Shuttered Bucks County Addiction Rehab Center Executive Pleads Guilty to Fraud

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Branden Coluccio, 32, of Doylestown, PA entered a guilty plea to a one-count Information, charging him with conspiracy to commit health care

fraud. The charges against the defendant stem from federal and state investigations into elaborate insurance fraud schemes involving a Bucks and Montgomery County-based addiction treatment center, Liberation Way.

The investigations exposed an array of health care fraud schemes committed by individuals associated with Liberation Way, including an over-billing scheme connected with the facility’s medical director, as well as an elaborate kick-back scheme involving thousands of medically-unnecessary urine tests which were sent to Florida-based laboratories for analysis. Coluccio, a co-founder of Liberation Way, participated in yet another scheme by fraudulently purchasing premium insurance policies for prospective patients on their behalf, which then allowed Liberation Way to bill insurance companies for expensive “treatment” purportedly provided to these patients. Liberation Way represented that the patients were buying and paying for these policies themselves, when in reality Liberation Way was paying the premiums, which is illegal.

The defendant pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Wendy Beetlestone today, pursuant to a plea agreement which recommends that the Court impose a 37-month sentence. The agreement also requires payment of over $3 million in restitution, as well as additional forfeiture, by the time of sentencing. Sentencing is scheduled for May 22, 2020.

This case was investigated in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and is the fifth federal Information that has been filed against defendants associated with Liberation Way. The four other defendants — Dr. Dominick Braccia, Dr. Ramesh Sarvaiya, Jesse Peters, and Jason Gerner – have all pleaded guilty. The latter three have yet to be sentenced. Dr. Braccia was sentenced by Judge Beetlestone in September 2019 to a term of 37 months in prison.

“Liberation Way was essentially a front for several multi-layered, years-long schemes that crossed state lines and victimized hundreds of people who needed help,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “The convictions coming out of this case send a clear message to those attempting to profit from fraud and the despair of individuals battling addiction: if you behave in this manner, you will be held accountable. We have been proud to work with the Office of the Pennsylvania Attorney General and our federal agency partners to bring all of the defendants in this case to justice.”

“The defendant took advantage of vulnerable people and their families for profit,” said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “I’m proud of the hard work done by The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Office of Attorney General to hold these individuals accountable.”

“Coluccio admitted to defrauding federal health care programs and compounded his crime by seizing on the plight of drug-addicted patients,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, of the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “We will continue to work with our State and Federal law enforcement partners to protect the integrity of all HHS Programs.”

The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Personnel Management, and the Department of Labor. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nancy Beam Winter and Special Assistant United States Attorneys Kristy Christ and Robert Labar, both of the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY’S OFFICE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA Suite 1250, 615 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 JENNIFER CRANDALL Media Contact 215-861-8300 If you have not done so already, follow @USAO_EDPA and @USAttyMcSwain on Twitter to get the most up-to-date information about big cases and community news.

CNB Business News: 20 Digits Establishes Executive Team in Preparation for National Expansion

GLOUCESTER CITY, NEW JERSEY—February 24, 2020—20 Digits, a start-up developing innovative solutions for the integrated facilities management (IFM) industry, has named Scott Dickson as Chief Technology Officer amid a

year of strategic expansion. 20 Digits is a subsidiary of

NEST

, the

Scott Dickson to guide the start-up’s growth as Chief Technology Officer

integrated facilities management consultant and analytics solution serving enterprises in the United States and Canada.

“As an organization, we recognized just how important technology is for an IFM program,” said Rob Almond, Chief Executive Officer of NEST. “Though 20 Digits was originally established to fill that need and develop solutions for IFM, it quickly exceeded our expectations. Now, with Scott leading the group, I have full confidence 20 Digits will expand as a company just as it grew its initial offering.”

In his new role, Dickson will be responsible for overseeing the continued expansion of 20 Digits, as well as development, product management, infrastructure and security for the existing platform offering.

