Houston Octg Looks To Nai For Cranes

 North American Industries (NAI) has been selected to design and install two 10-ton Class E top-running overhead cranes for Houston OCTG Group Inc. (Houston). Houston, a wholly-owned subsidiary of WSP Holdings Limited, headquarted in Jiangsu Province, China, manufactures specialty tubing and castings used to transport crude oil and natural gas from an oil or gas layer to the earth’s surface during the drilling process.

 Houston asked NAI to inspect the existing cranes in its 1,350 foot long Houston, TX-based facility. After thorough inspection by and extensive consultation with NAI technical personnel, Houston management decided to invest in new cranes. Houston also chose to replace the existing, worn rail to avoid premature damage to the new cranes. Based upon NAI’s recommendation, Houston’s engineering department and project manager chose heavier-duty Class E cranes because they must be capable of handling over 20 lifts per hour.

These double-girder cranes will be used in Houston’s manufacturing process, which includes pipe threading, heat treatment and inspection. They will also be used to load and unload raw materials. Each crane will have two five-ton hoists bolted directly to a 10-ton trolley. The trolley will move along the 79-foot bridge beam, and the entire crane will move along the 1,350-foot runway system.  

Lena Banigan, Project Manager/Assistant VP at Houston, states, “NAI has not only been a pleasure to work with but has also provided service to meet our deadlines. In business, time is critical to advancement, and NAI has been truly accommodating.”

“We are pleased to be working with Houston OCTG to meet its overhead lifting needs. We have collaborated closely with Houston’s engineers and senior management to design a system tailored to meet its unique requirements,” comments Craig Pelkola, Director of Technical Sales at North American Industries 

 Dan Osborn, Engineering Manager at North American Industries, adds, “The project has gone smoothly.  We assembled a team of engineers, project managers, operations personnel and field technicians to carefully oversee the design, manufacture and installation of the equipment”.

Houston Octg Looks To Nai For Cranes

 North American Industries (NAI) has been selected to design and install two 10-ton Class E top-running overhead cranes for Houston OCTG Group Inc. (Houston). Houston, a wholly-owned subsidiary of WSP Holdings Limited, headquarted in Jiangsu Province, China, manufactures specialty tubing and castings used to transport crude oil and natural gas from an oil or gas layer to the earth’s surface during the drilling process.

 Houston asked NAI to inspect the existing cranes in its 1,350 foot long Houston, TX-based facility. After thorough inspection by and extensive consultation with NAI technical personnel, Houston management decided to invest in new cranes. Houston also chose to replace the existing, worn rail to avoid premature damage to the new cranes. Based upon NAI’s recommendation, Houston’s engineering department and project manager chose heavier-duty Class E cranes because they must be capable of handling over 20 lifts per hour.

These double-girder cranes will be used in Houston’s manufacturing process, which includes pipe threading, heat treatment and inspection. They will also be used to load and unload raw materials. Each crane will have two five-ton hoists bolted directly to a 10-ton trolley. The trolley will move along the 79-foot bridge beam, and the entire crane will move along the 1,350-foot runway system.  

Lena Banigan, Project Manager/Assistant VP at Houston, states, “NAI has not only been a pleasure to work with but has also provided service to meet our deadlines. In business, time is critical to advancement, and NAI has been truly accommodating.”

“We are pleased to be working with Houston OCTG to meet its overhead lifting needs. We have collaborated closely with Houston’s engineers and senior management to design a system tailored to meet its unique requirements,” comments Craig Pelkola, Director of Technical Sales at North American Industries 

 Dan Osborn, Engineering Manager at North American Industries, adds, “The project has gone smoothly.  We assembled a team of engineers, project managers, operations personnel and field technicians to carefully oversee the design, manufacture and installation of the equipment”.

Houston Octg Looks To Nai For Cranes

 North American Industries (NAI) has been selected to design and install two 10-ton Class E top-running overhead cranes for Houston OCTG Group Inc. (Houston). Houston, a wholly-owned subsidiary of WSP Holdings Limited, headquarted in Jiangsu Province, China, manufactures specialty tubing and castings used to transport crude oil and natural gas from an oil or gas layer to the earth’s surface during the drilling process.

