Pink Hospital Tape for LESS!!

Yes, we sell pink hospital tape for less than most of our competitors, but we also just had a price DE-crease! Yes!


Feast your eyes on this:

This latex-free plastic waterproof tape is flexible and durable.
It is medicated with Zinc Oxide which protects the skin and prevents irritation. 5 Yard rolls.

Who could ask for more??

Item #PI-D126
1" Tape WAS $5.29, NOW $4.32!
1-1/2" Tape WAS $7.70, NOW $7.18!
2" Tape WAS $9.49, NOW $8.87!

Click HERE to shop now!

10 Cures for Frazzled Nurses: Shortcuts for an Easier Day

By Cynthia Dusseault

A day simply isn’t long enough to get everything done, right? Or is it?

If you’re stressed out before you even get to work, or if you race through your shift at a frenetic pace and still feel as if you didn’t accomplish everything you were supposed to or wanted to—and subsequently didn’t give as much attention to your patients as you would have liked—then maybe you need to use some shortcuts to make your days more productive and less hectic.

1. Get ready for work ahead of time, no matter how tired or busy you are. Pack your lunch, make sure your uniform or whatever you’ll be wearing is all set to go, get the coffee maker ready (use the timer if it has one) and fill your vehicle with gas. If you’ll be showering before you head out the door, lay out everything that you’ll need in the bathroom. If you make the whole getting-ready-for-work process easier, you’ll be less stressed out when you do arrive, and you’ll be able to focus on your job much quicker.

2. Make a “to do” list the day before or the night before of what you need to accomplish on your next workday or shift. If you have goals and a plan, you’re more likely to get things done.

3. Run any errands right before or right after your shift, if you can. Of course, if you’re working a night shift, you might just need to get home to bed, and that’s understandable. But if you can, package your errands into your travel to and from work, so you won’t have to dip into the time you should be relaxing at home or doing things with your family and friends. And get everything ready for those errands ahead of time—your shopping list, your dry cleaning stub, the letters or packages you have to mail—with your work gear, so you can just grab everything quickly and head out the door.

4. As soon as you get to work, stock your uniform or lab coat pockets with the items you use the most. Think about the items you’re always chasing down: tape, a pen light, dressing scissors, alcohol pads, IV parts. Those items should be in your pockets.

5. Take notes during report and keep them in your pocket. Consider this your “cheat sheet” of important things and add to it as the day progresses. When you’re on the night shift and are super tired, you won’t have to worry about relying totally on your memory because it will all be there. Just be sure to shred your cheat sheet or lock it safely in your locker before you head home.

6. Hang onto that pen! Seriously, don’t lend it to anyone or you’ll likely never see it again. Plus, you’ll waste time looking for another one.

7. If your facility isn’t using a “bedside handover” system, suggest it. Conducting bedside handovers from off-going nurses to on-coming nurses saves time because it enables patient safety assessment and allows nurses to respond early in their shifts to the needs of patients. It also keeps patients and families more involved in the plans of care.

8. Do “real time documentation.” In other words, don’t leave your charting until the end of your shift. Sit at that computer and do your documenting right away so you don’t waste time later trying to remember what you did.

9. Learn how to remove yourself politely. Although patients love to talk, sometimes you have to pull yourself away from a long story—that you don’t really need to hear—so that you can do what needs to be done. You don’t want to seem rude or uncaring, so it may take a little practice to get good at this. Try saying things like, “I’m so sorry. I have to go and take of another patient, but I’m not far if you need me, and I’ll come back if I have a free moment and we can continue talking.”

10. Eat for energy and don’t skip meals. The best energy combination is a carbohydrate plus a protein because carbohydrates give you energy, and proteins prevent your blood sugar from spiking after eating those carbohydrates, so they get more staying power, which translates into sustained energy. And you know that the minute your energy level starts to drop, so does your productivity.



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'Nobody is more offended by fraud and abuse then those of us who play by the rules'

Medicare fraud: A hearing, an audit and a bill

By Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor - 06.24.2011


WASHINGTON - With Medicare fraud the mantra of government officials in Washington, D.C., these days, HME (Home Medical Equipment) industry stakeholders are walking the fine line between supporting efforts to clean up the benefit and saying enough is enough.

At a federal fraud-prevention summit held June 17 in Philadelphia, attendees criticized one of CMS's (Centers for Medicare/Medicade) go-to tools: often-overzealous audits.

"The RACs are set up as bounty hunters and they get paid on what they bring back," said John Shirvinsky, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association of Medical Suppliers, who attended the summit. "(I told them) we are advising all of our members to appeal every request for a payback from the RAC auditors."