Dickson joined 20 Digits from multinational retailer David’s Bridal after 15 years. During his tenure, Dickson was responsible for introducing DevOps practices built upon Amazon Web Services in order to deliver cloud-native services into a complex ecosystem with aging technologies.

“I’m thrilled to be helping 20 Digits on the next leg of its journey,” said Dickson. “IFM is an industry that’s ripe for tech innovation. We have the opportunity to save clients a lot of money and solve issues they haven’t even identified yet.”

###

About 20 Digits

20 Digits Technology is a provider of technology solutions for the integrated facilities management (IFM) industry. Comprised of a team of technology veterans but maintaining the agility of a start-up, 20 Digits is developing cost-saving solutions for enterprises with multiple large-scale brick and mortar locations, including those with robust digital experiences. A subsidiary of NEST, the leading IFM solutions provider, 20 Digits is driven to provide next-generation solutions that are both innovative and secure. For more information, visit

http://20digitstechnology.com/

CNB BUSINESS NEWS

CNB Business News: Ongoing Commitment to Service Earns Agents 2019 Quality Service Pinnacle Award

Madison, NJ (Grassroots Newswire) February 24, 2020 — Century 21 Real Estate LLC recently recognized the following sales affiliates with the CENTURY 21 Quality Service Pinnacle Producer Award. The annual award is based on results from the CENTURY 21 Quality Service Survey (QSS) which is e-mailed to consumers immediately after the purchase or sale of a home. To earn the

CENTURY 21 Quality Service Pinnacle Producer Award, an agent must receive completed customer surveys for at least 50 percent of their transactions surveyed from January 1 – December 31, with an average survey score of at least 95 percent or better for 2 consecutive years.

* Jitka McCabe, of CENTURY 21 Alliance, of Mantua, New Jersey, will receive a customized glass trophy, in addition to being recognized at the CENTURY 21 Global Conference. For more information, Charles Meyer can be reached at (609) 654-8797 or

chuckmeyer@century21.com

* Andrea Schoelkopf, of CENTURY 21 Rauh & Johns, of Sewell, New Jersey, will receive a customized glass trophy, in addition to being recognized at the CENTURY 21 Global Conference. For more information, Joseph Rauh can be reached at 856-582-0366 or

jrauhc21@aol.com

\”The Quality Service Pinnacle Producer Award is an integral part of our brands commitment to excellence and recognizes their dedication to making each and every client interaction a positive one,\” said Mike Miedler, chief executive officer of Century 21 Real Estate LLC. \”They provide their clients with knowledge and advice related to their real estate transaction and offers them confidence during what may be the most significant purchase of a lifetime.

About Century 21 Real Estate LLC

Century 21 Real Estate LLC is comprised of approximately 11,500 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices in 84 countries and territories worldwide with more than 131,000 independent sales professionals. Century 21 Real Estate has numerous websites to help answer specific consumer needs. They are

century21.com

century21Global.com

commercial.century21.com

century21.com/finehomes

, and

century21espanol.com

©2020 Century 21 Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. CENTURY 21®, the CENTURY 21 Logo and C21® are registered service marks owned by Century 21 Real Estate LLC. Century 21 Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated.

CNB BUSINESS NEWS

NJBIA 2020 Business Climate Analysis Shows NJ Remains Worst in Region

on Eve of FY2021 Budget Proposal

On the eve of Gov. Phil Murphy\’s budget address that is expected to call for more unnecessary tax increases, NJBIA released its updated 2020 Business Climate Analysis showing New Jersey has the least competitive business climate, with the highest

corporate tax, state sales tax, income tax and property taxes in the region.

NJBIA analyzed six individual business cost drivers in seven states and determined New Jersey ranks at the bottom overall behind Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware.

The graphic can be found

here

\”Once again, New Jersey is dead last on overall regional competitiveness and affordability,\” said NJBIA President & CEO Michele N. Siekerka, Esq. \”The only way for New Jersey to turn this situation around is with comprehensive reforms that are long-term and sustainable, not more tax increases and short-term fixes that only get the state through the next one-year budget cycle or two-year election cycle.