 Houston asked NAI to inspect the existing cranes in its 1,350 foot long Houston, TX-based facility. After thorough inspection by and extensive consultation with NAI technical personnel, Houston management decided to invest in new cranes. Houston also chose to replace the existing, worn rail to avoid premature damage to the new cranes. Based upon NAI’s recommendation, Houston’s engineering department and project manager chose heavier-duty Class E cranes because they must be capable of handling over 20 lifts per hour.

These double-girder cranes will be used in Houston’s manufacturing process, which includes pipe threading, heat treatment and inspection. They will also be used to load and unload raw materials. Each crane will have two five-ton hoists bolted directly to a 10-ton trolley. The trolley will move along the 79-foot bridge beam, and the entire crane will move along the 1,350-foot runway system.  

Lena Banigan, Project Manager/Assistant VP at Houston, states, “NAI has not only been a pleasure to work with but has also provided service to meet our deadlines. In business, time is critical to advancement, and NAI has been truly accommodating.”

“We are pleased to be working with Houston OCTG to meet its overhead lifting needs. We have collaborated closely with Houston’s engineers and senior management to design a system tailored to meet its unique requirements,” comments Craig Pelkola, Director of Technical Sales at North American Industries 

 Dan Osborn, Engineering Manager at North American Industries, adds, “The project has gone smoothly.  We assembled a team of engineers, project managers, operations personnel and field technicians to carefully oversee the design, manufacture and installation of the equipment”.

Houston Octg Looks To Nai For Cranes

 North American Industries (NAI) has been selected to design and install two 10-ton Class E top-running overhead cranes for Houston OCTG Group Inc. (Houston). Houston, a wholly-owned subsidiary of WSP Holdings Limited, headquarted in Jiangsu Province, China, manufactures specialty tubing and castings used to transport crude oil and natural gas from an oil or gas layer to the earth’s surface during the drilling process.

 Houston asked NAI to inspect the existing cranes in its 1,350 foot long Houston, TX-based facility. After thorough inspection by and extensive consultation with NAI technical personnel, Houston management decided to invest in new cranes. Houston also chose to replace the existing, worn rail to avoid premature damage to the new cranes. Based upon NAI’s recommendation, Houston’s engineering department and project manager chose heavier-duty Class E cranes because they must be capable of handling over 20 lifts per hour.

These double-girder cranes will be used in Houston’s manufacturing process, which includes pipe threading, heat treatment and inspection. They will also be used to load and unload raw materials. Each crane will have two five-ton hoists bolted directly to a 10-ton trolley. The trolley will move along the 79-foot bridge beam, and the entire crane will move along the 1,350-foot runway system.  

Lena Banigan, Project Manager/Assistant VP at Houston, states, “NAI has not only been a pleasure to work with but has also provided service to meet our deadlines. In business, time is critical to advancement, and NAI has been truly accommodating.”

“We are pleased to be working with Houston OCTG to meet its overhead lifting needs. We have collaborated closely with Houston’s engineers and senior management to design a system tailored to meet its unique requirements,” comments Craig Pelkola, Director of Technical Sales at North American Industries 

 Dan Osborn, Engineering Manager at North American Industries, adds, “The project has gone smoothly.  We assembled a team of engineers, project managers, operations personnel and field technicians to carefully oversee the design, manufacture and installation of the equipment”.

Houston Octg Looks To Nai For Cranes

 North American Industries (NAI) has been selected to design and install two 10-ton Class E top-running overhead cranes for Houston OCTG Group Inc. (Houston). Houston, a wholly-owned subsidiary of WSP Holdings Limited, headquarted in Jiangsu Province, China, manufactures specialty tubing and castings used to transport crude oil and natural gas from an oil or gas layer to the earth’s surface during the drilling process.

 Houston asked NAI to inspect the existing cranes in its 1,350 foot long Houston, TX-based facility. After thorough inspection by and extensive consultation with NAI technical personnel, Houston management decided to invest in new cranes. Houston also chose to replace the existing, worn rail to avoid premature damage to the new cranes. Based upon NAI’s recommendation, Houston’s engineering department and project manager chose heavier-duty Class E cranes because they must be capable of handling over 20 lifts per hour.

