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Statement by Massachusetts Nurses Association Calling for Action by State Government to Prevent Loss of Steward Hospitals

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Coming Days and Weeks Are Crucial in Effort to Avoid Public Health Disaster for Patients and Communities Across Eastern Mass

CANTON, Mass., Aug. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — As the Commonwealth continues to struggle to protect hundreds of thousands of residents whose health and safety has been placed in jeopardy by the Steward crisis, the next few days and weeks are critical, not only for the survival of these hospitals, but for the impact the potential loss of these facilities will have on the entire health care system across Eastern Massachusetts. Our success or failure as a state depends on the WILLINGNESS of all stakeholders to act, and none more so than our leaders throughout State Government who are ultimately responsible for protecting and ensuring the public health for ALL our residents.

Let us be clear, for nurses , health professionals and the entire health care workforce who have held the line throughout this process and are at the epicenter of this crisis working on the frontlines of these hospitals, as well as those providing care in the facilities surrounding the Steward-impacted hospitals, the loss of Carney, Nashoba or any one of these hospitals would deal a devastating blow to our already overwhelmed hospital system, and as such there is no medical or moral justification for inaction by any party involved in this process.

Bankruptcy Court’s Rejection of Leases Opens Door to Securing New Operators

Coming out of last week’s bankruptcy court hearing, we were relieved that the court appropriately rejected the master lease covering the Massachusetts hospitals. We fully support this decision as necessary to allowing new operators to negotiate new lease terms with the landlord (Medical Properties Trust and Macquarie Infrastructure Partners) for these hospitals. Negotiating new terms for lease and/or acquisition was and is the only way to ensure these hospitals are operationally viable for qualified bidders. We hope the stakeholders took to heart the judge’s urging that they negotiate through the weekend in preparation for a hearing on this issue in Houston on Tuesday.

As to the fate of Carney Hospital and Nashoba Valley Medical Center, it is important to note that while the Bankruptcy Court’s ruling authorized the closure of Nashoba Valley and Carney, it did not mandate closure. As such, there is still an avenue to save those facilities as the court’s relief from the previous onerous lease arrangement provides a renewed opportunity to revisit and engage with potential bidders for those two hospitals. The hope is that ongoing efforts by advocates and the state can facilitate finding new operators to save these facilities. We remain fully engaged in efforts to preserve these hospitals for these vulnerable communities and would ask all stakeholders to do the same.

We are pleased to learn that the Governor has stated that her administration supports Steward’s adherence to the state law requiring 120 days’ notice before the closure of Carney and Nashoba to allow for a transition to a new operator, and we call on the Attorney General to exercise her authority to enforce that law.

Menu of Options for State Action to Save All Impacted Hospitals and Protect Communities

In the event the bankruptcy process fails to protect these hospitals and the communities they serve, the MNA has and continues to call on our state’s leaders to exhaust every avenue open to us to protect the public health, including the following options:

We, along with a growing number of community members and policy makers call on the Governor and local Mayors to declare a public health emergency and exercise state and municipal power under that declaration to prevent closures while viable bidders for all the Steward facilities are found and secured. On Wednesday, the Boston City Council will be discussing a resolution to declare such an emergency.We call on Speaker Mariano and Senate President Spilka to access whatever funds are needed from the $8 billion rainy day fund to maintain operation of the Steward facilities and to provide bridge funding to secure viable bidders for these hospitals and to foster a safe transition to new ownership. If the loss of these or any hospital impacted by this crisis doesn’t constitute a “rainy day” worthy of accessing these resources to protect these communities, then we don’t know what does.And if all else fails, we believe state and local leaders should explore the opportunity of seizing these hospitals by eminent domain as a means of preserving access to life saving care. This week, the City of Methuen is contemplating this option, as are other municipalities.

For the residents of the Commonwealth, no community is expendable, and all deserve our protection. Our state leaders, along with all stakeholders in this crisis have a pivotal choice to make in the crucial days that follow: we can sit back and allow a corrupt corporation and a limited bankruptcy process to dictate our fate and facilitate an unprecedented public health disaster, or we can all work together, utilizing all of our resources and the tools at our disposal to take back control of our health care system for the good of all. As stated above, the outcome of this process and the lives of thousands rests on those charged with protecting the Commonwealth having the moral courage and the willingness to act.

MassNurses.org │ Facebook.com/MassNurses │ Twitter.com/MassNurses

Founded in 1903, the Massachusetts Nurses Association is the largest union of registered nurses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Its 25,000 members advance the nursing profession by fostering high standards of nursing practice, promoting the economic and general welfare of nurses in the workplace, projecting a positive and realistic view of nursing, and by lobbying the Legislature and regulatory agencies on health care issues affecting nurses and the public.

