text:
Insight Venture Partners, acquired The Enterprise Group
Like The Enterprise Group
By Ziff Davis Enterprise Group
By Insight Venture Partners
Online Staffing
HR Media
Professional Training Technology
Insight Venture Partners Competitor`s Deals
synopsis: Ziff Davis Media Inc. has completed the sale of its Enterprise Group assets to Insight Venture Partners. The deal was valued at approximately $150 million in cash, plus a potential earn-out of up to $10 million. The Enterprise Group produces online content, lead generation services, events and publications serving the tech industry.
buyer: Insight Venture Partners
Insight Venture Partners is the fastest-growing venture capital firm specializing in software and the Internet. The team is composed of experienced investors and operating executives, and a capital base of $3 billion to support the companies in which they invest. "
target parent: Willis Stein & Partners
target: The Enterprise Group
The Ziff Davis Enterprise Group produces online content, lead generation services, events and publications serving the tech industry, including: Online properties eweek.com, webbuyersguide.com, cioinsight.com, baselinemag.com, microsoft-watch.com, channelinsider.com and deviceforge.com.
QuinStreet, Inc., acquired Ziff Davis Enterprise Group
synopsis: QuinStreet, Inc. announced the purchase of certain Ziff Davis Enterprise media assets. The assets acquired include websites eWeek.com, CIOInsight.com, Baseline.com, ChannelInsider.com and WebBuyersGuide.com, among others, and one of the largest email and telephone subscriber databases in the business to business (B2B) technology space.
buyer: QuinStreet, Inc. (QNST:$502.99)
QuinStreet, Inc. is one of the largest Internet marketing and media companies in the world. QuinStreet is committed to providing consumers and businesses with the information they need to research, find and select the products, services and brands that meet their needs. "
target parent: Bessemer Venture Partners
target: Ziff Davis Enterprise Group
Ziff Davis Enterprise, Inc. is B2B technology's trusted information resource. Millions of technology buyers rely on its brands for relevant, objective content to identify the right solutions for their organizations.
Catalyze.org merged with Modern Analyst Media LLC,
synopsis: iRise®, the global leader in enterprise visualization solutions, and ModernAnalyst.com, the premier online community and resource portal for business analysts, announced that the Catalyze.org destination site has been merged with ModernAnalyst.com, creating the single largest online community for business analysts in the world.
buyer: Modern Analyst Media LLC
ModernAnalyst.com is the number one online destination for business analysts, systems analysts, business process consultants, user experience designers, and other professionals involved in business analysis or systems analysis. "
target parent: iRise
target: Catalyze.org
Catalyze is a new community and "virtual watering hole" for professionals who define and design software applications and websites.
TechTarget, acquired Ajaxian, Inc.
synopsis: Information technology media company TechTarget, Inc. has acquired Ajaxian, Inc., a leading Web site and conference which provides content for the community of developers for "Ajax" (Asynchronous Javascript and XML), a web development technique for creating interactive web applications.
buyer: TechTarget (TTGT:$198.84)
TechTarget, a leading online technology media company, gives technology providers ROI-focused marketing programs to generate leads, shorten sales cycles, and grow revenues. "
target: Ajaxian, Inc.
Ajaxian, Inc., a leading Web site and conference which provides content for the community of developers for "Ajax" (Asynchronous Javascript and XML), a web development technique for creating interactive web applications.
Techendo, acquired TechSwarm
synopsis: Techendo, a social community platform for IT and software professionals and enthusiasts, has acquired Techswarm, an all-tech platform with a team of talented and enthusiastic IT and web development professionals sharing their insights on topics they are passionate about.
buyer: Techendo
Techendo is a social community platform for IT and software professionals and enthusiasts, where users can share their reviews, opinions, ask and answer questions. They are based in San Francisco. "
target: TechSwarm
Techswarm.com is an all-tech platform with a team of talented and enthusiastic IT and web development professionals sharing their insights on topics they are passionate about.
Penton Media, acquired asp.netPRO
synopsis: Penton Media, Inc. announced the acquisition of asp.netPRO magazine and the brand's related media products including its www.aspnetpro.com website and its electronic newsletter, asp.netNOW. Formerly part of Informant Communications Group, Inc., asp.netPRO is a leading information resource for professional software developers.
buyer parent: Wasserstein & Co., LP
buyer: Penton Media
Penton Media, Inc. is the largest independent business-to-business media company in the U.S. The company's market-leading brands are focused on 30 industries and include 113 trade magazines, 145 Web sites, 96 industry trade shows and conferences, and more than 500 information data products. "
target: asp.netPRO
asp.netPRO, published by Informant Communications Group, Inc., is a leading magazine for professional software developers who use Microsoft's ASP.NET (Active Server Pages.NET) technology to build, deploy, and manage web-enabled applications and business solutions.
ZURB, Inc., acquired Forrst, LLC
synopsis: ZURB announced it has acquired Forrst. Forrst, LLC provides an online community for Website developers and designers. The company offers its community to help themselves and others get better at their craft by providing critiques; and sharing their knowledge to build applications and Websites.
buyer: ZURB, Inc.
ZURB is a close-knit team of product designers who help companies design better websites, services and online products. In addition, their apps help designers design great products quickly through rapid prototyping, iteration and user feedback. They've worked with more than 200 startups since 1998. "
target parent: COLOURlovers Inc.
target: Forrst, LLC
The Forrst was created to assist designers and developers in honing their skills to land more and better jobs. The company offers its community to help themselves and others get better at their craft by providing critiques; and share their knowledge to build applications and Websites.
Internet Marketing Ninjas, acquired Developer Shed
synopsis: Jim Boykin, a nationally recognized leader in Internet marketing and CEO of Internet Marketing Ninjas, announced the purchase of the Developer Shed assets from Ziff Davis Enterprise. Developer Shed manages 20 high-technology websites collectively known as the Developer Shed Network.
buyer: Internet Marketing Ninjas
Internet Marketing Ninjas is a full service Internet Marketing Company dedicated to increasing their clients' business through the strategic use of multiple online marketing methods. Its services include Social Media, Local Marketing, Content Writing, Analytics, Reporting, and more. "
target parent: QuinStreet, Inc.
target: Developer Shed
Developer Shed manages 20 high-technology websites collectively known as the Developer Shed Network. The network serves millions of unique visitors each month, all of whom have come to expect fresh and useful information everyday.
Black Duck Software, Inc., acquired Koders
synopsis: Black Duck Software, the leading global provider of products and services for accelerating software development through the managed use of open source software, has acquired the assets of Koders as well as the company's popular on-line search engine for open source software and other web-downloadable code.
buyer: Black Duck Software, Inc.
Black Duck Software is the leading global provider of products and services for accelerating software development through the managed use of open source and third-party code. Black Duck™ enables companies to shorten time-to-market and reduce development and maintenance costs. "
target: Koders
Koders.com is a free on-line search engine for open source software and other web-downloadable code. Over 30,000 developers each day rely on Koders to search over 766 million lines of code written in over 30 languages and identified with 28 software licenses.
CBDI Forum Limited merged with Everware, Inc.,
synopsis: Everware, Inc., a respected consulting firm specializing in Enterprise Architecture, Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) and service oriented solution delivery, and CBDI Forum Limited, the SOA research and practice development company, announced today they have completed the merger of the two companies to create Everware-CBDI, Inc.
buyer: Everware, Inc.
Everware-CBDI is the leading independent provider of full-lifecycle, Service Oriented Architecture-based research, education and consulting services to businesses and governments throughout North America and Europe. "
target: CBDI Forum Limited
CBDI Forum is the Everware-CBDI research capability and portal providing independent guidance on best practice in Service Oriented Architecture and engineering.
TechTarget, acquired TheServerSide.com
synopsis: Information technology (IT) media company TechTarget announced today that it has acquired TheServerSide Communities, including TheServerSide.com, the world's largest online community and information Web site for enterprise Java developers.
target: TheServerSide.com
TheServerSide.com is an online community for enterprise Java architects and developers, providing daily news, tech talk interviews with key industry figures, design patterns, discussion forums, satire, tutorials, and more. TheServerSide.com was launched in May 2000 and has become the largest indepe
RiseUp, acquired MENAbytes
synopsis: RiseUp, the Egyptian company behind MENA's largest startup and entrepreneurship event RiseUp Summit, has acquired MENAbytes, a leading online technology publication based in Saudi Arabia. MENAbytes covers tech and digital media stories from the Middle East and North Africa.
buyer: RiseUp
RiseUp is an Egyptian platform that connects startups to the most relevant resources worldwide. RiseUp aims to promote entrepreneurship through their range of digital and event products. Their most prominent event is RiseUp Summit, MENA's largest entrepreneurship event. "
target: MENAbytes
MENAbytes is a leading online technology publication based in Saudi Arabia. MENAbytes covers tech and digital media stories from the Middle East and North Africa. MENAbytes brings readers all the latest happenings, from startups to influencers, everything in tech and digital media from the region.
Clarion Events, Ltd., acquired Imago Techmedia Ltd.
synopsis: Imago Techmedia announces it has been acquired by Clarion Events, one of the most established independent events organisers in the UK. Founded in 2003, Imago Techmedia has successfully built a portfolio of industry leading technology events working in partnership with brands such as HP, Microsoft and Cisco.
buyer parent: Providence Equity Partners Inc.
buyer: Clarion Events, Ltd.
Clarion Events operates over 200 events in 35 countries from offices in the U.K., South Africa, U.S., Brazil, Germany, Singapore, U.A.E., Turkey, and the Netherlands. They serve as a platform to build businesses, enhance customer relationships and accelerate product awareness. "
target: Imago Techmedia Ltd.
A specialist technology events company, Imago Techmedia prides itself on keeping pace with trends as well as emerging and maturing technologies. Founded in 2003, the company has built a portfolio of industry leading technology events working in with brands such as HP, Microsoft and Cisco.
