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The National Infusion Center Association (NICA) is now a trade association.

AUSTIN, TEXAS (PRWEB) OCTOBER 19, 2020
Since 2010, the National Infusion Center Association (NICA) has been the leading voice for access to infusion therapies. Today marks a historic day for provider-administered medication stakeholders as NICA is now a trade association that will serve as the national voice for non-hospital, community-based infusion providers that constitute a safe, more efficient, and more cost-effective alternative to hospital care settings.
The trade group's efforts will focus on delivery channel sustainability and expansion, buy-and-bill protection, maintaining net positive reimbursement, improving treatment adherence, and promoting patient safety and care quality.
NICA supports policies that improve drug affordability for beneficiaries, increase price transparency, reduce disparities in quality of care and safety across care settings, and enable care delivery in the highest-quality, lowest-cost care setting.
Ultimately, NICA's goal is to optimize health outcomes and quality of life among the nation's most vulnerable patient populations while reducing patient out-of-pocket costs, reducing waste, and bringing tremendous value to patients, Medicare, and commercial insurers.
"Patients requiring medical benefits drugs rely on affordable access to care to optimize their health, maximize their quality of life, and minimize the physical, emotional, and economic burdens of disease. Our nation's community-based infusion centers represent a critical delivery channel in which patients can receive the high-quality care they need in a safe environment at a fraction of the cost of hospitals," says President and CEO, Brian Nyquist, on behalf of the organization.
NICA's public charity has become the Infusion Access Foundation (IAF), an inclusive community dedicated to patient empowerment, education, and advocacy. IAF will work tirelessly to ensure that patients have access to provider-administered therapies for any and all complex illnesses by creating an inclusive community through which patients can share their stories, educate and empower themselves and others, connect with other patients, and amplify the collective patient voice to collaboratively drive change. Together, for treatment.
Both organizations will collaborate to tackle access challenges through targeted approaches that best fit their stakeholder needs.
To learn more about the National Infusion Center Association, visit infusioncenter.org. To learn more about the Infusion Access Foundation, visit patientaccess.org. For media inquiries, contact Cristina Threlkeld (cristina.threlkeld@infusioncenter.org).



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The Infusion Access Foundation (IAF) was created to serve as a patient-focused public charity. They understand that every patient is unique and each and every one of them deserves access to treatment.

AUSTIN, TEXAS (PRWEB) OCTOBER 19, 2020
The Infusion Access Foundation (IAF) has been created to serve as an inclusive community dedicated to patient empowerment, education, and advocacy. As a non-profit advocacy group and public charity dedicated to ensuring that patients have access to provider-administered therapies for any and all complex diseases, IAF believes that all patients deserve treatment that works for them.
To truly understand the inception of the Infusion Access Foundation, it's necessary to start 10 years ago with the National Infusion Center Association, or NICA. As a non-profit dedicated to improving patients' access to provider-administered medications, NICA's team of experts and advocates worked together to support more accessible, efficient, and cost-effective alternatives to hospitals for their infusion treatments. Amidst the immense challenge and strains brought by COVID-19 this year, it became apparent to the NICA team that the future for patients' access to care would be determined by two factors (1) patients needed a dedicated support community through which they could share their stories, educate and empower themselves and others, connect with other patients, and amplify the collective voice of patients to collaboratively drive change; (2) infusion providers needed a dedicated organization to champion their trade and professional interests so they could continue providing high-quality care to their patients in a safe environment. Thus, the Infusion Access Foundation was born as a patient-focused public charity, and NICA evolved into a trade association focused on the advancement of furnishing provider-administered medications in non-hospital, community-based care settings.
Where NICA will work to support the viability and sustainability of the non-hospital, community-based provider-administered medication delivery channel, IAF will serve as a supportive and inclusive community for the patients receiving these life-changing medications as they seek understanding, empowerment, and unwavering support throughout their disease management journey.
The Infusion Access Foundation believes that every patient is unique and that their experience matters. That is why IAF created a community devoted to bringing patients together, hearing and sharing their stories, and amplifying their voices to drive change. Together, for treatment.
The Infusion Access Foundation works tirelessly to ensure people have access to provider-administered therapies for any and all complex illnesses. Through advocacy initiatives, grassroots campaigns and community forums, we help patients stand against adversity and raise their voices to the world. Visit PatientAccess.org to join the fight today.



