Healthcare

Addiction Biotech Cannabis Genetics Healthcare Medical Devices Pharmaceutical Science Veterinary
News Release Digital Asset Direct

2021 In Numbers: Mass. Cannabis Industry Testing Statistics

MCR Labs

Following another year of unpredictability, change, and challenges for the Massachusetts cannabis industry, MCR Labs is releasing data that may provide insight into the industry’s continued development. Here are MCR Labs’ most notable stats from Jan. 1, 2021 to Jan. 2, 2022: The Lab saw a 19% increase in samples submitted for testing, in comparison to 2020’s 38% increase. While flower sample submissions decreased by 8%, concentrate and vape submissions grew by 22%. The decrease in flower samples can be reasonably attributed to a regulatory change in batch size enacted in March. Solventless extract sample submission increased by 85%, and can most likely be attributed to the rising popularity of Hash Rosin. Hash Rosin submissions increased by 700%. Samples submitted to MCR in 2021 had a 92.3% pass rate for safety screens, up from 91.2% in 2020. For concentrate and vape samples, the pass rate decreased from 93.5% in 2020 to 91.8% in 2021, which can be attributed mostly to an increase in residual solvent failures. “As more and more facilities come online and employ hydrocarbon extraction techniques, we expect failures to remain the same or increase due to the extremely low regulatory limits,” said Jonathan Wani, Vice President of Business Development at MCR Labs. MCR Labs is licensed as an independent testing laboratory in both the Medical and Adult Use Marijuana programs, both overseen by the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC). The statistics provided here account for product samples submitted for compliance testing by cultivators and product manufacturers from the medical and adult-use programs, as well as home growers, patients, researchers, or curious consumers. About MCR Labs: MCR Labs is one of the longest operational cannabis testing laboratories on the East coast with facilities operating in several legal cannabis markets. We are ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited providers of analytical cannabis product testing and R&D services committed to assisting licensed marijuana establishments, patients, researchers, entrepreneurs, and advocates. Our team of chemists and pharmaceutical scientists are dedicated to advancing public health and safety through leading-edge chemical analysis of cannabis products and offering unparalleled guidance and support for partners, regulators, and the communities we serve. For more information visit http://mcrlabs.com. Contact Details MCR Labs Alexandra Gomes +1 508-782-9772 alexandra@mcrlabs.com Company Website http://mcrlabs.com

January 27, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine Declares 2022 the Year of Integrative Health

Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine

With patient interest in integrative therapies on the rise, and more clinicians embracing such techniques, the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine (AIHM) has declared 2022 the Year of Integrative Health and Wellness. “We envision a day when it is no longer acceptable to treat illness using mainstream modalities alone, but rather a synergistic approach that integrates modern medicine with therapies that take into account each individual’s mind, body and spirit,” said AIHM Executive Director Tabatha Parker, ND. “Integrative health brings together traditional and alternative therapies in a coordinated and complementary way.” In 2022, AIHM expects to see growth and greater mainstream acceptance of integrative approaches as consumers become increasingly interested in taking a holistic approach to their health. Currently nearly 40 percent of Americans are turning to alternative treatments for their health concerns, including nutritional supplements, chiropractic care and meditation. In honor of the Year of Integrative Health, AIHM is encouraging various facets of the healthcare industry to do their part in responding to patient interest in an integrative approach to healthcare, including encouraging more medical schools to incorporate integrative health into their curriculum. “Some of the country’s leading medical and nursing schools have established integrative medicine programs,” said Parker. “Let’s make it the norm.” Healthcare practitioners from a wide variety of backgrounds are completing integrative health and medicine fellowships to expand the use of complementary and alternative medicine techniques to their practices. AIHM offers fellowships in integrative health and medicine for clinicians who have completed postgraduate education and who hold an active license. The AIHM fellowship requirements include curriculum and retreats on topics such as nutrition, botanical medicine, dietary supplements, biofield therapy, and Chinese medicine. The program also includes a clinical immersion course that all fellows are required to complete. “We expect more clinicians than ever to apply to our fellowship program this year,” said Parker. As more hospitals add evidence-based integrative health modalities—including prestigious hospitals and health systems such as Johns Hopkins, Duke Health, University of Florida, Stanford Health Care, and the Cleveland Clinic—AIHM hopes others will follow suit. “Forward-thinking health insurance companies are already covering the costs of such treatments as acupuncture, chiropractic therapy and massage,” said Parker. “They have discovered the value in allowing members to take a truly integrative, whole-person approach to their health, which benefits the patient and the healthcare industry. We anticipate this trend gaining more traction in 2022.” Founded in 1978, the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine (AIHM) is the leading interprofessional organization for traditional, complementary and integrative health practitioners worldwide. In 2001, AIHM merged with the Academic Collaborative of Integrative Health (ACIH). Together, they are working to advance integrative health on a global scale and transform health and wellness through education, leadership, collaboration, research and advocacy. For more information, visit aihm.org or follow @aihmglobal on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Contact Details Carol Stevenson +1 661-713-6879 carol@growthledge.com Company Website https://aihm.org

