the effectiveness of the immune system and the digestive tract. This is more than likely why a doctor would recommend using a colon cleanse, such as Colopril, to help the body to better ward off diseases that can be fatal, like breast cancer or other cancers."



Colopril colon cleanse is an all-natural detoxification supplement. It is taken by capsule form, orally, once per day.



It works to thoroughly cleanse the body of all toxins by gently flushing them out through the colon.



Most people will experience noticeable results, like increased energy, restored spirit, natural weight-loss and more within the first few weeks of usage.



For more information on Colopril, please visit them online at: http://www. Colopril. com (http://www. Colopril. com).



About Colopril:

· Breakthrough total body detoxification supplement created by Pharmaxa Labs--a leading nutraceutical company

· Pharmaceutical-grade product that works quickly to cleanse toxins and is gentle on the colon

· The inexpensive, yet equally as effective, alternative to colon hydrotherapy, or costly visits to the gastroenterologist or day spa

· Contains a proprietary blend of all-natural, plant-based ingredients like Cascara Seed, a natural laxative; Psyllium seed, which aids in the function of waste-elimination in the intestines to allow for a gentle, entirely safe and all-natural colon cleansing

· Thoroughly cleanses and detoxifies the colon, kidneys, lungs and the heart

· Maximizes the absorption of vitamins and minerals

· Works to minimize chronic migraines and headaches

· Minimizes the occurrences of irritability and fatigue

· Eradicates harmful intestinal parasites

· Relieves constipation and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

· Greatly reduces the risk of contracting colon cancer and other cancers by flushing out harmful toxins from the colon

· Cleanses bodily toxins, contributing to clearer and smoother skin in a matter of a few weeks

· Helps to eliminate unwanted weight and minimizes abnormal weight gain

· Boosts the effectiveness of the immune system and the digestive tract

· Heightens energy levels naturally

· Has no known adverse side effects

· 100% safe, effective and all-natural

· Available online at their secured website for a generous discount off retail pricing at: http://www. Colopril. com (http://www. Colopril. com)



# # #

You have read this article health with the title 2004. You can bookmark this page URL http://ysagabriellechong.blogspot.com/2004/12/more-women-reducing-breast-and-other.html. Thanks!

FreeMotion Fitness Turns to Advantage Fitness Products To Successfully Penetrate New Markets

FreeMotion Fitness Turns to Advantage Fitness Products To Successfully Penetrate New Markets



Full Service Fitness & Wellness Facility Consultants AFP To Handle Vertical Market Initiative For Health & Fitness Industry Leader



Culver City, CA (PRWEB) July 27, 2005



FreeMotion Fitness today announced an agreement with Advantage Fitness Products (AFP), providing AFP exclusive rights to distribute FreeMotion Fitness products to vertical markets in California, Nevada, Arizona and the greater-New York City region. Markets of immediate emphasis for AFP will be the hospitality (hotel/resort) industry, multi-dwelling/group-living properties and corporate environments.



The overwhelming medical and media attention directed at the need for Americans to be more active is not only fueling traditional health & fitness channels, but also motivating traditional health and fitness companies to increase efforts toward non-traditional "vertical" markets and the new business opportunities they present.



"Vertical market supply and support are a critical area for business development in our industry as we see more consumers demanding unique alternatives, outside of simply the health club environment, to be active on a daily basis," said Patrick Hald, FreeMotion Fitness President and COO. "AFP brings an unparalleled understanding of the unique characteristics and needs of these vertical markets, allowing them to tailor the capabilities and benefits of FreeMotion Fitness products into these new environments in a way that makes business sense for our company and the end user."



With established success in vertical markets and strong relationships and facility development experience with leading architectural development companies including Wimberly, Allison, Tong and Goo (WATG) and hospitality industry leaders including Ritz Carlton, Fairmont Hotels and Auberge Resorts, AFP has distinguished itself in its ability to provide truly full-service consultation. AFP works to provide forward-thinking solutions in all areas including facility design, equipment selection and supply, service and support enabling its clients to meet the ever-changing needs of their target consumer.



"There's much more to developing an effective fitness and wellness environment than organizing cardio and resistance training machines in a given space, particularly when considering that these facilities can provide incremental revenue opportunities for the operator," said Bryan Green, President - CEO of AFP. "Certainly we have the ability to completely outfit and supply a facility, but we feel a greater value comes through our working hand in hand with the operator to ensure their vision is carried out through all stages of the development process, potential pitfalls that increase overall costs are avoided and resulting facility revenue is maximized."



About Advantage Fitness Products:



Based in Los Angeles CA, Advantage Fitness Products is a leading provider of innovative fitness and wellness based solutions for commercial facilities worldwide, industry professionals and consumers. AFP offers expertise across multiple facets of the health & fitness industry, including facility design, supply and support, and provides tools assisting its clients in maximizing their investments in fitness. AFP's ADVANTAGE™ line of premium accessories delivers innovative yet practical commercial and consumer fitness products. Through all of its endeavors, AFP addresses the ever-growing need for a more active and healthy quality of life. For more information visit www. afproducts. com or call 888-895-0547.



About FreeMotion Fitness™:



FreeMotion Fitness is committed to making products of unmatched quality and performance in the commercial industry today; striving for excellence throughout the product's life - from concept and design to manufacture, delivery, installation and more. As the first, and only, full circuit of integrated functional training equipment, FreeMotion™ sets facilities apart by allowing users to train in real-life movements. NordicTrack® Commercial Cardio is designed to give members a safe and enjoyable workout with commercial-grade construction, easy-to-use functions and easy-to-maintain design. EPIC Strength™ equipment goes beyond the basics of traditional training with strong, smooth and refined performance. FreeMotion



Fitness is also proud to be the domestic distributor of Reebok Professional Studio products and Reebok®-Tomahawk® Indoor Cycling. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of ICON Health & Fitness®, FreeMotion Fitness affords all of the benefits of a globally connected company yet stands independent with respect to research, development, sales and marketing. For more information visit www. freemotionfitness. com or call 877.363.8449.



# # #

You have read this article health with the title 2004. You can bookmark this page URL http://ysagabriellechong.blogspot.com/2004/12/freemotion-fitness-turns-to-advantage.html. Thanks!

DDT Ban Opens Pesticide Market To Alternative Methods And Products To Controlling Recent Bed Bug Infestation

DDT Ban Opens Pesticide Market To Alternative Methods And Products To Controlling Recent Bed Bug Infestation



Bed bug infestation products are important in controlling the infestation. Recently there has been a lot of problems with bed bugs up and down the east coast.



Austin, TX (PRWEB) October 22, 2010



The 1972 DDT ban in the United States and subsequent worldwide ban, substitutes have been taking over the insecticide market for the past 30+ years.



Recognizing recent reports of bed bug invasions in large cities like New York, bedbugshredder. com/blog has developed a new effective and safe formula for ridding households of bed bugs.



DDT, once hailed as the only synthetic insecticide with close to a 100% rate of effectiveness has been of the market for close to 40 years. Since then some insect spread diseases and parasites have been on the rise, most recently bed bugs. Due to DDT being harmful to animals, humans and the environment and not being reintroduced for public use in the foreseeable future bedbugshredder. com/blog has developed a natural, non-toxic formula that is effective and most importantly safe to use around children and pets.



“I couldn't believe that we were having a bed bug resurgence in this country“, said Jason, Bed Bug Shredder developer, “but something had to be done to kill these critters. People are way more aware of chemicals and they want natural. No fumes and no poisons. That's where we come in”. Bed Bug Shredder is toxin and poison free leaving users with a sense of calm knowing they aren't exposing their family to dangerous chemicals.



If bed bugs are detected on clothing or in the car they have most likely been transported into the home. They are not relegated to just the bed. Preferring dark and warm places to live in, bed bugs aren't relegated to only the bed many times being found in couch upholstery, dog beds, cars, dresser and closets living in the clothing. Bedbugshredder. com/blog is designed to kill these pests without effecting your or your family's health.