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SOURCE Massachusetts Nurses Association

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Niutech at the Forefront: U.S.-China Circular Economy Forum Tackles “White Pollution”

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September 21, 2024

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BEIJING, Sept. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — On September 6, 2024, the inaugural U.S.-China Circular Economy Cooperation Forum was held in Beijing. The forum, guided by the U.S.-China Climate Action Working Group Circular Economy Task Force, was co-organized by the China Circular Economy Association and the US-China Business Council. The forum brought together approximately 460 distinguished guests from the National Development and Reform Commission of China, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the Ministry of Commerce, the General Administration of Market Regulation, the US State Department, the US Department of Energy and other government departments, as well as industry experts, business representatives and scientific research institutions of the two countries. As the domestic leader in continuous pyrolysis technology, Niutech was invited by the China Circular Economy Association to attend the forum and gave an insightful speech on the topic of waste plastic recycling, and the issues of ‘white pollution’ that can result from it.

Enhancing Quality and Efficiency in the Circular Economy with Innovative Forces

The forum was strategically designed to advance the goals outlined in the U.S.-China “The Sunnylands Statement on Enhancing Cooperation to Address the Climate Crisis” (hereinafter referred to as the Sunnylands Statement). It aimed to create a collaborative platform for the business community, social organizations, and research institutions from both countries to foster exchanges and drive tangible cooperation in the circular economy.  

Zhao Chenxin, Deputy Director of the National Development and Reform Commission, John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the U.S. President on International Climate Policy, Liu Zhenmin, China’s Special Envoy for Climate Change Affairs, Nicholas Burns, U.S. Ambassador to China, and Xie Zhenhua, former Special Envoy for Climate Change Affairs of China, attended the opening ceremony of the Forum and delivered a speech, and Xie Feng, Chinese Ambassador to the U.S., made a video message. Deputy Director Zhao Chenxin said that addressing climate change is a common cause for all mankind and cannot be separated from the cooperation between the two global forces, China and the United States.

The China-US Circular Economy Cooperation Forum, held as an initiative to implement the Sunnylands Statement, marked another significant milestone in China-US cooperation on the circular economy. This collaboration is crucial for both nations as they join forces to tackle the climate crisis. On the afternoon of September 6, the forum organized four parallel meetings, where representatives engaged in in-depth exchanges on topics such as using the recycling economy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promoting the application of recycled materials, addressing plastic pollution and enhancing recycling, and increasing the recycling value of waste in the context of new industries and consumption patterns.

Niutech: International Experts on Continuous Pyrolysis Technology and Pioneers in solving the global “white pollution” problem

Globally, hundreds of millions of tons of waste plastics are generated annually, yet only about 30% undergo recycling. Traditional physical methods are typically limited to high-value, single-category, and relatively clean waste plastics. However, repeated recycling can degrade the quality of the plastics. Chemical recycling, on the other hand, offers a transformative approach by converting waste plastics into high-value products or fuels through chemical processes, thus overcoming the limitations of physical recycling.

Pyrolysis technology, a cornerstone of chemical recycling, addresses the challenges associated with the material recycling of waste plastics. It is adept at processing various types of low-value, mixed, and contaminated waste plastics. The products of pyrolysis can be further processed to manufacture new plastics, achieving a closed-loop system where waste plastics are repurposed into high-value new plastics. This not only retains the material’s utility at a high level but also converts “white pollution” into a “white oil field,” signifying a major shift in the management and valorization of plastic waste.

At the forum, as the international expert in continuous pyrolysis technology, the corporate representative of Niutech shared the cases of waste plastic chemical recycling projects deployed with international giants BASF and Quantafuel in Denmark, Thailand and other countries. Niutech has developed its own pyrolysis technology and equipment, which they fully own the intellectual property rights to. This technology enables the transformation of low-value, mixed, and contaminated waste plastics—including various polymers such as PP, PE, PS, ABS—into high-quality fuel oil.  

The fuel oil derived from this process can undergo further refining into naphtha, a critical raw material in the production of new plastics. This advanced recycling process not only diverts plastics from landfills and the environment but also contributes to a circular economy by turning waste into a valuable resource.

In the future, Niutech will continue to champion the principle of “green, recycling and low-carbon” waste plastics pyrolysis. Armed with advanced technology, reliable equipment, abundant high-value solutions and proven experience, Niutech is committed to enhancing communication and cooperation with domestic and foreign partners. Together, they will drive forward the chemical recycling of waste plastics and the sustainable development of the global waste plastics recycling industry.

 

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SOURCE Niutech

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Global Ultrasound Institute Launches GUSI Fellowships Platform: Elevating Point-of-Care Ultrasound Education

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3 hours ago

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September 21, 2024

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SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The Global Ultrasound Institute (GUSI) is proud to announce the launch of the GUSI Fellowships Platform, an innovative online platform designed to empower learners around the world to achieve confidence and competency in point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). With a holistic, device-independent approach that includes comprehensive evidence-based education, personalized mentorship from world-class POCUS educators, detailed scan review feedback, quantitative assessments, and CME certification, GUSI is setting a new standard in POCUS education.

