Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/467743
4 MetroWest495 Biz | February 2015 495BIZ M E T R O W E S T produced by WBJournal.com 495BIZ produced by WBJournal.com Want to reach us? Visit: www.WBJournal.com/MetroWest495Biz Email: MetroWest495Biz@wbjournal.com Call: 508-755-8004 Executive Editor Rick Saia Editor Emily Micucci Contributors Livia Gershon Carol McDonald Susan Shalhoub Contributing Photographer Edd Cote Researchers Roger Magnus Heide Martin Art Director Kira Beaudoin Graphic Designer Mitchell Hayes Manager of Video/Multimedia Ser vices Matthew Volpini Director, Major Accounts Bonnie Leroux Marketing & Events Manager Kris Prosser Sales Admin & Account Coordinator Susan Munyon Senior Account Managers Chris Juetten, Matt Majikas Publisher, CEO Peter Stanton Group Publisher Joe Zwiebel Associate Publisher Mark Murray O ne thing I've learned from cover- ing the local health care industry is that MetroWest-area companies are making astounding breakthroughs right in our backyard. Many of them are working quietly behind the scenes to develop more effective treatments or products to replace old ones that don't work very well; others are creating more buzz. Our February issue, which focuses on the vibrant health care sector, highlights some of the important innovations that are unfolding. In our cover feature, Livia Gershon brings to light the latest activities and outlook for one local buzzworthy company, ReWalk Robot- ics. With U.S. headquarters in Marlborough, ReWalk reached important milestones in commercializing its exoskeleton for paraplegics last year and entered 2015 as a leader in the field. Find out more about the prospects for the company, and those of the exoskeleton as an alternative to the wheelchair, on Page 12. As any administrator knows, innovation on the business operations side is vital, too. For hospitals, that's especially true. Faced with new regulations and reimbursement policies from federal and commercial insurers, MetroWest- area hospitals are zeroing in on making opera- tions as lean as possible, especially on the front lines of care: emergency rooms. On Page 16, read how local emergency rooms are being revamped, re-managed – even reconstructed – for maximum quality and efficiency. Also, as the drive toward efficiency is push- ing health care costs lower, an important "middle man" has arrived on the health care scene: the urgent care center. In our regular "What It Takes" interview, on Page 22, Bing Yeo, a franchisee of urgent care centers in Natick and Marlborough, explains how the growing industry complements services from other providers in a way that's efficient and convenient for patients. MassBay looks for new Framingham home When it comes to creating a sense of place in a downtown, nothing can quite compare to a col- lege campus. Framingham officials are looking forward to seeing concrete plans from MassBay Community College to build a satellite campus in the heart of town. They've even gone so far as to offer town offices as a potential location. But it's not just local officials who are excited about the plans. The MassBay campus could be a hub for startup companies in the tech sector, to the delight of leaders in that industry. See Page 14 for the latest details. Women lead the way at area chambers While female executive leadership still lags far behind that of men in 2015, MetroWest-ar- ea chambers of commerce seem to be magnets for women executives. In fact, all chambers in the MetroWest495 Biz coverage area are run by women. Find out how they're changing the rules of chamber leadership, and redefining the chamber's role in the business community, on Page 20. Regularly featured content During this exceptionally harsh winter, it's easy to get stuck in a rut, but the myriad events offered by local business organizations provide an opportunity to get out of the office and network, so be sure to check out our "Upcom- ing events" section on Page 8. You'll also get a flavor for a couple of recent business events in our "Out & About" photo sec- tion on pages 8 and 9. And catch up on important MetroW- est-area business developments in our Roundup section on pages 5 through 7. n Emily Micucci, Editor FROM THE EDITOR People. Places. Product. Photographic images for advertising, public relations, graphic and corporate communications groups . See the difference. 165 Holly Lane • Holliston, MA 01746 Phone/Fax: 508.429.3188 • www.ronbouleyphoto.com R O N B O U L E Y P H O T O G R A P H Y MetroWest495 Biz is published 5 times a year by New England Business Media, LLC. Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Worcester Business Journal PO Box 330, Congers, NY 10920-9894 845-267-3008 • Fax: 845.267.3478 metrowest@cambeywest.com Who's leading health care innovation in MetroWest?