For anyone interested in learning more about ridding your home of bed bugs visit http://www. gettingridofbedbugs. com



###

You have read this article health with the title 2004. You can bookmark this page URL http://ysagabriellechong.blogspot.com/2004/12/ddt-ban-opens-pesticide-market-to.html. Thanks!

Polar Promotion Offers Discounted Joe Friel Training Plans Exclusively at TrainingPeaks. com

Polar Promotion Offers Discounted Joe Friel Training Plans Exclusively at TrainingPeaks. com



Polar promotion provides consumer with complete fitness solution.



Lafayette, CO (PRWEB) September 15, 2008



Polar, the leader in heart rate monitoring and fitness assessment technology, is offering an exclusive promotion of 50% off training plans authored by Joe Friel, founder of TrainingPeaks, expert coach and international Best Seller of books on endurance training with the purchase of select Polar units. Included with every training plan is a free subscription to Peaksware's online software product TrainingPeaks, the ultimate training and nutrition log.



The training plans, available at http://www. TrainingPeaks. com/Polar (http://www. TrainingPeaks. com/Polar), contain all of the elements necessary for success and may be selected from a library of more than 60 based on experience from novice to expert and targeting events in marathon, cycling, duathlon or triathlon. The day-to-day schedule removes the guesswork from training and includes daily emails to provide motivation. With the addition of a TrainingPeaks Premium account, workout files from compatible Polar units may be uploaded directly to TrainingPeaks to track and confirm progress. By participating in this promotion, consumers receive a complete package to help them achieve their training goals.



"Combining Polar's products with TrainingPeaks and a training plan is a great opportunity for consumers," said Joe Friel, co-founder of TrainingPeaks and training plan author. "Targeting an event and then following a plan while recording each workout is one of the best ways to achieve a goal whether you are just starting or are an experienced professional."



"Working with TrainingPeaks and Joe Friel on this co-promotion provides our retailers and consumers with a win-win situation," said Gina Pilnacek, Senior Marketing Manager at Polar. "Our retailers are able to provide their customers with a relevant, value-add incentive to purchase select Polar training computers. Then these consumers are able to maximize their new training computer purchase by pairing it with a training plan designed by Joe Friel and delivered by one of the premier online training plan service providers."



Fifteen Polar devices (S625x, S725x, RS200, RS200sd, RS400, RS400sd, RS800, RS800sd, RS800G3, CS200, CS200cad, CS300, CS400, CS600 and CS600 with Power) are included in the promotion and will be available throughout the US at retail locations through September 2008.



About Peaksware:

Peaksware, LLC, founded in 1999, develops software systems to help motivated individuals and professionals achieve health, fitness and peak performance. In addition to the world's leading online training and nutrition log, TrainingPeaks. com, Peaksware also produces the desktop products Device Agent and WKO+. Each of these products is sold both direct to consumers and can also be customized in a white label format for enterprise customers. For more information or to discuss business development opportunities contact info_at_peaksware. com.



About Polar

Headquartered in Lake Success, NY, Polar is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Finland-based Polar Electro OY, which invented the first wireless heart rate monitor (HRM) in 1977. The company is dedicated to improving people's health and well-being by providing leading technology and program solutions that deliver valuable feedback to help users gain a better understanding of their bodies and their overall fitness level. Today Polar heart rate monitors are the number one choice among consumers worldwide, helping athletes and exercisers "listen" to their bodies and manage physical activity properly. Polar is also the worldwide leader in fitness assessment technology. Polar suites of fitness technology are used by fitness facilities, athletic teams, medical facilities, and thousands of physical education programs around the country. For more information on Polar products and programs, visit http://www. polarusa. com (http://www. polarusa. com)



Contact:

Jeremy Duerksen, Director of Marketing

Peaksware, LLC

Jduerksen_at_peaksware. com

(303)437-9652

Http://www. Peaksware. com (http://www. Peaksware. com)

Http://www. TrainingPeaks. com (http://www. TrainingPeaks. com)



# # #

You have read this article health with the title 2004. You can bookmark this page URL http://ysagabriellechong.blogspot.com/2004/12/polar-promotion-offers-discounted-joe.html. Thanks!

Guardian Disability Insurance Brokerage Establishes The Best Way To Start New Agents

Guardian Disability Insurance Brokerage Establishes The Best Way To Start New Agents



The insurance industry has an average 4 year retention of 12%, meaning 88% of people entering the life and health insurance industry fail or leave within their first four years. Guardian Disability Insurance Brokerage has a 4-year retention of 85% because they have reinvented the model for hiring insurance agents. Last year Anthony Delvecchio, and this year Thomas Lloyd won the International DI Society's Founders Award for excellence in DI production for new agents nationwide. Both Anthony and Thomas work at Guardian Disability Insurance Brokerage, and are part of a new business model of selling disability insurance over the internet.



Rockville, MD (PRWEB) November 9, 2009



This year at the International DI Society (http://www. internationaldisociety. com/) conference in Las Vegas Thomas Lloyd (http://www. disabilityquotes. com/employeemail. cfm? AgentID=Lloyd29) was presented their second annual Founders Award for excellence in DI production for an agent three years or less in the business. What makes this award special is that it is the second straight year it has been won by an agent from Guardian Disability Insurance Brokerage (http://www. disabilityquotes. com/) in Rockville, MD. Last year Anthony Delvecchio won the same award, and they both set production levels much higher than any other candidates.



Guardian Di Brokerage is not your typical insurance agency, founded by Steve Crawford in 1997, they are the nation's leading seller of individual disability insurance over the internet. 85% of the agents they have hired are still with them today because of the volume of business leads provided to every new agent from the tens of thousands of people visiting their website every month from search engines like Google and Yahoo.



Insurance carriers spend a small fortune on every new person hired into the business, and have a 4 year retention of only 12%. "I don't know any other business where 88% of the distribution fails inside of 4 years and they don't shut the entire operation down." says Steve Crawford.



Our agency has produced the last two Founders Award winners because the industry has changed, and we were one of the first to recognize disability insurance is a commodity, and it can be sold on-line. Almost every single one of our producers is in the top 50 in the company for nationwide disability insurance production.



Professionals from all across the country visit our website, request disability insurance quotes (https://www. disabilityquotes. com/occupations/diquoterequestsecure. cfm), and work with one of our agents to design a custom policy designed for them. The model works a lot better for us than the traditional model of bringing a new agent into the business, and having them do joint work with a senior agent on all their friends and family. Once a new agent is done with their friends and family, they typically fail out of the business unless they are really good at obtaining referrals. Our agents have lead the entire company nationwide in DI production, received numerous awards like the IDIS Founders Award, and been interviewed by CNN, CBS Marketwatch, Wall St. Journal, Forbes, and several other major news sources on the subject of individual disability insurance.



###

You have read this article health with the title 2004. You can bookmark this page URL http://ysagabriellechong.blogspot.com/2004/12/guardian-disability-insurance-brokerage.html. Thanks!

Scoppy Poo is Turning a Dirty Job into a Glamorous Profession

Scoppy Poo is Turning a Dirty Job into a Glamorous Profession



Local dog waste pick up service is changing what it means to be scooped.



Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) June 28, 2008



Scoopy Poo (http://www. scoopypoo. net) is setting new standards for customer service in the dog waste removal industry by turning a "down to earth" job into a glamorous profession by scooping dog waste from back yards with a smile and a smashing wardrobe.



Unsatisfied with the grub and drudgery that many other dog waste removal companies focus on, Scoopy Poo took a different direction taking pride in their poop scooping by showing up to clients' homes to scoop poop dressed in fancy attire, characterized as trendy and stylish.



The company was started in 2002 by Sonja Tengdin, a former bond trader and busy mother of two boys and two dogs, who got the idea as she sat down in her backyard to enjoy a drink with long-time friend, Gene Horstman, and immediately noticed an unbearable stench from the dog poop she had neglected to pick up for a few weeks due to her busy schedule. A few jokes later, Scoopy Poo was born.