\”It\’s our hope that Tuesday\’s budget address starts addressing some of these issues.\”

NJBIA\’s annual Regional Business Climate Analysis, prepared by Director of Economic Policy Research Nicole Sandelier, observes six factors that affect business competitiveness — minimum wage, top income tax rate, top corporate tax rate, state sales tax rate, top unemployment tax rate and property taxes as a percentage of income — to see how New Jersey stacks up against six states in the region.

Each state\’s rates are compared and scored from 1 (least competitive) to 7 (most competitive).

New Jersey\’s overall business climate score (16) was the weakest for the third straight year. Once again, Delaware (31), Maryland (30), and Pennsylvania (28) were ranked first, second and third. New York\’s overall score (23) improved 1 point from 2019 to secure fourth place, while Connecticut (22) dropped 1 point this year to finish fifth behind New York. Massachusetts (20) ranked sixth both years.

Compared to the six other states, New Jersey had the highest top income tax rate (10.75%), top corporate tax (10.5%), state sales tax (6.625%) and property taxes paid as a percentage of income (5.05%). This is on top of New Jersey\’s onerous regulatory climate and challenges in supporting an innovation ecosystem seen in some other regional states.

Last week, Senate President Steve Sweeney announced a proposal to not sunset a corporate business tax hike that was to end in 2022. The current top corporate tax rate is the second highest in the nation.

\”Misguided proposals that expand New Jersey\’s income tax, raise the state sales tax, maintain our our corporate business tax as a national outlier, and ignore the issues that drive high property tax rates would only worsen our business climate,\” Siekerka said. \”New Jersey needs a more competitive economy, not just for the businesses operating here and their executives, but for the middle-income employees who depend on these businesses for their livelihood.\”

Siekerka noted some special interest groups are already lobbying for a budget that increases and reinstates several different taxes in order to fund $3.1 billion in additional state spending in the FY 2021 year that begins on July 1 — even though state tax revenues are currently running well ahead of projections and 6% above the same seven-month period in the previous fiscal year.

\”New Jersey\’s challenges won\’t be solved with more taxes and more spending,\” Siekerka said. \”What\’s needed are structural budget reforms that address New Jersey\’s long-term debt and the state\’s unsustainable spending on platinum-level public employee healthcare plans and pensions. Pension and benefit reform will allow New Jersey to spend more on important public policy priorities such as education and transportation.\”

According to NJBIA\’s analysis of audited state revenues, expenses and debt found in New Jersey Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports, state revenues increased 23% from 2007-2017, while state expenses have increased 45% and state debt increased 382% during the same period.

CNB BUSINESS NEWS

*Gloucester City St. Patrick\’s Parade, Sunday, March 1

GLOUCESTER CITY, NJ– The NJ Irish Society presents events and initiatives year-round as part of paying tribute to our strong history of tradition. Based in the heart of Gloucester City, NJ Irish Society was formally founded in 2019 after serving the community as a whole for decades, with our event roster featuring the sensational

“can’t miss” Irish Parade

and growing series of cultural programming and festivities.

The New Jersey Irish Society is vested in sustaining a vibrant community with excellent quality of life for the residents and visitors. Gloucester City has a rich history of Irish heritage dating back to the 1600’s when Irish Quakers first settled in the Town of Gloucester, now known as Gloucester City. That tradition continues today with the City ranking 9th in the nation for Irish American population.

The New Jersey Irish Society is working closely with the City of Gloucester, Camden County, area businesses, community groups and residents to keep these traditions alive in our community. \”We began in 2016 with our inaugural St. Patrick’s Day parade, which brought thousands to the City and its businesses to celebrate the holiday. We are thrilled to be celebrating our 5th Anniversary as South Jersey’s not-to-be-missed parade extravaganza, featuring the best in entertainment!\”

This year\’s parade is being held on Sunday, March 1, 2020 starting at 1PM. The parade route begins at Martin\’s Lake, Johnson Blvd and Baynes Avenue to the end of Monmouth Street ending at King Street.

