BALTIMORE, Md-Officials from Coventry CareLink, creator of a plan matching continuing care and long-term care insurance, has entered into an agreement with MedStar Health Visiting Nurse Association.

Care Link CEO Bill Neugroschel said the pairing off innovative planning with the largest home health agency in the Baltimore-Washington region was created to provide the best care for seniors.

"The combination of MedStar Health VNA's expertise with the Coventry CareLink Plan work together to keep seniors healthy, independent, and in their own homes for as long as possible," he said. 

MedStar employs more than 22,000 healthcare workers in their 25 integrated business units. 

Bayer Creates Effective Kidney Disease Diagnostic

TARRYTOWN, NY-Engineers at Bayer Diagnostics have created Multistix PRO Reagent strips-urinalysis test strips that will help physicians more conveniently diagnose a patient's risk of kidney disease.

The test is being hailed as a diagnostic advancement in dip-and-read technology because it uses a protein-to-creatinine ratio that reduces false results. 

CEO of the National Kidney Foundation, John Davis, said finding kidney disease in the preliminary stages is important for survival.

"This new testing technology will help the medical community implement our vision of detecting kidney disease when there are multiple options to prevent its advancement," he said. 

A common clinical sign of kidney dysfunction is high levels of protein in the urine. These test strips measure the protein with a sensitivity of 8-15 mg/dL using an assay method. The test also measures the level of creatinine-another indicator of potential kidney disease. 

Previous testing methods required collecting samples during a 24-hour period, which frequently lead to low compliance rates. 

NEWBERG, Or-Privately-held Inovise Medical has raised $12.5 million via new investors MDS Capital Corporations and TAT Capital Partners, Ltd. 

Company officials are raising money to fund final product development of the Cardiovise DEC system-a digital electroacoustic cardiography system. The cardiac diagnostic company has additional investors for a total equity investment of $22 million to date. 

HealthStream, Radionics to Produce CME Events

NASHVILLE, Tn-HealthStrean, Inc, a provider of learning solutions in healthcare, has paired with Radionics, a Tyco Healthcare business, to provide a series of continuing education medical sessions concerning pain management. 

The sessions are specifically for anesthesiologists, orthopedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, and spine surgeons. The courses will be offered during 2002 at a variety of medical institutions nationally. 

"Our goal is to provide physicians with the best possible training on techniques for treatment of chronic pain," said Steve Hanlon, vice president and general manager of Radionics. 

The courses will be offered in 4-6 person groups at lab stations. 