Memoir Details Author’s Journey with Mental Illness and Disability Long Island, NY, May 12, 2021 – As we enter Mental Health Awareness month, one author and artist is sharing her coming-of-age story through the lenses of mental illness, disability and steadfast determination. Long Island native Ruth Poniarski’s first book, Journey of the Self: Memoir of an Artist, published by Charlotte, North Carolina-based Warren Publishing, is a stunning and unflinchingly-honest memoir that challenges the stigmas placed on mental illness. The book has received glowing reviews, including a Kirkus Star review.
It started as a college prank; a friend offered Ruth Poniarski a brownie that, unbeknownst to her, was laced with angel dust. What resulted was a debilitating accident, and the first of many mental breakdowns that spiraled into diagnoses of psychosis, schizophrenia, severe anxiety and bipolar disorder.
For years, Poniarski struggled to cope with her new reality as she undertook a rigorous architectural program, sought out new friends (and the perfect mate) and battled through the depths of mental illness. Her journey led her in all directions as she sought comfort, solace, stability and love.
Now an accomplished artist, Poniarski considers her memoir to be a portrait of sorts.
“This book, like many of my paintings, is about introspection,” she says. “So many of us, particularly when we’re young, seek definition through labels or through what others think of us. It’s so easy to say, ‘I have bipolar disorder, therefore, X,’ or, ‘So and so doesn’t love me the way I love him, therefore, Y.’ But none of that is who we truly are.”
The release of Poniarski’s memoir is particularly timely in light of the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing orders.
“A lot of people are stuck at home right now. This kind of isolation forces a person to examine themselves; what makes them unique beyond who they are to society,” says Poniarski. “That kind of self-reflection allows us to become more available to others. You have to know yourself first.
“So, who am I?” Poniarski laughs. “Well … you’ll just have to read the book!”
For more information about Ruth Poniarski or her book, please visit: ruthponiarski.com.
CellCarta Strengthens its Histological Biomarker Franchise by Acquiring Artificial Intelligence-Based Quantitative Pathology Leader Reveal Biosciences
MONTREAL, May 11, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - CellCarta, a global provider of precision medicine services, announced today the acquisition of Reveal Biosciences ("Reveal"), a San Diego California based computational pathology company offering cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI)-based quantitative pathology and immunohistochemistry services to the biopharmaceutical industry. This acquisition further strengthens CellCarta's position as a leading provider of histopathology biomarker services and will enable the company to broaden its offering in AI-enabled multi-omic data analysis services and applications.
Reveal Biosciences has created a new generation of Pathology Intelligence™ to enhance research, clinical trials, and improve patient outcomes globally. Reveal's imageDx™ pathology platform combines cutting edge machine learning (ML)-AI with traditional histopathology to transform tissue biology into actionable data. Reveal's unique proprietary pipeline architecture and biomarker-based training methods also enable the development of scalable custom AI models for specific pathology endpoints, companion diagnostics and predictive models integrating multi-omic data.
"Reveal's exceptional AI and machine learning capabilities will support more objective tissue biomarker quantitation and will enable a broader and faster deployment of our histological services," said Martin LeBlanc, CEO of CellCarta. "Acquiring this leading business is part of a game-changing strategy to expand our services to better support our global clients who are actively seeking more objective, reproducible and scalable methods for tissue biomarker assessment, deployed within a robust quality and regulatory platform."
"We are excited to join forces with CellCarta," said Claire Weston, PhD, CEO and Co-Founder of Reveal. "Reveal's broad portfolio of automated digital assays target Oncology, NASH, Neuroscience, Fibrosis, Inflammation and other therapeutic areas. We see great opportunity in combining these AI capabilities with CellCarta driving towards better diagnoses and more meaningful clinical trials on a global scale."
About CellCarta CellCarta is a leading provider of specialized precision medicine laboratory services to the biopharmaceutical industry. Leveraging its integrated analytical platforms in immunology, histopathology, proteomics and genomics, as well as related specimen collection and logistics services, CellCarta supports the entire drug development cycle, from discovery to late-stage clinical trials. The company operates globally with 10 facilities located in Canada, USA, Belgium, Australia, and China.