These double-girder cranes will be used in Houston’s manufacturing process, which includes pipe threading, heat treatment and inspection. They will also be used to load and unload raw materials. Each crane will have two five-ton hoists bolted directly to a 10-ton trolley. The trolley will move along the 79-foot bridge beam, and the entire crane will move along the 1,350-foot runway system.  

Lena Banigan, Project Manager/Assistant VP at Houston, states, “NAI has not only been a pleasure to work with but has also provided service to meet our deadlines. In business, time is critical to advancement, and NAI has been truly accommodating.”

“We are pleased to be working with Houston OCTG to meet its overhead lifting needs. We have collaborated closely with Houston’s engineers and senior management to design a system tailored to meet its unique requirements,” comments Craig Pelkola, Director of Technical Sales at North American Industries 

 Dan Osborn, Engineering Manager at North American Industries, adds, “The project has gone smoothly.  We assembled a team of engineers, project managers, operations personnel and field technicians to carefully oversee the design, manufacture and installation of the equipment”.

How to get life insurance when you’re HIV-positive

By Michelle Matlock, Life Quotes, Inc.

Although there have been medical advancements that have helped to prolong the lives of HIV patients, finding life insurance coverage for HIV infected individuals continues to be elusive.

According to the most recent statistics by The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, the number of new HIV infections in the U.S. reached 56,300 in 2006. The number of people living with HIV/AIDS was 1.1 million, with 468,000 of those individuals living with AIDS. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported in 2007, that the largest number of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses for persons aged 40 to 44 accounted for 15 percent of all HIV/AIDs diagnoses in that year.

Respectively, the use of antiretroviral (ARV) Therapy or highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) such as protease inhibitors with a combination of other HIV drugs have extended the life of those living with HIV by slowing the progression of the disease to full-blown AIDS. A study by the National AIDS Treatment Advocacy Project in New York and the ATHENA National Observational Cohort Study in February 2010 found that the average life expectancy of people living with HIV has been extended from seven years (before 1995) to 24 years — if they follow the proper drug therapy regimen. This includes those who take their medications on a regular basis and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Ryan Pinney, brokerage director and life impaired risk specialist at Pinney Insurance Center Inc. in Roseville, Calif. says following the introduction of drug cocktails that counter the infection— people with HIV can expect to live longer healthier lives.

“If you contracted HIV in the late 70s or early 80s, it was a death sentence. Nowadays, with the addition of antiviral drugs, it is not uncommon for people with HIV to live 20 years without the condition developing into AIDS,” says Pinney.

If you have a strong prognosis at the start of the illness, meaning you have managed to keep your CD4 T-cell count above 500 cells for at least three years, chances are you will have a greater life expectancy. In July 2008, a study conducted by the University of Bordeaux, France found that HIV-positive males whose CD4 count was above 500 cells for an average of three years, had death rates that were identical to those in the general population. Unfortunately, among HIV-positive women, the death rates didn’t balance out even after five years of maintaining a count above 500 cells. In fact, HIV-positive women experienced a 2.4 percent increase in death rates when compared to the general population. More studies are pending that help explain this phenomenon.

Pinney notes that for people who contract the disease at a young age, the improbability of receiving a life insurance policy is higher. However, if you have lived longer with HIV, it might be easier to get a policy.

“The reason for this is because you have a proven track record of maintaining the illness,” says Pinney.

Dr. Ann Hoven, chief medical officer for the Individual Life Division at the Hartford, says that insurers have considered the possibility of covering HIV, but there are still a number of unknowns.

“The basic dilemma is that although the life expectancy for someone with HIV can be over 20 years, those who become newly infected are younger people,” says Hoven. “The life expectancy of a person with HIV is more like 40 to 50 years of age, and most people expect to live to be in their 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.”

She adds that it can be difficult to make assessments of a person’s life expectancy with HIV and set premiums based on the information they receive.

“The data really isn’t there yet,” she says. “There are people who seem to be resistant to infection where their immune system takes care of it, and then there are others that are completely vulnerable to this illness. The results of the studies that have been conducted haven’t provided any definitive data to pull from when it comes to estimating how long an individual can live with this illness. It’s very case by case.”