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Colson Medical, LLC is pleased to announce the merger of two Colson Medical companies, Acumed and OsteoMed. Operations will be integrated gradually over the coming year while maintaining both global brands.

CHICAGO (PRWEB) OCTOBER 20, 2020
Colson Medical, LLC is pleased to announce the merger of two Colson Medical companies, Acumed and OsteoMed. Operations will be integrated gradually over the coming year while maintaining both global brands.
"Individually, these two great companies are longtime leaders in providing innovative, practical products for orthopedic surgeries," said Chris Smith, Colson Medical President. "Together, they will bring even greater value to the worldwide medical community."
The combined business will focus on these key surgical markets:

Hand/Upper Extremity

Foot/Ankle

Trauma (including chest wall injury)

Craniomaxillofacial (CMF) and Neurosurgery (Neuro)

Tendon/Ligament Repair and Biologics

"We are uniting the strengths of Acumed and OsteoMed to enhance the experience of our customers and their patients," said Acumed CEO, Sharon Wolfington, who will lead the combined business.
"We will continue to offer a growing product portfolio for both the Acumed and OsteoMed brands, leverage investments in systems and processes, and create business continuity with manufacturing and inventory in multiple locations," Sharon Wolfington added. "As always, our goal is to deliver comprehensive solutions to assist our customers in achieving optimal patient outcomes and restoration of function."
About Colson Medical
Chicago-based Colson Medical, LLC designs and manufactures specialty medical devices worldwide through its five businesses: Acumed, OsteoMed, MicroAire, Precision Edge, and Apex. These businesses offer innovative products used to help improve patient care and outcomes. They provide highly engineered implants such as plates, screws and related precision tools, primarily for upper and lower extremity orthopedic, CMF, Neuro and aesthetics surgeries. Together, they employ more than 1,300 people at locations in the U.S., China, the U.K., Spain and Germany. Marmon Holdings, Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company, acquired a majority interest in the Colson Medical Companies in 2019.

We are uniting the strengths of Acumed and OsteoMed to enhance the experience of our customers and their patients.



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Arizona Network Partners with Top Doctors, Hospitals and Pharmacies to Provide Family Like Care