About Reveal Biosciences Reveal Biosciences has created a new generation of Pathology Intelligence™ to enhance research and improve patient outcomes globally. Reveal's imageDx™ pathology platform provides AI data analytics and cloud-based whole slide image management to Life Sciences and Healthcare. With a world class team of data and research scientists focused on addressing some of the biggest problems in healthcare, Reveal has developed a pipeline of AI-based digital assays for preclinical research, clinical trials, and diagnostics.
TOMI Environmental Solutions, Inc. to Hold Conference Call to Discuss First Quarter 2021 Financial Results on Monday May 17, 2021
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., May 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TOMI Environmental Solutions, Inc.®(“TOMI”) (Nasdaq:TOMZ), a global company specializing in disinfection and decontamination utilizing its premier Binary Ionization Technology (BIT) platform through its SteraMist brand of products, today announced it will report results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2021 after the close of the financial markets on Monday, May 17, 2021 and will hold a conference call at 4:30 p.m. ET that day.
To participate in the call by phone, dial (877) 545-0320 and entry code 408875 approximately five minutes prior to the scheduled start time. International callers please dial (973) 528-0016 and use entry code 408875. To access the live webcast or view the press release, please visit the Investor Relations section of the TOMI website at: http://investor.tomimist.com/TOMZ/webcasts_and_events/2145
A replay of the teleconference will be available until May 28, 2021 and may be accessed by dialing (877) 481-4010. International callers may dial (919) 882-2331. Callers should use replay access code: 41341. A replay of the webcast will be available for at least 90 days on the company’s website, starting approximately one hour after the completion of the call.
TOMI™ Environmental Solutions, Inc.: Innovating for a safer world®
TOMI™ Environmental Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:TOMZ) is a global decontamination and infection prevention company, providing environmental solutions for indoor surface disinfection through the manufacturing, sales and licensing of its premier Binary Ionization Technology® (BIT™) platform. Invented under a defense grant in association with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of the U.S. Department of Defense, BIT™ solution utilizes a low percentage Hydrogen Peroxide as its only active ingredient to produce a fog of ionized Hydrogen Peroxide (iHP™). Represented by the SteraMist® brand of products, iHP™ produces a germ-killing aerosol that works like a visual non-caustic gas.
TOMI products are designed to service a broad spectrum of commercial structures, including, but not limited to, hospitals and medical facilities, cruise ships, office buildings, hotel and motel rooms, schools, restaurants, meat and produce processing facilities, military barracks, police and fire departments, and athletic facilities. TOMI products and services have also been used in single-family homes and multi-unit residences.
TOMI develops training programs and application protocols for its clients and is a member in good standing with The American Biological Safety Association, The American Association of Tissue Banks, Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, America Seed Trade Association, and The Restoration Industry Association.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
Certain written and oral statements made by us may constitute “forward-looking statements” as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the “Reform Act”). Forward-looking statements are identified by such words and phrases as “we expect,” “expected to,” “estimates,” “estimated,” “current outlook,” “we look forward to,” “would equate to,” “projects,” “projections,” “projected to be,” “anticipates,” “anticipated,” “we believe,” “could be,” and other similar phrases. All statements addressing operating performance, events, or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future, including statements relating to revenue growth, earnings, earnings-per-share growth, or similar projections, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Reform Act. They are forward-looking, and they should be evaluated in light of important risk factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from our anticipated results. The information provided in this document is based upon the facts and circumstances known at this time. We undertake no obligation to update these forward-looking statements after the date of this release.
I
Optimi Health and Numinus Wellness Submit All-Natural Psilocybin Extract to Health Canada for Pre-Clinical Trial Application
Partnership Aimed at Delivering Psychedelic Capsule for Dosing Study in Human Clinical Trial
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Optimi Health Corp. (CSE: OPTI) (OTC: OPTHF) (FRA: 8BN) (“Optimi” or the “Company”), developers of a vertically integrated functional mushroom brand focused on the health and wellness sector, and Numinus Wellness Inc. ("Numinus") (TSXV: NUMI), a mental health care company advancing innovative treatments and safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies, have met another early milestone in the development of an initial all natural psilocybin extract.
Optimi and Numinus, through Impact Clinical Trials Accelerator at the University of Calgary (“Impact”), have submitted a pre-clinical trial application to Health Canada for review and comment. Meanwhile, cultivation, research, formulation, and continuous validation studies to produce the investigational psilocybin extract for trial continue at the Health Canada-licensed Numinus lab in British Columbia, Canada.
