AACN: Study findings by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), the Gannett Healthcare Group, and the Bernard Hodes Group found that nurses who work in organizations or units that have met or are pursuing the national excellence standard of a Beacon or Magnet designation report healthier work environments and higher satisfaction with their jobs.


May 29, 2007 - TeraRecon, Inc., a developer of imaging processing technology and 3-D visualization solutions, today announced that NightHawk Radiology, a teleradiology services and solutions provider, has chosen TeraRecon as its technology platform for delivering image post-processing capabilities to its more than 1,300 contracted hospitals in the U.S., as part of NightHawk’s strategy to position itself as a leading provider of 3-D imaging services for radiology, cardiology and referring physicians.

May 29, 2007 – Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), radiologists can predict the likelihood of the full or partial recovery of patients with acute spinal cord injuries (SCI) in 48 hours, according to a study published in the June issue of the journal Radiology.

May 29, 2007 – A noninvasive ultrasound procedure effectively shrinks uterine fibroids and significantly relieves fibroid-related symptoms in women, according to the results of a multicenter clinical trial reported in the June issue of the journal Radiology. Magnetic resonance-guided, focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) allows radiologists to precisely target fibroids without harming healthy surrounding tissue.

May 29, 2007 - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on May 25 a decision to provide coverage for Doppler monitoring of cardiac output in certain settings, removing the past noncoverage of this diagnostic test in these settings and adopting an evidence-based approach to healthcare.

May 29, 2007 - GE Healthcare announced U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) clearance for its CARESCAPE Patient Data Module for mobile patient monitoring, featuring 24-hour capture of critical patient data and a close-to-the-patient, self-powered design created to alleviate common portability constraints.

May 29, 2007 - Agfa HealthCare recently unveiled its ORBIS, a hospital and clinical information system (HIS/CIS) that offers a unique single database structure, integrating all administrative and clinical data, at the e-Health Conference 2007 in Québec, Canada, May 27-30.

May 29, 2007 - Agfa HealthCare recently announced the Canadian launch of its Internet-based enterprise scheduling and planning solution, iPlan, reportedly enabling hospitals and clinics of all sizes to increase productivity by more efficiently managing appointments and multiple resources in real-time.

May 28 — Digital Angel Corp., an advanced technology company in the field of rapid and accurate identification, location tracking and condition monitoring of high-value assets, and VeriChip Corp., a provider of RFID systems for healthcare and patient-related needs, have announced they have established a joint committee to design and develop a working, implantable glucose microchip to determine glucose levels in the bodies of animals and humans. The novel device would negate the need for diabetics to draw blood in order to monitor their individual blood glucose levels.

May 28, 2007 — St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver has adopted use of a new fluid for patients undergoing certain MRI procedures: blueberry juice. MRI supervisor Wayne Patola decided to act on research that has shown that blueberry juice (also, tea, pineapple juice and Kaopectate) given orally affects the way fluid in the stomach behaves during MRI imaging of the bile ducts, essentially hiding fluid from the image to allow for better visualization of the bile ducts.

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