PHOENIX (PRWEB) OCTOBER 20, 2020
Devoted Health, one of the fastest-growing Medicare Advantage plans in the United States, has launched in Arizona across Maricopa County and is enrolling members during the current Medicare Annual Enrollment Period that started on October 15. The company is dedicated to providing seniors with the best quality care and experience possible, with an emphasis on extraordinary customer service.
Devoted Health's co-founders, Ed Park and Todd Park, are distinguished industry leaders and their next-generation approach has made the company one of the fastest-growing Medicare Advantage plans in the United States. Ed Park, Devoted Health CEO, was the former Chief Technology Officer and President of Athenahealth which is a leading electronic medical records company, and Todd Park, Devoted Health Executive Chairman, was a co-founder of Athenahealth and the former U.S. Chief Technology Officer. Leading the new Arizona launch are Devoted Health Arizona Market President Keith Dines,Vice President of Network Management Rick Rock, and Medical Director Dr. Brian Riveland, who all have decades of experience with healthcare, physician organizations, insurance and Medicare products in Arizona.
"Our mission is to dramatically improve the health and well being of seniors by taking care of each and every person like they are literally a member of our own family. It is the entire reason our company exists," said Ed Park. " We would all want the very best healthcare in the world for our own Mom and Dad—the right care in the right place at the right time, delivered in a consistent, coordinated, proactive way. We work closely with our physician partners to ensure that our members get this kind of care—keeping them as healthy and well as possible."
Devoted Health is offering three different plans in the Arizona market, including the Core (HMO), a $0 monthly premium plan with drug coverage with copays as low as $0; the Select (HMO), a low monthly premium plan which offers rich benefits, such as routine and comprehensive dental care and low copays for specialists and inpatient hospital stays; one of the nation's most unique Medicare plan options, Flex (HMO). Benefits also include free personal emergency response systems and bathroom safety equipment, as well as money for members to spend on gym equipment, fitness trackers, and more.
The newly released Flex plan offers comprehensive medical and prescription drug coverage with moderate member cost sharing, a low monthly plan premium and requires no referrals to see network providers. The plan gives members a quarterly $750 allowance ($3000 annually) called MyFlex that puts the member in the driver's seat of their healthcare by being able to spend dollars on supplemental services not typically covered under Original Medicare. Available services include massage therapy, gym membership, personal trainers, comprehensive dental, routine acupuncture, chiropractic services, eyeglasses, contacts and the purchase of at-home fitness equipment.
"We are dedicated to ensuring that each of our members here in Arizona gets the kind of care that we would want for our own families," said Dines. "Devoted Health truly believes in partnering with the best doctors, clinicians, and hospitals to help them deliver the very best health care possible. We want to offer the kind of attentive care that we would give to our own families by building relationships with our members and their doctors, not barriers. Devoted Health has partnered with more than four thousand physicians and eighteen hospitals across Maricopa County to serve its members."
Devoted Health partners closely with primary care physicians who focus on preventative care and management of chronic conditions and oversee care for all members. Devoted Health supports this care with dedicated Devoted Health Guides who, aided by Devoted Health's powerful technology, help members navigate the healthcare system and get the care that they need. Working as part of its physician partners' team, Devoted Health can also offer members telehealth and in-home clinical visits.
"I'm honored to be partnered with an organization that's continuously improving healthcare quality, safety, and access for members," said Dr. Brian Riveland, Devoted Health's Arizona Medical Director. "Supporting patients to make the best possible decisions about their health allows them to feel secure in the assistance that they need and deserve."
Devoted Health was founded in 2017 and currently offers Medicare Advantage plans in Texas, Florida, Ohio, and Arizona. Devoted Health also has support services located in Massachusetts and Maine. For more information about Devoted Health and its plans offered, visit devoted.com or call 1-800-497-4086.
ABOUT DEVOTED HEALTH:
Devoted Health is a next-generation Medicare Advantage plan guided by a deep belief that every member should be treated like we would treat our own family: with loving care, a profound commitment to their health and well-being, and respect for them and their time. As a "payvidor" that integrates being both a payor and provider of health care services, Devoted Health partners with top doctors and hospitals, uses industry-leading technology, and supports members with dedicated guides and tech-enabled care services in order to help Medicare beneficiaries get the highest-quality health care — the right care in the right place at the right time. Led by co-founders Ed and Todd Park, Devoted Health is powered by a proven, world-class health care and technology team. For more information, go to http://www.devoted.com
Devoted Health is an HMO plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Devoted Health depends on contract renewal. H8173_21L107_M



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The Rigaku family of handheld Raman analyzers provides on-site identification and detection of narcotics for the law enforcement industry.