Limited options

When it comes to purchasing life insurance, most people who have been diagnosed with HIV will be faced with an automatic decline or enormously high premiums.

“You would have to have a breakthrough to make the numbers work out when trying to write a policy for someone with HIV,” says Hoven. “When you look at the numbers the cost would be so astonomical that no one would buy it [the policy].”

“If you have been diagnosed with HIV, getting life insurance may be tough, but it’s not unheard of,” says Pinney. “It can be accomplished if you receive insurance through a group plan, such as an employer, trade association or union.”

However, if you are HIV-positive and you attempt to get life insurance on your own, most insurance companies will refuse to sell you a policy, this includes companies that offer “simplified issue” life insurance coverage where you would only have to answer a few health questions. Even when applying for a simplified issue policy, you will likely be required to answer questions about HIV/AIDS. Other, more traditional individual life insurers may also ask that you take an HIV test.

“The requirement by insurers of an HIV test varies by state and the face value of the policy,” says Kim McKeown, spokesperson for the Society of Actuaries. “Nonetheless, the underwriting process is used to discern information on one’s medical profile, and if the person is taking antiviral drugs which would be found in the medical record, this might prompt an insurer to ask for an HIV test. Even with the best medication, folks with HIV do have a shortened life expectancy so the best information possible is critical during the underwriting process.”

Mckeown adds that from an insurance company’s perspective, asking a potential policyholder to take an HIV test is really no different than asking someone about his or her family health history, what types of prescriptions they take daily, or if they smoke.

If you are able to get a simplified issue insurance plan, they have a limited face value amount, typically $150,000 to $250,000 on the high-end of the spectrum.

A more viable option is purchasing a “guaranteed issue” life insurance plan. When a policy is considered “guaranteed issue” this is the maximum amount of coverage allowed to an individual without a medical evaluation. Anyone can purchase a guaranteed issue plan since they do not require a medical exam, but they are usually nuts and bolts policies that only provide a death benefit. The death benefit is generally $20,000 or less and if you die within the first two years after you buy the policy, your loved ones could receive nothing.

There are also small group plans to consider that are essentially employer-sponsored specialty plans that cover key employees at a company.

Pinney recalls a situation where a group of partners at a firm requested a guaranteed issue group plan that would cover all the senior and junior partners at the firm. One of the individuals was HIV-positive and the group managed to negotiate a policy that provided over a million dollars in life insurance to each person in the group.

While it’s clear that this method can work, Pinney says that because of the stigma attached to people living with HIV, this is primarily the reason why most employees won’t suggest this type of coverage to their employer.

While someone with HIV may be able to get a life insurance policy from an insurance company that specializes in high-risk cases, it’s certain that it will most likely be a costly policy with a graded benefit. For example, a 40-year-old HIV-positive male can get a $50,000 whole life policy, but he would pay a high annual premium of $2,600.

“There are very few companies, maybe three or four that offer policies for people with HIV,” explains Pinney. “What they amount to is a guaranteed issue whole life policy with a graded death benefit or a benefit that increases gradually with age and eventually levels off during the life of the policy.”

Still, Pinney says that if you die during the first, second or third year of the policy you may only receive your premiums and dividends with interest, other companies may only payout a specified percentage of the benefit amount if you die within that timeframe.

Will insurers cover HIV in the future?

Guaranteed Trust Life Insurance Co. based in Glenview, Ill., was the first insurance company to offer “impaired risk” whole life insurance to HIV-positive individuals. The company ceased selling the policies in 2004.

“One of the biggest problems with pricing an HIV policy is figuring out how to price it without getting beat up,” recalls Pinney. “At the start of offering such a product policyholders were looking at a flat extra of $50 per $1,000 in insurance.”

Pinney said that recently he attended a life insurance conference and posed the possibility of an HIV life policy to major life insurers. Unlike HIV, other medical conditions, such as cancer or heart disease have a longer track record of people having these conditions and better statistical data that an insurer can draw from. Even though HIV/AIDS has been around since the early eighties, Pinney notes that the underwriting science hasn’t caught up with medical science yet.