Key information submitted in the information package provided to Health Canada includes the investigational product’s chemical constituents, genotype, and formulation as well as procedures and processes to produce a consistent dosage from Psilocybe mushrooms.
With Health Canada’s feedback and anticipated regulatory approvals, Numinus plans to use the candidate mushroom clone to develop a uniform all-natural psilocybin capsule for use in Optimi’s human clinical trials, initially for a dosing study and then expanding into trials for a variety of human health conditions.
Optimi will retain 100% ownership of the resulting all-natural psilocybin capsule and full intellectual property rights to its use.
Optimi Chairman of the Board JJ Wilson comments, “This is another important step for our commitment to the development of naturally sourced, evidence-based product formulations. As a cornerstone of our brand positioning, we believe that future consumer demand will be based on efficacy, cost, and source integrity. By using natural products, we seek to unlock the full value potential in this sector. With the work we are embarking on today with the teams at Numinus and Impact, we are aiming for what we hope will become blockbuster candidates able to significantly transform the mental health therapeutic landscape, while remaining true to historic principles and natural organic origins.”
“Numinus is pleased to partner with Optimi on this important work and provide the expertise, licensed facility and specialized equipment required to quickly develop, formulate and rigorously test products derived from natural Psilocybe sources and prepare them for Health Canada submissions and approvals,” said Sharan Sidhu, Science Officer and General Manager, Numinus Bioscience. “We look forward to continuing our work with Optimi to develop safe, standardized and reproducible products that provide meaningful and accurate clinical trial data.”
Numinus Bioscience recently received amendments to its federal license to allow the possession, production, assembly, sale, export, and delivery for a wide variety of psychedelics including – for the first time – Ketamine and Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). The amendment also supports Numinus Bioscience’s role in activities related to Mescaline, N, N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), N-Methyl 3,4, methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDMA), Psilocin and Psilocybin.
ABOUT OPTIMI (CSE: OPTI) (OTC: OPTHF) (FRA: 8BN) Optimi is developing a sophisticated mushroom brand that focuses on the health and wellness markets. With a vertically integrated approach, Optimi intends to cultivate, extract, process and distribute high quality functional mushroom products at its two facilities comprising a total of 20,000 square feet nearing completion in Princeton, British Columbia. To fully investigate the science of mushrooms, the Company has received a research exemption under Health Canada Food and Drug Regulations (FDR) for the use of Psilocybin and Psilocin for scientific purposes via its wholly owned subsidiary Optimi Labs Inc. Optimi has also applied for a dealer’s license under Canada’s Narcotic Control Regulations governing possession, distribution, sale, laboratory analysis of and research and development of Psilocybin and Psilocin formulations. Optimi is committed to expert cultivation and quality production subject to and in accordance with the terms of all applicable laws and governing regulations to ensure safe, superior Canadian fungi production. Find out more at: https://optimihealth.ca/.
ABOUT NUMINUS WELLNESS Numinus Wellness (TSX-V; NUMI) empowers people to heal and be well through the development and delivery of innovative mental health care and access to safe, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapies. The Numinus Wellness model - including psychedelic production, research and clinic care - is at the forefront of a transformation aimed at healing rather than managing symptoms for depression, anxiety, trauma, pain and substance abuse. At Numinus, we are leading the integration of psychedelic-assisted therapies into mainstream clinical practice and building the foundation for a healthier society. Learn more at numinus.ca, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
FORWARD‐LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains forward‐looking statements and forward‐looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward‐looking statements") that relate to Optimi’s current expectations and views of future events. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as "will likely result," "are expected to," "expects," "will continue," "is anticipated," "anticipates," "believes," "estimated," "intends," "plans," "forecast," "projection," "strategy," "objective," and "outlook") are not historical facts and may be forward‐looking statements and may involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in such forward‐looking statements. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward‐looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. In particular and without limitation, this news release contains forward‐ looking statements pertaining to the dealer’s license application, activities proposed to be conducted under the Company’s research exemption and associated business related to Psilocybin and Psilocin and Optimi’s plans, focus and objectives.
Forward‐looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Optimi’s control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward‐looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the impact and progression of the COVID‐19 pandemic and other factors set forth under “Forward‐Looking Statements" and “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Final Prospectus dated February 12, 2021. Optimi undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward‐looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Optimi to predict all of them or assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward‐looking statement. Any forward‐looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement.