WILMINGTON, MASS. (PRWEB) OCTOBER 21, 2020
Rigaku Analytical Devices, the market leader in handheld 1064 nm Raman laser technology, is showcasing its Rigaku ResQ FLX narcotics analyzer during the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Virtual Training Event and Exposition.
The IACP Training Event and Exposition, taking place Tuesday, Oct. 21 through Thursday, Oct. 22, includes 175 educational workshops on critical topics to the policing profession, as well as 160 exhibiting companies showcasing products and services in the virtual expo hall.
Based on the combination of an award-winning platform and proven performance, the Rigaku Progeny ResQ FLX 1064 nm Raman analyzer provides law enforcement agencies with greater flexibility for use in combating the widespread opioid epidemic and increase in drug trafficking. Its use of 1064 nm Raman technology enables a rapid response (less than one minute), and the ability to scan dirty or colored substances and through packaging – keeping officers safer by preventing exposure. The ResQ FLX analyzer includes a standard library of 1,200 compounds including narcotics, cutting agents, and household chemicals. In addition, the ResQ FLX analyzer is based on a modular platform, with expandable options to select additional libraries, features, and support packages depending on the needs and growth of the department.
For more information on the Rigaku ResQ FLX narcotics analyzer, visit the Rigaku Showroom on the IACP virtual platform.
To register for the IACP 2020 Virtual Training Event and Exposition, visit http://www.theiacpconference.org/
For a product demonstration, or to find out more about the capabilities of the Rigaku ResQ FLX narcotics analyzer, visit http://www.rigaku.com/FLX
~END~
About Rigaku Analytical Devices
Rigaku Analytical Devices is a pioneer in handheld 1064nm Raman and LIBS-based technology for material analysis. With thousands of units in use around the globe, the Rigaku portfolio of handheld and portable spectroscopic analyzers offer the most versatile solution for use in public health and safety, scientific and academic study, recycling and reuse of metal alloys, and to ensure the quality of key metal alloy components in critical industries. We strive to deliver quality, reliability and engaged expertise to our customers with our advanced product and capabilities. Rigaku is dedicated to continual product development efforts to deliver mission critical enhancements to performance and functionality, while delivering reliable and cost-effective solutions for end users. Our rugged products operate on an open architecture platform and deliver unparalleled accuracy and support for rapid lab-quality results anywhere.
For further information, contact:
Jen Lynch
Marketing Director
Rigaku Analytical Devices
Wilmington, MA USA
Tel: +1 781-328-1024
Jen.Lynch@rigaku.com



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Science-based relief for hiccups is attainable, thanks to a new invention from the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Neuro-intensive care physician Ali Seifi, MD, of the Long School of Medicine, developed the device to help his patients after surgery.