“I don’t see this type of product entering the market again anytime soon,” notes Pinney.

“Part of the problem is there is no mortality data available to create an accurate pricing model. I would be surprised if any insurance company would even remotely consider it for quite awhile.”

“When we solve the societal issues concering HIV and find better ways to treat the illness or even a vaccine, I think that will be when the situation changes,” says Hoven. “I really don’t see this happening in the next five years, but we’re definitely getting closer to it. “

Hoven recommends that if you have been diagnosed with HIV and your employer offers life insurance, it’s best to take advantage of it.

“You wouldn’t go through medical underwriting and you would receive the group-based premium that includes people who have a variety of different medical concerns,” says Hoven. “Also, if you retire, most group plans allow the policy to be converted to a whole life policy.”

Whose at risk?

From 2004 to 2007, the numbers of HIV/AIDS diagnoses increased among men who have sex with men (MSM).

In that same timeline, the estimated numbers of HIV/AIDS diagnoses increased among male and female adults and adolescents with HIV infection attributed to high-risk heterosexual contact.

Cumulatively, MSM (53 percent) and persons exposed to high–risk heterosexual contact (32 percent) accounted for 85 percent of all HIV/AIDS cases diagnosed in 34 states in 2007.

By gender, 77 percent of adults and adolescents living with AIDS were male. Of the 104,560 female adults and adolescents living with AIDS, 66 percent were exposed through heterosexual contact.

Source: United States Department of Health and Human Services

This article was originally published at Life Quotes, Inc.

The Purpose of Jewish Giving

A well designed Jewish Charity should be helping Jews in Israel and Around the World. All around the world, Jewish families and communities are at risk and some are struggling to merely survive. In Israel, unemployment has hit 11%, continuing to threaten an already strained social services infrastructure. Again, it is the most vulnerable who are affected: 28% of children live in poverty, 20% of the seniors.

It should also be Strengthening Jewish Education

As Education is such a basic tenet of the Jewish people, and so valued for its own sake as a lifelong pursuit, that we are known as “The People of the Book.” Yet, as the Jewish community at large continues to set the standards for quality educational programming for children, adults and families, day school tuition can reach $10,000 a year or more. Summer camp tuition can be as much as $3,000 for one month. In Europe Jewish charity needs are extensive as a world recession seems to be taking hold . Elderly Jews that are often isolated are unable to make ends meet without clear support from an outside source. That source needs to be the Jewish charity umbrella that steps in and often fills a void. As the populations of both the UK and Israel continue to grow, and with their ageing communities requiring increasing care and support, there is a steadily-growing reliance on voluntary welfare organizations to provide vital financial and practical support for children and youth, the disadvantaged, the sick and the elderly.

The UK’s Jewish community is often commended for the excellence of its welfare organizations but they cannot exist on praise alone and must continue to receive our unstinting support, while at the same time making sure that we protect our rich and diverse cultural and religious heritage.

In parallel, Israeli welfare organizations are struggling to cope with these and the additional costs of coping with the consequences of war and terrorism; funding projects for war-damaged soldiers and civilians; providing care for orphans and broken families; sponsoring emergency response vehicles, and helping with reconstruction and rehabilitation. The majority of charities are funded entirely by voluntary donations and bequests.

One of the more popular destinations of this charity is the Hadassah Medical Organisation in Jerusalem. With 800 beds at Ein-Kerem and 300 at Mount Scopus, Hadassah comprises two University hospitals with medical, nursing, dental, occupational therapy and public health schools. Hadassah is famous for its highly advanced technology, equipment, treatment, facilities and advanced research. It serves as a referral centre for difficult patient cases for people all over Israel, neighboring Arab countries as well as Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America – and is at the fore front in pioneering new medical specialties. Hadassah is responsible for treating more than 1,000,000 people every year. It has treated more terror casualties than any other hospital in the world,. Building bridges to peace through their medical activities. Please join the men and women all over the world who actively support Hadassah. Contact us for information on how your donation or bequest can help.

Please demonstrate your support for them all by making a donation today – or by naming specifically Jewish charities in your Will. It is not only our duty, it is our privilege.

