Tag Archives: Hand

BigHand Digital Dictation System Provides A Welcome Hand For One Mental Health Trust

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London, UK (PRWEB UK) 11 January 2012

In a serious move to support NHS Trust staff and replace antiquated and unreliable dictation equipment, the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust has collaborated with BigHand to successfully pilot their digital dictation solution.

Implementing digital dictation technology to the Trust has provided a far greater economical and practical process which can be utilised across the Trust resulting in an improved service to patients through quicker turn-around time of correspondence from clinician, to PA to patient. The electronic workflow supports mobile and flexible working arrangements therefore helping to alleviate the management of workload across the organisation, plus developing a cross-over support for secretaries during holidays and unplanned absence in turn improving staff satisfaction.

Les Manley, Director of Information Management and Technology at the partnership trust, commented:

Like many NHS Trusts up and down the country we are faced with making savings and at the same time improving quality. BigHand provides our Trust with the opportunity of doing both whilst also addressing the very important Trust priority of confidentiality and security in relation to patient information.

The Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust researched a variety of systems liaising with a number of other major NHS Trusts. Alongside the positive response to the use of the physical equipment other benefits realised from the Kent and Medway project so far have included improved performance in the discharge process with a noticeable reduction in the production of discharge letters and urgent letters being produced within hours rather than days.

Les Manley added further:

Much of our old equipment used was analogue tapes which presented security risks around them being mislaid, damaged or even lost. With the introduction of BigHand this risk is significantly mitigated. Through the use of BigHand and its workflow functionality, we are also providing opportunities for more flexible working arrangements and cost effective transcription services.

James Kippenberger, UK Healthcare Managing Director at BigHand, commented:

Kent & Medway is the tenth Mental Health Trust to now be using BigHands software to smooth internal workflow and transcription processes. Kent & Medways project extends the trend of dictation technology now having a significant role to play outside of the more widely documented Acute hospital case studies.

Jo Missing, former Business Support Officer at the Trust was one person involved in the pilot and here she explains what it meant for her:

The BigHand digital dictation system is a huge improvement on the old tape machines, which seem to have been around forever. The most immediate and obvious benefit is, because the work is all done digitally, we dont need the old tape machines; more desk space, which is brilliant. Critically, its also simple and easy to use. Right from the start its clear who is responsible for each piece of work, what that work is and how large the document is; great for prioritising tasks and managing time because there is no searching through those old tapes to find the urgent work.

Another real benefit for the end user is the controls. There are more options for sound and speed as well as being able to change the foot pedal to suit the way in which you work making it far more user friendly than the old system.

The move to this type of system has been a long time coming and its one that has made the task of typing easier and a far more enjoyable task to do.

Contact:

Chris Bell, BigHand. Email: chris(dot)bell(at)bighand(dot)com Tel: +44 (0)20 7940 5907

For Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust please contact the Trusts communications team on 01732 5204441.

About BigHand

BigHand is based out of London, Chicago and Sydney. BigHand is the leading provider of digital dictation and speech recognition technology to the UK Healthcare market. As a UK developer, BigHand has a 20+ strong development and products team based in the UK. Further information is available at http://www.bighand.com

About Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust

Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT) was formed on 1 April 2006 following a merger between East Kent NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust and West Kent NHS and Social Care Trust.

Predominantly providing an extensive range of mental health services KMPT also delivers services that support patients requiring forensic mental health services, learning disability services, substance misuse and other specialist services. It covers the geographical areas of the county of Kent and Medway and employs over 4,000 people. It is one of the largest mental health trusts in the country.

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Channellock Brings its Trademarked Blue Grip Hand Tools to The Made In America Store

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Elma, NY (PRWEB) April 30, 2012

The Made In America Store is known for bringing its customers USA made products that carry a higher standard of quality. Channellock brings a new level of quality by manufacturing tools with American steel. The trademark blue grips give the hand tools a distinctive look, a color the company has been using since 1956.

The Made In America Store stocks a full line of pliers including Tongue & Groove Set Pliers, Snap Ring Pliers, V-Jaw Pliers, End Cutters and many more styles of pliers. Channellock also brings Wire Cutters, Ratcheting Sets and their own Rescue Tool.