SAN ANTONIO (PRWEB) OCTOBER 20, 2020
A neuro-intensive care physician at UT Health San Antonio has invented a science-based way to stop hiccups.
While he was working as an anesthesiologist 20 years ago, Ali Seifi, MD, FACP, FNCS, saw many surgery patients in the recovery room who developed hiccups. The annoying spasming of the diaphragm is even more of a nuisance when one has had surgery.
"I was thinking, how can I improve this?" Dr. Seifi said.
A hiccup is an involuntary contraction of the diaphragm, a thin sheet of muscle that separates the lungs from the abdomen and regulates breathing. The diaphragm contracts out of rhythm. This causes the vocal cords and larynx to swiftly close and the lungs to take in oxygen quickly. The body reacts with the classic hiccup sound.
Although hiccups usually are temporary, some cases may last for hours or days and could signal a medical problem. The longest case of hiccups reportedly lasted more than 60 years.
"There have been no clear medications for hiccups," Dr. Seifi said. "The only drugs prescribed are psychiatry medications that do stop the spasms but make the patients sleepy. There also is no device to treat hiccups. A few devices were patented or proposed for provisional patents, but they never made it to the stage of being available to people."
Dr. Seifi set out to invent a treatment.
His brainchild is shaped like a smoker's pipe. On one end, the tube has two pinholes on opposite sides. These are covered by a valve or cap that can be adjusted for adult or child settings. This end is to be submerged into a cup of water.
The other end is a mouthpiece from which the user draws water through the pipe. The device is called HiccAway, a name conceived by medical students and residents attending rounds with Dr. Seifi.
"This is not a regular straw," Dr. Seifi said. "To drink water through it, you need lots of effort and lots of negative pressure inside your chest. The valve causes you to forcefully suction the water from the cup, and when you do, after a few seconds the first sip of water enters the pipe and goes into your mouth."
This does two things, Dr. Seifi said. Because of the severe negative suction, it pulls down the diaphragm, which triggers the phrenic nerve that regulates the diaphragm.
When the water enters the mouth, the brain wants to swallow it, so it closes the epiglottis, the flap in the throat that prevents food or water from entering the windpipe and lungs. "This is the time when the vagus nerve also gets activated," Dr. Seifi said.
Stimulating the vagus nerve blocks signals to the vocal cords and eases hiccups.
"That was the idea that came to my mind," Dr. Seifi said. "What if we, for a few seconds, forcefully triggered both nerves together?"
HiccAway does that, he said. By forceful suction, the diaphragm and phrenic nerve are activated, and at the same time, the water comes into the mouth and swallowing occurs. The vagus nerve is triggered and the hiccup goes away.
"We have tested it on a 1-year-old child. It worked," Dr. Seifi said. "At any age that a person can drink water through a straw, it works for them."
UT Health San Antonio, on behalf of The University of Texas System Board of Regents, patented this technology and granted an exclusive worldwide license to Aim Dynamics of Longmont, Colo., to market the invention.
"Honestly I am proud that this is a scientific device, because other 'cures' for hiccups are like voodoo things, but this is purely science," Dr. Seifi said.
Dr. Seifi is an associate professor in the Department of Neurosurgery and a physician with UT Health Physicians, the clinical practice of the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine. He oversees the care of patients in University Hospital's Neuro Intensive Care Unit.
Dr. Seifi received his medical degree in 1996 from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS) in Iran. He did his first residency in anesthesiology and critical care at SUMS and his second residency in internal medicine at New Jersey's AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center. His education culminated with two years of a neuro-critical care fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
# # #
The Long School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is named for Texas philanthropists Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long. The school is the largest educator of physicians in South Texas, many of whom remain in San Antonio and the region to practice medicine. The school teaches more than 900 students and trains 800 residents each year. As a beacon of multicultural sensitivity, the school annually exceeds the national medical school average of Hispanic students enrolled. The school's clinical practice is the largest multidisciplinary medical group in South Texas with 850 physicians in more than 100 specialties. The school has a highly productive research enterprise where world leaders in Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, cancer, aging, heart disease, kidney disease and many other fields are translating molecular discoveries into new therapies. The Long School of Medicine is home to a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center known for prolific clinical trials and drug development programs, as well as a world-renowned center for aging and related diseases.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, also referred to as UT Health San Antonio, is one of the country's leading health sciences universities and is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education. With missions of teaching, research, patient care and community engagement, its schools of medicine, nursing, dentistry, health professions and graduate biomedical sciences have graduated more than 37,000 alumni who are leading change, advancing their fields, and renewing hope for patients and their families throughout South Texas and the world. To learn about the many ways "We make lives better," visit http://www.uthscsa.edu.
Stay connected with The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube, and visit our online Newsroom.
To see how we are battling COVID-19, read inspiring stories on Impact.



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BlueSky Medical Staffing Software is proud to announce its speaker panel participation and sponsorship of the Staffing Industry Analysts Healthcare Staffing Summit 2020.

NASHVILLE, TENN. (PRWEB) OCTOBER 20, 2020
Healthcare Staffing Software Provider BlueSky announces its speaker panel participation and sponsorship of the Staffing Industry Analysts 2020 Healthcare Staffing Summit: Rising to the Challenges of 2020. BlueSky Software provides healthcare staffing agencies and healthcare facilities with the software tools they need to efficiently manage their temporary workforce. This year's Healthcare Staffing Summit offers cutting-edge information from industry leaders for the healthcare staffing sector. BlueSky's sponsorship presents a high-visibility platform to discuss the healthcare staffing industry as it is today.
Learn more about BlueSky Medical Staffing Software's clinical workforce management solution.
Especially with the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States, an already strained healthcare system is placed under extreme demands. Temporary or contingent healthcare providers are placed in facilities to help bridge gaps in each unit's staff needs. Healthcare facilities typically contract with a managed service provider to handle the ever-growing list of staffing agency vendors, but this is a large operating expense which the staffing agency vendors are expected to fund. The demand for nurses and locum tenens physicians is at an all-time high, but healthcare staffing agencies are still looking for risk management and stability in a competitive market.
President of BlueSky, Tim Teague will be speaking as an expert panelist for the Keynote address Next Generation Healthcare VMS and MSP. Tim Teague says, "As providers of healthcare staffing software, privately owned with a strict vendor-neutral business model, we provide a risk-free software platform when partnering with healthcare staffing agencies. This can be unique in the industry and I look forward to discussing those obstacles during the summit this October."
BlueSky Medical Staffing Software is an applicant tracking software, vendor management software, credentialing tool, and nurse scheduling platform with invoice/payroll capabilities in one suite for managing a contingent labor workforce. As a unique industry tool, recruiters and healthcare staffing agencies are placed at an advantage when choosing a healthcare-centric staffing software. BlueSky also offers a vendor management software (VMS) suite for managed service providers (MSPs) to consolidate workforce management processes.
Healthcare Staffing Summit: Rising to the Challenges of 2020 will be held on October 27-28, 2020.
—
BlueSky Synergy is the parent company of BlueSky Medical Staffing Software, Nurse Backpack Medical Credential Management, and RapidHire Tool Pay Package Calculator.
BlueSky is the only staffing software available on the market today that is healthcare specific, accommodates full lifecycle recruitment, front to back-office workflows, medical credential management, vendor management, recruiter workflow automation, and more.