January 25, 2022 01:45 PM Pacific Standard Time

2022 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WELLNESS AND TUTORING PLATFORM LAUNCHES AMID PANDEMIC: PROVIDES MUCH NEEDED STRESS REDUCTION, LEARNING STRATEGIES, AND LIFE SKILLS

Holistic Learning

Holistic Learning, founded by neuroscience, physiology and meditation experts Eli Marx-Kahn and Kush Patel, announces the launch of its platform on a mission to “help create a generation of purposeful, confident, and happy young people who are ready to take on the many issues our world faces. By integrating services in multiple domains – academics, wellness, and career development – we aim to help students find their unique paths in life.” The easy and fun to use platform incorporates timely and critical touchpoints for high school students: 1-on-1 tutoring, wellness & meditation courses, learning strategies, college counseling, career development, and life skills. Parents and educators see it as a valuable supplement providing their students with a number of individualized, self-select tools such as breathing exercises to reduce anxiety, STEM, English and writing tutoring, college application advice, and career seminars with professionals from dozens of fields. “We know that students who are healthy, happy, and stress-free are much more receptive to new knowledge. Holistic Learning equips them with the skills they need to manage their many obligations while prioritizing their own well-being,” states Co-Founder and Chief Wellness Officer Eli Marx-Kahn. Holistic Learning comes at a crucial time in education amid continued covid disruptions, isolation and uncertainty. According to “Education in the Pandemic, The Disparate Impacts of COVID-19 on America’s Student”: Emerging evidence shows that the pandemic has negatively affected academic growth, widening pre-existing disparities. In core subjects like math and reading, there are worrisome signs that in some grades students might be falling even further behind pre-pandemic expectations. Further, “The Mental Health of High School Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic” report states: “The American Psychological Association (APA) reports 81% of Gen Z teens (ages 13–17) have experienced more intense stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Exercise time helps reduce mental health degradation (β3 = -0.153, p = 0.037). Many other factors such as gender, homework time, school time, pre-existing mental health issues, and therapy did not have a significant influence on mental health degradation. Analysis of freeform feedback identified the following three recurring themes: increased stress due homework (13.2%), social isolation or lack of social interactions (8.5%), and lack of support for mental wellbeing (12.3%)." "I am very interested in how the brain works and am passionate about using my knowledge of neuroscience to make studying more fun and manageable for students at every point in their education,” shares Kush Patel, Co-Founder and Chief Learning Officer at Holistic Learning. “Throughout my college years, I helped hundreds of students achieve their academic aspirations through my role as a tutor, peer mentor to students with disabilities, study group leader, and learning strategist. I enjoy creating learning strategy content for students as well as designing a holistic tutoring curriculum to ensure that true and meaningful understanding is achieved." Based on frequency of tutoring desired, tiered subscriptions are available at www.holisticlearning.co, and are priced well below standalone tutoring and counseling programs. Sliding scale scholarship opportunities are available for low income families, by inquiring at info@holisticlearning.co. “Holistic Learning is committed to accessibility and equality of access,” states Marx-Kahn. “It was created as an online space designed to meet the needs that high school alone cannot meet, to help students grow, and to help them visualize their path towards a meaningful and fulfilling future. The Pandemic has made the need for a service like Holistic Learning greater than ever.” ### Holistic Learning is an online learning platform designed to help high school students achieve academic success as well as personal and professional growth. It integrates a range of timely and critical services including 1-on-1 tutoring, learning strategies, meditation & wellness courses, college counseling, life skills, and career seminars. Parents and educators see it as a valuable supplement providing their students with the tools to live healthy, happy, and stress-free lives. www.holisticlearning.co Contact Details AnnMarie Fauske +1 630-880-3485 outreach@holisticlearning.co