TechTarget, Inc., acquired eBizQ.net
synopsis: Technology media company TechTarget, Inc. announces the acquisition of ebizQ.net™, a leading website for business and information technology (IT) decision makers focused on Business Process Management (BPM) and Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA).
buyer: TechTarget, Inc. (TTGT:$198.84)
target: eBizQ.net
ebizQ is the definitive venue for business and IT professionals, vendors, and industry analysts with the need to exchange information on enterprise technologies, problems, and solutions. We focus on enterprise infrastructure including SOA, BPM, integration, Business Intelligence, SaaS, and security.
CMP Channel, acquired Vision Events International
synopsis: CMP Channel, the number one destination for technology vendors and marketers looking to reach the $390 billion solution provider channel, announced that it has acquired Vision Events(R), a division of Gartner, Inc., and a provider of specialized domestic and international face-to-face IT events.
buyer parent: United Business Media PLC
buyer: CMP Channel
Everything Channel is the global leader in Channel execution and serves as the one stop shop for Solution Providers and the hardware and software suppliers that engage with the indirect sales Channel, which drives 75 percent of all technology sales throughout the world. "
target parent: Gartner, Inc.
target: Vision Events International
Vision Events, a division of Gartner, Inc., is a leading producer of highly focused business events that bring Resellers and End Users together with leading and emerging Vendors in Private Boardroom Appointments to form strategic partnerships and secure new business in the technology sector.
CyberRisk Alliance, acquired InfoSec World Conference and Expo
synopsis: CyberRisk Alliance, a business intelligence company focused on the cybersecurity and information risk management marketplace, has acquired InfoSec World Conference and Expo, a top trade show for the information security industry. The seller was MIS Training Institute.
buyer parent: Growth Catalyst Partners
buyer: CyberRisk Alliance
CyberRisk Alliance invests in businesses serving the cybersecurity and information risk management marketplace. The company brings together leading brands and is comprised of a diversified portfolio of business information products. "
target parent: Boathouse Capital
target: InfoSec World Conference and Expo
For 25 years information security professionals have recognized InfoSec World Conference & Expo as "The Business of Security" conference. InfoSec World Conference and Expo is the industry's leading trade show, along with other cybersecurity events and services – collectively known as InfoSec World.
UBM TechWeb, acquired 4G World
synopsis: UBM TechWeb announced the acquisition of 4G World from Yankee Group. 4G World is the largest event in the world covering the entire ecosystem of 4G technologies and business models that power the mobile Internet industry and economy.
buyer parent: United Business Media Limited
buyer: UBM TechWeb
UBM TechWeb, the global leader in technology media and professional information, enables people and organizations to harness the transformative power of technology. Its three core business include: media solutions, marketing services and paid content. "
target parent: Alta Communications
target: 4G World
4G World is the largest event in the world covering the entire ecosystem of 4G technologies and business models that power the mobile Internet industry and economy. The event is to discuss, debate and evaluate the most important 4G topics, opportunities and solutions.
announced 11/19/2008 via
TechTarget, will acquire The Brian Madden Company
synopsis: Information technology media company TechTarget, Inc. announced the acquisition of The Brian Madden Company, the leading independent, website and conference to address the needs of IT decision makers on the topics of desktop virtualization, terminal services, and application virtualization.
target: The Brian Madden Company
The Brian Madden Commpany is a small independent industry analyst company. The company covers the "application delivery" segment of the IT industry, including Citrix, Terminal Server, thin client / server-based computing, and streaming markets.
closed 6/2/2008 via BtoBonline.com
TechInsights, acquired Embedded Systems Show
synopsis: TechInsights, a division of United Business Media, announced the acquisition of Embedded Systems Show, the U.K.'s largest forum for the embedded systems design industry, from EDA Exhibitions. The acquisition includes Embedded Systems Engineering.
buyer: TechInsights
TechInsights is a media, professional services and marketing services company that serves decision makers in the electronics industry –the Creators of Technology – and the suppliers that wish to connect with them and influence their product design decisions. "
target parent: Electronic Design Automation, Ltd.
target: Embedded Systems Show
Embedded Systems Show is the leading international calendar event for the electronic systems and software development communities in the UK.
WTWH Media, LLC, acquired TheRobotReport
synopsis: Business-to-Business publisher, WTWH Media, LLC announced it has acquired The Robot Report. Founded in 2008, The Robot Report gathers and reports industry news, tracks the business of robotics and has participated in the development of an index of robot industry stocks.
buyer: WTWH Media, LLC
WTWH Media LLC is an integrated b2b media company serving the design engineering, life sciences, electronics and renewable energy markets with more than 40 web sites, live & digital events, custom digital services and five print publications. "
target: TheRobotReport
Founded in 2008, The Robot Report gathers and reports industry news, tracks the business of robotics and has participated in the development of an index of robot industry stocks.
UGO Entertainment, acquired 1UP.com
synopsis: UGO Entertainment, a unit of Hearst Corp., announced that it will acquire 1UP.com, a premium brand and trusted site among hardcore gamers, and its associated properties including GameVideos.com, MyCheats.com and GameTab.com. The deal is structured as an asset purchase between UGO Entertainment and the Ziff Davis Games Group.
buyer parent: The Hearst Corporation
buyer: UGO Entertainment
UGO Entertainment's flagship website, UGO.com, and its owned and operated properties engage a massive audience of more than 40 million monthly unique visitors with a distinctive editorial voice and a passion for all things central to the Gamer lifestyle. "
target: 1UP.com
1UP.com is a website that provides videogame reviews, news, and features gaming-related blogs, social networking, clubs, and contests.
Diligent, acquired Insightia
synopsis: Diligent, the global leader in modern governance providing SaaS solutions across governance, risk, compliance and ESG, announced that it has acquired Insightia, a leading SaaS provider of expert insights and intelligent analytics for listed companies, with a focus on shareholder activism, proxy voting and corporate governance.
buyer parent: Insight Venture Partners
buyer: Diligent (NZSE:DIL:$94.01)
Diligent is the leading governance, risk and compliance (GRC) SaaS provider, serving more than one million users. Its modern GRC platform ensures boards, executives and other leaders have a holistic, integrated view of audit, risk, information security, ethics and compliance across the organization."
target: Insightia
Insightia is a leading SaaS provider of expert insights and intelligent analytics for listed companies, with a focus on shareholder activism, proxy voting and corporate governance.
Bullhorn, Inc, acquired Able Software Inc.
synopsis: Bullhorn, the cloud computing company that helps staffing and recruiting organizations transform their businesses, announced that it has acquired Able, a longstanding Bullhorn Marketplace partner and the provider of market-leading candidate engagement and onboarding solutions.
buyer: Bullhorn, Inc
Bullhorn is the global leader in Customer Relationship Management and operations software for the staffing industry. More than 10,000 companies rely on Bullhorn's cloud-based platform to power their staffing processes from start to finish. "
target: Able Software Inc.
Able allows recruiters to simplify and automate the onboarding processes that prevent new employees from getting to work, from the most straightforward to the diabolically complex, so they can do what they were hired to do sooner.
Recorded Future, acquired SecurityTrails, LLC
synopsis: With eyes firmly set on the booming attack surface management space, threat intel powerhouse Recorded Future has purchased SecurityTrails, a startup that helps organizations keep track of internet-facing assets. SecurityTrails is a total inventory that curates comprehensive domain and IP address data for users and applications that demand clarity.
buyer: Recorded Future
Recorded Future is the world's largest provider of intelligence for enterprise security. By combining persistent and pervasive automated data collection and analytics with human analysis, Recorded Future delivers intelligence that is timely, accurate, and actionable. "
target: SecurityTrails, LLC
SecurityTrails is a total inventory that curates comprehensive domain and IP address data for users and applications that demand clarity. By combining current and historic data of all Internet assets, SecurityTrails is the proven solution for 3rd-party risk assessment.
Redbrick, acquired Delivra
synopsis: Canada-based Redbrick has acquired Delivra, a provider of advanced email marketing automation, helping businesses engage in meaningful conversations with customers through email and SMS marketing strategies. The acquisition will allow Redbrick to extend its reach and step toward the goal of growing its offerings that empower digital entrepreneurs.
buyer: Redbrick
Based in Canada, Redbrick is a leading software analytics and distribution company. Founded in 2011, Redbrick has grown into one of the leading desktop software analytics and product companies, delivering data-driven insights and unparalleled expertise around user engagement. "
target: Delivra
Delivra is an email marketing software provider helping businesses execute effective multi-channel marketing campaigns. By helping businesses engage in meaningful conversations with customers through email and SMS, the Delivra software empowers organizations with tangible results.
InsightfulScience, acquired Protein Metrics, Inc.
synopsis: Insightful Science, the software company enabling the Cloud for scientific discovery, announced that it has completed the transaction to acquire Protein Metrics, Inc., a leading provider of biopharmaceutical protein characterization and proteomics analysis software.
buyer: InsightfulScience
Insightful Science is a life sciences software company that digitally connects researchers to their ideas and data. The company empowers life sciences researchers to plan effective experiments, connect with data, and extract insights so they can produce life-changing outcomes. "
target: Protein Metrics, Inc.
Protein Metrics is a provider of biopharmaceutical and proteomics analysis software. The company's software allows scientists to use data generated on analytical instruments like mass spectrometers to quickly identify and report protein sequences as well as any variations from the expected form.