The Purpose of Jewish Giving

A well designed Jewish Charity should be helping Jews in Israel and Around the World. All around the world, Jewish families and communities are at risk and some are struggling to merely survive. In Israel, unemployment has hit 11%, continuing to threaten an already strained social services infrastructure. Again, it is the most vulnerable who are affected: 28% of children live in poverty, 20% of the seniors.

It should also be Strengthening Jewish Education

As Education is such a basic tenet of the Jewish people, and so valued for its own sake as a lifelong pursuit, that we are known as “The People of the Book.” Yet, as the Jewish community at large continues to set the standards for quality educational programming for children, adults and families, day school tuition can reach $10,000 a year or more. Summer camp tuition can be as much as $3,000 for one month. In Europe Jewish charity needs are extensive as a world recession seems to be taking hold . Elderly Jews that are often isolated are unable to make ends meet without clear support from an outside source. That source needs to be the Jewish charity umbrella that steps in and often fills a void. As the populations of both the UK and Israel continue to grow, and with their ageing communities requiring increasing care and support, there is a steadily-growing reliance on voluntary welfare organizations to provide vital financial and practical support for children and youth, the disadvantaged, the sick and the elderly.

The UK’s Jewish community is often commended for the excellence of its welfare organizations but they cannot exist on praise alone and must continue to receive our unstinting support, while at the same time making sure that we protect our rich and diverse cultural and religious heritage.

In parallel, Israeli welfare organizations are struggling to cope with these and the additional costs of coping with the consequences of war and terrorism; funding projects for war-damaged soldiers and civilians; providing care for orphans and broken families; sponsoring emergency response vehicles, and helping with reconstruction and rehabilitation. The majority of charities are funded entirely by voluntary donations and bequests.

One of the more popular destinations of this charity is the Hadassah Medical Organisation in Jerusalem. With 800 beds at Ein-Kerem and 300 at Mount Scopus, Hadassah comprises two University hospitals with medical, nursing, dental, occupational therapy and public health schools. Hadassah is famous for its highly advanced technology, equipment, treatment, facilities and advanced research. It serves as a referral centre for difficult patient cases for people all over Israel, neighboring Arab countries as well as Central and Eastern Europe and Latin America – and is at the fore front in pioneering new medical specialties. Hadassah is responsible for treating more than 1,000,000 people every year. It has treated more terror casualties than any other hospital in the world,. Building bridges to peace through their medical activities. Please join the men and women all over the world who actively support Hadassah. Contact us for information on how your donation or bequest can help.

Please demonstrate your support for them all by making a donation today – or by naming specifically Jewish charities in your Will. It is not only our duty, it is our privilege.

Fast and Reliable Medical Transcription Services

The increased demand for medical transcription services has led to the growth of numerous firms offering very fast and reliable medical transcription solutions. These services are designed to efficiently cater to the medical documentation requirements of multi-specialty hospitals, long-term healthcare centers, individual physicians, group practices, acute care clinics, nursing facilities and rehabilitation clinics.

Fast and Accurate Transcription Services

To provide fast and reliable medical transcription services, transcription companies are equipped with advanced dictation equipment, software tools and a group of experts including senior editors, transcriptionists, proofreaders and quality controllers.

With sufficient knowledge in medical terminology and jargon, the medical transcriptionists prepare various medical reports including patient history, physical examination reports, clinic notes, procedure notes, consultation reports, laboratory reports, diagnostic notes, discharge summaries, follow-up notes and so on, within a minimum span of time. These transcribed files are verified at three levels by the proofreaders, quality analysts and editors for ensuring greater precision.

Feature-rich Reliable and Professional Medical Transcription Service

By utilizing fast and reliable medical transcription services, medical specialists can save the time and effort needed for performing the complex documentation procedures on their own. This also helps them to focus better on core treatment activities. Further, these services considerably reduce the expenses involved in maintaining additional workforce and infrastructure for doing transcription jobs inside the medical facility. The other major advantages that professional medical transcription services offer include:

• Convenient dictation options: digital dictation and toll free number
• FTP or browser-based 256 bit AES encrypted secured file transferring
• Extreme data security and confidentiality
• Fast turnaround time
• 99% accuracy rates
• Complete compliance with HIPAA guidelines
• 24/7/365 technical assistance, customer care

Choose the Best Provider for Effective Solutions

For outsourcing the medical transcription jobs of your healthcare facility, it is necessary to choose a recognized service provider. An established medical transcription service provider can offer reliable and budget-friendly solutions at reasonable charges to meet your specific requirements.