The Irish of Gloucester City Celebrate The 100th Anniversary of Irish Independence

Sunday, March 06, 2016

UPDATE SEE MORE PHOTOS Photo (s) Credit CNBNews Staff The Most Reverend Dennis J. Sullivan, Bishop of the Camden Diocese, (center) and Monsignor William Hodge, (left) Pastor of St. Mary\’s Parish, Gloucester City lead the…

President of Philadelphia Teachers Union Calls Asbestos Issue a Humanitarian Crisis

By Kim Jarrett |

The Center Square

Pennsylvania state Sen. Vincent Hughes speaks Feb. 13, 2020, at a Philadelphia Federation of Teachers news conference on asbestos and other safety issues at city schools. Facebook / Sen. Larry Farnese

PHILADELPHIA PA–The leader of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT) is calling for Gov. Tom Wolf to address the asbestos issue in public schools now by declaring a state of emergency.

Wolf put $1 billion in his proposed state budget for lead and asbestos remediation in the state’s schools. But with two more Philadelphia elementary schools shuttering due to asbestos, PFT president Jerry Jordan said it’s not enough.

“But we must do more, and we must do it now,” Jordan said in a statement on the PFT website. “The facilities emergency in Philadelphia’s public schools is nothing short of a humanitarian crisis.”

The PFT created the “Fund our Facilities Coalition” to ask for $170 million to clean up Philadelphia’s schools. The group cites other issues besides asbestos, including rodent/pest control, water leaks and more custodial staff to keep schools clean. Several members of the Legislature, the Philadelphia City Council as well as U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle are a part of the coalition that has asked on several occasions for the governor to do something about the schools.

“We asked. We begged,” said State Sen. Larry Farnese, D-Philadelphia, at a PFT news conference. “And now we demand there be a state of emergency called in Pennsylvania because of the condition of our schools.”

Farnese is a member of the “Fund our Facilities Coalition.”

Some lawmakers have suggested Wolf could take money from the state’s rainy-day fund to pay for the remediation. But any money taken from the fund requires approval from two-thirds of the Legislature, Lyndsay Kensinger, a spokesman for Wolf,

told The Philadelphia Inquirer

\”A 10th Philly school has closed this year because of asbestos,\” said state Sen. Vincent Hughes, D-Philadelphia, the minority chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, on Twitter. \”We need emergency funding to fix our schools now! Broken and toxic schools must go. This is a public health crisis.\”

The PFT has called on the governor to declare a state of emergency for several months but has praised Wolf’s proposed funding for remediation using the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program.

“The governor’s proposal to open RCAP applications to lead and asbestos remediation to the tune of $1 billion has enormous potential,” Jordan said in a statement after Wolf’s budget address. “I am extremely encouraged that the governor is taking our voices seriously and has developed a plan to bring relief.”

Ten Philadelphia-area schools have closed because of asbestos issues in the past few months. The latest closings were announced Wednesday night when Philadelphia school officials announced the temporary closures of Clara Barton and James Sullivan elementary schools.

republished by Gloucestercitynews.net with permission of

The Center Square

Now Available, Beard Guyz® Micro-Mist Beard Oil with Pump

Glendale Heights, IL – Beard Guyz®,

a Men’s Care brand from Universal Beauty Products, Inc., has expanded its grooming product lineup for 2020 with a lightweight oil

Beard Guyz® products

that’s applied directly to the beard using a proprietary pump sprayer. Beard Guyz Micro-Mist Beard Oil softens and moisturizes the beard without weighing it down and is

conveniently sized to meet the busy lifestyle needs of modern sporting enthusiasts.

Many beard oil products require the use of hands to apply the oil and shape the beard. Beard Guyz Micro-Mist Beard Oil bypasses this step, allowing oil to be sprayed directly on the beard for a more controlled and even application – no hands, hassle or cleanup required.