CentralReach, acquired ABA Tools, LLC
synopsis: CentralReach, the leading provider of electronic medical record (EMR) software and services for ABA and related behavioral health providers, announced the acquisition of ABA Tools, the leading software provider of digital materials for applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy providers.
buyer: CentralReach
CentralReach is a leading provider of electronic health record (EHR) and practice management solutions that enable applied behavior analysis (ABA) clinicians and educators to produce superior outcomes for people with autism. They are revolutionizing the ABA space with cutting-edge solutions. "
target: ABA Tools, LLC
ABA Tools is the leading software provider of digital materials for applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy providers. Mapped directly to the ABLLS-R assessment, ABA Tools offers a diverse array of relevant images designed to promote verbal behavior in individuals with a developmental disability.
announced 12/1/2021 via BNC Analysis
Optimizely Inc., will acquire Welcome Software
synopsis: Digital experience platform Optimizely is set to acquire content marketing-focused company Welcome. Welcome was created when Industry Dive acquired Newscred's content services in October 2020, the remaining marketing management capabilities were rebranded. Welcome is a leading marketing orchestration platform.
buyer: Optimizely Inc.
Optimizely is on a mission to help people unlock their digital potential. With its leading digital experience platform (DXP), the company equips teams with the tools and insights they need to create and optimize in new and novel ways. "
target: Welcome Software
Welcome (formerly NewsCred) transforms how marketers run marketing. It is the leading marketing orchestration platform used by the world's most successful brands to strategically align teams, take the friction out of execution, and demonstrate meaningful results.
Reverence Capital Partners LLC, will acquire Ministry Brands
synopsis: Community Brands has signed a definitive agreement for Reverence Capital Partners, a New York-based investment firm, to make a majority investment in Ministry Brands, the country's leading SaaS provider for churches, parachurch ministries and other faith-based organizations in the United States.
buyer: Reverence Capital Partners LLC
Reverence Capital Partners is a private investment firm focused on thematic investing in leading global, middle-market financial services businesses through control and influence oriented investments. "
target: Ministry Brands
Ministry Brands is the country's leading SaaS provider for churches, parachurch ministries and other faith-based organizations in the United States. The company seeks to equip churches and faith-based organizations with cutting-edge software solutions.
InsightfulScience, acquired LabArchives, LLC
synopsis: Insightful Science, a life sciences software company, has acquired LabArchives, a widely used research data management application, serving 600,000 scientists in academic, non-profit and commercial organizations. The acquisition further solidifies Insightful Science's leadership position in both corporate and academic markets.
target: LabArchives, LLC
LabArchives is a suite of SaaS applications dedicated to better science used by more than 610,000 scientists to manage & protect research data, inventories & to manage resources. LabArchives products help scientists document their research data, prove and protect discovery, and collaborate securely.
Cheetah Digital merged with CM Group,
synopsis: CM Group, a portfolio of martech companies focused on multichannel digital marketing, announced its merger with Cheetah Digital under the CM Group name. Cheetah Digital is an independent enterprise cross-channel marketing technology company.
buyer: CM Group
CM Group is a family of global marketing technology brands, including Campaign Monitor, Emma, Vuture, Delivra, Liveclicker, Sailthru, and Selligent. By joining together these leading brands, CM Group offers a variety of world-class solutions that can be used by marketers at any level. "
target parent: Vector Capital
target: Cheetah Digital
Cheetah Digital is an independent enterprise cross-channel marketing technology company. Cheetah Digital provides technology and in-house professional services that marketers require to manage data they possess and to deliver on the complex channel execution to create lasting customer relationships.
Community Brands, acquired ParentApps
synopsis: Community Brands UK, a leading provider of cloud-based software and payments solutions for schools in the UK, has acquired Parentapps, an award-winning British education technology company. The acquisition bolsters Community Brands' leadership position in the industry and further illustrates its commitment to schools and their parents and students.
buyer: Community Brands
Community Brands is a purpose-driven company that delivers purpose-built solutions for nearly 100,000 leading associations, nonprofits, K-12 private schools and faith-based organizations worldwide to thrive and succeed. "
target: ParentApps
Parentapps is an award-winning education technology company based in Liverpool. Founded by two parents, Parentapps helps schools and nurseries streamline their communication, reduce costs, and build meaningful relationships with parents.
InsightfulScience, acquired De Novo Software, LLC
synopsis: Insightful Science, the software company enabling the Cloud for Scientific Discovery, announced that it has completed the transaction to acquire De Novo Software, the maker of FCS Express. FCS Express is the fastest-growing flow cytometry data analysis solution in the industry.
target: De Novo Software, LLC
De Novo Software is a leading provider of flow and image cytometry data analysis. Its primary product, FCS Express, is used by over 3,000 laboratories worldwide for research purposes, and many clinical laboratories for high-throughput clinical analysis.
FireMon, LLC, acquired DisruptOPS
synopsis: FireMon, the industry leader in network security policy management (NSPM), has acquired DisruptOps, a cloud security operations platform. DisruptOps provides real-time monitoring, distributed alerting, and automated response options to address security risks in cloud infrastructure.
buyer: FireMon, LLC
FireMon is a real-time network security policy management (NSPM) solution. FireMon delivers complete visibility and control across the entire IT landscape to automate policy changes, compliance, and minimize policy-related risk. "
target: DisruptOPS
DisruptOps is a cloud security operations platform. DisruptOps provides real-time monitoring, distributed alerting, and automated response options to address security risks in cloud infrastructure. Their platform enables DevOps teams to find & fix issues before they become incidents.
CivicPlus, acquired Municode
synopsis: CivicPlus, a gov tech company that builds websites and software for local government, has acquired Municode, which offers the only platform capable of seamlessly unifying your agendas, meetings, websites, and codes of ordinances for an improved civic experience regardless of the size of your local government.
buyer: CivicPlus
CivicPlus is a provider of integrated software solutions for local governments. CivicPlus delivers the industry's only Civic Experience Platform, enabling local governments to drive more revenue, operate more efficiently, and generate positive recognition for the many services they provide. "
target: Municode
Municode offers the only platform capable of seamlessly unifying your agendas, meetings, websites, and codes of ordinances for an improved civic experience regardless of the size of your local government.
Insight Venture Partners, Nordic Capital, acquired Inovalon, Inc.
synopsis: Inovalon, a leading provider of cloud-based platforms empowering data-driven healthcare, has been acquired by an equity consortium led by Nordic Capital, and joined by Insight Partners, as lead co-investor, 22C Capital, and founder Keith Dunleavy, M.D. and certain Class B stockholders of Inovalon.
Nordic Capital is a Swedish private equity investor with a commitment to creating stronger, sustainable businesses through operational improvement and transformative growth. Insight Partners is a leading global venture capital and private equity firm "
target: Inovalon, Inc. (INOV:$449.36)
Inovalon is a leading technology company that combines advanced cloud-based data analytics and data-driven intervention platforms to achieve meaningful insight and impact in clinical and quality outcomes, utilization, and financial performance across the healthcare landscape.
$6,412 [$7,307]
Diligent, acquired Accuvio
synopsis: Diligent Corporation, the global leader in SaaS governance, risk and compliance (GRC), has acquired Ireland-based Accuvio, a leading environmental, social, and governance (ESG) data aggregation and reporting software company. Together, Diligent and Accuvio will offer clients the most comprehensive ESG solution in the market.
target: Accuvio
Ireland-based Accuvio is the leading innovator in sustainability and corporate social responsibility data software solutions. Accuvio provides a single software solution that improves numerical and textual sustainability and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) data aggregation and reporting.
Litera Corp, will acquire Kira Inc.
synopsis: Litera, a global leader in legal technology solutions, will acquire Toronto-based Kira Systems, the industry leader in machine learning contract review and analysis software. Kira's technology will further Litera's mission to support law firms to improve client retention, increase margins, and enhance end-user happiness.
buyer parent: HgCapital
buyer: Litera Corp
Litera has been a global leader in legal technology for 25+ years, helping legal teams work more efficiently, accurately, and competitively. As a leader in document workflow, collaboration, and data management solutions, they empower legal teams with technology for managing all their data. "
target: Kira Inc.
Based in Canada, Kira Systems' technology is a powerful, award-winning software solution that excels at searching and analyzing contract and document text, helping the world's largest corporations and professional service firms uncover relevant information from their contracts and related documents.
Equifax, Inc., will acquire Appriss Insights
synopsis: Equifax® a global data, analytics and technology company has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Appriss Insights, a trusted and comprehensive source of risk and criminal justice intelligence. Appriss Insights was founded in 1994 with the creation of the VINE® network, a proprietary victim notification network.
Equifax is a global data, analytics, and technology company, they play an essential role in the global economy by helping financial institutions, companies, employees, and government agencies make critical decisions with greater confidence. "
target: Appriss Insights
Appriss Insights is a trusted and comprehensive source of risk and criminal justice intelligence. Appriss Insights was founded in 1994 with the creation of the VINE® network, a proprietary victim notification network that empowers victims with timely information regarding incarcerated persons.
Apax Partners, acquired EveryAction
synopsis: Apax has acquired EveryAction, a company that offers best-in-class digital, development, and organizing SaaS products, with a unified customer relationship management (CRM) platform that serves nonprofits of all sizes.
buyer: Apax Partners
Apax Partners is a leading global private equity advisory firm. The Apax Funds invest in companies across four global sectors of Tech & Telco, Services, Healthcare and Consumer. These funds provide long-term equity financing to build and strengthen world-class companies. "
target: EveryAction
EveryAction offers best-in-class digital, development, and organizing SaaS products, with a unified customer relationship management (CRM) platform that serves nonprofits of all sizes. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., EveryAction is fueled by passionate people who truly care about doing more good.
Bullhorn, Inc, acquired Sirenum
synopsis: Bullhorn, the cloud computing company that helps staffing and recruiting organizations transform their businesses, announced that it has acquired Sirenum, a provider of shift scheduling and workforce management solutions for enterprise staffing companies on Salesforce.
target: Sirenum
As a leading global provider of cloud-based workforce management technology, Sirenum provides transformational scheduling, monitoring, financial, and compliance technology to innovative employers, streamlining the management of hundreds of thousands of workers globally.
Valuesetters, will be merged with Netcapital
synopsis: ValueSetters, a publicly-traded boutique advisory firm with unique expertise in helping private companies raise capital over the internet, is to merge with Netcapital, a private securities platform that connects investors to entrepreneurs to help private companies grow.