Consumers interested in viewing or purchasing the whole Channellock Line offered from the Made In America Store can visit our store location in Elma, New York or visit http://www.MadeInAmericaStore.com

Channellocks history dates all the way back to 1886 when a blacksmith from Evansburg, Pennsylvania, began hand-forging farriers tools. George B. DeArment sold his tools by going from town to town with his wagon filled with everything he had made. Later, his business became known as Champion Bolt & Clipper Company and in 1904, George moved to 12,000 square foot facility in Meadville, Pennsylvania. With the expansion, the business started creating nippers, pinchers and open-end wrenches. In 1911, George went into a partnership with his two sons, Almon W. and J. Howard DeArment and expanded its product line to include hammers.

In 1923, the company started to outgrow their location and decided to move to a bigger facility, (33,000 square foot) which is where the present day Channellock facility is today. Four years later, in 1927, the company changed their name to Champion-DeArment Tool Company.

The title Channellock didnt come until 1933 when Chief Engineer Howard Manning developed the tongue-and-groove, slip-joint set of pliers, the same pliers the company is known for today. The name Channellock was used more for a style of tool at the time.

The Champion-DeArment Tool Company finally changed their name to Channellock in 1963 when people started to associate the DeArment name with Channellock.

Channellock starts with a billet of high-carbon North American 1080 steel and with over 120 years of refining their methods, have created a stronger, more durable tool. The steel is then forged to take shape with air-powered die forgers. After being forged, each tool component is precisely ground, drilled, counter-bored, channeled, broached and polished to strict tolerances. Channellock then sends the unpredictable steel into a very controlled, uniform tempering system. The hand tools are then sent through a laser hardening system to further make the steel teeth and jaws more durable. Channellock then adds their renowned PermaLock fastener, which eliminates problems from traditional nut and bolt fasteners. The final step of the manufacturing procedure at Channellock is adding a rust-inhibitive solution and given a blue PVC coating that is baked onto the handles.

Consumers can visit http://www.MadeInAmericaStore.com to their full line of 100% American made hardware and tools, along with more USA made products,

The Made In America Store is located at 900 Maple Road in Elma, New York and is committed to selling 100% American manufactured products. You can visit http://www.MadeInAmericaStore.com for more information or shop our catalog of over 290 vendors that are devoted to producing USA made products. All US military personnel both active duty and retired receive a discount every day. Consumers can also keep up to date news articles, events, photos and contests with Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and Tumblr!







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Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa Appoints Franchise Industry veteran, Todd Leff as new President and CEO

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Toms River, NJ (PRWEB) July 12, 2009

Hand and Stone Franchise Corp., the franchisor of premier massage and facial day spas, announced today that it had appointed franchise industry veteran, Todd Leff, as the Company’s new President and CEO. Founder and COO, John Marco, noted, “Todd Leff joining our team is an affirmation of the strength of our business concept and will take this brand to the next level.”

Leff, with over 20 years experience in building franchise companies and brands was most recently the president and CEO of AAMCO Transmissions and Cottman Transmission who had combined sales of almost $ 600 million in 2008. Since 2006, Leff has supervised all operations and management of the 1,100 franchised stores operating under both brands and was instrumental in bringing Cottman and AAMCO under common ownership in 2006. From 1990 through 2006, Leff grew Cottman Transmission from a small regional chain of 120 stores to national powerhouse with 400 stores.

“In looking for a new franchise system to invest in and grow, I wanted a concept that focused on the highest end customer experience, delivered value to consumers, and offered franchisees an ability to achieve a tremendous return — in Hand and Stone I have found such a business,” Leff said. Along with being appointed President and CEO, Leff will serve on the Board and has made an investment in the company. Leff noted, “We are looking to grow Hand and Stone into the highest quality brand in the industry and we have some key differentiators that create a better experience for the consumer than found at our competition.”

About Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa

Hand and Stone, based in Toms River, NJ, is a chain of day spas offering high quality, convenient and affordable spa services under one roof. Featuring prices that are almost 30% less than traditional spas, Hand and Stone’s professional atmosphere, walk-in convenience and affordability have fueled the opening of 30 franchised spas in just the past two years. Hand and Stone is expected to open operations in Canada in August 2009. For more information please visit http://www.handandstone.com

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Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa Appoints Franchise Industry veteran, Todd Leff as new President and CEO

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Toms River, NJ (PRWEB) July 12, 2009

Hand and Stone Franchise Corp., the franchisor of premier massage and facial day spas, announced today that it had appointed franchise industry veteran, Todd Leff, as the Company’s new President and CEO. Founder and COO, John Marco, noted, “Todd Leff joining our team is an affirmation of the strength of our business concept and will take this brand to the next level.”