January 25, 2022 09:00 AM Central Standard Time

Video Image

SullivanCotter Welcomes New Principal Aimee Greeter to the Physician Workforce Practice

SullivanCotter

SullivanCotter, the nation’s leading independent consulting firm in the assessment and development of total rewards programs, workforce solutions, and technology and data products for the health care industry and not-for-profit sector, is pleased to announce the addition of Aimee Greeter, Principal, to the firm’s growing Physician Workforce Practice. For nearly 15 years, Aimee has served as a trusted advisor to a variety of health care provider organizations nationwide. As the industry continues to undergo significant change, Aimee works with physician groups and health systems of all sizes to develop competitive compensation and rewards strategies focused on supporting pay equity and enhancing physician engagement. “In the wake of a COVID-19 resurgence, recent changes to the Physician Fee Schedule, and a looming provider shortage, hospitals and health systems are dealing with a myriad of challenging present-day obstacles,” said Mark Ryberg, Physician Workforce Practice Leader, SullivanCotter. “Aimee’s deep-seated industry knowledge and strategic insight reinforces our ability to provide clients with the guidance needed to develop innovative solutions to complex issues as they plan for 2022 and beyond.” Aimee specializes in helping organizations assess, develop and implement pay and career equity initiatives and consults with employers on ways to improve fairness, transparency and advancement for all people regardless of their gender identity, race and ethnic background. She also works closely with clients to optimize physician and advanced practice provider alignment and affiliation activities to support quality care outcomes, cost efficiencies, integrated care team delivery and patient-centered operations. Aimee has additional experience in conducting clinical service line reviews, providing advisory support on mergers and acquisitions, and facilitating boards and executive leaders in strategic planning and growth initiatives related to market sustainability, care delivery transformation and business model evolution. Before joining SullivanCotter, Aimee held senior leadership roles at a boutique health care consulting group. Aimee is the author of the recently published book Effective Crisis Leadership in Healthcare: Lessons Learned from a Pandemic and is a popular national speaker on topics of crisis leadership, health care transactions and provider engagement. She is also a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and holds a Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt. About SullivanCotter SullivanCotter partners with health care and other not-for-profit organizations to understand what drives performance and improve outcomes through the development and implementation of integrated workforce strategies. Using our time-tested methodologies and industry-leading research and information, we provide data-driven insights, expertise, technology and data products to help organizations align business strategy and performance objectives – enabling our clients to deliver on their mission, vision and values. Contact Details Becky Lorentz +1 314-414-3719 beckylorentz@sullivancotter.com Company Website https://sullivancotter.com

January 25, 2022 06:00 AM Central Standard Time

G Medical Innovations Joins Forces with Serology Covid Testing to Support Safer Classroom Learning in California School Districts Amid Omicron Variant Surge