“We’re excited about crafting a beard oil that is convenient to apply and provides moisturization in a hands-free manner for sporting enthusiasts,” says Ricky Arias, Brand Manager – Beard Guyz. “Beard Guyz products are designed to help beard wearers look their best for life’s important as well as everyday moments and we think our new oil will do just that, all while saving them precious time.”

Beard Guyz Micro-Mist Beard Oil is available in a 1.0-ounce size for convenient use at home or on-the go. Micro-Mist Beard Oil provides lightweight moisturization and includes a deodorizer.

“With beards becoming more popular every year, the grooming landscape is changing,” says John Fitzgerald, Senior Director – Marketing/Men’s Division at Universal Beauty Products. “Our customers require solutions with the versatility to meet their grooming needs in any situation and time of day. We believe that our Micro-Mist Beard Oil meets and exceeds expectations for convenience and quality.”

Beard Guyz® Micro-Mist Beard Oil is available starting February 2020 at select retail outlets throughout the United States, including Bed Bath & Beyond® and Giant®, as well as at online retailers including

Amazon.com

and

beardguyz.com

###

About Universal Beauty Products, Inc.

Universal Beauty Products, Inc., located in Glendale Heights, Illinois, is a leading manufacturer of personal care products. With over 10 brands, Universal Beauty Products offers an extensive portfolio of grooming, beard, hair and skin products. The Men’s Care division includes Beard Guyz®, focused on men’s beard care, and Van Der Hagen®, focused on the flourishing grooming market. The company headquarters operates a 200,000+ square foot facility that includes research and development laboratories, sales, marketing, manufacturing, customer services, administration and warehousing and is committed to producing performance-proven products.

How can you fax from a wireless printer without a phone line?

Gloucestercitynews.net (February 20, 2020)–

Do you know you can use your wireless printer to send and receive faxes? Online fax services allow you to manage your fax communications with different types of printers. Nowadays, special printers are available with faxing capabilities.

These printers come with fax hardware and a fax button to send faxes. For this reason, it can be easy for you to fax the essential documents. If your printer doesn’t have faxing capabilities, you can use an online fax service.

CocoFax for Wireless Faxing

CocoFax allows you to manage

wireless faxing without a telephone line

and a fax machine. You can use your wireless printer without a phone line. If you have a printer with faxing capabilities, things can be easy for you.

In this situation, you will need a telephone line (a landline) to plug into your printer. These printers come with a socket for a phone line. To receive faxes on the same printer, you have to turn it on 24/7. You can miss your faxes with a turned-off printer.

With the use of CocoFax, you can use the power of an ordinary printer. You can manage your fax communications without a fax machine and a phone line. CocoFax is famous among millions of people around the world.

CocoFax successfully features on the top platform, such as Forbes, Top 10 Reviews, TechRadar, PCMag, CNET, etc. With this online fax service, you can protect your important documents. For its HIPAA compliant faxing, it is famous among insurance companies and several other businesses.

Power of Wireless Faxing

CocoFax is a reliable service to send and receive faxes without a phone and fax machine. If you want to use your wireless printer without a phone line, create your account with CocoFax. You will need a fax number, and CocoFax can provide you with a number.

Visit the

CocoFax website

to register your email ID and create a CocoFax account. It enables you to access your 30-day free trial, CocoFax dashboard and a free fax number. Make sure to use an internet connection on your device and a web browser.

Why do you need a CocoFax account?

CocoFax is necessary to translate information from your cell phone or computer to a fax machine. You will get a fax number to send and receive faxes. There is no need to purchase hardware because CocoFax can handle everything.

Send Faxes

Step 01:

Get your CocoFax account and a free 30-day trial to check the features of CocoFax before buying it. You are allowed to select your fax number.

Step 02:

Prepare the documents that you want to fax. If you have hard copies, put them in a document feeder of the printer to scan each document. Save all scanned copies on your smartphone or computer. Skip this step if you have soft copies of your document.