"We have a mission to 'un-DooDoo' the world, one yard at a time. And showing up in style means we're taking our mission seriously, while never taking ourselves too seriously. We are visiting our customers' property once or twice a week. We're not only helping them keep their yards clean and healthy, but also representing them in front of their neighbors in their communities. We want to do that in the best possible light," said Tengdin.



Scoopy Poo considers themselves to be the clean sweep team for conscientious homeowners with one or two dogs, or condos buildings with several dogs sharing a small space of land, who are generally neat and tidy, but may have little time to spare to keep their yard clean and free of dog waste all the time.



Benefits to using the service include making lawn mowing easier and keeping poop from being tracked into homes by pets or children. And in the summer months, a waste-free yard keeps away extra bugs and off-putting odors that can spoil the atmosphere of backyard parties. But perhaps the biggest benefit is preventing the danger of infectious bacteria and parasites that can be passed to dogs and humans, including tapeworms and roundworms and bacteria including salmonella and giardia.



The company is famous for its use of poo-themed haiku and clever taglines such as, "We love taking crap from you," and "Walk where no dog has gone." They can often be spotted around town in their company car --- a Mini Cooper nicknamed the "Mini Scooper."



About Scoopy Poo

Scoopy Poo (www. scoopypoo. net) is a Twin Cities-based dog waste removal company who specializes in cleaning up residential homes, condos, townhomes and commercial properties. They are famous for being the first to glamorize the job of poop pick up and can often be seen year-round in back yards and at properties around the Twin Cities dressed to impress. They currently have offices Edina and Phoenix serving full-time Twin Cities residents as well as Minnesota snow birds.



###

You have read this article health with the title 2004. You can bookmark this page URL http://ysagabriellechong.blogspot.com/2004/12/scoppy-poo-is-turning-dirty-job-into.html. Thanks!

State Farm Realizes Unprecedented Success with Mobile Marketing

State Farm Realizes Unprecedented Success with Mobile Marketing



Nation's Largest Car & Home Insurer Drives Leads for Agents via Innovative Mobile Marketing Execution



Austin, TX (PRWEB) December 19, 2007 -



State Farm Insurance partnered with Blumo, The Mobile Experience Agency, to integrate mobile into its State Farm Win College Cash Sweepstakes. The program allowed prospective college students and their parents the opportunity to win up to $5,000 for undergraduate or graduate school tuition. In addition to entering online, fans attending select NCAA football games during the 2007 season had an opportunity to win up to $1,000 in cash instantly during in-game text-to-win promotions.



During the course of the promotion, thousands of fans were exposed to, and participated in, the sweepstakes sponsored by State Farm. Most importantly, 12% of those who participated in the sweepstakes requested additional information about State Farm products and services from their local agent.



"When done correctly, integrating mobile into an otherwise typical promotional campaign can have tremendous effects in driving participation and serving as a catalyst for new customer acquisition," said Sean Bartlett, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Blumo. "By adding an activation mechanism to State Farm's existing media placements, we are able to engage the participant in a dialog that enables them to not only enter the text-to-win contest, but also be introduced to their local State Farm agent in real-time, creating a win-win situation for State Farm."



The State Farm College Cash Sweepstakes ran through November 30, 2007 and was promoted extensively in traditional media and at major college football games. The State Farm Win College Cash Text-to-Win started out like a typical text-to-win promotion, however, the similarities stopped after the first interaction. Participants were required to verify their eligibility and were given the option to receive a second entry for replying with additional information, including their zip code. Using the zip code, as well as the participant's mobile number's area code and exchange, their local State Farm agent was dynamically determined in real time. A reply was then sent to the participant introducing the local State Farm agent and offering them the opportunity to learn more about relevant State Farm products and services.



"We just finished the season and the results have been phenomenal," said Ronnie Lee Vandiver, Zone Marketing Manager at State Farm. "Branding and promotions are certainly a key component of our business, but the ability mobile provides to add an activation mechanism, show real business results, and provide detailed metrics in real-time makes it integral part of our campaigns."



About State Farm

State Farm® insures more cars than any other insurer in North America and is the leading U. S. home insurer. State Farm's 17,000 agents and 68,000 employees serve over 75 million auto, fire, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and more than 1.7 million bank accounts. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 31 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit statefarm. com® or in Canada statefarm. ca®.



About Blumo

Blumo is a full-service mobile marketing agency that helps brands and other agencies develop and deliver interactive consumer experiences for the mobile phone and web. The company's flagship product, MobilePowered(TM), helps companies easily manage SMS and WAP-based marketing campaigns. Blumo is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information, visit blumo. com.



State Farm Media Contact

Leslie Leal

512-918-4395

Leslie. leal. qwgf@statefarm. com



Blumo Media Contact

Sean Bartlett

480-686-7326

Sean@blumo. com



###

You have read this article health with the title 2004. You can bookmark this page URL http://ysagabriellechong.blogspot.com/2004/12/state-farm-realizes-unprecedented.html. Thanks!

Tax Refund and Rebate Money Waiting to be Claimed: Allsup Urges People with Disabilities to File 2007 Tax Returns by Oct. 15

Tax Refund and Rebate Money Waiting to be Claimed: Allsup Urges People with Disabilities to File 2007 Tax Returns by Oct. 15



Even those who don't pay taxes can still benefit from tax rebate, EITC and other credits and deductions, plus lower Medicare costs by filing, according to Allsup.



Belleville, IL (Vocus) September 24, 2008



Taxpayers have just a few weeks to file their 2007 tax return before the Oct. 15 late filing extension, according to Allsup, a leading provider of Social Security disability, financial and healthcare-related services to people with disabilities. Meeting this deadline is all the more important for the 8.5 million working-age adults who rely on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) as a primary source of income or are awaiting a decision on their SSDI benefits.



"Most people think you shouldn't file a tax return if you don't owe taxes, and many people on SSDI don't file a return for this reason. But they may be missing out on money owed them because the only way they can collect this money is by filing a tax return," said Paul Gada, Allsup's personal financial planning director and a tax attorney. "For the millions of Americans relying on an average $1,000 monthly SSDI benefit, this extra money can really make a difference."



For the 2007 tax year, two of the potentially largest benefits available to SSDI recipients filing tax returns are the one-time tax rebate and the earned income tax credit. Additionally, filing a tax return, even when taxes are not owed, may help individuals with low income qualify for programs to lower their Medicare costs, according to Gada.



Getting Your Tax Rebate:

Under the one-time tax rebate program, a part of the economic stimulus law passed earlier this year, rebates are available to individuals with at least $3,000 in qualifying income. Qualifying income includes income from a job, self-employment, Social Security benefits, such as SSDI, and veterans-disability payments. The rebate is $300 for qualifying single individuals receiving just Social Security or veterans-disability benefits and $600 for married couples.



The rebate amount can be even more for a couple where one individual also is working (up to a $1,200 rebate) or where a single person with a disability had earned other income (up to a $600 rebate). Also, anyone getting a rebate may be eligible to get an extra $300 for each of their children under 17.



"People who don't owe taxes may be uncomfortable filing or paying someone to complete their return. But the only information that matters is what's needed to issue your rebate, like your name, Social Security number, mailing address and 2007 income," explained Gada, noting that Allsup's Financial Matters web site includes Resources for the 2008 Tax Rebate, linking to IRS tax forms needed for the rebate.



Claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit:

The earned income tax credit (EITC) is a refundable credit. This means that if the credit amount is higher than an individual's tax bill, she can get the unused portion of the credit back as part of a tax refund. To be eligible, a taxpayer or spouse had to have been employed for at least part of 2007, earned below a threshold of $12,590 to $39,783 (depending upon filing status and the number of children claimed), and had investment income of $2,900 or less. Individuals qualifying for the EITC can realize a credit ranging from a few dollars to more than $4,700, depending on income and family size. As a result, qualifying taxpayers that already filed their 2007 tax return but did not claim the EITC may want to file an amended return so that they can claim the credit.



"There is a very high likelihood of qualifying for the earned income tax credit if SSDI benefits are your primary source of income and you receive about $1,000 a month," said Gada. "Unfortunately, the IRS estimates that about one in four EITC-eligible taxpayers still failed to claim the credit last year."