Nabati Foods Completes Construction of Expanded Manufacturing Facility
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 11, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nabati Foods Global Inc. (CSE: MEAL Reserved) (“Nabati Foods” or the “Company”), a plant-based food tech company offering whole, natural, plant-based foods for health-conscious consumers, is announcing that it has completed the construction of a brand new manufacturing facility. The new production facility in Edmonton, Alberta is five times larger than The Company's pilot facility and will serve to support the company's continued growth.
The construction of this capital asset follows the completion of Nabati Foods’ successful oversubscribed financing of $7.7 million and positions it to fulfill wholesale orders and support its growth in the U.S. as well as support market entry into the EU.
“There has been enormous demand for our products from across North America from all of our customer categories including grocery, foodservice, and industrial,” Nabati CEO Ahmad Yehya said. “By significantly increasing our production capacity, we will be in a strong position to capitalize on growing customer demand.”
The extra square footage will enable the Company to house its full research and development (R&D) department and expand its team 150 percent to 15 members with room to grow the team further. In addition, the facility will be able to simultaneously produce 1.2 million pounds of plant-based cheeze and 1 million pounds of plant-based meat, with room to expand capacity further. This additional R&D capacity will also give Nabati the ability to put additional resources into product development.
“Beyond just meeting demand, it is important to us to keep innovating, and this additional capacity will make that possible,” Yehya said. “Our product line is set to continue to expand with great innovations coming very soon. For example, we plan to begin production of Nabati Cheeze slices at the new facility by fall 2021, which for which we have a long waiting list for from foodservice clients.”
Nabati Foods products are served across North America. All Nabati products are gluten-free, kosher, vegan, and non-GMO.
About Nabati foods Inc. Nabati Foods Global Inc. is the owner of Nabati Foods Inc. (“Nabati”), a family-founded food tech company offering whole, natural, plant-based, gluten, and soy-free foods for health-conscious consumers. Nabati was founded in 2014 and has four signature product lines including dairy-free cheesecakes, cheese alternatives, and plant-based meats. Nabati products are distributed in Canada and the U.S. through grocery, foodservice, and industrial channels. Learn more: https://invest.nabatifoods.com/
For further information, please contact : Ahmad Yehya at ir@nabatifoods.com
Disclosure and Caution
Completion of the financing is subject to a number of conditions, including ensuring the financing and listing application are compliant with CSE requirements. The transaction cannot close until the required conditions are satisfied and required approvals are obtained. There can be no assurance that the financing will be completed as proposed or at all. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative – there is no active market for Company’s securities at this time. No regulatory body has reviewed or approved the terms to this financing.
This news release contains forward-looking information, which involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectation. Important factors - including the ability to complete the financing, the ability to satisfy the conditions required and approvals needed to complete the transaction, availability of funds and the results of financing efforts, - that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are disclosed in the Company's documents filed from time to time on SEDAR (see www.sedar.com). Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
The securities referred to in this news release have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States unless pursuant to an exemption therefrom. This press release is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of the Company in any jurisdiction.
20 Tenets to Help Women Lead Purposeful, Successful Lives Revealed in The Woman Code
Morning Joe Host & Author of Know Your Value, Mika Brzezinski, Pens Foreword
Washington, D.C., May 11, 2021 — The pandemic forced everyone to pivot and re-prioritize, and for many women, that meant putting themselves last. Now, more than ever, women need to know their value, recognize their worth and fill their own cups first.
“Women are the soul of what keeps the world going. We keep our families, our companies, our communities and our nations intact,” explains Sophia A. Nelson, acclaimed journalist and author of The Woman Code: 20 Powerful Keys to Unlock Your Life (April 2021, Health Communications).
Named one of the most inspirational books by Woman’s Day in 2015-2017, this transformative book is updated with new insights about the profound economic and societal shifts that have changed our world since the pandemic. Nelson guides women through living out a powerful life Code that will lead them to purposeful, meaningful and authentically successful lives.