Step 03:

Open a web browser on your device and login to a CocoFax account. You will be able to access a dashboard. Tap on the “Send Fax” button on the corner and prepare new fax in a popup window.

You have to type in the receiver’s fax number and subject line. Remember, the subject line will become a note on the initial page of fax documents. Feel free to create a cover page for your faxes. Upload all scanned documents that you want to fax.

Step 04:

Tap on the “Send” button and you are done. CocoFax will dial the fax number of the receiver to deliver this fax to his/her fax machine. You will get confirmation of the successful delivery of faxes. A fax transmission can be unsuccessful if the fax machine is off or busy.

Receive a Fax

Process of

receiving free faxes online

can be easy than sending. You will get all faxes on your registered account with CocoFax. Check dashboard of CocoFax to find received faxes in an inbox. Make sure to use the same ID (registered with CocoFax) to send and receive faxes.

Conclusion

Wireless faxing becomes secure and easy with the help of CocoFax. You can send faxes without a phone line and a multipurpose printer. Create your CocoFax account to get access to its dashboard. You will get a free fax number to receive your faxes.

Scan hard copies of your documents with your printer because you will need soft copies to send via fax. The dashboard of CocoFax enables you to send faxes with the help of wireless technology.

The essential guide on how to understand and excel an engineering course

Gloucestercitynews.net(February 20, 2020)–Engineering is among the careers that are most respected in the world. It provides for a fulfilling journey that involves creativity, innovation and most often, attractive salary packages. There are several branches of engineering that one can choose to follow, for example, electrical engineering, civil engineering, computer engineering, and many others. Regardless of the field of engineering one picks, the course is filled with complex math and scientific principles all through the learning journey. Therefore, it is important for one to work out a

foolproof plan to guide him or her through the course of study

. Although the uphill task of complex projects and assignments has been solved by websites that provide

engineering homework help

, the following are simple useful tips to guide engineering students in understanding engineering courses and to succeed in their academic careers.

1. Find people who inspire you, learn their ways and routines

If you are interested in a specific engineering discipline, find people who have been successful in the industry and make them your idols. You can easily find out information on them from the internet, not just about them but for just about any other prominent person in that specific field. Use the internet to look into what\’s helped these people and their organizations become so successful. Then emulate their good traits in your personal, academic and professional life. You will be surprised how much inspiration you can get by just studying these people.

2. Involve yourself in as many projects as possible

Try to participate in every experiential learning opportunity that your schedule allows. This way, you\’ll get to learn something unique with every experience. You will also have more to show your examiners during your final year projects, not to mention the portfolio you will already have to present to your potential employers when you graduate, unlike other students who will only be able to list their coursework. In addition, you\’ll be far more likely to master the knowledge you\’ve been getting in classes because you\’ll be applying it and, in the process, boosting your communication and interpersonal skills.

3. Learn the value of networking

When it comes to excelling on campus, whom you know and interact with is almost as important as what you gain in class. Attend several other lectures on your campus and introduce yourself to the lecturers. Familiarize yourself with your school\’s alumni association to get a list of alumni from your field of study to find those who may wish to connect with you. You can make use of E-mail, use LinkedIn or other social media tools to connect online. However, remember there’s no substitute for a traditional, face-to-face meeting, it is always the best.

4. Work in teams

Whether it\’s a class project of creating a solar-powered car, participating in a sport, or writing essays for the school paper, get involved with your peers because most things require a team effort to produce great results. Throughout your career after graduation, you\’ll work in teams, so the skills you develop in school will help prepare you to lead teams when you graduate.

5. Seek informal leadership roles within your class

You\’re always a leader, whether you\’re officially in charge of the members of your group school project or not. It sounds counterintuitive, but you can lead from any position in a team by influencing how people work together and how they make decisions. You will learn how to recognize and deal with various situations from any position in a team, you\’ll be seen as a leader even when you take on your first job or internship. The obvious advantage of taking leadership positions is that you will always be the first to receive any information from the institution or your lecturers. You will be better suited to enjoy more resources from the class.