G Medical Innovations Holdings

G Medical Innovations Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ:GMVD) (“G Medical” or the "Company"), a Telehealth, medical device, and remote patient monitoring company providing clinical-grade solutions for consumers, medical professionals, and healthcare institutions, today announced it has formed an agreement with Serology Covid Testing to provide zero-cost COVID-19 testing to students, families, and school employees across the State of California. G Medical’s wholly owned subsidiary, G Medical Tests and Services, Inc., will provide end-to-end testing services including setup; certified medical staff; testing kits, supplies and necessary personal protective equipment; and an online patient portal to easily administer tests and provide digital certified lab results. "It's an honor for us to partner with Serology Covid Testing and collaborate with educators and public health officials across the State of California to help keep children and their families safe," said Dr. Yacov Geva, President and CEO of G Medical. "Testing programs like these give schools the freedom and flexibility they need to halt transmission chains and minimize disturbance to all of the vital activities that take place in school communities daily." As phase one of the agreement, the co-branded testing venture includes contracts with multiple private and public institutions enabling more than 5,000 students (not including families and faculty) to be tested weekly. On average, G Medical expects to collect an average of $197.88 per patient encounter, which could amount to more than $1,000,000 in gross revenue per week. The agreement stems from a shared commitment to "keeping schools open" by assisting in the recovery of the U.S. teaching market, reducing educational staff turnover, and assisting in the reversal of the pandemic's disproportionate impact on the education-sector workforce. As the Omicron variant continues to escalate, California school systems are facing teacher shortages, lack of rapid testing options, and the daunting task of keeping schools open for its students statewide. "We are thrilled to establish this long-term partnership with G Medical. This relationship is especially meaningful to us because our testing services are now endorsed by a pioneering healthcare company," said Caroline Grotewiel, CEO of Serology Covid Testing. "As a result of our collaborative efforts, we can help students, educators, and their families have more peace of mind, and our classrooms will be more conducive to in-person learning.” Communities across the country have turned to COVID-19 testing to monitor the virus as more vaccine trials for people under the age of 16 are just getting started, and efforts to track and mitigate viral spread remain critical. Together, the companies will offer on-site Rapid Antigen Testing with confirmatory PCR tests, as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). “Hundreds of students and staff have tested positive for the virus since schools reopened after the holidays, forcing some districts to switch to remote learning just days after reopening,” added Andrew Benavente, Vice President of Serology Covid Testing. “By implementing these free testing services at their doorstep, we can empower students and teaching staff to return to school as quickly and safely as possible after a potential exposure.” "G Medical has long been at the forefront of medical devices, offering remote patient monitoring tools to help keep patients healthy. We're excited to expand our portfolio to offer COVID-19 testing options that help to detect the virus early and enable individuals, businesses, and schools to take appropriate action to prevent further spread in the community," concluded Geva. If you are interested in offering your school free on-site COVID-19 testing services, please contact Andrew Benavente at Serology Covid Testing; +1 310-747-5473; Andrew.m@Serology-Testing.com. About Serology Covid Testing Serology Covid Testing is a consulting group, distributor, and executor of advanced testing that specializes in bringing new health and wellness solutions and technologies to market. With over 20 years of experience, relationships, and well-established partnerships, we participate in implementing innovative technologies within our network of clinics in addition to bringing full-service testing services to businesses, schools, and events Nationwide. Serology Covid Testing is dedicated to meeting the urgent need for COVID-19 testing by utilizing cutting-edge technology, FDA or EUA approved assays, and highly trained laboratory professionals to deliver rapid results of unwavering quality. To learn more, visit: https://www.serology-testing.com/ About G Medical Innovations G Medical Innovations Holdings Ltd. is an early commercial stage healthcare company engaged in the development of next generation mHealth and telemedicine solutions and monitoring service platforms. The Company’s solutions and services can empower consumers, patients, and providers to better monitor, manage and improve clinical and personal health outcomes, especially for those who suffer from cardiovascular disease (or CVD), pulmonary disease and diabetes. The Company’s current product lines consist of its Prizma medical device (or Prizma), a clinical grade device that can transform almost any smartphone into a medical monitoring device enabling both healthcare providers and individuals to monitor, manage and share a wide range of vital signs and biometric indicators; its Extended Holter Patch System, a multi-channel patient-worn biosensor that captures electrocardiography (or ECG) data continuously, including its QT Syndrome Prolongation Detection Capabilities Patch. In addition, the Company is developing its Wireless Vital Signs Monitoring System (or VSMS), which is expected to provide full, continuous, and real time monitoring of a wide range of vital signs and biometrics. Its monitoring services include provision of Independent Diagnostic Testing Facility (or IDTF) monitoring services and private monitoring services. Visit https://gmedinnovations.com/. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other Federal securities laws. Words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates” and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. For example, G Medical is using forward-looking statements when it discusses the agreement with Serology Covid Testing, providing end-to-end testing services including setup; certified medical staff; testing kits, supplies and necessary personal protective equipment; and an online patient portal to easily administer tests and provide digital certified lab results, the number of COVID-19 testing to be conducted and the timing thereof, and anticipated gross revenue. Because such statements deal with future events and are based on G Medical’s and McDade Products’ current expectations, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties, and actual results, performance, or achievements of G Medical and McDade Products could differ materially from those described in or implied by the statements in this press release. The forward looking statements contained or implied in this press release are subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in G Medical’s prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(4), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on June 28, 2021, and in any subsequent filings with the SEC. Except as otherwise required by law, the companies undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. References and links to websites have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release. G Medical and McDade Products are not responsible for the contents of third-party websites. INVESTOR RELATIONS AT GMEDICAL CONTACT: G Medical Innovations Kobi Ben-Efraim, CFO +972 8-958-4777 service@gmedinnovations.com SEROLOGY COVID TESTING CONTACT: Serology Covid Testing Andrew Benavente +1 310-747-5473 Andrew.m@Serology-Testing.com Contact Details Kobi Ben-Efraim, CFO +972 8-958-4777 service@gmedinnovations.com Company Website https://gmedinnovations.com/