Every woman lives by a Code, whether she realizes it or not. It informs how she treats herself and others and how far she is willing to go in order to find success. Nelson calls on women to examine whether the Code they’re living by is truly helping them create the lives they desire. A senior columnist for USA Today and a frequent commentator on CNN, Nelson reveals 20 powerful Codes including:
Know Your Value
Be Resilient
Choose Your Thoughts and Words Wisely
Lift Other Women as You Climb
Practice Love, Laughter, Loyalty
With life quotes from philosophers and poets, mystics and her maternal grandmother, plus her experience as a Black woman rising through the ranks of a male-dominated news industry, The Woman Code is an essential tool of transformation for women to enjoy in reading groups, retreats and Bible study groups. It will help women honor themselves while navigating the demands of work, home, family and friendship no matter what their age or stage in life.
About the Author
Sophia A. Nelson is an award-winning American author and journalist who appears regularly on CNN’s Inside Politics and Newsroom as a legal and political analyst. She is an adjunct professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia.
Nelson covered former First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House from 2010–2012. The author appears frequently on CNN and has been a contributor to MSNBC, NBC, Fox News, the BBC, ABC World News with Diane Sawyer and the Today show. She writes for The Huffington Post Healthy Living and The Daily Beast. She has also contributed to USA Today, Essence, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Washington Post. She is the author of The Woman Code, Black Woman Redefined, and E Pluribus ONE.
New partnership gives Canadians trustworthy evidence, information about the evolving science driving the COVID-19 pandemic
TORONTO, May 11, 2021 /CNW/ - The Lung Health Foundation and Canada's Global Nexus for Pandemics and Biological Threats have partnered to provide Canadians with evidence-based, timely information on COVID-19 vaccine efficacy, infectious respiratory diseases and other public health measures put in place to manage risk and improve peoples' health.
"Partnerships are essential to help us bring an end to this pandemic and prepare for the next."
Canada's Global Nexus researchers, based at McMaster University, will provide data and evidence about pandemic topics that will be used by the Lung Health Foundation in customized public education and awareness tools to strengthen Canadians' understanding of how to protect themselves, their loved ones and their communities.
These public education materials will include accurate layperson summaries and infographics and may evolve into public discussion roundtables, policy briefings and advocacy activities. The two partners will explore topics ranging from vaccine approval and rollout to diagnostic testing capacity and economic and social policies.
"Canadians are bombarded with mass information and misinformation about COVID-19 daily, leaving too many with uncertainty and confusion," says Peter Glazier, Executive Vice President of the Lung Health Foundation. "Together with Canada's Global Nexus for Pandemics and Biological Threats, the Lung Health Foundation will provide the clear, consistent and fact-based information Canadians can trust to help stay safe and make informed decisions about vaccines."
Collaboration is key to success, says Gerry Wright, lead, Canada's Global Nexus for Pandemics and Biological Threats at McMaster University. Wright is a global expert in antibiotic resistance and scientific director of McMaster's Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research.
"Partnerships are essential to help us bring an end to this pandemic and prepare for the next," he says. "Building on our history and track record of success in infectious disease research, Canada's Global Nexus researchers will bring expertise on vaccines, virus variants, surveillance, and evidence-based decision-making to the table and in collaboration with the Lung Health Foundation's strengths in building awareness, Canadians will have reliable, trustworthy information they can count on."
McMaster, one of the world's Top 70 universities, is ranked as Canada's most research-intensive university and ranked 11thin the world for clinical and health programs.
Glazier added: "Today, we're guiding Canadians through the pandemic with fact-based information they can trust and rely on as we all work toward a return to normalcy and tomorrow, we're going to be better prepared by ensuring the tragic lessons this pandemic has taught us aren't lost."
About the Lung Health Foundation The Lung Health Foundation is the leading health charity dedicated to improving lung health through a uniquely integrated approach that identifies gaps and fills them through investments in ground-breaking research and urgently needed programs and supports; policy and practice change; and promoting awareness about lung health issues affecting all Canadians.
About Canada's Global Nexus for Pandemics and Biological Threats, McMaster University Building on a world-leading track record of infectious disease research, Canada's Global Nexus at McMaster University brings together a vast, international network of researchers, government, industry, health care and other partners with the goal of finding solutions to the current pandemic, while preparing for future global health threats like antimicrobial resistance. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada's Global Nexus researchers have received more than $57 million supporting 150 research projects from the federal and provincial governments and industry partners. Visit globalnexus.mcmaster.ca
SOURCE Lung Health Foundation
Nursing shortage in South Florida has healthcare facilities scrambling to counter the talent drain
LifeWings Peak Performance is hosting a quickly arranged webinar in response to a critical situation aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fort Lauderdale, Florida (May 11, 2021) – There is a nursing shortage in South Florida that is undeniably of crisis proportions. Health care providers, who are on the front lines of this life-endangering problem, said today that they are determined to reverse the staffing shortage.