Lowering Medicare Costs:

Reducing Medicare costs is another reason for individuals with disabilities to file a tax return even if they do not owe any taxes.



A person with long-term disabilities becomes eligible for Medicare 24 months after his date of entitlement to cash benefits, as determined by the Social Security Administration. For those who qualify, Medicare Part A (hospital coverage) is free. The cost of Medicare Part B (outpatient medical coverage) premiums is tied to the person's annual income. In 2008, the monthly cost is $96.40 for single taxpayers with income of $82,000 or less ($164,000 if married and filing jointly).



However, $96.40 per month may still be unaffordable for individuals with a low income. Four Medicare savings programs have been established to help these individuals pay for coverage. Each of the programs has its own monthly income limit, ranging from $851 to $1,702 for an individual ($1,141 to $2,282 for a couple), and requires that recipients have limited personal assets to be eligible.



"Qualifying for these programs requires that you are able to substantiate your income limitations. A filed tax return is among the best evidence you can provide because it clearly shows your income. This speeds your Medicare savings application process, helping you save even more," said Gada.



People can apply for any of the Medicare Savings Programs through their county Department of Social Services. Allsup provides an interactive map of county contact information on its Web site.



About Allsup:

Allsup, Belleville, Ill., is a leading nationwide provider of financial and healthcare related services to people with disabilities. Founded in 1984, Allsup has helped more than 100,000 people receive their entitled Social Security Disability Insurance and Medicare benefits. Allsup employs more than 500 professionals who deliver services directly to consumers and their families, or through their employers and long-term disability insurance carriers.



For more information, visit Allsup. com.



The information provided is not intended as a substitute for legal or other professional services. Legal or other expert assistance should be sought before making any decision that may affect your situation.



###

You have read this article health with the title 2004. You can bookmark this page URL http://ysagabriellechong.blogspot.com/2004/12/tax-refund-and-rebate-money-waiting-to.html. Thanks!

Understaffed And Overwhelmed

Understaffed And Overwhelmed



HR Solutions’ research has revealed disconcerting results regarding employees’ perceptions of staffing at their organization.



CHICAGO, IL (PRWEB) May 16, 2006 -–



HR Solutions’ research has revealed disconcerting results regarding employees’ perceptions of staffing at their organization. Our National Normative Database shows that a mere 47 percent of employees responded favorably to the following item: “Enough people are available in my work group to accomplish the necessary workload.”



Inadequate staffing is a principal contributor to job-related stress, which is, in turn, a principal factor in turnover. Employees in understaffed organizations can lack a sense of control over their rapidly increasing workload. This hectic environment can lead to poor work performance and can be detrimental to the organization as a whole.



Increases in voluntary termination, workforce downsizing, hiring freezes, and budget take-backs cause many organizations to become understaffed. HR Solutions Inc. found that some employees in the healthcare industry fell below the norm score. Through our data we found that only 45 percent of Registered Nurses that are directly involved with patient care think their departments are adequately staffed. Furthermore, according to the New York State Nurses Association, demanding work environments accompanied by low pay impel many new nurses to leave the New York hospital system as soon as they begin.



Understaffing not only affects its employees, it also has a negative impact on customer/patient care. According to the Direct Care Alliance and Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute, “When healthcare providers are short-staffed and supplement their workforces with temporary help, continuity of care is disrupted and patients are adversely affected.”



HR Solutions has made the following recommendations for organizations with growing staffing concerns:



-Communicate and educate the employees on adequate staffing ratios.



-Better management/staffing of vacancies. Make sure that temporary help is properly trained and as competent as normal employees.



-Understand the underlying themes of why employees are leaving or absent. Establish a retention plan (focus on career development, communication, etc.).



-Manage stress levels. Implement new programs for employees, such as a wellness/fitness program. Promote more fun in the workplace by hosting luncheons, themed events, etc.



-Managers work with Human Resources to ensure the right talent and behaviors are being identified and hired. Use a New Hire Survey to curb the attention of new employees and keep their motivation at a high level.



To further address this issue with our clients, HR Solutions established an alliance with Strategic Systems International. Strategic Systems focuses on Human Capital Optimization for organizations. In our experience with Strategic Systems we have learned the following best practices for optimizing staffing resources:



-Audit departments to determine whether or not they are understaffed.



-Restructure understaffed departments to achieve maximum efficiency.



-Analyze scheduling patterns by looking at the workload per shift to identify peaks and drops in productivity.



-Move employees out of “fixed” positions, and into more flexible positions.



-Better manage the resources you have. Review daily routines to make sure employees are working smart.



Human Capital Optimization is the process of matching human capital supply with customer demand. This helps organizations in reducing their total staffing costs, improving quality of products and services, increasing efficiency of staff deployment activities, and improving financial and operational predictability. The bottom line is through optimization, your employees will be less stressed, both physically and mentally, and your customers will be more satisfied.



Find out what characteristics engaged employees demonstrate and how it impacts your company’s bottom line. Join Kevin Sheridan at HR Solutions’ workshop, The Tools of Employee Engagement, being held in Chicago, IL, on June 19, 2006. Key drivers and best practices for establishing engagement will be presented and shared amongst participants. Attend this session to obtain the tools necessary to build your culture of true engagement. For more details or to register, please call 312-863-6137 or visit www. hrsolutionsinc. com/tools. htm (http://www. hrsolutionsinc. com/tools. htm).



Noted for its comprehensive research and actionable data, HR Solutions, Inc. is an international Human Capital Management consulting firm located in downtown Chicago, IL. Specializing in Employee, Management and Customer Satisfaction survey design and analysis, HR Solutions, Inc. offers a wide variety of products and services for the HR Professional including expert survey design and analysis, professional consulting services, comprehensive articles on current industry topics and trends and executive search and staffing services. For more information, please visit our website at www. hrsolutionsinc. com, or call 312-236-7170.



###

You have read this article health with the title 2004. You can bookmark this page URL http://ysagabriellechong.blogspot.com/2004/12/understaffed-and-overwhelmed.html. Thanks!

Free-Online-Veterinarian-Advice. com Announces Its New Web Site Launch

Free-Online-Veterinarian-Advice. com Announces Its New Web Site Launch



Free-Online-Veterinarian-Advice. com is one of the few websites dedicated to answering your pet questions online. The retooled website offers archives to the most common questions pet owners have, articles about cat and dog health questions, and of course a chance to ask a vet your question.



Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) July 13, 2005



Free-Online-Veterinarian-Advice. com, one the few websites dedicated to answering common pet questions asked by owners, announces its re-launch on Wednesday, Tuesday July 13th, 2005.



The site owner, Chris Suckow, DVM, has dramatically redone the website. “I wanted to make the website easier for people to navigate and get to the information they needed about their pets,” says Suckow.



The site is designed to make it easier to ask your question, or search for an answer to your pet question.



“I’ve added a new format to ask questions. I like receiving questions and helping pet owners out,” says Suckow. “Also for people who don’t want to ask a question, but just search for an answer they can use the search the site option.”



Suckow enjoys reading the questions and trying to help pet owners get the information they want. “I get all sorts of questions. Questions about cats, dogs, gerbils, and even farm animals. I offer help because some people want a second opinion, what to know how a certain prescription can affect their pet, or want to know when they should take their sick pet to visit their veterinarian."



Dr. Suckow has many years of experience helping owners and their pets, and wanted to use the internet to help more people. “The internet is great because I can communicate with pet owners all over the world to try and help their pets,” says Suckow.



The response from pets owners could be tremendous. Sixty-three percent of U. S. households own at least one pet. That equates to over 60 million pet dogs and almost 70 million pet cats in the United States.



About Free-Online-Veterinarian-Advice. com



Free-Online-Veterinarian-Advice. com is one of few websites available today where you can ask a veterinarian your pet question. There are no fees for submitting questions. Unique features include answer archives to weekly pet questions, a searchable site to help find your answer quicker, articles on the latest pet health news, and a Link Hit List to the best pet websites available today. Visit the site at http://www. free-online-veterinarian-advice. com (http://www. free-online-veterinarian-advice. com).