January 25, 2022 04:03 AM Eastern Standard Time

The V Foundation for Cancer Research Receives $1 Million Gift

Advisors Excel

Pediatric cancer research recently received a million dollar infusion during an Advisors Excel training event. The V Foundation for Cancer Research will administer the funds through an open grant process. The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded by ESPN and legendary basketball coach Jim Valvano with one goal in mind: to achieve Victory Over Cancer®. Since 1993, the V Foundation has awarded nearly $290 million in cancer research grants nationwide. It has become one of the premier supporters of cutting-edge cancer research. “Advisors Excel headed by Cody Foster and David Callanan, gave us at The V Foundation a golden opportunity to help youngsters in their battle vs. cancer,” said Dick Vitale, legendary sports commentator. “They blew us away with their generosity from their annual event by donating an incredible 1 million dollars that will go for pediatric cancer research through The V Foundation. I simply say the clients and staff of Advisors Excel are awesome baby with a capital A.” Advisors Excel raised funds in conjunction with more than 500 of the nation’s top financial professionals attending a three-day training event in Orlando. Each year, the company hosts the event, including an opportunity to raise money for a worthy cause. Since 2008, Advisors Excel and its affiliated independent financial professionals have raised approximately $6.3 million to help incredible nonprofits and organizations around the country. Private funding of pediatric research is critical to saving the lives of children with cancer. The disease is the leading cause of non-accidental deaths among American children. Government funding for pediatric research is minimal, and without funding, better tests and treatments cannot be developed. About 15,000 kids (infant to 19) are diagnosed with cancer every year. There have been great strides against the disease – the death rate for pediatric leukemia has declined by 70% over the last 45 years. The goal is to grow that number even more and to make those same strides against other cancers. For more information about the V Foundation, visit www.v.org. ### About Advisors Excel: Advisors Excel, founded in 2005, has redefined the role a marketing organization can play in supporting independent financial advisors. Their growth has been unparalleled in the industry and is achieved by working with a smaller group of select advisors. With a focus on making good advisors great business owners, Advisors Excel has revolutionized how financial professionals build and operate their businesses. In 2021, the 500 advisors working with Advisors Excel did over $8.9 billion in annuity, Medicare, and life insurance production. Their affiliated Registered Investment Advisory Firm, AE Wealth Management, currently manages over $18.8 billion and has been named one of the fastest-growing RIAs in the country. Contact Details Advisors Excel Tracey Stratton, Public Relations Manager +1 866-363-9595 tracey.stratton@advisorsexcel.com Company Website https://advisorsexcel.com

January 20, 2022 01:00 PM Eastern Standard Time

Image

METER Group Introduces the ROS 1 Moisture Analyzer for Food and Pharma

METER Group, Inc.