The South Florida Hospital and Healthcare Association are teaming up with LifeWings Peak Performance and holding an urgently needed two-day virtual discussion on May 12-13. Florida's leaders in the profession will, in a quick-hit format, address why nursing vacancies in this region of the state are quickly rising and putting the quality of care in jeopardy.
“To begin with, the stress of working in healthcare for the past 15 or 20 years has become quite untenable," said presenter; Dr. Andrew Grose, Orthopedic Surgeon/Hospital for Special Surgery. “The pandemic is just the spark on an already dry haystack.”
The combination of on-the-job stress and the added burden of the COVID-19 pandemic at times overwhelming critical care providers are pushing nurses either out of Florida and a better work environment, more lucrative opportunities or out of the profession entirely.
“Some healthcare systems have lost 300 to 500 nurses, longtime trained staff to other states,” said Senior Vice President Richard Doss of LifeWings, which is putting on the two 30-minute sessions aimed at reviewing what can be done in the short-term and more systemically to reverse the talent drain.
“There are massive incentives for these healthcare professionals to leave,” Doss said. “Other states are preying on South Florida and getting nurses, lab workers, and respiratory therapists to relocate for three months to work for triple pay and take the rest of the year off.”
Doss said the crisis is significantly affecting what he calls "the casual and part-time nursing workforce who is in their 50s and 60s."
Unlike their younger colleagues, who are more willing to relocate, the more veteran nurses who have scaled back late in their careers, "they are finding that their mom or dad has COVID and don't want to work anymore. Or they contracted COVID and don't want to work anymore. It's a hassle and stressful."
Doss said the intensive care units and the pediatrics are feeling impact more than other medical services.
“These are high-intensity areas where you are getting a lot of COVID patients,” he said. “It's not easy to replace these kinds of nurses with a brand new one out of school.
Dr. Grose acknowledges that the stress of the job and non-competitive pay only explain a few reasons why markets across the country are losing nurses.
“Anytime people are leaving to go somewhere else, they are feeling they will be more appreciated in any sense of that word, financially or in terms of support at work or serving a community that they feel cares about them,” Grose said.
“Most hospitals acknowledge theirs a communication disconnect, especially during a crisis,” he said. “The frontline workers know a lot about the work and need to be listened to. And the leaders know about the organizational stuff and budgeting, but they have to listen to their workers.”
SFHHA Webinars At-A-Glance
What: Florida’s Healthcare Workers Crisis Who: The South Florida Hospital Association & Life Wings Peak Performance Team When: May 12 & 13th, 2021 / Times both Days: 930am to 1030am ET Why: Top, Florida Healthcare Leaders, address Staffing Stress and Burnout Issues
The two-day webinar is built around an open-ended conversation to share what's been working where nurses are retained and not working at particular hospitals and healthcare systems. Several experts, one a former healthcare chief operating officer and another a top human factors expert, will participate.
There will also be a question-and-answer period, including a Chief Nursing Officer from South Florida on hand to share her insight.
We have a crisis throughout American healthcare,” Dr. Grose said. “Add in the pandemic, and it’s like turning on the light and seeing all the cockroaches. They were always there.”
Attention reporters & editors – All newsmakers involved in this educational initiative are available to be scheduled for interviews. To make coordinating easy and hassle-free – contact Robb Leer publicist Robbl@leercommunication.com or call 612.701.0608
About LifeWings Peak Performance:
LifeWings Peak Performance LLC, based in Minneapolis with additional offices in Miami, comprises an exceptional team of physicians, nurses, pilots, engineers, and healthcare executives. It relies on methodologies used in commercial and military aviation, nuclear power, and cutting-edge manufacturing to assist healthcare organizations in creating safe, efficient, and high-performing hospitals and clinics. Our team has more than 400 years of combined experience designing and implementing high-reliability communication, operations, and payer systems for hospitals, clinics, and insurance carriers. For more information, visit https://www.LifeWingsPP.com/.