It seems as though officials are listening. Peter Budetti, deputy administrator for the Center for Program Integrity, told attendees that, in light of the complaints they were hearing, CMS will conduct an "audit audit" to investigate.

AAHomecare, which also participated in the summit, met with CMS officials June 7. The association offered its recommendations on what documentation should be requested during an audit, as well as recommendations to help clarify how audits are conducted.

"They are open to our recommendations as we work through what we believe are inconsistent applications of rules to claims review," said Walt Gorski, vice president of government affairs for AAHomecare. "While we understand the struggle that they have in rooting out fraud, our main goal is to ensure consistency and accountability in the audit system."

Lawmakers are getting on the bandwagon, as well. On June 22, Sens. Tom Carper, D-Del., and Tom Coburn, R-Okla., introduced the Medicare and Medicaid Fighting Fraud and Abuse to Save Taxpayer's Dollars Act (the FAST Act). While industry stakeholders were still reviewing the legislation last week, a brief look raised concerns that the bill used a "broad brush" approach, said Cara Bachenheimer.

"The government already has plenty of tools," said Bachenheimer, senior vice president of government relations for Invacare. "The question is how do you make the government be smart about going after fraud as opposed to these agendas that impact everybody negatively and ultimately impact beneficiaries. That's the real problem."

One of the tools: predictive modeling technology, which is slated to go live July 1. Similar to what credit card companies use, the technology can detect billing patterns and stop fraudulent Medicare claims before they are paid.

"We are supportive of predictive modeling as a way to spot trends," said Gorski. "At the same time, we are concerned about the circumstances that have occurred with ZPICs and other audits."

For example, if a competitive bid winner's claims volume increases, that should be expected; it shouldn't automatically be viewed as suspicious, Gorski said.

For now, at least, stakeholders say they are just happy that CMS has opened a dialogue with the industry.

"Nobody is more offended by fraud and abuse then those of us who play by the rules," said Shirvinsky. "We have an interest in seeing that the bad actors are eliminated from the system."

Source: HME News

Summertime Quotes, Take 2!

One swallow does not make a summer. -- Aristotle

Summer, as my friend Coleridge waggishly writes, has set in with its usual severity. -- Charles Lamb

The summer night is like a perfection of thought. -- Wallace Stevens

Very hot and still the air was, Very smooth the gliding river, Motionless the sleeping shadows. -- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Summer afternoon - Summer afternoon... the two most beautiful words in the English language. -- Henry James

In summer, the song sings itself. -- William Carlos Williams

In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer. -- Albert Camus

Guide to Buying a Lift Chair

A lift chair is usually a recliner-type chair that when the user wants to stand up, the chair lifts them into the standing position. Some chairs can also double as a place to sleep, for those that are mostly bed-ridden, and need or want to stay in a common area of a home.

Lift chairs can be a big purchase, but basic models can start at around $545.

So what should you look for when buying a lift chair? Here is a guide to help you get started!

First, determine a size. A lift chair should fit the user, much like clothing. The chair will be more comfortable if the user isnt "swimming" in a big chair, or too cramped in a chair that is too small. Lift chairs are available from petite to extra large sizes and are typically categorized by the users height. For extra tall users, extended footrests are available. Be sure to take into consideration all of the chair measurements such as the the seat to floor measurements and the top of back to seat measurements. Make sure these measurements are compatible with the users leg and torso measurements.

Second, determine the use of the chair. Will the user sleep in the chair, or use it mostly during the day, similar to a traditional recliner? Lift chairs are available in basic 2 position (TV recline), 3-position (full recline) reclining chairs or "infinite-position" chairs. Infinite position chairs lay back into a sleeper position.



Third, determine what type of fabric you prefer. Basic upholstery is very nice, but suede, micro-suede, vinyl and leather are also available.

Fourth, determine the type of back of chair option you prefer. This option is important so the users back is supported properly and comfortably. There are more than 8 different options, ranging from pillow back, button back, sewn split-back, biscuit back, shell back and more.

Lastly, determine if you need or want any special options. Some of the specialty collections provide innovative armrests and footrests, and some chairs have heat or massage options which can greatly improve quality of life.

Here at our store, we offer quite a few lift chair options in-stock. Come in, sit down, try them out and see what feels right for you. We can also place a special order lift chair that will arrive in a few weeks. Pick your color, size, style and options so you are sure to get the chair that fits YOU.

Take a peek at our website to see a general selection of lift chairs now!