METER Group today introduced the ROS 1 Moisture Analyzer, a revolutionary, modern, easy-to-use, automated reference method for moisture content analysis. The ROS 1 generates reference-quality data with ease-of-use comparable to halogen moisture balances, without the time and manual effort of drying ovens or the complexity and chemicals of Karl Fischer Titration (KF Titration). “Food and pharma manufacturers rely on moisture content measurements to control their processes and comply with labelling and potency requirements,” said Takuya Ohki, VP, METER Group. “The most accurate moisture content methods are incredibly complex or inefficient. Faster methods lack precision and produce questionable results. “We developed the ROS 1 to address this gap. It’s fast, precise, intuitive, and handles every detail automatically. It combines the best of all methods without their shortcomings.” Water content affects storage stability, appearance, texture, and taste, as well as other physicochemical characteristics of food, and is legally stipulated as well. The ROS 1 Moisture Analyzer determines moisture content from as many as nine samples in 40 minutes with reference-method precision. With an element positioned millimeters from the sample, it precisely heats each sample while cycling them across a highly accurate scale. Throughout the process, it records temperature, weight, and time, then generates an exact drying curve for each sample. Karl Fischer titration is complex and time-consuming. It uses hazardous chemicals and requires a skilled operator. Oven loss-on-drying requires significant hands-on time and often requires hours to complete. Like these reference methods, the ROS 1 is sample agnostic, using intelligent algorithms to recognize the perfect parameters for any substance without having to research test setup. Leveraging automation, it has the potential to save businesses and scientists hundreds of hours each month. “The ROS 1 brings a new level of efficiency and accuracy to food and pharma production, and delivers unprecedented precision and simplicity to workflows,” added Ohki. “Interaction with samples is minimal; the machine does the work, virtually eliminating the risk of human error or fudged data.” The ROS 1 uncovers a depth of real-time, actionable insights that moisture balances and ovens cannot detect, without the time and effort usually required. It dries to a standard, so measurements have real context and meaning. Titration takes a great deal of expertise and is usually only performed by experienced food scientists and other highly skilled employees. It also requires use and disposal of potentially dangerous chemicals. “By-the-book oven methods require hours of repetitive labor and require constant attention from operators. I’ve met manufacturers that had to run an additional lab shift just to manage oven samples. Conversely, the ROS 1 helps you meet industry regulations while automating rote tasks, freeing scientists to focus their attention on more important, profitable work,” added Ohki. Ovens are also problematic, often requiring several hours to dry samples, and additional time spent waiting for samples to cool in desiccators. Other methods that tout speed lack the precision outputs that food and pharma manufacturers require. “Many people who make moisture content measurements neither understand nor care how difficult it is to get precise, reliable results from existing methods,” says Ohki, “But inaccurate measurements have a big impact on the bottom line. For people who understand moisture, this innovation will immediately resonate. Others will get interested when they see what they can now do. “With the ROS 1, METER Group has brought to market the first and only moisture content analyzer device to offer precision of reference methods, the simplicity of an oven, and speed comparable to a moisture balance.” About METER Group METER Group, a Decagon and UMS combined company, delivers real-time, high-resolution data that fuels production and processes for the food quality, environmental research, urban and agriculture sectors. Through the power of its employees, METER combines science, engineering, and design expertise to turn physical measurements into useful information. Learn more at www.metergroup.com. Contact Details JMRConnect Mostafa Razzak +1 202-904-2048 m.razzak@jmrconnect.net