“GUSI’s online didactics are the best that I have seen. And what I like most about the fellowship were the 1:1 sessions and being able to interact with GUSI expert faculty who have many years of experience in POCUS. And you get to pick their brains and they get to instruct you 1:1. I have used the training I received from GUSI to do much more POCUS clinically and further impact my patients lives.”

Dr. James Wilcox,
Assistant POCUS Director, Indiana University School of Medicine
Adjunct Professor and Assistant Professor of Medicine

“Our mission at GUSI is to democratize access to high-quality ultrasound training,” said Dr. Kevin Bergman and Dr. Mena Ramos, Co-CEOs of Global Ultrasound Institute. “The GUSI Fellowships Platform enables learners from diverse backgrounds to enhance their skills in a supportive, flexible environment, making it easier than ever to reach their POCUS goals.”

With training options covering 38 different scan types, learners can expect personalized 1:1 mentorship with expert POCUS educators who provide timely feedback on practice scans.

“The GUSI fellowship mentors are the best: patient, kind, knowledgeable, experienced, and supportive. GUSI provided education in the areas I wanted and needed to obtain and in my home/office environment not requiring multiple trips around the country. It is not just the way course work is presented – learning is made easier by the support provided to each student.”

Dr. Glenda Patterson
Core Faculty, University of Arkansas Northwest Internal Medicine Residency
Physician, Veterans Health Care of the Ozarks
Board-certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine, and Critical Care Medicine

The GUSI Fellowships Platform features a scalable software system designed to monitor and track performance, ensuring learners can effectively measure their progress.

GUSI understands the challenges faced by healthcare professionals seeking to enhance their ultrasound skills amid demanding schedules. GUSI addresses these concerns with flexible scheduling options, allowing learners to progress at their own pace while balancing their professional and personal commitments. This adaptability and virtual experience is crucial for fostering a culture of continuous learning and skill development.

“I went from not being able to hold the probe to someone who can scan and diagnosing and finding pathologies. I worked with Dr. Milne-Price and she was amazing! She sharpened my skills and we did sessions of live scanning over Zoom. I feel confident in my skills now to scan on my own.”

Dr. Dalea Al-Hawarri
Faculty, Bryn Mawr Family Medicine Residency

As healthcare continues to evolve, the demand for proficient ultrasound practitioners has never been greater. GUSI is not only committed to providing exceptional education but also aims to inspire a new generation of healthcare professionals who can leverage POCUS to improve patient outcomes globally. Join us in this exciting journey towards excellence in ultrasound practice.

For more information on GUSI Fellowships and to start your journey toward ultrasound proficiency, visit https://globalultrasoundinstitute.com/.

About Global Ultrasound Institute:

Global Ultrasound Institute stands at the forefront of point-of-care ultrasound, providing wraparound education, training, AI, and administrative software tools to healthcare providers and health systems globally to lower barriers to POCUS adoption and implementation. GUSI has trained over 14,000 healthcare practitioners in over 60 countries. GUSI is working to create a better world in which every healthcare practitioner is empowered to offer a rapid, reliable, accurate ultrasound-enabled diagnosis directly at the point-of-care, for any patient, anywhere.

For more information about GUSI Fellowships or any of GUSI services, please visit https://globalultrasoundinstitute.com/

Contact:

Dr. Kevin Bergman, Co-Founder, co-CEO, Global Ultrasound Institute
Dr. Mena Ramos, Co-Founder, co-CEO, Global Ultrasound Institute

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SOURCE GLOBAL ULTRASOUND INSTITUTE

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Keuka College Notifies Individuals of Data Security Incident

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4 hours ago

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September 20, 2024

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KEUKA PARK, N.Y., Sept. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Keuka College has learned of a data security incident that may have involved personal information.

On April 25, 2024, the College identified suspicious activity within its network environment and immediately took steps to secure the environment, restore its systems, and began an investigation to determine the nature and scope of the issue. Keuka College also engaged independent cybersecurity specialists to assist with the process. The comprehensive investigation, which concluded on August 21, 2024, could not determine definitively whether personal information related to current and former students and employees was affected.

Keuka College maintains a variety of records which can include: name, Social Security number, Driver’s license number, student id number, financial account information, and date of birth. Current students and employees were contacted by the College in May and provided with one year of free credit and identity monitoring services.

Keuka College has established a toll-free call center to answer questions about the incident and address related concerns. Call center representatives are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm Eastern Time and can be reached at 1-833-913-7557. Please be prepared to provide the engagement number, B131983, for reference.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/keuka-college-notifies-individuals-of-data-security-incident-302254623.html

SOURCE Keuka College

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