Leff, with over 20 years experience in building franchise companies and brands was most recently the president and CEO of AAMCO Transmissions and Cottman Transmission who had combined sales of almost $ 600 million in 2008. Since 2006, Leff has supervised all operations and management of the 1,100 franchised stores operating under both brands and was instrumental in bringing Cottman and AAMCO under common ownership in 2006. From 1990 through 2006, Leff grew Cottman Transmission from a small regional chain of 120 stores to national powerhouse with 400 stores.

“In looking for a new franchise system to invest in and grow, I wanted a concept that focused on the highest end customer experience, delivered value to consumers, and offered franchisees an ability to achieve a tremendous return — in Hand and Stone I have found such a business,” Leff said. Along with being appointed President and CEO, Leff will serve on the Board and has made an investment in the company. Leff noted, “We are looking to grow Hand and Stone into the highest quality brand in the industry and we have some key differentiators that create a better experience for the consumer than found at our competition.”

About Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa

Hand and Stone, based in Toms River, NJ, is a chain of day spas offering high quality, convenient and affordable spa services under one roof. Featuring prices that are almost 30% less than traditional spas, Hand and Stone’s professional atmosphere, walk-in convenience and affordability have fueled the opening of 30 franchised spas in just the past two years. Hand and Stone is expected to open operations in Canada in August 2009. For more information please visit http://www.handandstone.com

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Hand And Foot Game

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Do you know how to win at the Hand and Foot game? The following article describes the setup, play, object, and rules for this version of the game. The Hand and Foot card game is also called Hand and Foot Canasta which is related to regular North American Canasta in which each player gets dealt two sets of cards – the hand and the foot. Although there are many variations, and accordingly, no standard set of hand and foot rules, a typical game consists of four people playing in pairs.

The Setup

Players on the same team sit across from each other and use a total of 270 cards which equates to 5 decks along with 2 jokers per deck. You can use any simple method you would use in other card games to choose the team that deals first. Each player gets dealt 13 cards which are set aside for later use. An additional set of 13 cards is then dealt to each player and are held in their hands to play.

The Play

Once the cards are dealt, the remaining cards are put in the center of the playing surface and the first card is turned over. Play goes to the left of the dealer or clockwise.

Each player draws two cards from either the kitty or the stock pile. When a player obtains a meld which is a group of three or more of the same number including wild cards (as long as the wild cards don’t surpass the quantity of natural cards) the cards can be laid down. If a partner lays down a meld, the player now does not have to make a minimum meld obligation; instead the partner simply adds playable cards to the partner’s meld.

The Object

A team is obligated to lie down (or meld) 50 points to pass the first round by building groups of 7 cards called Canastas. By drawing 2 cards and discarding one, play continues as each team gains as many points as possible.

When all the cards in the ‘hand’ have been played, it is now time to pick up the ‘foot’ and continue making melds and canastas.

The starting round ends when a player can asks authorization to “go out.” In order to “go out” partnerships are required to have one clean canasta and one dirty canasta. A clean canasta is simply 7 cards without any wild cards, whereas a dirty canasta can contains wild cards equal to or less than the number of natural canasta cards. The object is to build canastas (seven cards) by melding at least 3 cards (three of a kind or a set of three with a pair and one wild card). Except for wild cards, playing cards can be added to finished canastas.

The Scoring

Values of cards:

1. Jokers (Wild cards) — 50 points
2. Deuces (Wild Cards) — 20 Points
3. Aces — 20 Points
4. Eights through Kings — 10 Points
5. Threes through Sevens — 5 Points

At the end of each round, the amount of points each partnership must meet to achieve meld goes up by a certain amount of points, as illustrated

1. Round 1 – 50 points
2. Round 2 – 90 points
3. Round 3 – 120 points
4. Round 4 – 150 points

There are a number of variations of the Hand and Foot instructions that can be found by searching for Hand and Foot online. Also, hand foot online is a popular variation to the live Hand and Foot game.

To learn more about the Hand and Foot game and download FREE comprehensive copies of the rules visit the Hand and Foot Game website.
Another great site where you can find additional resources for Hand and Foot and other card games is http://HandAndfootCardGame.org.

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LoKast Launches on Android, Creating a Cross-Platform Proximity Experience in the Palm of Your Hand

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New York, NY (PRWEB) July 21, 2010

Today, NearVerse is launching its popular proximity-based music and video-sharing app, LoKast, for Android devices. Already a popular app on the iPhone, LoKast for Android enables users to discover music, pictures, videos, contacts, and web links of users who are together in location. The app is optimized for background operation, now that both Android and iPhones using iOS4 allow for apps to work in the background. LoKast is the first app to use background location to create a real-time proximity experience, going above and beyond just checking in to locations.

