April 18, 2008 - Actress Alicia Cole, a Screen Actors Guild member for 14 years, is known for the many portrayals of doctors and nurses, including roles on “General Hospital” and “Young and the Restless,” but a year ago Cole switched from playing a doctor to becoming a real-life patient after contracting Necrotizing Fasciitis (NF), caused by a flesh-eating bacteria.

This lead to six surgeries and a struggle to survive. This also lead Cole to fight to bring awareness to the rise in preventable hospital acquired infections and particularly MRSA cases.

April 18, 2008 – The Premier healthcare alliance this week launched the QUEST Supplier Innovation Program, focused on testing effectiveness of new healthcare technologies through the QUEST: High Performing Hospitals initiative.

April 18, 2008 – A growing amount of women undergoing breast cancer screenings are recalled for more testing while radiologists learn to interpret new mammograms, transitioning from traditional X-ray test, said the New York Times.

Two years ago, 10 percent of mammography clinics had at least one digital machine, jumping to 32 percent in current clinics.

April 18, 2008 – Siemens was appointed to the Scottish Procurement Framework and sealed a contract for nine advanced mammography systems, in hopes to gain speed, improved image quality and patient examination comfort.

Marked for installation during early spring and summer 2008, the company’s first new generation Full-Field Digital Mammography system, MAMMOMAT Inspiration is reportedly an ideal device for early breast cancer detection and is upgradable to stereotactic biopsy and 3D imaging using tomosynthesis.

April 18, 2008 – Based on recent data, screening MRI is appropriate as an adjunct to mammography, clinical breast examination and ultrasonography for breast cancer detection in women at high risk of breast cancer, according to the American Society of Breast Disease's Consensus Committee.