###

You have read this article health with the title 2004. You can bookmark this page URL http://ysagabriellechong.blogspot.com/2004/12/free-online-veterinarian-advice-com.html. Thanks!

Security and Defence Initiatives Driving IT Expenditure in the Public Sector in Asia

Security and Defence Initiatives Driving IT Expenditure in the Public Sector in Asia



Springboard Research, a leading innovator in the IT Market Research industry, today released a study showing that Security & Defence initiatives are stimulating strong spending on IT in the Asian Public Sector. The regional market (excluding Japan) for spending by this public sector segment saw IT spending increase to US$3.8 Billion in 2005, a total Springboard expects to grow to US$5.4 Billion by 2009.



Singapore (PRWEB) August 3, 2006



Springboard Research, a leading innovator in the IT Market Research industry, today released a study showing that Security & Defence initiatives are stimulating strong spending on IT in the Asian Public Sector. The regional market (excluding Japan) for spending by this public sector segment saw IT spending increase to US$3.8 Billion in 2005, a total Springboard expects to grow to US$5.4 Billion by 2009. Currently, IT spending in the Security & Defence space is the largest segment of public sector spending, representing 22% of total technology expenditure in the Public Sector.



Percentage of Public Sector IT Spending on Internal Security & Defense, 2005



Singapore - 30%



Australia - 27%



China - 26%



Indonesia - 25%



Malaysia - 21%



Taiwan - 21%



Thailand - 19%



Korea - 18%



India - 14%



Philippines - 14%



Hong Kong - 10%



“With the ever-present threat of terrorism and the continuing modernization of militaries in Asia, we are seeing IT spending in the Security & Defence segment leading other segments as governments in Asia leverage technology as a key part of their security strategies,” said Jonathan Silber, Senior Market Analyst for the Public Sector for Springboard Research. “Technology is now coming to the forefront in defence and internal security, and sophisticated intelligence and border control solutions are receiving far more focus in the post 9-11 world.”



This study revealed that China currently has the largest IT expenditure in the Security & Defence segment in Asia, just slightly higher than Australia, with the market in 2005 being close to US$1.3 billion. India is expected to be the fastest growing market with a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.6% from 2005-2009. Australia and Singapore are in a near tie when looking at the highest IT Spending on Security & Defence on a per capita basis, while Singapore had the highest percentage of IT spending going into the Security & Defence segment at almost 30% of total Public Sector IT spending in 2005.



“While the Security & Defence segment is by far the largest sub-vertical within the Public Sector for IT spending, the growth rate is on par with other, much smaller sub-verticals like Government Healthcare, Taxation/Finance, Social Services, and Public Works. We believe this continued growth will present increasing opportunities for IT vendors focused on providing solutions to help meet the unique needs of this segment,” added Mr. Silber.



The largest individual body in the region focused on Security & Defence is the Australian Department of Defence, with an estimated IT expenditure exceeding US$600 million in 2005, followed by the Ministry of National Defence in China with IT expenditures exceeding US$400 million.



About this Study



This landmark study by Springboard, “IT Spending in the Public Sector in Asia: Opportunities Abound”- examines key trends in the Public Sector in Asia and provides very in-depth and granular information on the Public Sector in each of the 13 markets covered in this study. A key focus of this report was to dive deeper into the Public Sector in each country to measure the Sub-Vertical Industries within the Public Sector such as Defence, Healthcare, Social Services, Taxation/Finance, etc… and to provide granular data on each of these Sub-Verticals. Springboard has also ranked the top 15 Public Sector organizations by IT spending in each country to identify the leading ministries and departments and forecast their future IT expenditure.



About Springboard Research



Springboard Research represents value, integrity and insight. Lead by a team of dynamic industry experts, Springboard Research provides its customers with high value IT market research that helps them identify new market opportunities, growth engines, and innovative ways to go to market, which means Springboard’s customers lead rather than follow market trends. Not bound by legacy, Springboard’s cutting-edge research model leverages its offshore research centers, the Internet, and an increased use of technology as engines of innovation to deliver unique research value. This means that customers have a real alternative for IT market research and where knowledge is delivered in more useable and interactive formats. Springboard Research works with the largest IT companies in the world across the hardware, software, networking, and services sectors.



Founded in 2004, Springboard Research serves the needs of its clients globally through offices in the United States, Singapore and Japan as well as global research centers in India and Pakistan.



For more information regarding Springboard Research, please visit www. springboardresearch. com.



Contacts



Chris Perrine



Vice President – Business Development



Springboard Research



65-6236-7681



Jon Silber



Senior Market Analyst - Public Sector



Springboard Research



65 6236-7694



###

You have read this article health with the title 2004. You can bookmark this page URL http://ysagabriellechong.blogspot.com/2004/12/security-and-defence-initiatives.html. Thanks!

CivilianJobs. com Announces Dates and Locations from the Spring 2009 Military Job Fairs Schedule

CivilianJobs. com Announces Dates and Locations from the Spring 2009 Military Job Fairs Schedule



CivilianJobs. com hosts Military Job Fairs putting transitioning military job seekers face-to-face with civilian employers.



Atlanta, Georgia (PRWEB) February 22, 2009



CivilianJobs. com, where America's military connects with civilian careers, announced the dates and locations from the Military Job Fairs schedule for spring 2009 today. The company will host five military job fairs (http://www. civilianjobs. com/?campaign=Feb09B) in five states on the following dates:



 March 13: MCAS Yuma, Yuma, Ariz.  April 14: Fort Lewis, Tacoma, Wash.  April 15: Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton, Silverdale, Wash.  April 29: Dyess AFB, Abilene, Texas  May 14: Fort Dix, Wrightstown, N. J.



Each military job fair hosted by CivilianJobs. com is free to transitioning military and veteran job seekers. "This spring, we are excited to not only be hosting military job fairs at new bases but we are happy to be returning to Fort Lewis and Fort Dix," said Bill Basnett, Vice President of Operations of CivilianJobs. com. "Each base at which we are hosting a job fair this spring is located in a region populated with highly-skilled job seekers and our clients want to hire from this valuable talent pool."



"CivilianJobs. com Job Fairs are just one avenue for employers to reach military-experienced candidates. In addition to hosting job fairs on military bases, we have an online job board exclusively for veterans and military-experienced candidates that is a very cost-effective tool for reaching candidates in their home and on their military base," added Basnett.



In related news, CivilianJobs. com will help to honor Armed Forces Day by naming the Most Valuable Employers for Military in the May 2009 issue of Civilian Job News. The "CivilianJobs. com Most Valuable Employers (MVE) for Military - 2009" will help military-experienced job seekers identify the top employers to target for civilian careers. MVEs will be selected based on those employers whose 2009 recruiting, training and retention plans best serve military service members and veterans. The company will accept submissions until March 2, 2009. For more information about the MVE program or to get an application, please e-mail MVE@CivilianJobs. com.



About CivilianJobs. com

CivilianJobs. com is where America's military connects with civilian careers. The company offers employers and job seekers access to an online job board, military job fairs, and employer advertising in a world-wide military base newspaper. These services provide employers with the most efficient and cost-effective way to access the ex-military talent pool for candidates with backgrounds in fields such as transportation, maintenance, administrative / finance, healthcare, IT, telecom and law enforcement as well as for positions that require security clearances. CivilianJobs. com, a WBENC-certified diversity supplier, is headquartered in metro-Atlanta, GA, and can be found on the web at www. CivilianJobs. com.



About Civilian Job News

Published since 2005, Civilian Job News is a bi-monthly multi-media publication (print / e-mail / web) featuring practical information for job seekers, including resume and interviewing tips, planning and strategy recommendations, company profiles, and advice from transition experts. CJN is distributed to military bases world-wide including via military transition classes, through Military Transition Offices (TAP and ACAP), military hospitals, USO centers and email distribution.



###

You have read this article health with the title 2004. You can bookmark this page URL http://ysagabriellechong.blogspot.com/2004/12/civilianjobs-com-announces-dates-and.html. Thanks!