Led by a team of professional investors, digital marketing experts, and technology specialists, ValueSetters is a publicly-traded boutique advisory firm with unique expertise in helping private companies raise capital over the internet. "
target: Netcapital
Netcapital is a private securities platform that connects investors to entrepreneurs to help private companies grow. Netcapital operates an investment portal that enables investors to set up an account online, browse information on private companies offering securities on the platform, and invest.
Ticker: TTGT
TechTarget, Inc.
TechTarget, Inc. is an online IT media related firm. It runs various online review sites, such as TechnologyGuide.com and ComputerWeekly.com, as well as enterprise IT sites with the "Search" prefix, including SearchStorage.com.
Ticker: YVR
Liquid Media Group Ltd.
Liquid Media Group is a vertically integrated global studio that produces content for all platforms. The group creates and delivers creative content for film, television, gaming and AR/VR through its network of shared services.
Ticker: TICC
TICC Capital Corp.
TICC Capital Corp. is a business development company primarily engaged in providing capital to technology-related companies in the following sectors: computer software and hardware, information technology infrastructure or services, internet, networking systems and diversified technology.
Ticker: AIM:MERC
Mercia Technologies PLC
Mercia is a national investment group focused on the funding and scaling of innovative businesses with high growth potential from the UK regions. Initially this is through Mercia's managed funds and then selectively scaling businesses through its own balance sheet capital.
Ticker: AIM:SWG
Shearwater Group plc
Shearwater Group is an AIM-listed company focused on building a UK based group providing digital resilience solutions. Their aim is to acquire and develop information security, cyber and cyber security companies with a leading product, solution or service capability.
Ticker: XTRA:M3B
Mic AG is an investment company based in Germany. Mic AG invests in medium-sized companies with disruptive technologies in the fields of optics, electronics, medicine and IT.
Ticker: BIT:LVEN
LVenture Group
LVenture Group is a holding company that invests in companies with high growth potential. They primarily focus on digital tech startups with global markets. Their business model is based on capital gains arising from the exit of portfolio startups, which is achieved through M&A or IPO operations.
Ticker: TSXV:MBO
Mobio Technologies Inc.
Mobio Technologies is the parent company of Strutta, a social promotions platform that helps marketers bring potential customers from stranger to fan to customer. Strutta's Promotions API provides a technology platform that facilitates social media competitions & campaigns for global brands.
Ticker: OTCPK:ADAC
Adama Technologies Corp.
Adama Technologies Corp. is a publicly traded venture capital company that owns, operates and invests in technology companies as well as startups and expansion companies. They employ an investment matrix that allows them to identify & select what they believe to be high growth, high yield companies.
Ticker: TSXV:SOR
Sora Capital Corp.
Sora Capital Corp. invests in emerging companies in the Software as a Service ("SaaS") sector of the technology industry. More specifically, companies with consumer facing products and services with revenue models, including subscriptions, transactional service fees and targeted advertising.
Ticker: DRGV
Dragon Capital Group Corporation
Dragon Capital Group Corp. is doing business in China through its subsidiaries. DRGV was established to serve as a conduit between Chinese high-growth companies and Western investors. DRGV functions as an incubator of high-tech companies in China.
Ticker: LSE:ALM
Allied Minds
Allied Minds plc is an IP commercialisation company focused on technology and life sciences. Allied Minds forms, funds, and operates a portfolio of companies with the objective of delivering successful liquidity events that will generate attractive long-term returns for its investors & stakeholders.
Ticker: CNSX:BZ30197
Fantasy 6 Sports Inc.
Fantasy 6 is a sports, entertainment and technology company which produces games, contests and other related products and experiences for fans around the world. Fantasy 6 Sports Inc. currently offers a wide variety of daily, weekly and season-long contests across multiple professional sports leagues
Ticker: ITT.V
LX Ventures Inc.
Mobio is the parent company to Strutta and Twenty Year Media. Strutta is a social promotions platform that helps marketers bring potential customers from stranger to fan to customer. Twenty Year Media is a media and technology company developing advanced technologies for the motion picture sector.
Ticker: TSXV:KUU
Kuuhubb
Kuuhubb is active in the digital space and focuses mainly on lifestyle and mobile video game applications. Its strategy is to create sustainable shareholder value through acquisitions of proven, yet underappreciated, assets with robust long-term growth potential.
Ticker: SHSE:600751
HNA Technology Co.,Ltd
HNA Technology Co., Ltd. formerly known as Tianjin Tianhai Investment Co., Ltd. is a Chinese holding company which specialized in marine transportation services. However, in recent years it was most known as the investment vehicle of HNA Group to acquire American company Ingram Micro.
Ticker: XTRA:BCK
Blockescence plc
Based in Malta, blockescence is a strategic investment holding company which focuses on a buy, build and sell strategy of fast-growing companies in consolidating TMT sectors. New technologies are proactively used to create USPs and efficiencies within the portfolio companies.
95fc396c-208f-4342-b1b0-8dda68a7b4db


text:
Lisa Heritage McLin: "I'm here to serve, to work hard, and create positive change."
An advocate for devoting your life to doing what you love, McLin uses her leadership position at Rackspace to inspire and guide women and Latinx colleagues in the tech space
Photo: Rachel Grahmann
By KC Esper
Talking to Lisa Heritage McLin is like talking to a childhood best friend. She's bright, inviting, expressive, and she always makes time in her busy schedule to talk, no matter the circumstance. But, above everything that McLin embodies, she's passionate.
At Rackspace, McLin stands as the vice president of North America channel sales and channel chief. Her position is the result of her ability to combine her tech-savvy knack for solving problems with her adroit proficiency for thriving in change over a seventeen-year tenure at Rackspace. Her passion shines through as she regards the dynamic nature of her job as an opportunity to learn—as she puts it, "Constant change provides constant education."
McLin's devotion to exploring and learning started at an early age. When McLin turned twelve, she told her parents she wanted to become an accountant. She liked connecting the dots of numbers-based problems, assessing a circumstance based on a set of data, and using her analysis to develop solutions.
She entered the accounting industry fully committed, her drive to work hard already deeply ingrained in her core values. McLin grew up on a ranch in Texas, witnessing the incredible work ethic her parents upheld, their unabashed and unceasing celebration of their heritage, and their commitment to serving every member of their community: God, family, and friends.
Throughout her life, she has held on to the instincts passed down to her, which center on the illuminating importance of pursuing personal passions while serving everyone who surrounds her. As she grew up, she developed a mantra that motivates her to carry on every day: "I'm here to serve, to work hard, and create positive change."
After dabbling as a staff accountant in the food industry, she discovered Rackspace, and an entirely new passion ignited. She enjoyed breaking away from the more static nature of the food-service business and moving toward the charismatic structure found within the technology field.
Within her tenure at Rackspace, she used her inherited work ethic to take on new challenges in different roles, moving from her starting position as staff accountant, eventually becoming vice president of sales, then landing in her current role after achieving several other promotions. Now, McLin focuses on building relationships with Rackspace's partners across the country to promote easier, more effective communication and business strategies.
"Lisa's passionate focus on problem solving and creating positive change shines through in her relationship with us," says Steve Hartofelis, the regional vice president of sales for Sigma Solutions, a partner of Rackspace. "Her amazing work ethic means she always gets the job done, making her one of our most trusted partners."
Her Causes
McLin's latest undertaking has been creating the Clouds Guide app, which seeks to further bring together Rackspace's network by sharing information about services, recommendations, and internal transformations. This unique app serves as a platform to strengthen the interconnectivity of each channel to advance as a unit, rather than independently. It also informs partners about the work Rackspace offers, helping expand their customer portfolio.
"The Clouds Guide app is entirely homegrown," McLin explains. "It will serve our partners by helping them uncover the best cloud recommendations for their customers and show them how they can use Rackspace to guide them through their digital transformation. It shows how we grow and work together and allows us to think about how we leverage global success."
After working for fifteen months to develop the app, Rackspace's engineers released it to its audience in early spring of 2019.
While McLin continues to help make positive change for Rackspace's business partners, she also devotes a large portion of her time and efforts to promoting women professionally. Within Rackspace, McLin is the executive sponsor for the Professional Organization for Women's Empowerment at Rackspace (POWER RRG) as well as the Women In Sales Elevated (WISE) group. Within these communities, McLin connects women of different ages, backgrounds, and professional expertise, encouraging them to advance in their careers by building connections. This project has become McLin's principal ambition, as it allows her to use her own success story to inspire others to work hard and accomplish their goals.
"Working to elevate the success of women is one of my greatest passions," McLin expounds. "I am a mentor to many women inside and outside Rackspace. I encourage them to apply to that next role, take on new projects, gain exposure to leadership, and learn how to rise above their fears to step into greatness."
McLin's efforts within Rackspace have encouraged prospective leaders to step out of their comfort zones, take on new responsibility, and gain exposure to executives.
In addition to working with Rackspace's women, she is also instrumental in Girls, Inc., a nonprofit organization that partners with Rackspace to teach girls entering high school about the benefits of working in STEM careers. The group brings together eighth and ninth graders who are aiming toward a science- or technology-based program and allows them to meet female leaders in different fields so they can gain a deeper understanding of the industry. Women who work in sales, marketing, coding, engineering, or administration show that tech involves a larger scope of interests beyond the industrial aspects of it.
"Technology and STEM fuel all other industries and will continue to lead transformations with new inventions—which is why we need women to enter the field and bring new diversity of thought and experiences."
Her Impact
McLin believes that empowering women through POWER RRG, WISE, and Girls, Inc. is vital to enhancing the future of the industry.
"Technology and STEM fuel all other industries," she says. "Just look at how big data has changed the healthcare industry, or how new applications have changed online shopping. STEM will continue to lead transformations with new inventions, which is why we need women to enter the field and bring new diversity of thought and experiences as we serve customers—men and women—from all industries impacted by technology."