How To Choose a Lomi Lomi Practitioner

Choosing a Lomi Lomi massage practitioner is like choosing any massage therapist, with a few important differences.

Training and Certification

Check to see what kind of certification she or he holds. While Australia doesn’t require massage therapists to be licensed, you should always ask a prospective massage therapist about the training he or she has received. In addition to any specialized training, a basic massage therapy course should include training hours in Anatomy and Physiology, Kinesiology and all the most common massage techniques. Lomi Lomi massage requires specialized study and an understanding of nutrition, spirituality and human behavior. Be wary of any practitioner who took a three-hour or weekend course in Lomi Lomi techniques. To be sure the practitioner you choose is qualified to work on your body, mind, and spirit, he or she should have had 40 hours of training in Lomi Lomi massage alone.

It’s also useful to find out if they’re members of either the Australian Association of Massage Therapists or Australian Natural Therapies Association. Membership in a professional organization is not a requirement, but it does suggest a level of commitment to keeping up with current issues in the field. More importantly, members are required to follow a Code of Ethics and commit to Standards of Practice. This means that you can expect a certain level of respect, confidentiality and professionalism from a member in either organization, and that there are guidelines in place for filing complaints.

Experience and Specialties

Don’t hesitate to ask how long the practitioner has been in business. Find out, too, what types of massage the therapist utilizes and which he or she prefers. Lomi Lomi is as much a way of life as it is a kind of massage. Does the practitioner look/act like he or she lives the principles of Huna philosophy? Can she or he tell you what they are? The Seven Principles are as follows:

1. The World Is What You Think It Is 2. There Are No Limits 3. Energy Flows Where Attention Goes 4. Now Is The Moment Of Power 5. To Love Is To Be Happy With (someone or something) 6. All Power Comes From Within 7. Effectiveness Is The Measure Of Truth

Insurance and Emergency Training The practitioner you choose should have public liability insurance that is renewed annually and an up-to-date Senior First Aid Certificate. If relevant, ask if the practitioner is registered with the appropriate health care providers in order to issue clients private health fund rebates. References

You may have received a referral from a friend, in which case it’s easy to ask for information about the therapist. If no-one has been recommended to you and you’re starting out cold, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask for references, although the therapist may have to get permission from clients first for you to speak with them. Ask if they’re satisfied with their experiences, if the treatment has been effective for them and whether they’ll continue to get massages from the therapist. Were they treated with respect? Was the therapist punctual and a good listener?

Cost

It’s important that the massage therapist you choose clearly explains the costs of Lomi Lomi sessions and his or her billing practices and cancellation policies. Is there a discount for referring friends? Rates may vary depending on how much experience the therapist has, how often you see them and any number of other factors. Make sure you’re comfortable with the financial investment in your health and happiness that ongoing work may require.

Chemistry

Do you like the practitioner you’re talking to? Massage of any kind requires trust and respect. This is even more true with Lomi Lomi massage. Entrusting your body, mind and soul to a healthcare professional is serious business and you should trust your instincts when it comes to determining who’s right for you. Do you think you and the therapist will get along? Does he or she seem interested in helping you? Is the therapist positive and encouraging? Ultimately, it boils down to who you feel you can relax with and trust.

A side note about gender…Many women choose female doctors, female chiropractors and female massage therapists because they believe they’ll feel more comfortable with a woman. They may think a male will be dismissive of their complaints or fail to understand what they’re going through. This may be true in some instances, but when it comes to choosing a Lomi Lomi massage therapist, don’t rule out the men! Men trained in Lomi Lomi techniques are respectful, intuitive and invested in your well-being. We connect with you on a spiritual level where energy has no gender. Evaluate who you can work with best carefully, but remember to keep an open heart and mind!

 

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