Katrina Hero, Lt. General Russel Honoré (Ret.), to Speak on H1N1 Flu Preparedness at Press Briefing Following AmeriHealth Mercy/PerformRx Conference

Katrina Hero, Lt. General Russel Honoré (Ret.), to Speak on H1N1 Flu Preparedness at Press Briefing Following AmeriHealth Mercy/PerformRx Conference



Eric J. Berman, DO, MS, Chief Medical Officer, Keystone Mercy Health Plan, Will Also Participate.



Philadelphia, PA (Vocus) September 29, 2009



Keystone Mercy Health Plan, a member of the AmeriHealth Mercy Family of Companies and the largest medical assistance care organization in Pennsylvania, invites members of the press to join Lt. General Russel Honoré , who is best known for his management of the recovery efforts following Hurricane Katrina, in a post-presentation news briefing following his remarks to approximately 100 health care and pharmaceutical industry CEO's, managers and administrators at the PerformRx Innovations IV Conference on September 30, 2009.



Joining General Honoré as he fields questions on preparing for disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and H1N1 (swine) flu virus, will be Eric J. Berman, DO, MS, chief medical officer, Keystone Mercy Health Plan, who is responsible for all Medical Affairs initiatives including utilization, case and disease management and quality management.



The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is predicting that more than 40 percent of Americans could contract the flu this season and the death rate could be triple the yearly seasonal flu average of 36,000.



PerformRx, a member of the AmeriHealth Mercy Family of Companies, provides pharmacy benefit management services for managed Medicaid and Medicare clients.



WHO: 

Lt. General Russel Honoré (Ret.), former Joint Task Force Katrina commander and expert in disaster preparedness and leadership. Eric J. Berman, DO, MS, chief medical officer, Keystone Mercy Health Plan Approximately 100 Health Care and Pharmaceutical Industry Leaders WHEN:  

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

3:15 p. m. to 4:00 p. m.



WHERE:  

Radisson Plaza - Warwick Hotel

The Grand Ballroom

1701 Locust Street

Philadelphia, PA 19103



CONTACT:

Jennifer Chapple

Tel: (215) 922-7184

Cell: (215) 260-4767



Keith Eckert

Tel: (215) 863-6762

Cell: (215) 527-7577



# # #

You have read this article health with the title 2004. You can bookmark this page URL http://ysagabriellechong.blogspot.com/2004/12/katrina-hero-lt-general-russel-honor.html. Thanks!

New GEA Installation in Belarus to Ensure Sustainable Production of Personal Care Products to International Standards for the Local Market

New GEA Installation in Belarus to Ensure Sustainable Production of Personal Care Products to International Standards for the Local Market



GEA Liquid Processing is taking part in a new 3 million euro turnkey project for Lebortovo Capital Partners Ltd. in the Mogilev region of Belarus. The fully automatic, multi-purpose production line from GEA will produce skin care and liquid household cleaning products for the local market, significantly reducing the region’s dependence on imported products.



(PRWeb UK) October 25, 2010



GEA Liquid Processing is taking part in a new 3 million euro turnkey project for Lebortovo Capital Partners Ltd. in the Mogilev region of Belarus. The fully automatic, multi-purpose production line from GEA will produce skin care and liquid household cleaning products for the local market, significantly reducing the region’s dependence on imported products.



The new production facility Svoboda will operate according to international hygiene and production standards. The products themselves will fall into the category of green and natural products containing the minimum of additives and will be produced to meet the highest standard for sustainability while maintaining the superior product quality. In line with the trend in the industry, the objective is also to reduce manufacturing costs, waste, energy consumption and the emission of carbon dioxide.



GEA Liquid Processing, part of GEA Process Engineering, is the main contractor for the project responsible for designing the production line, supplying the key equipment and handling the installation and commissioning. The company will use its expertise and knowledge of best practice and benchmarking for process technology in the personal care industry to ensure that the new plant meets the highest international standards for hygiene, product quality and production. Equipment supplied directly by GEA includes the raw material reception, raw material storage, dosage systems, BATCH FORMULA&trade Mixing Systems, final product storage and Clean-in-Place (CIP) installation. The plant will be fully automated with a recipe controlled process.



Sergey Krivenko, the Chief Technologist at Svoboda said that his company chose GEA Liquid Processing primarily because of the high level of hygiene laid down in the design. According to Thorsten Vammen Director of Sales at GEA Liquid Processing, this hygienic design was achieved by approaching the project from a pharmaceutical or food industry perspective. “Traditionally, personal care production sites were designed on the basis of best practice from the chemical industry, i. e. non-clean,” he explained. “However, we adopted a super-clean policy similar to that used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. This level of hygiene control means we have avoided the use of unwanted additives.”



This is the first phase of the construction of the 25 tonne/annum production line. Within the next two years Lebortovo Capital Partners intends to double the current capacity. The facility also houses a dry process line for the production of detergents and household products. The first products are expected to be released to the Belarusian consumers during the first half of 2011.



GEA Group, the mother-company of GEA Process Engineering, is recognized as a trend-setter in the field of international standards and is certified by The European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group (EHEDG) for the high hygienic standards of its process technology.



Editor’s note

The project is part of a broader push supported by the Belarusian government to minimize the country’s dependency on imported goods and improve the availability of consumer goods. According to the World Bank, Belarus at present imports up to 90% of all personal care products sold in the country’s consumer market. The International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, is going to provide long-term financing. The project includes brand development, marketing and distribution of the products to be produced from the new plant. For more information: Svoboda.



Further information:

For further information please contact Thorsten Vammen on direct tel. +45 8794 1072 or International Marketing Manager Henrik Bertelsen on direct tel. +45 39 54 56 26 or Senior Communication Advisor Hanne Bruun Ovesen on mobile +45 20264525.



About The European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group (EHEDG)

EHEDG is a consortium of equipment manufacturers, food industries, research institutes as well as public health authorities and was founded in 1989 with the aim to promote hygiene during the processing and packing with a particular focus on food products. More information on: http://www. ehedg. org/



About GEA Process Engineering

GEA Process Engineering develops, designs, and markets production plant equipment and processes for the dairy, brewery, food, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries. With sales of more than EUR 1 billion in 2009 and close to 4,500 employees working in 26 countries, GEA Process Engineering is recognised as a world leader within industrial drying, liquid processing, and aseptic packaging as the core technologies. GEA Process Engineering is a business segment in GEA Group, headquartered in Germany. For further information http://www. geap. com



About GEA Liquid Processing

GEA Liquid Processing is a technology centre in GEA Process Engineering, a business segment of the GEA Group. It is recognised for its world-class expertise within liquid processing for the brewery, dairy, food, pharmaceutical, and biotechnical industries. The technology center currently employs around 100 people serving customers across the globe. Its main office is situated in Skanderborg, Denmark. For further information: http://www. gea-liquid. dk



About Lebortovo Capital Partners Ltd.

Lebortovo Capital Partners Ltd. is a capital foundation registered in Cyprus the shareholders of which are European families who have successful experience in investing in CIS region.



###

You have read this article health with the title 2004. You can bookmark this page URL http://ysagabriellechong.blogspot.com/2004/12/new-gea-installation-in-belarus-to.html. Thanks!

Malaria Scare

Malaria Scare



Malaria is back in full force; killing more than three million people a year, making it humanity's deadliest infection. This includes an estimated 700,000 children. This death toll is comparable to the AIDS death toll. More than 90 per cent of these deaths are in sub-Saharan Africa.



(PRWEB) September 22, 2003



The World Health Organization [WHO], founded in 1948, targeted for eradication one of the worldÂ’s oldest diseases, Malaria, which dates back to the fifth century BC.



A potential consequence of global warming, foreseen for the coming century, is a change in the distribution and incidence of malaria. This may directly affect the behavior and geographical distribution and life cycle of malaria mosquitoes. This could also have an indirect effect by influencing environmental factors such as vegetation and available breeding sites.