Because of her efforts, McLin has also been selected to serve on the Girls, Inc. board so she can reach the younger generation of STEM professionals through her story.
McLin uses these platforms as a way to not only be a model for women, but also a model for Latinx professionals in any discipline. She relies heavily on the importance of, as she puts it, "staying true to our culture to build community and share what you have."
At Rackspace, she works with other leaders to bolster its diversity and inclusion functions by incorporating a variety of backgrounds into the makeup of the organization, then mentoring them to work at their highest potential once they're in place. With Rackspace based in San Antonio, Texas, McLin expresses that bringing more Latinos into the company will allow it to better support its community.
As she gains the opportunity to reach more Latinx employees, McLin treats everyone with the same amiability as she does her friends and family. She willingly spreads her time among her team to ensure that they are achieving their goals and guides them if they need help along the way.
"I am their go-to," she describes. "I am open and honest with all the Latinos that work here, so we can learn from each other. I share my story about how I became a leader to show that if you love what you do, you can be great at it. My guidance allows us to reach our dreams as a team—to say, 'Join me. I'm here to support you. Let's win together.'"
View the full list of 2019 Top 10 Líderes ⟶
Joe Dominguez has a bold vision, and knows the right culture to achieve it ⟶
Nominate a Top 10 Líder for 2020 ⟶
KC Esper September 12, 2019
Joe Dominguez: A Bold Vision + The Culture to Achieve It
Carlos Linares: An Agile Leader Driving Innovation
Elizabeth Nieto on Belonging in the Band at Spotify
Mara Giorgio Reinvents Herself at Airbnb
Léo Murgel Leans into New Opportunities
Refugio Fernandez Strikes a Balance
Hisplaining: When Artificial Intelligence Fails the Spanish Test
Alexandra Esparza Is Choosing Her Own Adventure

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Ever wonder why you feel off-center and don't know the reason? Don't worry — it's completely normal, and we've got the 411 on what's going on in that body of yours.
Their power isn't about how they exist on their own, it's about how they co-exist… together. Together, when they're in complete alignment, they create a powerhouse — a literal force of nature. The thing is, when they're out-of-sync for any reason at all, so are you. It's like when you're trying to play guitar, but there's that one string that could use some tuning that's messing up the entire melody. Same thing with your body — if there's one thing (or chakra) off, it affects you entirely. So what's this all mean, and how do you get back in line? That's easy. Chakras are resilient, so it doesn't take too much to nourish them.
How to know it's off: You find yourself getting too caught up in the little, less meaningful moments and things.
How to nourish it: Meditate and start opening yourself to connect deeply with everyone and everything.
How to know it's off: You find yourself being overly negative and can't seem to get out of your own way.
How to nourish it: Start a dream journal and surround yourself with positivity.
How to know it's off: You find yourself unable to speak your truth or stand up for yourself.
How to nourish it: Say what's on your mind… and sing, girl!
How to know it's off: You find yourself unable to let others in or hold healthy, long-lasting relationships.
How to nourish it: Open your soul to others or reconnect with friends or love lost.
How to know it's off: You find yourself distressed, easily agitated, or overtired.
How to nourish it: Laugh until your belly aches and get ample amounts of sunshine on your face.
How to know it's off: You find yourself feeling easily overwhelmed, jealous, and uninspired.
How to nourish it: Let yourself have fun and speak "I Am" affirmations to bring to light your blessings.
How to know it's off: You find yourself extra anxious or feel generally unsafe and unsettled.
How to nourish it: Go outside, plant your feet firmly on the ground, and breathe deeply — and seek wisdom of an older, trusted companion.
Bonus points for adding these charm bangles to your collection and wearing the one you feel needs the most nourishment.


I have entered a short iron fly position on JNJ.
I've decided to pass on UNH, reserving funds for later in the earnings season.
I first encountered hedge fund manager Ray Dalio at the outset of the Great Recession a decade ago, in the form of his 30-minute YouTube video How the Economic Machine Works. In it, Dalio presents an Economics 101 course in how economic downturns happen, the small ones of the business cycle and the big ones of an excess of debt.
It's a marvelous piece of work, and upon watching it, as our world crumbled about us, I christened him to myself as "The Great Simplifier", a tribute to his easy to understand style of presentation.
Dalio has returned to his economics tutoring, this time in book form. Big Debt Crisis elaborates on the theories he illustrated so long ago in the video. I'm reading the book now, and find it to be a masterwork of great clarity. From Dalio, of course, I would expect no less. I recommend the book to all traders. Like smart fish, we need to understand the water in which we swim. Dalio provides us with a map.
I have selection of five potential earnings plays on my desk as I greet the dawn, and have selected two as my best prospects: JNJ for pharmaceuticals and UNH for health insurance and other services.
I'm going with JNJ, since it has the higher implied volatility rank, 67. UNH is also acceptable, and I'll consider adding it but have not yet made a decision.
The remaining three possibilities are all financials, BLK, GS and MS, which I am passing on without further analysis, having already added financials to my risks this earnings season.


text:
Plane makes crash landing near Legendary Run Golf Course
No injuries reported in crash
Updated: 9:20 PM EDT Jul 5, 2015
Ben Petracco
Crews responded to a plane crash near Legendary Run Golf Course Sunday night.Authorities said no one was injured in the crash, and the pilot was able to get out of the plane under his own power.Officials said the plane was flying out of Clermont County Airport when it experienced engine trouble.The plane was flying over the golf course but the pilot said he didn't want to hit anyone, so he put it down in the backyard of a house near the course.The pilot was the only person in the private plane
Crews responded to a plane crash near Legendary Run Golf Course Sunday night.
Authorities said no one was injured in the crash, and the pilot was able to get out of the plane under his own power.
Officials said the plane was flying out of Clermont County Airport when it experienced engine trouble.
The plane was flying over the golf course but the pilot said he didn't want to hit anyone, so he put it down in the backyard of a house near the course.
The pilot was the only person in the private plane


Is Uzbekistan worth visiting? Reviews by OffHotels® Users.
Little known as a tourist destination, but splendid country, located on the 'Silk Route'. Easiest way to travel across country is by high-speed train Sapsan!
What's the energy & people of Uzbekistan like?


This is just a small update! Now you can filter drawings by name in the "find drawings" tool.
Do you have ideas for improving Bitsy? Post them here!
Got a bug? Let me know so I can fix it!
New to Bitsy? Need help? Post questions here.


text:
Veterinarian dedicated to changing lives in Nicaragua
Dr. Shelley Lenz uses training, medicine to empower impoverished region
Arizona to recognize out-of-state licenses for veterinarians
Regulators work to implement universal licensing law for all professionals
How a student-debt benefit nearly backfired
Tenacious veterinarian nets apology from loan servicer
Veterinary technician program shutters, marooning students
Vatterott College joins a growing list of failed for-profit career schools
Veterinary student business group seeks former members
Veterinary Business Management Association establishes alumni branch
AVMA Life might reinstate group medical insurance
Trump executive order opens door, but process is lengthy
What role does accreditor play in protecting students?
Q&A with CVTEA on veterinary-technology program closures
Abrupt Heritage College closure strands vet tech students
For-profit vocational schools failing in droves
Free workshops on business savvy in rural veterinary practice
Seats limited; applications due Dec. 31
'How could I get duped by these people?'
Veterinarian spurred to handle own debt repayments
Student borrowers susceptible to shady debt-relief pitches
Veterinarians among vulnerable population
Veterinarians rally for uprooted colleague
Somali practitioner-turned-refugee needs better prosthetic leg
Weak passwords persist despite recurring hacks
Breaches affect community of users, not only individuals
Affordable Care Act deadline approaches
Almost all employers must provide information to employees
When clinical practice doesn't fit
Veterinarians who have switched paths offer advice
What (not) to wear to a veterinary interview
Opinions vary about almost everything except flip-flops
GHLIT medical coverage faces uncertain future
Healthcare reform could kill program by 2014
Veterinarian recounts chaos incited by release of exotics
Ohio's exotic ownership laws under scrutiny
Veterinarians prone to suicide: fact or fiction?
Several studies suggest it's true, but research in U.S. spotty
From treating dogs to transporting tigers: A military veterinarian's duty
Life of military veterinarian is diverse
Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program gets off ground
First USDA awards go to 62 recipients
Click here to login Sexual harassment in veterinary medicine: Who cares?
By Lisa Wogan
Digital art by Tamara Rees
Sources: Adobe Stock/Jomkwan7/Ydefinitel
Soon after graduating from Michigan State University's veterinary program in 2002, Dr. Rachel Cezar was offered a job she really wanted. Her prospective boss took her to dinner to discuss the terms, and spent much of the time talking about how much he liked women. Cezar thought, "Oh my gosh, what is this man thinking is going to happen if I take this job?"
She declined the offer, thinking, "This guy is going to be weird with me. No way I'm dealing with that." To avoid similar situations in the future, her then-boyfriend suggested she switch from large animal medicine, which was dominated by men, to small animal medicine.
"No," she responded. "I'm going to push through it. I'm going to deal with these situations, brush them off and keep moving."
She did. Cezar continued working in large animal medicine, enduring and ignoring persistent, unwanted sexual overtures and inappropriate remarks. She is now a leader in a veterinary workplace where she is in a position to support and assist employees who might have sexual harassment complaints of their own.
VIN News Service contacted Cezar in her capacity as the immediate past president of the Women's Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative to learn what that organization is thinking about the issue of sexual harassment. Her personal story came up during the interview. It wasn't the only time a conversation about sexual harassment in the profession led to the revelation of a firsthand experience.
A commentary published by the VIN News in December by a veterinarian who said she was fired in 2015 after reporting sexual harassment by her boss sparked a robust discussion on a confidential message board of the Veterinary Information Network, an online community for the profession and parent of VIN News. The conversation ranged widely and included about a dozen additional revelations of harassment and assault in workplaces and academia.