LoKast, short for “local-casting” is eliminating the need for physical media sharing, making CDs and DVDs obsolete, and allowing users to share media instantaneously, without having to wait until they are back at their computer to experience the content.

LoKasters share selected parts of their digital profile with those in close proximity who are also using the app. The app allows users to discover and publically view available digital profiles of others in the same venue, similar to browsing for Facebook profiles, but targeting those who are physically around them.

How LoKast for Android works:

Just download the free app from the Android marketplace and start adding your own content that youd like to share. Launch LoKast on your Android and then let it operate in the background when youre not sharing media actively.

When you come into proximity 300 feet of another user’s LoKast will automatically discover their profile and you will be able to view and download their shared content.

LoKast will benefit greatly from the background location and multitasking available on the Android, making discovering people LoKasting around you easier than ever.

The fact that Apple and Google have enabled apps to operate in the background has made our service instantly more useful from a content discovery perspective, states co-creator Boris Bogatin, CEO of LoKasts parent company NearVerse. Previous to background app enablement, LoKast was primarily transactional with one to one media sharing, now LoKast is truly a proximity discovery experience.

LoKast has also been embraced by the music industry as a digital stage to compliment live performances and for the sharing of exclusive content between performers and fans. Over forty artists are using the service at summer concerts across the country including New Kids on the Block, Third Eye Blind, Echo and the Bunnymen, Infected Mushroom, The Boxer Rebellion, The Ruse, Truth & Salvage, VICIO, Shooter Jennings, Fair to Midland, Nonpoint, Jets Overhead, Bazaar Royale, BlackMahal, Bal

Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa Opens its Third Monmouth County Location in Aberdeen, New Jersey

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Hamilton, NJ (PRWEB) November 22, 2011

Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa just opened its third location in Monmouth County in Aberdeen, New Jersey at 1121 State Route 34 in the Regent Shopping Center, also home to Stop & Shop, Bed Bath & Beyond and GameStop.

We see the towns in Monmouth County such as Aberdeen as a prime market for our brands development, said Todd Leff, CEO and President of Hand & Stone. We are pleased to have Jeff and Ken Silbert continue to lead our brand with top-tier services and integrity in Monmouth County.

The Silberts come from a strong business background where Ken was a senior managing partner with Accenture and Jeff leads his own advisory firm helping ambitious business owners scale their companies. With decades of combined business experience and different strengths, the brothers desired to go into business together. Ken will use his operations experience to guide them while Jeff will focus on business development for Hand & Stone.

The brother franchisee team will lead the development of 10 new locations in North Jersey. The Aberdeen location is the second new opening under their expansion plans. It opened only weeks after their first spa opened in the town of Emerson in Bergen County.

Proving that massage therapy isn’t just for the rich and famous anymore, the new Hand & Stone will erase what once was considered a penchant of the affluent by offering services to all levels of consumers.

Im thrilled to be opening our second Hand & Stone Spa in Aberdeen, said Jeff Silbert, co-owner of the new location. I am looking forward to bringing affordable and effective massage and facial services to the community of Aberdeen and its neighboring towns such as Holmdel, Marlboro and Matawan.

Launched in 2005 by John Marco, a physical therapist with 20 years of experience, Hand & Stones mission is to bring massage therapy to the masses. Clients enjoy the treatment, but “most aren’t just coming for the indulgence,” Leff said. “They’re coming for stress reduction and pain relief, with many coming based on the suggestion of their doctors.”

Under the new provisions of the recently-passed health care bill, alternative medical procedures, including massages from licensed therapists at spas like Hand & Stone, are being taken more seriously by the traditional medical community. According to Leff, about 75 percent of health savings account plans and HMOs will now reimburse patients for massage therapy if their doctor writes a formal prescription. Ailments worthy of that prescription include muscle and joint pain, Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (commonly known as TMJ), and stress. According to the 2010 AMTA Industry Report, massage use among older Baby Boomers (ages 55-64) has doubled in the past ten years and use among those older than 65 has tripled during that same time.

While the typical massage client used to have to track down a freelance massage therapist, schedule an appointment days in advance, and pay over $ 100 for a one-hour treatment, most Hand & Stone clients book their appointments on the same day as their service and pay 30 percent less than the traditional hourly rate. Better yet, when they sign up for a one-session-per-month plan, they end up paying around $ 60 per visit.