Malaria is back in full force; killing more than three million people a year, making it humanity's deadliest infection. This includes an estimated 700,000 children. This death toll is comparable to the AIDS death toll. More than 90 per cent of these deaths are in sub-Saharan Africa. This deadly re-emergence can have numerous causes: the malaria parasite developing a resistant to vaccines; ever-increasing international travel; climate change due to global warming; mass refugee migration; increased logging, irrigation, road building, and mining, all creating a favorable climate for increased mosquito breeding.



The parasites that cause malaria infect 300 to 500 million people annually. Nearly half the world's population lives in countries where malaria epidemics occur, and as the parasites' resistance to drugs grows, the toll is expected to steadily worsen.



Deaths due to Malaria affect more than the direct victims; countries with a high incidences of malaria have one-third the income levels of nations that are unaffected by malaria. Malaria increases the incidences of poverty by interfering with school attendance by sick children and by disabling agricultural workers during peak harvests. WHO claims that the estimated costs of malaria, directly and indirectly, in sub-Saharan Africa are over $2 billion each year.



What puzzles the researchers is how malaria continues to outsmart both the human immune system and modern science, causing researchers to struggle to understand the history of malaria and how it arose. There is new evidence that malariaÂ’s devastation is a relatively recent phenomenon and that it is more deadly now that it was just a few thousand years ago.



The mosquito needs sunshine and shallow pools of water to lay their eggs in. The dense forest that covered most of Africa wouldn't have provided such pools. Coluzzi's research suggests A. gambiae [malaria-carrying mosquito] is highly adaptable, and he argues the mosquito could have fed on other mammals when forest-dwelling people were less accessible. Agriculture is considered to be another factor in malaria's spread. In 1958, anthropologist Frank Livingstone, then a professor at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, suggested that ecological changes accompanying the human transition to farming fostered the spread of malaria. This change also placed a concentrated population of people on which they could feed. This theory would place Africa's first farmers and the land changes they wrought as causing the malaria to become so widespread.



According to Livingstone's scenario: early West African cultivators about 3,000 years ago began clearing forest to grow crops. As cultivators slashed, burned, and planted swathes through the forest, A. gambiae mosquitoes could have adapted to feed on people, states Coluzzi. The agricultural scenario is appealing, but the archeological evidence to back it up isn't strong. Slash-and-burn cultivation has been common throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa for at least 500 years, but there is "very scant evidence [of it] in tropical forest zones in the archeological record," says Robert Dewar, an African archeologist at the University of Connecticut in Storrs.



Zimbabwe is in the grip of a malaria epidemic, infecting 13,000 people and killing 18 people in the past week alone, a senior official of the Health Ministry disclosed Sunday.



Dr Jokonya Chirenda feared a further dramatic increase in infection and fatalities, as conditions are ideal for breeding of mosquitoes that carry the malaria blood parasite. Two deaths were recorded over the past week in the traditionally malaria-free municipal area of the capital, now troubled by deteriorating infrastructure and massive overcrowding. However, said Chirenda, the two victims may have picked up the infection in rural areas.



Manicaland province, next to Mozambique, was worst affected, with 5,028 cases and seven deaths over the past week.



Africa nearly reached its goal of eradicating malaria in the 1960s, but new, resistant strains have evolved that are resistant to the usual methods of medication as well as to normal insecticides.



Some authorities have called for reintroduction of the insecticide DDT, dropped in the 1970s because of damaging environmental effects. Zimbabwe's under-funded hospitals are already unable to cope with an AIDS epidemic claiming up to 1,000 lives a day and infecting at least one adult in five.



If temperate climates see a small increase in temperature this can result in a malaria epidemic. This would not have such a dramatic effect in most developed countries because they would be in a position to take mitigating measures; the numbers of life lost due to malaria infection would remain negligible compared with the endemic areas in the world.



The main changes would be in temperate climates where mosquitoes already occur but where development of the parasite is limited by temperature. By the year 2100 the potential for malaria transmission would exist in large parts of North America, Europe, and Asia even with a mosquito density a hundred or more times smaller than in 1990. Because of their high potential receptivity, the highest risks for the introduction of malaria transmission remain in the non-endemic regions bordering on malarial areas.



Epidemic potential at higher altitudes within malarial areas such as the eastern highlands of Africa or the Andes region in South America is of particular importance. An increase of several degrees in temperature may raise the epidemic potential sufficiently to change normally non-malarial areas to areas with seasonal epidemics.



In areas that have a lower incidence of malaria, a relatively small increase in malaria transmission could lead to a large increase in people suffering from malaria. Where malaria is common, the population develops, over time, high levels of immunity so that the change is far less pronounced. However, the major part of the malaria fatalities will remain in the highly endemic countries of tropical Africa.



A global increase of several degrees in the year 2100, doubles the malaria epidemic potential in tropical regions and more than 100-fold in temperate climates. There is a risk of reintroducing malaria into non-malarial areas, including parts of Australia, the United States, and Southern Europe, by importing cases of malaria, since the former breeding sites of several Anopheles species still exist.



The developed countries would be less affected, having the economic advantage to enact control measures.



A recent U. N. treaty aimed at eliminating toxic chemicals allows an exception for some developing countries to continue using the pesticide DDT. Five African nations have lowered or abolished taxes on mosquito nets, which can reduce the risk of contracting the disease by as much as 63 percent. The Roll Back Malaria initiative, launched jointly by the World Bank, WHO, UNICEF, and the United Nations Development Programme, hopes to halve the burden of malaria by 2010 by promoting public-private partnerships. And the cost should such efforts prove insufficient? *



Resources:



‘Foreign Policy’, July 01 2001



Harder, Ben



Issue: Nov 10, 2001



Deutsche Presse-Agentur



January 27, 2002



Kmietowicz, Zosia



British Medical Journal, April 29 2000



*Environmental Health Perspectives



Volume 103, Number 5, May 1995



By Margot B



Mailto:margotb@writing. com



###

You have read this article health with the title 2004. You can bookmark this page URL http://ysagabriellechong.blogspot.com/2004/12/malaria-scare.html. Thanks!

Chief Technology Officer for Baxa Corporation's Subsidiary, FHT, Inc., Presents at the Fourth Annual unSUMMIT for Bedside Barcoding in Tampa, Florida

Chief Technology Officer for Baxa Corporation's Subsidiary, FHT, Inc., Presents at the Fourth Annual unSUMMIT for Bedside Barcoding in Tampa, Florida



Dennis Tribble, PharmD, will speak on "Upstream Processing of Medications" at this year's unSUMMIT, May 6-8, at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel and Marina. The presentation describes the infrastructure necessary for a successful Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA) system and is being held today, Wednesday, May 6, 2009, at 2:20 p. m. Participants are eligible for one contact hour of Pharmacy Continuing Education (CEU).



Englewood, Colo. (PRWEB) May 6, 2009



FHT, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Baxa Corporation, is sponsoring a professional presentation discussing the accuracy and importance of Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA) at this year's unSUMMIT for Bedside Barcoding, May 6-8, in Tampa. The presenter, Dennis Tribble, PharmD, is the Chief Pharmacy Officer and Chief Technology Officer for Baxa Corporation's FHT, Inc. Baxa is a Denver-based manufacturer of software and devices for healthcare systems.



The FHT, Inc. unSUMMIT conference session, "Upstream Processing for BCMA," describes the infrastructure necessary for a successful BCMA system. The complimentary 50-minute educational program is being held today, Wednesday, May 6, 2009, at 2:20 p. m. Participants are eligible for one contact hour of Pharmacy Continuing Education (CEU).



Tribble, a pharmacist and software engineer, serves as the Chairman of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Section on Pharmacy Informatics and Technology (SOPIT). In addition he is a Past President of the Illinois Council of Health-System Pharmacists and charter member of the Pharmacy Informatics Task Force for the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). Extensively published on hospital pharmacy operations and pharmacy informatics, he serves as a reviewer on automation for the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy and is listed as an inventor on nine patents related to automation of IV admixtures.



Prior to joining FHT, Inc., Tribble was the Chief Medical Officer at Baxa Corporation where he led the development of internal and external products. He received his undergraduate degree from Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Penn., and his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of the Pacific School of Pharmacy in Stockton, Calif. He also completed a residency in Hospital Pharmacy at The Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital in Greensboro, N. C.



