Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Third-quarter fiscal 2009 results announced by Urodynamix Technologies

Urodynamix Technologies Ltd. today reported its financial results for its fiscal third quarter ended September 30, 2009. The Company reported a loss of $638,287 or $0.01 per share basic and diluted compared to a loss of $737,341or $0.01, basic and diluted, for the comparative quarter of the prior year. Revenue for the quarter ended September 30, 2009 at $15,285, decreased 55% over the same quarter of the prior year.

1 Dec 2009

Insurance customers have intentions to switch their Medicare coverage, finds study

A new study has found that 27% of Medicare Advantage and Supplemental Medicare insurance customers have a current intention to shop for and possibly switch their Medicare coverage.

1 Dec 2009

MedQuist signs agreement with Nuance Communications

MedQuist Inc., a leading provider of technology-enabled clinical documentation services, today announced that it has signed an agreement with Nuance Communications, Inc. (Nuance) under which MedQuist will now license Nuance's SpeechMagic speech recognition engine and processing software for use in SpeechQ of General Medicine(TM), MedQuist's front-end speech recognition application for all medical disciplines.

1 Dec 2009

GE Healthcare to investigate the performance of MBIR

GE Healthcare, a $17 billion unit of General Electric Company, announced today a multi-center study to investigate the performance of Model Based Iterative Reconstruction (MBIR) as a method to maintain or improve diagnostic information available to clinicians while dramatically lowering radiation dose in routine CT imaging.

1 Dec 2009

Members of priority groups to receive H1N1 vaccines from Department of Health

The Department of Health reminded Pennsylvanians they can begin making appointments today to be vaccinated against the H1N1 flu virus.

1 Dec 2009

White House video features Joe Biden as part of effort to push back on health reform 'misinformation'

CNN: "The White House is 'geared up to go on offense' on health care messaging this week, a White House official tells CNN. As the Senate debate over health care reform gets underway, the administration is planning to "push back on the distortions and misinformation ... being circulated by interest groups and opponents."

1 Dec 2009

Stryker to acquire Ascent Healthcare Solutions

Stryker Corporation today announced a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Ascent Healthcare Solutions, Inc. the market leader in the reprocessing and remanufacturing of medical devices in the U.S.

From Stryker 1 Dec 2009

Verisk Health announces the release of DxCG Risk Solutions 3.0

Verisk Health, Inc., a global leader in healthcare data analytics, today announced the release of DxCG Risk Solutions 3.0, a suite of risk adjustment and predictive modeling products that enable organizations to analyze, predict, manage, and minimize healthcare risk and costs associated with commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid populations.

1 Dec 2009

MedBuild completes new PET/CT imaging facility for Nash General Hospital, N.C

MedBuild, the specialized healthcare division of Modular Space Corporation (ModSpace®), has completed construction of a new PET/CT imaging facility for Nash General Hospital in Rocky Mount, N.C.

1 Dec 2009

Phi Health launches high-performance MRI system at RSNA 2009

Phi Health, a healthcare technology company, announced at the RSNA 2009 Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL, November 29, 2009 – December 4, 2009, that it is introducing Memex, a proprietary high-performance, yet low-cost 1.5T MRI system.

1 Dec 2009

Senate health reform players prepare policy positions

With debate scheduled to begin as early as Monday, senators are preparing their arguments for or against health care reform, Bloomberg reports. "All 58 Senate Democrats and the two independents who caucus with them backed [Senate Majority Leader Harry] Reid's bid to start debate this week.

1 Dec 2009

GE Healthcare presents new Innova dose-efficient X-ray technology at RSNA 2009

At this year’s Radiology Society of America (RSNA) annual meeting, GE Healthcare, a $17 billion unit of General Electric Company presented the new Innova® dose-efficient X-ray technology powered by the innovative GE AutoEx control system, which automatically and continuously adapts to help keep image quality and patient dose at optimum levels.

1 Dec 2009

Commonwealth leaders' meeting concludes; includes discussion about health

Leaders issued a statement covering a variety of topics, including health, after a three-day Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting concluded Sunday in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, Xinhua reports (Manda, 11/30).

30 Nov 2009

CBO report: Senate health proposal would raise some premium costs

Reuters: "The U.S. Senate's healthcare bill would raise insurance premiums by at least 10 percent by 2016 for those independently buying coverage, but subsidies would reduce the actual costs for half of that group, the Congressional Budget Office said on Monday."

30 Nov 2009

Details of the policies inside the Senate's health overhaul bill

Hot-button provisions in the Senate health Bill, such as the public option, cost controls and subsidies to expand coverage continue to get a lot of attention, while some interesting details have gone with little notice.

30 Nov 2009

Primers on health reform and the legislative process

Some news outlets offer primers on the proposed health care overhaul.

30 Nov 2009

Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals commences enrollment in florbetaben Phase III clinical trials

Today at the 95th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced the enrollment of the first patient in an international Phase III clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of florbetaben (BAY 94-9172) PET imaging in the detection of beta-Amyloid plaques in the brain, which are a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.

30 Nov 2009

Sanofi-aventis, Intelliject sign an exclusive licensing agreement for novel epinephrine auto injector

Sanofi-aventis U.S. announced today the signing of an exclusive licensing agreement with Intelliject, Inc. for a novel epinephrine auto injector for the emergency treatment of allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) in North America (U.S. and Canada).

30 Nov 2009

Acsys Interactive's recommendations to the FDA on social media in the healthcare industry

At the invitation of the Food and Drug Administration, Stan Valencis, President of Acsys Interactive, recently presented a series of recommendations to help shape the government's policy towards the promotion of prescription drugs, biologics and medical devices using the Internet and social media tools. As a leader in providing digital marketing and interactive strategies to healthcare systems, hospitals, device manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies, Acsys Interactive was selected by the FDA to provide its uniquely qualified perspective and experience.

30 Nov 2009

Covidien sells its Oxygen Therapy product line to Chart Industries

Covidien, a leading global provider of healthcare products, today announced that it had completed the previously announced sale of its Oxygen Therapy assets to Chart Industries, Inc.. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

From Chart Industries 30 Nov 2009