With #MeToo and #TimesUp roiling industries from film, music and journalism to academics, the arts and government, and with veterinarians and veterinary staffers divulging their own stories, VIN News explored the profession's experience with sexual harassment. Are there veterinary-specific challenges to consider? Are big corporations or small businesses better at preventing or addressing harassment? Will the increasing numbers of women in the profession improve the outlook? Many answers are a muddle, but one thing is clear: No veterinary organization or large employer is grabbing the megaphone just yet.
How prevalent is the problem?
The VIN News Service contacted these companies to ask how they handle sexual harassment:
American Veterinary Group
Banfield Pet Hospital (owned by Mars)
BluePearl (owned by Mars)
Blue River PetCare
Companion Animal Practices North America
Heartland Veterinary Partners
Innovetive Petcare
Lakefield Veterinary Group
MedVet Medical & Cancer Centers for Pets
Mixed Animal Veterinary Associates North America
National Veterinary Associates
O'Brien Veterinary Management
Pathway Partners
Pet Partners (owned by Mars)
PetWell Partners
Southern Veterinary Partners
VCA (owned by Mars)
VetEvolve
VitalPet
Responded and provided information about sexual-harassment policies
Responded but did not provide information about sexual-harassment policies
Did not respond
Nationally, workplace sexual harassment is pervasive. An ABC News-Washington Post poll in October found that 54 percent of women in the United States report having experienced unwanted work-related sexual advances. A 2016 report from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) estimates that somewhere between 25 and 85 percent of women have dealt with workplace sexual harassment.
Instances of sexual harassment don't always involve male aggressors and female victims. Vox reported last fall, citing an EEOC statistic, that between 1990 and 2009, men reporting workplace sexual assault doubled to 16 percent of all claims. However, the dynamic of men sexually harassing women is far more commonly reported.
As for veterinary medicine in particular, it's impossible to say with assurance how many people are affected. AVMA officials did not respond to repeated inquiries over the course of several weeks for information about any research or initiatives on sexual harassment. A search of "sexual harassment" in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association returned one study on the subject: a 2000 survey of faculty at veterinary schools. The prevalence of sexual harassment among 478 respondents was 31 percent, with "offensive sexual comments" and "unwanted attention" cited as the most common forms.
In December, VIN polled members on the topic of sexual harassment. Of 2,310 veterinarians who responded, 43 percent reported that they had witnessed or experienced sexual assault or harassment while at work or in school. The unscientific results suggest that veterinary medicine is in the ballpark with national trends.
The National Association of Veterinary Technicians (NAVTA), which represents veterinary support staff, has not surveyed its members to determine the prevalence of sexual harassment and/or assault. In January, the organization voted to establish a wellness task force. Its job is to develop a self-care program to improve work-life balance, reduce compassion fatigue, and better the physical and financial health of veterinary technicians/nurses and team members. Sexual harassment will be one of the areas of focus for the task force, according to Mary Berg, a registered veterinary technician who is leading the effort.
Are there veterinary-specific challenges to consider?
A profession or industry can have distinctive challenges to curbing sexual harassment. For example, in male-dominated industries such as technology and construction, a boy's-club culture can cause women to be treated like intruders, reportedly creating workplaces rife with sexism and harassment.
Among those who talk about reasons that sexual harassment persists in veterinary medicine, a couple of factors rise to the surface: intimacy is inherent in the traditional model of small, owner-operated clinics; and the act of handling animals requires veterinarians and staff to work in close physical proximity.
"Veterinary practices often have a small-business, family-type culture, where personal issues are shared, jokes are prevalent, and the unprofessional release of stress through anger or other means is sometimes tolerated," said Dr. Karen Parker, director of marketing for Innovetive Petcare Inc., a Texas-based company that owns and operates 12 veterinary practices and employs 250 people. "In the casual camaraderie of a veterinary practice, it can sometimes be difficult to tell when a line is crossed."
That was the case for an associate veterinarian at an independent clinic on the East Coast who asked not to be identified due to concerns that doing so might create problems for her at work.
In an interview with VIN News, she recounted an incident last fall where a pornographic image of a woman was posted near the practice's rear entrance. She reported it to one of the practice owners, and the image was removed. There were no follow-up conversations, consequences or apologies, she said.
"One of the part-time vets was also quite offended," she recalled. "She had once had her own clinic, and said that would have been a 'firing offense.' " The veterinarian doesn't expect any more such antics at her workplace but still feels bad about it and thinks she is viewed as a "bad sport" for complaining.
Parker of Innovetive, who previously worked as an associate veterinarian in small animal practice for five years and was a relief veterinarian for 10, noted that many practices are run by married couples or have family members working together, and employ dating couples or those interested in pursuing relationships. "In a culture where you can't eliminate personal relationships at work and with small staff sizes increasing the odds of one member of a couple being in a position of authority, there is an increased risk of gray areas and nuance to interactions," Parker said.
Dr. Melanie Butera, a practice owner in Ohio, would agree. Prior to opening her practice, Butera ran emergency clinics owned by others. During that time, she witnessed surprising interoffice hijinks, usually involving veterinarians engaged in relationships with technicians, extramarital and otherwise. Inappropriate or not, she pointed out that personal relationships in the workplace create an appearance of favoritism. It's a sense that "people who aren't sleeping with the boss aren't getting the perks," she said.
Even absent relationships or unwanted sexual overtures, many clinic cultures tend to be informal and jokey, which can lead to questionable interactions. Jade Velasquez, a licensed veterinary technician in Washington, described how the physical demands of the job can lead to uneasy situations.
"I like my own personal space but I've had to learn in vet med, you're going to work really closely with people," Velasquez said. "A lot of times, maybe you accidentally brush up against someone or a hand goes somewhere; it's not intentional. A lot of times, that can create humor to kind of deal with an awkward situation but that humor can also get out of hand to the point that it makes people uncomfortable."
Velasquez has read plenty of reports of bad behavior in clinics on Veterinary Support Staff Unleashed, a 10,000-plus member Facebook group she started a few years ago. She said, "I've heard a lot of people say, 'We're a very open clinic and we make jokes.' And I think that's a wonderful thing, but what it really comes down to is, is the behavior unwanted? We need to really look at, is our clinic being professional? We have to say, 'One comment, that just sets the precedent for another comment.' "
Can big corporations do a better job curbing sexual harassment?
How veterinary schools
address the issue
In 1972, Congress passed Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities operated by recipients of federal financing. Sexual harassment — which includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature, as well as sexual violence — is a form of discrimination prohibited by the law.
Even so, it happens. Veterinarians have recounted their experiences on the Veterinary Information Network and interviews with VIN News, sharing how they've been sexually harassed while in school, by fellow students, mentors and professors. There also have been news reports in recent years of professors of veterinary medicine losing tenured posts because of sexual harassment.
A University of Florida veterinary school professor pleaded guilty in 2013 to voyeurism charges for using a video camera in a pen to view and record student bodies. Oregon State University fired a tenured professor of toxicology from its veterinary college last year over allegations of sexual harassment and bullying. The professor, who's been employed by the university since 1977, is appealing his termination. The case is scheduled for a hearing on Feb. 22.
VIN News contacted the 30 U.S.-based veterinary programs about their sexual harassment policies and curricula. Sixteen responded. Cornell University, Kansas State University, Louisiana State University, Michigan State University, Oklahoma State University, Purdue University, Tuskegee University, University of Missouri and the University of Wisconsin cited university-wide commitment to harassment awareness, including mandatory training and online resources.
In addition, some veterinary schools reported augmenting university policies with veterinary-specific programs or shifts in the approach to training. While the topic of sexual harassment has been under heavy examination in recent months by mainstream media, some in veterinary academia have been talking about it for years.
About 10 years ago, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University began addressing sexual harassment in several of its lectures and discussions, including in its two-day new-student orientation, and in Veterinary Communication and Veterinary Ethics, which are required courses.
For about seven years, Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine has included the topic of sexual harassment and what constitutes consent in its mandatory Freshman Seminar Series.
Since 2012, all incoming students at Tufts University have received a 75-minute in-person mandatory training session with the Office of Equal Opportunity, walking through reporting and resources on sexual misconduct. Faculty and staff are required to attend a three-hour in-person training. By contrast, a Tufts spokesperson said, "Most universities require only online training for sexual harassment prevention."
In 2015, the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine began requiring all year-one students to attend a two-hour session on sexual violence as part of its Profession and Clinical Skills course.
In 2016, Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine enacted the Green Dot College Prevention Strategy. The 8-year-old program trains individuals to act against sexual harassment in everyday situations. Acts might involve calling out a friend for telling a sexist joke, or intervening non-confrontationally when someone is drunk at a party and may be in a potentially dangerous situation. Sometimes called "bystander training," this approach is gaining traction, as research casts doubt on sexual harassment training developed in the 1980s and 1990s.
During the 2016-17 academic year, sexual harassment training became mandatory at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. In addition, lectures on professionalism include vignettes that might include a sexual-harassment scenario.
This spring, the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine will begin incorporating sexual harassment awareness and training in professional development courses taught to first- and second-year students, a spokesperson said.
Small, independent veterinarian-owned and -operated practices still constitute the majority of practices in the United States but their numbers are diminishing as large corporate practice chains and practice groups rapidly expand. With formal policies, training programs and human resources in place, major corporations are in a position to police workplace sexual harassment. Whether they're doing so is unclear.
VIN News contacted 24 companies to request information on their sexual harassment policies. Fifteen responded; only six answered questions.
Through a Banfield Pet Hospital spokesperson, Mars Inc., the largest owner of veterinary practices in the world, provided a statement that reads in part: "The health, safety and well-being of associates is a top priority for all Mars-owned veterinary practices, and we have a zero-tolerance policy as it relates to harassment of any kind." Mars owns Banfield, BluePearl, Pet Partners and VCA, encompassing more than 2,000 practices mostly in the U.S. and Canada. It also owns Antech, a major veterinary laboratory, and other veterinary-service companies.