The average customer isn’t a wealthy socialite with nothing better to do, she’s a 42-year-old female with an annual household income of $ 65,000, has children and loves to shop at Target and Kohls. With that busy, overscheduled lifestyle, its not surprising that the number one reason clients visit Hand and Stone is for stress reduction. Hand & Stone’s clientele is roughly 70 percent female, 30 percent male, with an increasing number of male patrons.

As massage spas become more mainstream in the health care industry, Hand & Stone stays at the top of the game by adding locations and services to keep the brand fresh. That strategy has proven to be successful, as the addition of facials and waxing to the services roster has boosted the average comparable store sales by over 30 percent during this past year, in a very tough economic environment. After awarding a record 40 new franchises in 2010, Hand and Stone is on pace to sign another 50 new franchisees to the Hand & Stone system this year, each one investing a total of around $ 325,000, including franchise fees, to outfit a suburban, strip-mall location with space for at least 10 massage rooms.

“Over twenty percent of Americans got a massage in 2010, and that figure is growing. As massage becomes a more integrated part of health care, we see this business achieving even wider-spread growth and longevity,” said Leff.

ABOUT HAND & STONE

Hand & Stone is a 50-plus unit massage and facial spa franchise with a mission to bring massage and facial services to the masses, meeting demand of consumers who wish to receive the long term health benefits of these services. Launched in 2005 by a passionate physical therapist, John Marco and now led by franchise veteran Todd Leff, Hand & Stone now has locations in 12 states and Canada with plans to open an additional 15 locations by the end of 2011. For more information on Hand & Stone, visit http://www.handandstone.com.

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Italy’s Best Tasting Olive Oil Hand Picked From 1,000-year-old Olive Trees is Now Available in the United States

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Santa Rosa, CA (PRWEB) November 30, 2004

Gourmets and lovers of fine food throughout the United States all have a reason to celebrate. The world’s best tasting virgin olive oil, produced from 1,000-year-old olive trees in the famous Apuglia region of Italy, is now available in the United States under the brand name Brando’s Bella Italia (http://www.brandosoliveoil.com).

Brando’s Bella Italia was founded by Pierina Danisi, whose family owns one of the oldest and most pristine olive groves in all of Italy. It is in these private groves that the world’s best tasting olive oil is produced. The reason Brando’s Bella Italia Olive Oil tastes so incredible is the extreme care and old-world tradition that goes into its creation.

Brando’s Bella Italia Extra Virgin Olive Oil is prepared using the utmost care to protect both the 1,000-year-old olive trees and the superb olives they grow. Pierina Danisi states, “Our family groves are harvested by hand at great expense to ensure the olives are picked at perfect ripeness and to prevent bruising. Our exceptional care in harvesting our olives is in great contrast to other olive oil companies who use tractors and mechanical harvesting methods that shake the tree violently and bruise the fruit. Bruised fruit creates olive oil that is more acidic and tastes inferior to that of hand picked undamaged fruit. Hand picking is the only way to guarantee the very best tasting Brando’s Bella Italia Extra Virgin Olive Oil.”

“Another technique we use to improve the taste and quality of our olive oil is that once our olives have been harvested, our olives are never stored for more than 6-hours before being processed. Other companies store their olives for several days before processing, which leads to heat damage and fermentation, making the olive oil more acidic and substandard in taste. Our olives are always very fresh when they are processed and this is one of the secrets to the superior taste of our olive oil”, states Danisi.

Olive oil is considered to be perfect in flavor and aroma when it has less than 1% acidity. Brando’s Bella Italia Olive Oil has less than 0.5% acidity and is the highest quality olive oil available.

For gourmets and fine food lovers, Brando’s Bella Italia Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a palatable pleasure that must be experienced.

For more information on purchasing Brando’s Bella Italia Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and to download free recipes, please visit their website at http://www.brandosoliveoil.com or call (707) 545-2212.

About Brando’s Bella Italia (http://www.brandosoliveoil.com)

Brando’s Bella Italia imports the world’s best tasting extra virgin olive oil from 1,000-year-old olive trees in Bari, Italy. For more information, please call (707) 545-2212.

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Contact: Pierina Danisi, CEO of Brando’s Bella Italia, (707) 545-2212, cell (707) 235-9961, pierinadanisi@aol.com Fax (707) 545-2994.

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