CardioDynamics (San Diego) reported the appointment of BDO Seidman as the company's independent registered public accountants. The appointment was approved by CardioDynamics' audit committee following a comprehensive evaluation process of several of the country's leading accounting firms.

Michael Perry, CardioDynamics' CFO, said, "We are pleased to engage BDO Seidman as independent auditors for CardioDynamics. We believe they will prove to be an excellent fit in terms of their scope of services, fees, and ability to fully serve the needs of our company."

CardioDynamics invented impedance cardiography (ICG) technology; BDO Seidman is a national CPA Firm with 40 offices in the U.S.

Quintiles trial monitors rated best in study

Quintiles Transnational (Research Triangle Park, North Carolina) reported that clinical investigators rate Quintiles' clinical trial monitors as the best in the industry, according to a recent survey.

The survey asked clinical investigators to rate their experience with the clinical trial monitors of Quintiles and eight other clinical research organizations. The monitors were rated on nine attributes, including effective communication, level of training, ability to adapt, organizational skills and therapeutic expertise. Quintiles' monitors were rated in the top three for each of the nine attributes and were best in class in five of the nine. The nearest competitor was rated in the top three for five of the attributes and best in class in three.

Community MTM Services renamed Mirixa

Community MTM Services (Alexandria, Virginia) unveiled its new corporate name, Mirixa, and simultaneously announced the availability of an expanded array of clinical information technologies that power medication therapy management (MTM) and consumer health services through its network of over 40,000 pharmacies nationwide.

Mirixa's expanded portfolio of clinical technologies for pharmacy enables targeted patient care programs that identify and address care gaps, boosts adherence with treatment plans, improves patient safety, empowers self-care, promotes cost-effective treatments, and informs patients of clinical trial opportunities.

Mirixa, through its Internet-based clinical technology and national network of pharmacies, enables its health plan, employer, and pharmaceutical clients to expand the reach and breadth of their direct to patient services.

Fresenuis releases disaster plan

Fresenius Medical Care North America (Waltham, Massachusetts), operators of the nation's largest network of dialysis clinics, released details of its 2007 disaster planning and response plan. Each year the company updates its capabilities based on the previous year's experiences and expected conditions for the coming year. The program is designed to provide life-sustaining dialysis care for kidney failure patients in the event of a disaster, including the 2007 hurricane season, which runs from June through November.

Patients with chronic kidney failure typically need dialysis every two days; any substantial delay in dialysis care can be life-threatening. Under its disaster planning and response plan, Fresenius Medical Care is prepared to accommodate any dialysis patient — including non-Fresenius Medical Care patients — who require treatment during a disaster. The plan involves coordination with the Federal and State agencies; national, regional and local emergency response teams; and scores of doctors, nurses and company employees.