Health

HEALTH • Winter 2016 5 from the company that specializes in clinical research. In his role, accord- ing to a release from the company, Roach will bolster the expansion of its clinical operations, medical and regulatory affairs offerings. He will lead and grow the clinical operations, medical writing, medical monitoring, safety/pharmacovigilance and regula- tory affairs teams. 48-bed recovery center opens in Westminster WESTMINSTER — The 48-bed Recovery Centers of America (RCA) drug and alcohol rehabilitation facili- ty has opened in Westminster. The new center marks the first in Massachusetts for King of Prussia, Penn.-based RCA. The RCA at Westminster location is one of two new Massachusetts locations, with the other set to open in Danvers. The locations are part of an eight-center expansion by RCA, which is financed by $231.5 million in funding secured through New York City-based Deerfield Management Company. The Westminster location was for- merly the Wachusett Village Inn and will now serve as a specialized behavioral health treatment facility. Feds approve $52.5B Medicaid deal for Mass. With federal funds at risk of expir- ing under an agreement forged by the former Patrick administration, the Obama administration has approved a five-year, $52.5-billion Medicaid waiver deal for Massachusetts. The waiver deal was announced by Gov. Charlie Baker's administration, which said the arrangement would facilitate a $1.8-billion effort to transition toward accountable care organization (ACO) models and investments in behavioral health and long-term care services. An ACO pilot program could launch in December. The waiver is effective July 1, 2017. Spring Bank Pharma human trials on track HOPKINTON — Hopkinton's Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals has announced that the second phase of human trials for its hepatitis medi- cine are on track as the company reported $4.1 million in losses in the third quarter. According to a release from Spring Bank, the company is on track to report preliminary results from the study in the first half of 2017 with top line results for all patients anticipated by year-end 2017. Losses continue as the compa- ny pushes SB 9200 through phase 2a clinical trials. Spring Bank reported a rise in net losses in the third quarter to $4.1 million from $3.4 million in the same quarter of 2015. Virgin Pulse partners with FitBit FRAMINGHAM — Framingham- based Virgin Pulse, a technology company focused on employee well- ness, said it will partner with Fitbit on corporate wellness programs for Virgin Pulse clients. The partnership with the San Francisco healthcare technology firm will give Virgin Pulse customers preferred pricing on Fitbit wearable trackers, which mea- sure activity and personal health data, while extending Virgin Pulse's wellbeing platform to Fitbit Group Health customers, according to a statement from Virgin Pulse. ReWalk issues $12M public offering MARLBOROUGH — ReWalk Robotics, the maker of the first pub- licly available exoskeleton for para- plegics with U.S. headquarters in Marlborough, announced a public stock-and-warrants offering of $12 million, with plans to use the pro- ceeds on sales, marketing, and research and development activities. ReWalk priced its underwritten pub- lic offering of 3.25 million units at a price to the public of $3.75 per unit, according to an U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission filing. St. V, Harrington, Heywood, Nashoba hospitals tops for safety Hospitals in Worcester, Southbridge, Gardner and Ayer led Central Massachusetts in hospital safety grades, while UMass Memorial Health Care hospitals continued to lag behind, according a Washington, D.C., nonprofit. Based on voluntary reporting to healthcare information nonprofit The Leapfrog Group and data from the federal government, Leapfrog rendered grades from "A" to "C" for nine of the region's hospital campuses. Leading the pack with "A" Safety Grades were Harrington Memorial Hospital in Southbridge; Heywood Hospital in Gardner; Milford hospital to stop inpatient pediatric services MILFORD — Milford Regional Medical Center announced it plans to discontinue offering inpatient pediatric services, saying the hospital doesn't receive the volume needed to support it. The hospital announced in September it faced a $9-million operating loss for the year and was exploring all options to make up the deficit. Milford hospital officials have notified the state Department of Public Health of its plans to stop offering inpatient pediatric services. There will be a public hearing on the matter before the changes go into effect. Opponents appeal Children's Hospital expansion As expected, opponents of a $1-bil- lion expansion at Boston Children's Hospital have filed an administrative appeal of the state's approval of the project. The Public Health Council gave the expansion a green light with a 10-0 vote Oct. 20, incorporating into its approval conditions aimed at ensuring access for Medicaid patients and preventing increases in health spending. With a legal challenge, ral- lies, an online petition and other measures, a group seeking to pre- serve a popular healing garden on hospital grounds, the Prouty Garden, has fought the expansion. Sturbridge nonprofit picks new VP of human services STURBRIDGE — Venture Community Service has named a new vice president to oversee opera- tion of 44 sites throughout Massachusetts. The Sturbridge-based human services provider announced Pam Sampson was named vice presi- dent of community and affiliate ser- vices. In this role, Sampson will be responsible for division-wide opera- tions and service delivery oversight for 44 community residences as well as shared living, adult foster care, in- home supports and affiliate services. Steward extends reach into Central Mass. The second-largest healthcare pro- vider in the state is making moves to { Health Care Briefs } extend outside of its Eastern Massachusetts stronghold through a new partnership with a 200-physi- cian independent practice associa- tion based in Central Massachusetts. The partnership between Steward Health Care System and Central Massachusetts Independent Physician Association, which has been approved by the member physi- cians, according to Steward, would extend the influence of the health- care provider. Steward has a minimal presence in Central Massachusetts with one hospital, Nashoba Valley Medical Center in Ayer. The Massachusetts Health Policy Commission is reviewing the acqui- sition to measure the potential impact on healthcare costs, quality and access. UMass Memorial to lead MassHealth overhaul in Central Mass. WORCESTER — A senior official at UMass Memorial Health Care said the region's dominant healthcare sys- tem will lead participation in a MassHealth pilot program that will change how providers are paid for delivering care to Medicaid patients. Under a $52.5-billion Medicaid waiver deal approved by the federal government, the MassHealth pro- gram will provide $1.8 billion to Bay State hospitals to launch accountable care organizations (ACOs) that will incentivize health care providers to care for patients on a budget, rather than under a traditional fee-for-ser- vice model. Doug Brown, chief administrative officer at UMass Memorial and president of the sys- tem's community hospitals, said the organization will likely discuss part- nering with all other players in the region, both within the system and outside of it, in the MassHealth ACO pilot. Veristat adds new chief medical officer SOUTHBOROUGH — In a move that Southborough's Veristat says will strengthen its ongoing offerings expansion, the company has a new chief medical officer. Jim Roach will begin his role as chief medical officer on Dec. 2, according to a release

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