As a condition of employment, Banfield, BluePearl, Pet Partners and VCA require employees to complete trainings on harassment and discrimination policies and prevention, the statement said. Anyone subject to or witnessing harassment is "strongly encouraged" to report it following the practice's Anti-Harassment Procedures. VIN News requested but was not provided a copy of them.
Only Parker at Innovetive Petcare and Diana Byrne, director of marketing and employee engagement at VetCor, a practice consolidator based in Massachusetts, responded with detail.
"There is a regrettably high incidence of sexual harassment in our society and we recognize that the veterinary profession is not immune," Parker said. "We work hard to create a culture where team members are respected and our team is comfortable reporting instances of concern."
While her company does not provide sexual harassment training, all new hires are required to read the employee handbook, which includes a two-page policy on harassment. She said that responsiveness and enforcement are emphasized to managers.
She also suggests that when it comes to policing harassment, multi-clinic owners and larger corporations may have the advantage over independent clinics. "If the owner of an independent clinic is involved or unresponsive, employees have no recourse unless the harassment meets a criminal standard. Employees may have to leave their positions to escape the harassment," Parker said, adding that Innovetive Petcare requires employees to report concerns additionally to the home office. "Consequently, should someone in a position of local power be involved, team members have other people in greater positions of power to respond."
VetCor uses a third-party hotline enabling employees to anonymously report bad behavior, including sexual harassment. "It came about as we scaled up in size," Byrne said. In use for about seven years, hotline contact information (phone, fax and email) is posted in break rooms at company headquarters and in VetCor's 254 hospitals. Response to a verified incident of sexual harassment, Byrne says, is immediate and could entail firing the offender. "Sexual harassment is not anything anyone here thinks is OK," she said. Byrne was unable to say how many reports the company has received through the hotline.
The company has not made substantial changes to its anti-harassment policy over the course of its 20 years in business. "Because we've always been so zero-tolerance, it's not like we needed to step up our game," Byrne said. She added that the policy is regularly reviewed by outside experts.
Boston-based employment attorney Rebecca Pontikes points out that the best policies are only as effective as the people who enforce them.
"[Large corporations] are more likely to have policies that are written down," said Pontikes, a sexual harassment expert who views the issue through the lens of her employee clients. "They are more likely to have HR departments. They are more likely to have people that are well-versed in what the law says and what's prohibited than a small mom-and-pop veterinary organization. That's not necessarily to say that that gives an advantage in protections or an advantage in receptivity to complaints or anything like that."
Pontikes, who has represented veterinarians in the past, continued: "A mom-and-pop organization may have a culture of not tolerating bad, lewd behavior that enforces itself a lot better than a large corporate entity with all these lovely policies, but your particular manager doesn't really care and lets a boys-will-be-boys culture permeate the particular location."
When she talks about responsive leadership in small practices, she could be referring to someone such as Butera, a one-woman no-tolerance zone.
Butera remembers only one serious complaint of groping and sexual comments in her 30 years in veterinary medicine. They were made against a newly hired veterinarian at an emergency clinic she ran before starting her own. "When it happened, the tech walked off her shift and called me from the pay phone across the street (before cellphone days) to apologize that she was quitting because of him," Butera wrote on a VIN message board. " 'Whoa! Wait a minute,' I told her. 'I don't put up with that BS. Meet me there in a half hour.' " Talking about the experience to VIN News, Butera said she and her husband immediately confronted the veterinarian and threw him out.
But Butera is only one person. As many victims of harassment know, the person in charge or taking complaints might be the harasser or the spouse of the harasser.
Often at large corporations, enforcing sexual harassment policies falls to the human resources department, which may not be an independent arbiter.
"The reality is, HR organizations aren't generally as independent as they're portrayed to be," Pontikes said. "They are in service to the company. So, when they do an investigation, it is equally as likely to be a means of providing a defense of the company in court as it is to be a means of actually eradicating the problem."
Moreover, reporting harassment — with or without a reporting system in place — isn't the norm. According to the EEOC, the majority of those harassed or assaulted at work don't make a complaint. And with good reason. As Harvard Business Review reported last fall, "several large-scale surveys show, people who file harassment complaints are much more likely to lose their jobs than people who experience similar levels of harassment and say nothing."
Said Velasquez, the veterinary technician: "[Reporting it] sounds fine and dandy … but it's one of those things, like OK, but how do I go about that without actually losing my job?"
The arbitration wrinkle
A potential downside to ever-larger companies moving into veterinary medicine is that large companies tend to favor mandatory arbitration agreements. These agreements require employees, as a condition of employment, to submit any complaints to an arbitrator rather than going to civil court, and to keep the results confidential. This could be a serious setback for anti-sexual harassment efforts, in part because lawyers working on a contingency fee are less likely to represent employees in arbitration because the potential settlements and award payouts generally are less than in court.
In addition, systemic change is undermined by keeping claims secret. "If you don't know that it's happened at a company, there's no reason for them to clean up their act," Pontikes said.
Susan Fowler, a former software engineer at Uber, was unable to sue that company or be part of a class action suit due to an arbitration agreement she had signed. When Uber's HR team and upper management failed to help her, she called out the toxic work environment in a blog post that shook the tech world.
Arbitration agreements have been growing in corporate America over the past couple of decades. The Economic Policy Institute, a think tank in Washington D.C., estimates that 60 million American workers currently are subject to these agreements, almost a quarter of the workforce.
VIN News could not determine if any of the major players in veterinary medicine require arbitration. Parker at Innovetive Petcare and Byrne at VetCor said their companies do not. The Banfield representative declined to answer when asked whether employees of Mars-owned veterinary practices are required to sign arbitration agreements. No other companies VIN News contacted addressed this question.
In December, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced legislation to ban forced arbitration in sexual harassment and discrimination cases. The bill is in committee in both the House and Senate.
Will women save themselves?
Multiple studies show that hiring and promoting women does more to reduce sexual harassment than policies and training. This could bode well for veterinary medicine. JAVMA reports that women now hold more than half of all veterinarian jobs, and the female demographic is projected to reach upwards of 70 percent by 2030.
But there is an important caveat: To make a difference, women need to be in positions of power. As Harvard Business Review reports, research shows "harassment flourishes in workplaces where men dominate in management and women have little power."
Among the 24 multi-practice veterinary companies VIN News contacted for this story, only one, Lakefield Veterinary Group, has a CEO/president who is a woman (judging from information on the companies' websites). Meanwhile, NAVTA's membership, which is comprised mostly of veterinary technicians and assistants, is 95 percent female.
Women also are underrepresented in professional organizations such as the AVMA, where only six (or 33 percent) of 18 board of directors positions are held by women.
Additionally, in U.S. veterinary schools, where women constitute about 80 percent of students, only 37.2 percent of tenured/tenure track positions are filled by women, according to the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges. (See "How veterinary schools address the issue.")
Cezar of the Women's Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative hopes to change that. The goal of her group, which was started in 2013, is to improve the representation of women in organizations such as the AVMA.
The Initiative offers continuing education at conferences and networking events aimed at helping women succeed in veterinary medicine and take leadership roles. The sessions are geared toward how to open your own practice, building confidence, learning how to negotiate, and dealing with imposter syndrome — the feeling that you don't deserve your success. Networking events aim to be an alternative to the golf course, a place where women encourage each other and provide advice on getting involved in professional organizations.
According to Cezar, the group does not specifically address sexual harassment and assault in its efforts, even though these issues affect and are affected by their goals. For example, Cezar believes women might be less eager to serve on boards that are loaded with men out of concern that they'll just have to put up with more bad behavior. Conversely, she also worries that men concerned about getting into trouble in this #TimesUp era may avoid mentoring women, creating new challenges for women.
She doesn't believe that a group focusing on women's leadership needs to focus on sexual harassment. "I understand we may all go through unwanted harassment," Cezar said. "[You] need to know how to persevere and keep pushing forward and knowing your self-worth, because someone is always going to try to steal your glory ... and that is regardless, man or woman."


Looking for a fun dessert you can make for Valentine's Day? If so – try these mini Ombre cakes.
different colored mini layers of cake! While these may look fancy, the good news is that they require easy to find, inexpensive ingredients and equipment.
Pour one color onto one half of a pan. Pour another onto the other half. Spread until they meet at the middle, as pictured above.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until cooked through and cake starts to pull away from edges. Allow them to cool completely.
While you're waiting for your cakes to cool, you can get started on the frosting! In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), whip butter for 2 minutes.
Now that your cakes are cooled, you can use a cookie cutter to cut circles out of each color. As a note here, the amount of cakes you will get is going to depend on the size of the pan and the size of the cookie cutter you use.
To assemble your cakes, place the darkest color down on a plate and evenly spread a little frosting.
If you give these a try, I'd love to know how they turn out for you and what you think! And, make sure to check out my Recipe page and follow me on Pinterest for even more delicious ideas!


text:
Free Legal Consultations Available 24/7
Chris Davis, Attorney
DLG Advantage
Media Relations for Clients
Dog Bites & Animal Attacks
Television & Radio Interviews
Newspaper & Magazine Interviews
Free Accident Books
Davis Law Group Blog
Chipotle Employee Taken to Hospital after Being Attacked by Customer
Updated on: 6/5/2018
An employee at a Seattle-area Chipotle restaurant was hospitalized Wednesday evening after a customer attacked him with a glass bottle of hot sauce.
You read that right: a glass bottle of hot sauce.
Witnesses to this bizarre incident at Third Avenue and Pike Street in downtown Seattle say a customer was leaving the restaurant at approximately 7:30 p.m. Wednesday when an employee wished the customer a good evening.
