Boston Scientific (Natick, Massachusetts) said it has received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for the renovation of its Endosurgery headquarters, located in Marlborough, Massachusetts. The 500,000-square-foot campus houses the company's Endosurgery group, including its R&D laboratories as well as extensive office space for supporting business functions.

"We worked hard to provide a workplace that energizes people, while providing a benefit to the environment and our bottom line," said Steve Moreci, senior VP and group president, endosurgery. "Receiving LEED certification is a welcome endorsement of our efforts to be an environmentally conscious corporate citizen."

Boston Scientific obtained LEED certification for the Marlborough renovation project by incorporating elements that provide significant environmental benefits, a higher-quality work environment and lower operating expenses. Examples include installation of a heat-reflective insulated roof that reduces cooling requirements, a ventilation system that precisely delivers heating and cooling where needed, and low-flow plumbing fixtures to decrease water usage.

In addition, the company used recycled building materials where possible, and arranged for more than 95% of the project's construction waste to be recycled, which minimized environmental impacts from demolition and renovation work.

Premier joins climate, energy collaborative

The Premier (Charlotte, North Carolina) healthcare alliance reported a climate and energy collaborative focused on reducing the healthcare industry's carbon footprint.

SPHERE — Securing Proven Healthcare Energy Reduction (for the) Ecosystem — will build on Premier's environmental leadership and commitment to a healthy environment, focusing on reducing industry energy costs and greenhouse emissions.

SPHERE'S primary goals are to help Premier alliance members reach measurable targets to: reduce energy cost; reduce overall energy usage and GHG emissions for positive public health impact; and increase use of cleaner, renewable energy.

Owned by not-for-profit hospitals, Premier operates a healthcare purchasing network and a repository of hospital clinical and financial information.

Cigna offers Care Connections

Cigna (Bloomfield, Connecticut) is introducing what it calls "a new way for people to get the most from their healthcare." Available to individuals enrolled in Cigna HealthCare plans via their personal myCIGNA.com website, Care Connections delivers a self-contained and interactive step-by-step logical progression of information and decision support tools designed to lead to effective and efficient health care.

"Cigna Care Connections' radically new approach creates a sense of ownership, self-sufficiency and confidence that can help people improve their health, well-being and security," said Cigna VP Paul Thompson. "For many people, the current healthcare system is broken — highly fragmented, opaque and confusing. Care Connections helps individuals avoid unnecessary and ineffective care, identify appropriate treatment settings and alternatives, shop for care and optimize the use of their plan benefits.

Cigna HealthCare provides employee benefit services and programs.

China Sky One listed on Amex

China Sky One Medical (Harbin, China) said that its common shares have been approved for listing on the American Stock Exchange (AMEX). The company expects to begin trading on AMEX under the symbol "CSY." This approval is contingent upon China Sky One Medical being in compliance with all applicable listing standards on the date it begins trading on the Amex and may be rescinded if China Sky One Medical is not in compliance with such standards. Concurrent with its first trade on AMEX, China Sky One Medical will no longer be quoted on the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board.

"Our listing on the AMEX is an important milestone for China Sky One Medical," said Yanqin Yu, chairman/CEO of China Sky One Medical. "This provides access to a much broader investment base and should better position us to execute our future initiatives."

China Sky One Medical makes pharmaceutical, medicinal and diagnostic kit products.

North American Scientific cures bid deficiency

North American Scientific (Chatsworth, California) said that it received a letter from the Nasdaq stock market providing notice that its bid price deficiency has been cured. The company's common stock will continue to be listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market and will continue to trade under the symbol "NASM."

NASM provides radiation therapy.