The unSUMMIT conference provides a unique focus on barcode point-of-care (BPOC) technology. It is designed to give attendees a very in depth look into the union of technology and practice through shared experiences with colleagues. Attendees are given practical tools, insight and inspiration for leading their own institutions to carefully select, implement and harness the quality-improvement power of BPOC systems.



About Baxa Corporation



Baxa, a customer-focused medical device company, provides innovative, solution-based technologies for medication handling and delivery. Its systems and devices promote the safe and efficient preparation, handling, packaging, and administration of medications. Key products include the PadLock® Set Saver, Rapid-Fill™ Automated Syringe Fillers, ExactaMed™ Oral Dispensers, MicroFuse® Syringe Infusers, Repeater™ Pharmacy Pumps, and ExactaMix™ and MicroMacro™ Multi-Source Automated Compounders; used worldwide in hospitals and healthcare facilities. Privately held, Baxa Corporation has subsidiaries and sales offices in Canada and the United Kingdom; direct representation in Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, The Netherlands and Switzerland; and distribution partners worldwide. Further information is available at http://www. baxa. com (http://www. baxa. com)



About FHT, Inc.



Founded in 1998, FHT, Inc. is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Baxa Corporation. FHT Inc.'s solutions deliver quantum-leap improvements in key IV room performance metrics: accuracy, patient safety, clinician safety, speed, cost reduction, and regulatory compliance. More information is available at http://www. fhtinc. com (http://www. fhtinc. com)  



Contacts:



Marian Robinson, Vice President, Marketing

Baxa Corporation - http://www. baxa. com (http://www. baxa. com) - 800.567.2292 ext. 2157 or 303.617.2157



Maggie Chamberlin Holben, APR

Absolutely Public Relations - http://www. absolutelypr. com (http://www. absolutelypr. com) - 303.984.9801 or 303.669.3558



###

You have read this article health with the title 2004. You can bookmark this page URL http://ysagabriellechong.blogspot.com/2004/12/chief-technology-officer-for-baxa.html. Thanks!

National Survey Reveals Most Consumers Prefer the Small Screen for Watching Movies

National Survey Reveals Most Consumers Prefer the Small Screen for Watching Movies



National study unveiled at upcoming PMA StarPower Conference in Los Angeles tomorrow.



New York, NY (PRWEB) June 7, 2006



According to a recent national study by Guideline, Inc. (http://www. guideline. com/) (OTCBB: GDLN), one of the nation’s largest providers of custom business research (http://www. guideline. com/capabilities/business-research/on-demand. html) and analysis, (http://www. guideline. com/capabilities/business-research/on-demand. html) 85 percent of consumers typically watch movies at home on the small screen. Even when it’s a movie they want to see, 49 percent of respondents said they usually wait to purchase or rent the DVD.



To better understand consumers’ perceptions and preferences related to their consumption of movies, Guideline (http://www. guideline. com/) conducted an exclusive survey last month of 1,000 consumers. Furthermore, to ensure the survey addressed all of the current issues facing the movie industry, Guideline worked with members of the Promotional Marketing Association’s (PMA) Entertainment Advisory Board, which represents all of the major studios in Hollywood, CA companies, to help craft the survey.



Guideline’s Vice President of Marketing Frank Dudley will be presenting the full survey findings today at the PMA’s 15th Annual StarPower conference held June 6-7 at the Universal Globe Theatre in Universal City, Calif. He’ll share with conference attendees how movie consumption is evolving and how this impacts marketing and promotional opportunities.



“Guideline’s study affirms that DVD spending and consumption remain strong with more people enjoying movies from the comfort of their homes than in the movie theater,” said Dudley. “However, despite the many movie-viewing options available, a quarter of consumers still prefer the big screen.”



According to Guideline’s survey, men are more likely (28 percent) to go to the cinema to see the movie before it comes out on DVD, and women are more likely (31 percent) to wait for the movie to be released on DVD so they can rent it. Gender aside, 22 percent usually go to see the movie on the big screen first.



There are several reasons why these movie fans prefer to see their flicks in the theater. Most of the survey respondents (46 percent) just simply like seeing movies on the big screen. Another 46 percent of respondents, particularly younger moviegoers, share the opinion that it’s a fun activity. Also, the survey found that consumers like to see the movie as it was meant to be seen, eating popcorn and watching the movie without interruption.



Because a movie’s box-office gross revenues decline about 50 percent each week following its release, there has been much debate about simultaneous and accelerated releases to DVD. Guideline’s survey indicated that 56 percent said releasing the DVD shortly after a movie comes out has no effect on their motivation to buy or rent the movie. And, another 20 percent say that they think it must be a bad movie and are less motivated to buy or rent it.



Regardless of when the DVD is released, sales continue to grow. According to the 2005-2009 Communications Industry Forecast on The DVD Market, DVD spending grew 33 percent to $21.29 billion in 2004 and DVD rental sales grew 39.2 percent to $5.73 billion in 2004.



Regarding DVD purchases, the survey revealed that DVD owners fall into one of two categories – casual buyers and collectors. Approximately 49 percent of consumers consider themselves to be casual buyers of movies and almost one-fourth (24 percent) of the consumers surveyed consider themselves collectors. Most consumers (68 percent) say they purchase a movie if it’s one they really want to see. Others (52 percent) are motivated by price. And, 20 percent are influenced to buy because of the special features found on a DVD.



Guideline will be conducting a webinar (http://www. guideline. com/events/index. html#DVD) on June 28, 2006 at 1 PM ET. To register for the webinar, please visit http://guideline. webex. com/event (http://guideline. webex. com/event). For additional information on this study, please contact Frank Dudley at 212-645-4500 or via email at fdudley@guideline. com.



Additional Media & Marketing Presentations



In addition to PMA’s StarPower Conference, Frank Dudley will be speaking at the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) 2006 Masters of Integrated Marketing Conference held June 14-15 at the Grand Hyatt in New York. He will address “Best Practices in Integrated Marketing.” Dudley will be accompanied by Hedy Lukas, Director of Marketing Services for Kimberly-Clark, and Linda Crowder, Senior Director of Consumer Promotions for Kraft.



Later this month, Dudley will address the topic of “Synergizing Viral Marketing with the Power of Television” at the 51st PROMAX/BDA conference in New York on June 20-22. The focus of his session will be on how brands are leveraging digital media to build brand awareness “beyond the box.” He will focus on new interactive opportunities, like blogs and podcasts, which are facilitating communities around TV programs.



About Guideline, Inc.



Guideline (http://www. guideline. com) (OTCBB: GDLN) is one of the nation's largest providers of customized business research (http://www. guideline. com) and analysis (http://www. guideline. com). Through its end-to-end continuum of On-Demand Secondary Research, Custom Market Research (http://www. guideline. com/capabilities/market-research/custom. html) and Strategic Intelligence. (http://www. guideline. com/capabilities/strategic-intelligence/strategic-intelligence. html) Guideline's research analysts create integrated solutions that enable clients to make informed decisions to address their critical business needs. Guideline specializes in nearly all major industries, including media and entertainment, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, financial and business services and consumer products. Guideline is located at 625 Avenue of the Americas, New York, N. Y. 10011. More information is available by calling 212-645-4500 or visiting www. guideline. com.



Forward-Looking Statements



The discussion of forward-looking information requires management of the Company to make certain estimates and assumptions regarding the Company's strategic direction and the effect of such plans on the Company's financial results. The Company's actual results and the implementation of its plans and operations may differ materially from forward-looking statements made by the Company. The Company encourages readers of forward-looking information concerning the Company to refer to its prior filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that set forth-certain risks and uncertainties that may have an impact on future results and direction of the Company. The Company does not report on its progress during a quarter until after the quarter has been completed and appropriately disclosed its results.



# # #

You have read this article health with the title 2004. You can bookmark this page URL http://ysagabriellechong.blogspot.com/2004/12/national-survey-reveals-most-consumers.html. Thanks!