January 20, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

BirchAI RAISES $3.1M SEED ROUND FOR HEALTHCARE CUSTOMER SUPPORT PLATFORM POWERED BY CUTTING EDGE AI

BirchAI

BirchAI, the leading AI platform for healthcare customer support, today announced $3.1 million in seed financing led by the AI-focused venture capital firm Radical Ventures. Leveraging groundbreaking natural language processing (NLP) capabilities, the company is set to significantly improve efficiency in the healthcare sector by automating resource-intensive aspects of customer support including the summarization, classification and analysis of customer calls. BirchAI is a spinout from the Allen Institute for AI (AI2), one of the world’s leading AI research organizations. In addition to Radical and AI2, Flare Capital Partners and WRF Capital are participating in the funding round. In many sub-sectors of healthcare, front-line phone-based customer support teams are staffed by clinically or otherwise highly trained employees. The industry already faced the retirement bulge of Baby Boomer staff aging out of these roles, and the pandemic has made finding qualified support staff a pressing issue for the medical device, pharmaceutical and health insurance industries. Using state-of-the-art AI, BirchAI is tackling this costly dilemma by automating after-call work for large enterprises, while simultaneously capturing the data from these calls to provide customer insights. BirchAI was founded by Kevin Terrell, Sumant Kawale, and Yinhan Liu. The team has worked together in AI applications before starting BirchAI, and brings together deep expertise in cutting-edge AI, healthcare, and enterprise AI deployment. “Many calls in the healthcare industry are complex, lengthy, and costly, due to significant documentation requirements,” said Kevin Terrell, co-founder and CEO of BirchAI. “Our initial focus is on complex calls, which generate over $10 billion in annual costs to the healthcare system. With BirchAI, companies will make it easier for their employees to document and analyze calls. Our platform lowers costs and improves the quality of the customer and employee experiences.” BirchAI’s world-class AI team is led by its co-founder and CTO Yinhan Liu. Prior to BirchAI Yinhan was a star researcher at Facebook AI Research (FAIR), where she was lead author on some of Facebook’s most important work in NLP, including the well-known RoBERTa and BART papers. Yinhan is responsible for building BirchAI’s NLP technology from the ground up, allowing for accurate language documentation and summarization at a greater scale. “The BirchAI team brings extraordinary technological depth and industry experience to tackling a very real problem facing the healthcare industry,” said Radical Ventures Partner Rob Toews, who has joined the BirchAI board. “The BirchAI NLP platform goes beyond delivering cost savings and efficiencies. AI technology of this nature also unlocks insights that can fuel strategic product and business decisions for its customers.” WHY BIRCH.AI MATTERS Leading-edge NLP can now be applied to the healthcare industry’s most costly customer support challenges. Integration allows for a simple platform deployment so there’s no disruption to critical business and customer service. The platform detects trends well ahead of traditional analysis allowing for an earlier warning system if a potential harmful pattern appears. Automation of call handling lowers After Call Work on average by 50 to 75%, saving time and money while improving employee engagement and customer satisfaction. The additional funding will accelerate the Birch.ai team’s growth, address its customer backlog, and allow the company to advance its AI platform. BirchAI is currently working with multiple Fortune 500 healthcare companies, including a payer and a leading medical device firm. The company is also focusing on growing its client base in the pharmaceutical sector to help with the pharmacovigilance process. “BirchAI’s intelligent automation platform transforms and digitizes some of the most complex and manual call-based workflows in healthcare, enabling customer support teams to provide higher-quality patient care guided by new clinical insight, while also reducing the cost of this care,” said Parth Desai at Flare Capital Partners. “Flare Capital is excited to support the BirchAI team on their mission.” For more information about BirchAI, please visit www.birch.ai or follow Birch_ai on Twitter and LinkedIn. About BirchAI: BirchAI was founded in 2020 by leading experts in artificial intelligence, process improvement and the healthcare industry. Backed by the Allen Institute of AI (AI2), Birch.ai provides a solution to tackle fundamental problems within our healthcare system through AI and natural language processing. About Radical Ventures: Radical Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm investing in people applying artificial intelligence to shape the future of how we live, work and play. From healthcare and financial services to infrastructure and manufacturing, Radical partners with entrepreneurs who understand the transformational power of AI. Learn more at www.radical.vc. About AI2: AI2 was founded in 2014 with the singular focus of conducting high-impact research and engineering in the field of artificial intelligence, all for the common good. AI2 is the creation of Paul Allen, Microsoft co-founder, and is led by Dr. Oren Etzioni, a leading researcher in the field of AI. AI2 employs more than 100 top-notch researchers and engineers from across the globe. AI2 prides itself on the diversity and collaboration of our team and takes a results-oriented approach to complex challenges in AI. Learn more at allenai.org. Contact Details Forrest Carman +1 206-859-3118 forrestc@owenmedia.com Company Website https://birch.ai/