About South Florida Hospital and Healthcare Association:
South Florida Hospital and Healthcare Association membership accurately reflects the diversity in South Florida and focuses on issues unique to our community. As a not-for-profit organization, its mission is to improve the efficient delivery of quality healthcare services to our communities by championing collaboration and communication among leaders across the healthcare continuum. For more information, visit https://www.sfhha.com/about-us/ .
HealthFinders Collaborative and Free Clinic of Steele County Pursue Merger.
Boards approve a merger between two local community health organizations to improve access and services.
(FARIBAULT, Minn.) May 11, 2021 – The boards of directors of both the Free Clinic of Steele County, based in Owatonna and HealthFinders Collaborative, based in Faribault have agreed to pursue a merger. The merger is expected to formally close by the end of June 2021. It will result in a stronger combined entity able to serve more communities and patients. The combined organization will be led by the current HealthFinders Collaborative Executive Director, Charlie Mandile, and his leadership team. It will use the HealthFinders Collaborative brand.
“I am very excited by this opportunity,” said Mandile. “Both the Free Clinic of Steele County and HealthFinders Collaborative are committed to providing high-quality care to families who are often on the margins of our health care system. Together, we will be able to increase access and expand services to more people who need them. The Free Clinic and HealthFinders Collaborative share very similar missions and values. The opportunity to expand access to medical care to our neighbors who need it is the driving force behind this merger.”
Both HealthFinders Collaborative and the Free Clinic of Steele County leverage volunteer providers such as nurse practitioners, dentists and physicians to offer services to patients who otherwise would not have access. Regardless of insurance coverage or spoken language, the community-based clinics provide essential education, advocacy and access to high-quality care.
“Bringing these two entities together is a huge step forward for our communities,” said Dr. Brian Bunkers, President and CEO of Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Faribault and Owatonna. “They have similar objectives and values and merging will give them the synergy needed to take each organization to an even higher level of service.”
HealthFinders Collaborative services in Faribault and Northfield will experience no changes in services or operations as a result of the merger. All existing appointments and services will continue without interruption. The Free Clinic will launch more consistent and coordinated scheduling and accelerate needed process improvements such as electronic medical records and phone and volunteer scheduling infrastructure as part of the merger process.
“Our model is based on local community engagement,” said Mandile, “and as we expand to Owatonna, this will continue to be central to our work. We are committed to hiring local staff and engaging the local community.”
About HealthFinders Collaborative
HealthFinders Collaborative (HFC), is a community health center that provides a comprehensive primary access point to health services for the marginalized families of Rice County. Through primary care, medication assistance, patient education and advocacy, and community-based wellness programming, HFC works across the continuum of wellness to collaborate and engage communities in their own health. In 2018, HealthFinders provided medical and dental care valued at over $575,000. While patients and insurance were able to cover a portion of that care, donors supported over $400,000 in discounts, so no patient was turned away. Learn more at https://healthfindersmn.org/.
About Free Clinic of Steele County
The Free Clinic of Steele County serves primarily adult uninsured residents of Steele County and provides chronic disease management (high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, mild depression) and other non-life-threatening medical conditions. The clinical care team includes health care professionals from different backgrounds, including registered nurses, health promoters, social workers, dental hygienists, medical lab technologists and physicians. The volunteer organization has offices in Owatonna and is generously supported by the United Way of Steele County and the May Clinic Health System.
Khiron Comments on the Results of Project Twenty21 – UK´s Largest Observational Study into Medical Cannabis Products
Khiron is a founding member of Project Twenty 21 and was the first supplier of EU-GMP high-THC dried cannabis flower to the study
The findings show that medical Cannabis dramatically improves quality of life for people with life-limiting conditions, including Chronic Pain, Multiple Sclerosis, Tourette's Syndrome and PTSD
Legal prescriptions allow patients to access medical cannabis without engaging in criminality and to avoid dependency associated with other medicines commonly prescribed for these debilitating conditions
TORONTO, May 11, 2021 /CNW/ - Khiron Life Sciences Corp. ("Khiron" or the "Company") (TSXV: KHRN) (OTCQX: KHRNF)(Frankfurt: A2JMZC), a vertically integrated cannabis leader with core operations in Latin America and Europe, applauds the publication today in the accredited scientific journal "Psychopharmacology" of the first findings arising from Project Twenty 21, UK's first and largest national medical cannabis registry that was launched on November 7, 2019 at the Royal College of Psychiatrists in London.
