A FREE-ing Change

Is it possible to foster improved wound healing as patients return to work? KCI has attempted to answer that question in the affirmative with its VACFreedom, the latest model of the successful Vacuum Assisted Closure (VAC) device. Recently showcased at the National Association of Home Care 21st Annual Meeting and HOMECARE Expo in Salt Lake City, the V.A.CFreedom system offers improved portability and ease of use for patients, according to KCI. The system provides a large 300ml canister that facilitates fewer dressing changes and a TRAC (Therapeutic Regulated Accurate Care) Pad that maximizes simpler, more efficient changing. KCI says the TRAC technology monitors and maintains target pressure at the wound site, further promoting patient safety. The new system weighs just over 3.5 pounds, according to KCI, and can be worn discreetly around the waist or over the shoulder in a carrying case. Company: KCI Product: VACFreedom For more information, circle 399 on your reader service card. Sole Good For You Are your patients looking for more cushion, support and comfort from their orthotics? If so, you may want to consider Sole Custom Footbeds, which are shaped by “heat to fit” technology. The company Edge Marketing Sales says you place the orthotics in a conventional oven until they become soft and moldable. When you place the orthotic on the patient’s foot and he or she stands up, the orthotic molds exactly to the shape of the patient’s foot, according to the company Edge Marketing Sales. When the orthotic cools, it becomes firm again. According to the company, the new orthotic consists of a moldable base layer of ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA), the shock absorption material of poron and is finished with a PPW fabric designed to reduce friction and wick moisture. Company: Edge Marketing Sales Product: Sole Custom Footbeds For more information, circle 400 on your reader service card. Updating The Chart Electronic medical record-keeping may just have gotten a little easier. MediNotes Corporation recently unveiled an update to its Charting Plus Version 4.3 software. The updated version was recently certified for HIPAA regulations by the HIPAA Academy. The new version also includes two different managing options: a TWAIN interface that allows you to acquire scanned documents and digital images, and a new full high-speed document management system. Enhanced features include a comprehensive rule-based program for preventive medicine; a custom history of present illness (HPI) dialogs with E&M support; the capability to pull stored information into a new note; and the ability to make certain exam elements required before saving a note. The company also emphasizes new modules such as the “Drug Interactions” module, which may reduce the risk of medication dispensing errors, and a “Practice Desktop” module that allows you to view global information from one screen. Company: MediNotes Corporation Product: Charting Plus Version 4.3 For more information, circle 401 on your reader service card. A Gait Analysis More and more technological advances have been made in recent years when it comes to gait analysis. The Orthotic Group has stepped up to the plate with its TOG GaitScan. The company says the computerized system provides you with functional data that can help you make observations that are unseen with the naked eye. The new system features an array of benefits including: a pressure plate with 4,096 sensors; detailed 2D and 3D graphics; a data acquisition rate of 125 scans per second; and portability. The company adds that using the device will allow you to obtain health care reimbursement for computerized gait analysis. Company: The Orthotic Group Product: TOG GaitScan For more information, circle 402 on your reader service card.