January 19, 2022 09:00 AM Pacific Standard Time

AmeriLife Announces Leadership Expansion for Life & Health Brokerage Division

AmeriLife

AmeriLife Group, LLC (“AmeriLife”), a national leader in developing, marketing, and distributing annuity, life, and health insurance solutions, today announced an expansion to its Life & Health Brokerage Division leadership amidst record-pacing growth and increased strategic integration between AmeriLife and its nationwide distribution. The appointments, as follows, were announced by Scotty Elliott, president of AmeriLife’s Life & Health Brokerage Division: Matt Graham, most recently Vice President, Managed Care Solutions, has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Life & Health Operations & Managed Care Solutions. In this newly created role, Graham will provide operational leadership to help the division achieve its overarching productivity and financial goals. He will also work closely with the heads of all product lines to construct and deliver a value-laden platform for agents and advisors to grow their businesses. Graham joined AmeriLife in 2005 and has enjoyed an accomplished career with the organization. He started as a marketer with Medicare Advantage Services and has held a number of other roles with the company, including overseeing operations at Midwestern Marketing, an AmeriLife affiliate. Graham has been a champion for the company’s Medicare Advantage and Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) initiatives and direct-to-consumer projects. Graham graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Edith Cowan University. Eric Brennan and Bryan Keevan have both been named Vice President, Life & Health. In these roles, they will each oversee a portfolio of division affiliates and provide strategic direction to help them achieve top- and bottom-line financial objectives. Additionally, they will help their portfolio firms develop and optimize synergies between them and AmeriLife; build and cultivate an operational foundation for a multisolutions approach for their advisors; and assist with long-term integration and succession planning. Prior to AmeriLife, Brennan was president and CEO of AmeriLife affiliate Equita Health Care and an owner and board member of The Equita Group, a leading national Field Marketing Organization (FMO) in the life and health insurance distribution market with more than 10,000 agents serving over 30,000 clients. Brennan began his career in business consulting with Accenture before joining The Equita Group in 2003 and has since served in increasingly senior leadership roles, including launching Equita Financial Expense Services in 2005. Brennan graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Information Systems from the University of Texas, Dallas. Keeven, who has more than 25 years of experience in the insurance and Medicare industry, most recently served as Vice President, Managed Care Sales, overseeing the online agent and marketer platform YourMedicare.com. Prior to AmeriLife, he was National Vice President of Sales for Medicare & Marketplace for Molina Healthcare. Previous to that role, served in senior leadership roles with Bloom Insurance Agency, Aetna and Coventry Health Care. Keeven is a licensed insurance agent and holds a bachelor’s degree in Health/Health Care Administration/Management from Southeast Missouri State University and an MBA from Lindenwood University. "To say I’m thrilled for these appointments is an understatement,” said Elliott. “Matt and Bryan’s promotions and Eric’s hiring are a testament to the incredible growth — and opportunities that lie ahead — for AmeriLife’s Life & Health Brokerage Division. I know I speak for our partners across our distribution when I say that we’re excited to get down to work with our new leadership bench and build on the tremendous momentum we achieved in 2021.” ### About AmeriLife AmeriLife’s strength is its mission: to provide financial solutions to help people live longer, healthier lives. In doing so, AmeriLife has become recognized as the leader in developing, marketing, and distributing life and health insurance, annuities and retirement planning solutions to enhance the lives of pre-retirees and retirees across the United States. For more than 50 years, AmeriLife has partnered with top insurance carriers to provide value and quality to customers served through a national distribution network of over 300,000 agents and advisors, more than 40 marketing organizations, and 50 agency locations. For more information, visit AmeriLife.com, and follow AmeriLife on Facebook and LinkedIn. Contact Details AmeriLife Jeff Maldonado +1 321-297-1112 jmaldonado@amerilife.com Company Website https://amerilife.com/

January 19, 2022 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

1 ... 237 238 239 240 241 ... 302