6. Identify your flaws and correct them

As with any course majors, engineering students need improvement. If you are part of a group, try to create a way to get feedback from your peers, group leaders, and professors. When you have concrete feedback on how you are faring, you can work to improve your academic grades and even other skills including communication and leadership. Furthermore, you\’ll learn how to receive and give constructive criticism. That\’s absolutely necessary for your future career.

7. Take a business class

As a student engineer, it\’s not enough for you to be technically proficient. You need to learn to be business savvy. A business class will also help you read and understand organization charts, you will know how to negotiate contracts, and be familiar with other functions that every engineer needs to know. This will also help you in the future to understand what to do when an accountant, lawyer, or manager gets in the way of your work. A business course will definitely take you a long way.

8. Take a design class

The world of engineering goes way beyond problem sets, laboratories, and complex theory. You may need to take a visual design course to learn to represent ideas graphically. You can supplement the design topics in your coursework by taking a cognitive science course to learn how to interpret the engineering problems in the world and understand them better. While you are at it, you can take a literature course to develop your knowledge and which will help you write and communicate more effectively.

9. Make your holidays productive

Lecturers place tremendous value on practical experience when making student assessment s to grade them. Ensure you seek out internship opportunities actively and early in your academic career. Try to demonstrate through your internships a series of evolving learning experiences; also use the internships to build your portfolio of actual projects you are involved in. Students who can show a commitment to using their summer to continue to learn are always viewed more seriously by lecturers and future employers

10. Pick the right company

As an undergraduate student, you might feel alone when confronted with hard decisions about the courses to take, or even balancing school work and your personal life. You won\’t feel alone if you develop a healthy circle of friends. Just as a company has a board that guides the organization, you can stock your friends\’ list with peers from your engineering class or other academic fields to act as a support structure for you. You can as well as have former teachers and knowledgeable family friends to also be there for you during your academic career.

image courtesy of unsplash.com

New Pharmacist for Shore Physicians Group

mvitale

February, 2020

When it comes to medications, the best-trained healthcare professionals on the subject are pharmacists, who can be a valuable asset in primary care, especially with patients who are on

David Totten is the new pharmacist for Shore Physicians Group. (Courtesy Shore Physicians Group

)

Medicare.

That’s why Shore Physicians Group in Somers Point recently added pharmacist David Totton, PharmD, to its staff to support primary care providers in completing Medicare patients’ Annual Wellness Visits and provide comprehensive medication management.

Totton, who received his Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of the Sciences, came to SPG this fall after completing a year-long residency at Shore Medical Center.

Totton works collaboratively with physicians, advanced practice nurses and physicians assistants to provide Annual Medicare Wellness Visits on schedule, an essential part of preventative care. Totton spends an hour with each patient reviewing their family and medical histories, scheduling important preventative screenings and vaccinations, updating their list of current providers, and of course – reviewing their medications.

As part of the Medicare Wellness Visits, Totton provides comprehensive medication management as needed in partnership with their physician. Patients who are on multiple medications from multiple specialists or experiencing symptoms that could be related to medication side effects are just some examples of those who are benefiting from Totton’s expertise.

Chief Administrative Officer of Shore Physicians Group Mark Stephens says the addition of Totton to SPG makes perfect sense.

“An estimated 40 percent of people aged 65 or older are on five or more medications, so it makes sense to have a pharmacist on their healthcare team. If we can help eliminate some of those medications or better manage their side effects, we can help patients save money, feel better, and be healthier in the long run. Our providers are thrilled to have David on board,” Stephens says.

Totton is seeing patients at Shore Physicians Group’s primary care offices at 401 Bethel Road in Somers Point, 4 Roosevelt Boulevard in Marmora, and 2605 Shore Road in Northfield. To make a Medicare Annual Wellness Visit appointment, contact your SPG primary care provider.

To learn more about SPG, visit

www.ShorePhysiciansGroup.com