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Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned means that a higher and safer standard of clean and sanitized has taken janitorial cleaning practices to a new level. Businesses, schools and public institutions of all kinds are now required to meet higher levels of COVID-19 sanitation to open and remain open. SERVPRO of San Luis Obispo is ready to deliver deep defensive viral pathogen cleaning.

PASO ROBLES, CALIF. (PRWEB) OCTOBER 21, 2020
Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned, means that a higher and safer standard of clean and sanitized has taken janitorial cleaning practices to a new level. Businesses, schools and public institutions of all kinds are now required to meet higher levels of COVID-19 sanitation to open and remain open. SERVPRO of San Luis Obispo is ready to deliver deep defensive viral pathogen cleaning.
A recent study published in Search and Performance Marketing Daily reports that 89-percent of consumers are concerned about returning to "brick and mortar" businesses in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even though the public is eager to return to favorite businesses, and business is just as eager to get back to work and serve their customers, there is a concern about health and safety.
The SERVPRO of San Luis Obispo professionals are committed to bringing a higher standard of clean to Central Coast communities. The team certifications that are valuable to COVID-19 sanitation in San Luis Obispo County include:

AMRT – Applied Microbial Remediation Technician

CCT – Carpet Cleaning Technician

HST – Health and safety Technician

IICRC Certified Firm

OSHA Training

SCI/SPI/SEN – Carpet Inspector

UFT – Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technician

The SERVPRO of San Luis Obispo team applies the unique 3-Cs approach that results in certifying the cleanliness of your business with the Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned shield posted in your front window.

Consult: Not all businesses are the same, so a cleaning program is tailored based on the unique needs of each facility.

Clean: Based on the agreed plan, an expert deep clean is initiated using our proprietary EPA-Approved Hospital-Grade cleaning solutions and always adhering to the leading level of cleaning and decontamination standards set by the CDC.

Certify: The Certified: SERVPRO Cleaned shield tells the public your business has met the stringent CDC standards for COVID-19 sanitation in San Luis Obispo County.

The Certified SERVPRO Cleaned shield means that trained and experienced SERVPRO professionals have performed the job according to proprietary SERVPRO protocols and recognized industry standards (CDC, RIA, IICRC) with EPA approved cleaning products to deliver a SERVPRO certified cleaning experience and result. The public, your customers and employees can enter your business with confidence knowing that the nation's first choice in cleaning, sanitation and restoration was on the job.
SERVPRO of San Luis Obispo has been serving Central Coast communities since 1990. In addition to providing top level Certified SERVPRO Cleaned services, the company specializes in water and fire damage restoration, decontamination from toxic spills, sewage backup, mold, environmental biochemical exposure for residences, businesses and neighborhoods. The company also works closely with insurance companies to help property owners process insurance claims.
SERVPRO of San Luis Obispo
3661 Sacramento Drive Suite 4
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
(805) 541-1271



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