Khiron Comments on the Results of Project Twenty21 – UK´s Largest Observational Study into Medical Cannabis Products
Through Project Twenty21, eligible patients can access affordable medical cannabis treatment, monitored by Drug Science, UK's leading independent scientific body. The project aims to create the UK's largest body of evidence for the effectiveness and tolerability of medical cannabis to warrant NHS funding where the benefits of treatment with medical cannabis are proven to outweigh the potential risks.
The Project Twenty 21 study has now licensed prescriptions of medical cannabis to over 900 patients who are in substantially poorer health than the general population, and who have been unable to manage their diagnosed conditions with commonly prescribed medicines. The findings show that legally prescribed cannabis provides clinically significant improvements in the quality of life of patients living with conditions such as Chronic Pain, Multiple Sclerosis, Tourette's Syndrome, Epilepsy and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Based on the early positive momentum of the Project Twety21, Khiron will be launching other commercial initiatives to reach as many people as possible in the country.
The patient data collected show that medical cannabis improves the quality of life more than classical treatments do, for example for neuropathic pain. According to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), there is little or no evidence that commonly prescribed drugs, such as benzodiazepines or opioids, make any difference to people's quality of life, pain or psychological distress, but they can cause harm, including possible addiction. In contrast, the results of Project Twenty21 clearly show a fifty percent increase in patients' self-reported health and ability to lead a more normal life as well as significant improvements in patients' ability to manage debilitating secondary conditions such as anxiety, insomnia and depression. Also, patients are now able to avoid criminality with legal prescriptions, as many have felt compelled to turn to illegal use to manage their conditions.
Project leader of Twenty21 Professor David Nutt from Drug Science, comments: "A lack of clinical evidence has made it difficult for doctors to confidently prescribe legal medical cannabis in the UK. These new findings provide a major step forward and help to clarify the benefit these medicines can have for thousands of seriously ill patients."
Tejinder Virk, President of Khiron Europe, says: "We are glad to see our strong commitment with medical research bear its fruits with this publication. Khiron is a true pioneer in the medical cannabis landscape in the UK, and not just because of its products. Our biggest contribution to improve access to medical cannabis in the UK is our education programs for prescribing clinicians and the dissemination of our expertise with cannabis-based therapeutics. We plan to continue our data-driven approach with the deployment of EU-GMP cannabinoid-based medicines based on our Colombian extracts, whose efficacy and safety are backed by clinical data collected in our wholly-owned clinics with over 17,000 prescriptions."
With this prescriber-oriented and patient-centered approach, Khiron has made a reputation in the UK as a leader in medical cannabis training thanks to its educational platform, Khiron Academy, providing CPD-certified education to collaborative partners such as the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society (MCCS) and Cellen. For further details on the results and methodology of Project Twenty21, please see: https://www.drugscience.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/213_2021_5855_OnlinePDF-2.pdf
About Khiron Life Sciences Corp. Khiron is a vertically integrated medical and CPG cannabis company with core operations in Latin America, and operational activity in Europe and North America. Khiron is the leading medical cannabis provider in Colombia and the first company licensed in Colombia for the cultivation, production, domestic distribution and sales, and international export of both low and high THC medical cannabis products. The Company has filled medical cannabis prescriptions in Colombia, Peru, Germany and the United Kingdom, and is positioned to commence sales in Mexico and Brazil in 2021.
Leveraging wholly-owned medical clinics and proprietary telemedicine platforms, Khiron combines a patient-oriented approach, physician education programs, scientific expertise, product innovation, and agricultural infrastructure to drive prescriptions and brand loyalty. Its Wellbeing unit launched the first branded CBD skincare brand in Colombia, with KuidaTMnow marketed in multiple jurisdictions in Latin America, the US and United Kingdom. The Company is led by Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Alvaro Torres, together with an experienced and diverse executive team and Board of Directors.
This press release may contain certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All information contained herein that is not historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. Khiron undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third-parties in respect of Khiron, its securities, or financial or operating results (as applicable). Although Khiron believes that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements in this press release are reasonable, such forward-looking statement has been based on expectations, factors and assumptions concerning future events which may prove to be inaccurate and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond Khiron's control, including the risk factors discussed in Khiron's Annual Information Form which is available on Khiron's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement and is made as of the date hereof. Khiron disclaims any intention and has no obligation or responsibility, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.