This apparently upset the customer, who immediately grabbed a glass bottle of hot sauce off the nearest table and bashed the employee in the face with it. The attack left lacerated the man's face according to police reports about the incident, and the employee was taken to a nearby hospital to receive stitches.
Police Locate, Arrest Hot Sauce Attacker
The alleged attacker immediately fled the restaurant on foot and bystanders who witnessed the incident called 911 to report his location to authorities. Police told reporters that they found the man shortly after, and that he was reportedly easy to identify because his clothes were covered in hot sauce and he was bleeding from his hand.
Medical personnel responded to the scene and treated the attacker for his hand injuries, and he was taken to King County Jail shortly afterwards where he was booked on assault charges. The victim was treated at an area hospital and received stitches for the injuries to his face, and there was no additional information regarding the extent of his injuries or his condition at the hospital.
There was no word on whether the attacker was upset because he had a negative experience at this particular Chipotle location. The restaurant boasts a 4.2-out-of-5 rating on Yelp.com and also has numerous positive reviews from customers. However, one disgruntled customer who was unhappy that he did not receive salad dressing on one occasion did leave this message on the restaurant's Google+ page:
There was no word on whether or not "Robert" was the name of the suspect who was taken into custody.
I am pretty sure that you meant to write "alleged attacker covered in..."
by Dave Barnes October 17, 2013 at 05:46 PM
Fill out this CONFIDENTIAL form or call 206-727-4000.
Please Tell Us About Your Case *
The Original Washington Accident Books
The Ten Biggest Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Washington Accident CaseOrder Free Book
Posted on 08/02/2014Difficulties Diagnosing Trigeminal Neuralgia, or "The Suicide Disease"
Posted on 10/16/2013Chipotle Employee Hospitalized after Customer Attack
Posted on 07/23/2013How Often Do Dog Bite Victims Need Facial Reconstructive Surgery?
Davis Law Group, P.S. 2101 4th Ave, #1030
Seattle, WA 98121 Phone: 206-727-4000 Toll Free: 877-812-0613 Fax: (206) 727-4001 Office Hours: 24 hours/day. 7 days/week. Office Info Get Directions
©2019 Davis Law Group, P.S., All Rights Reserved, Reproduced with Permission Privacy Policy
Website Built by Foster Web Marketing Website Powered By Dynamic Self-Syndication (DSS™) Site Map DSS Login
The Davis Law Group name and logo are trademarks of Davis Law Group, P.S. Washington Accident Books™, Washington Accident Guides™, and Washington Accident Reports™ are trademarks of Davis Law Group, P.S. *Davis Law Group has been named Best Injury Law Firm in Washington State by AI Legal Awards and Best Personal Injury Law Firm in Washington State by AI Dispute Resolution Awards both awarded by AI Global Media, publishers of Acquisition International Magazine.


Patients are becoming increasingly significant drivers in the evolution of healthcare delivery thanks to easy access to a wealth of online information about the quality and performance of healthcare providers.
As healthcare consumers, patients have choices. They look to their peers and online communities such as Smart Patients to gather facts and decide which healthcare facility is right for them based on their needs.
Convenience, cost of procedure/exam and reputation of the staff and facility all play a factor in their decision making.
One area that is highly competitive for patient choice is mammography. Although not considered a "money maker" due to low reimbursement, it is a valuable department within healthcare.
Many mammography centers are affiliates with a hospital, and if a patient has a great experience and feels cared for during her annual mammogram, as the family's "Chief Health Officer," she will most likely choose that healthcare system for her loved one's care.
And, in the unfortunate event of a diagnosis of breast cancer, she will likely choose to have the remainder of her treatments toward recovery within the same system where she feels cared for.
As a result, many mammography centers look to positively impact the patient's experience. From spa-like environments to offering non-breast imaging services such as bone densitometry, to special ladies nights with massage therapists on hand to offering warm robes or a cover for the receptor plate.
In a research project initiated by Beekley Medical®, 179 women shared thoughts in the mammo diaries.
1) I can be very tense when I arrive for my mammogram. A pleasant greeting from a competent receptionist will help me begin to relax.
The first few minutes of a woman's mammography appointment can be critical. The mammography experience begins when the patient walks in the door. It's the kind of greeting they get from the receptionist. It's about how long they wait until called in for their exam.
A study gauging wait times and satisfaction determined that longer wait times not only negatively impact the patient's experience, but it also affects their perception of the overall treatment provided.
2) Given my personal history, I'm expecting that the technologist is well acquainted with my file, my past exam results. But this is not always the case.
The only case history that is important to the patient is their own. Every patient comes to the mammogram with a unique personal history.
For some, every detail of that history is vivid and its significance is overstated. They may have experienced a false-positive (12.3% of mammograms result in false-positives), discovered a lump (8 in 10 women who find a lump don't have breast cancer), have family history or genetic testing, or have had / been diagnosed with breast cancer.
3) Some technologists are totally focused on conducting the exam and don't say a word. It reminds me of the seriousness of the exam and the bad outcomes that might result. The silence gets me wondering… what does she see that she doesn't want to talk about.
Pleasant conversation is one of the best tools to relax patients. They are reassured by any interest the technologist shows in them personally, whether it be talking through the steps of the exam or chatting about some topic currently in the news.
A technologist's tone of speech, facial expressions, and body language all contribute to the rapport with the patient.
4) Sometimes I feel the technologist just going through the motions, so much so that she hardly notices I'm there. I guess she's on some kind of schedule…and I'm just another patient to get in and get out. I don't like the way that feels.
Patients feel they should get the undivided attention of the technologist. Although imaging centers are under pressure to maximize throughput, this requirement should never become apparent to the patient. They often assume their technologists share this perspective.
Offering patient-centered care with a focus on individual needs in their health care journey can make the patient feel a "one team" approach.
5) The last mammogram I had was right after I left work, at about 4:30. There was a bit of traffic on the way, so I felt rushed and I was tired after a hard day. When I arrived at the radiology center the receptionist and the technologist looked as burned out as I felt. Not very reassuring!
Extended hours are only a plus if people on duty at the end of their shift still look energized. The technologist's day can be long and exhausting, but the last patient of the day will require as much care and attention as the one whose mammogram was at 8:00 AM.
Ways to help staff stay energized after a long day include making breaks count and being wise with caffeine and energy drinks.
6) I usually show up for my mammograms tight and tense. One technologist that did my mammogram about two years ago had such a cheerful and infectious personality that I found myself chatting with her in no time at all. It really made a huge difference in my outlook.
An upbeat attitude is contagious and can instill hope and calm. A very large percent of women arrive for their mammogram in a very tense state of mind. Anything that helps them to relax is very much appreciated.
7) I had a great experience the last time I went to the hospital for my mammogram. The staff was so considerate and the room I waited in for my exam was so pleasant I was actually beginning to feel good about it! I'm thinking I should schedule my family's exams at this hospital when possible.
A satisfied customer can produce new business almost immediately. 80% of healthcare decisions are women making them for their family's care. This has very important implications for facilities offering multiple services.
8) My last mammogram was my best ever. I picked the center knowing it had tomosynthesis, but when I got there (wow!) the waiting room had a fireplace and flavored tea similar to a spa so I felt relaxed! I just had to share it with my friends. I knew they would want the same experience.
Friends tell friends about experiences with doctors and other professionals. When it's positive, it is a powerful referral; when negative, it could mean lost business.
In a research letter published in the Feb, 2014 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, the authors surveyed a nationally representative sample of the US population and found when selecting a physician, 85% rank it somewhat or very important to get input from friends and family.
Social media also plays a significant role, with websites such as Word of Mouth Mammogram E-Network. Since imaging centers typically see their patients once a year, it is essential to make a positive impression when a woman comes in for her mammogram.
9) The imaging center I go to for my mammogram is run very professionally, but I can't help notice the worn furniture and the old magazines.
Imagine you're a first time patient coming into your facility. Would you be impressed? Indifferent? Turned off? Cutting costs may appear to be a good way to increase profitability, but not if they result in lost customers. Some small things can make a big impression, positive or negative…a cloth robe that offers comfort or a worn carpet that suggests neglect.
Patients comment on wait times and room ambience on physician rating websites more frequently than they rate the doctors' clinical skills.
10) The breast care facility I now go to for my mammogram is very good at telling me the results of my exam, the same day usually. This is a comfort; not to be left hanging, wondering.
In the world of mammography fast reporting of results is very important and very much appreciated. All patients have grown accustomed to very fast turnarounds in all aspects of their daily lives. They expect no less when it comes to something as important as their annual mammogram.
In fact, one facility shared that same-day work up has helped the breast imaging program obtain the highest patient satisfaction rankings within all the clinics in their healthcare system.
Removes the Chill: Based on interviews with Bella Blankets® customers, it helps with patient comfort by removing the chill when their breast is placed on the receptor plate. This is the second most common complaint from patients -- that the equipment is cold. The first complaint is compression of course!
Helps Reduce Skin Tears: In my last blog that focused on skin tears, it was evident by reading patient message boards that a patient experiencing a tear can negatively affect not only her experience, but may influence her decision to go back.
Quality of Care with More Breast Tissue: Patients are demanding smarter care. Smarter care is about the use of actionable health information to drive meaningful outcomes and improve a person's health status. Many patients come prepared to their mammogram - asking if they will be offered a 3D mammogram or if they have dense breasts. Websites, such as RadiologyInfo.org have pages dedicated to breast imaging that explain breast cancer screening. Imagine how pleased your patient will be to know that you are offering her the best clinical exam.
Offers the Patient an Added Level of Protection: Although equipment is cleaned between patients, protective coverlets help reduce exposure to the previous patient's skin, which is appreciated by the patient.
Patients may not necessarily remember what product was used on the receptor plate during their mammogram; they just know something was used and they remember how they felt cared for and nurtured by the experience.
It is only a matter of time before Medicare starts to incentivizing on patient satisfaction scores in radiology. I hope you can set some of these helpful hints in place now for potential reimbursements tomorrow.