Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed a software application to automatically "de-identify" medical records. The software might help to allay patients' fears about who has access to their confidential data. It is capable of deleting details which may identify patients while leaving important medical information intact.
In any hospital, one of the most dreaded enemies is MRSA. This super-resistant pathogen laughs in the face of most antibiotics. But now, medical and hygiene product manufacturer Lohmann & Rauscher may have developed an efficient weapon to fight this ugly beast: a wound dressing that contains polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB).
Considered optimal transportation and identification tools, they have become a symbol for modern hospitals: RFID tags. But according to a new study radio frequency identification devices (RFID) may disrupt medical devices. Moreover, the FDA is concerned that the increase in digital technology might be dangerous for patients.
When tumours are situated in difficult locations, e.g. near the brain, lungs, prostate or abdomen, patients treated with conventional radiation equipment often suffer severe side effects, which include bleeding, chronic infections or organ function limitations.
Report: Mark Nicholls
"Surgical care and its safe delivery affect the lives of millions of people. About 234 million major operations are performed worldwide every year", according to the World Health Organization (WHO). To avoid - possibly fatal - complications the WHO introduced a checklist on safe surgery.
When it comes to children's cancer care, the National Health Service counts on the concern of others, critics say. In their opinion the Britisch NHS tries to compense financial deficits by falling back on charity support. This could lead to large inequalities between different disease treatments and to over-reliances on local donations and social work.
The clinical center of the university of Mainz, Germany, reported the first successful use of a newly developed mobile heart-lung support system with a patient suffering from life-threatening pulmonary embolism. "Lifebridge", a highly automated system, was connected via the inguinal vessels right after the embolism had occurred and immediately took over the functions of lung and heart, supplying…
Unexpected risks my result from today's medical devices, such as implantable cardiac defibrillators and pacemakers, if they are equipped with wireless technology to enable remote device checks.
The USA's National Institutes of Health aims to review blood transfusion safety
Storing, archiving and sharing patient information in an intelligent and controlled manner is one of the 'hot topics' for healthcare organisations, was Pierre-Yves Nectoux' message at the Hospital Management Symposium. Mr Nectoux, business manager of e-Health Managed Services for Carestream Health in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, has been actively involved in EU e-Health initiatives in his…
In almost all US hospitals, in-patient radiology examinations are not scheduled. Instead, they are performed when equipment and patients are simultaneously and serendipitously available.
Storing, archiving and sharing patient information in an intelligent and controlled manner is one of the 'hot topics' for healthcare organisations.
The presentation will provide an overview of patient medical data sharing and distribution between the hospital, general practitioners (GP) and patient, using recent developments in Hospital Information System (HIS) and Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS).
Change is occurring at a rapid rate in cancer care - in many European countries cancer services are now being provided primarily in an ambulatory or outpatient setting with subsequent change of resources. Karen Luker, Professor of Community Nursing at the Universtiy of Manchester, UK, thinks that specialist nurses should not only refresh their knowledge of existing and new therapies. As the face…
On the first day of Medica, just an hour before their scheduled press conference to explain the future of iSOFT, Gary Cohen of IBA Health spoke with European Hospital.
Siemens in collaboration with the Rhön -Klinikum and the Fraunhofer ISST announced that in December, they will start an electronic case file (eFA) pilot project. For the first time data will be exchanged between two reputable chains of private clinic. This makes Siemens the first industry partner to have realised the eFA specification of the Fraunhofer ISST including peer-to-peer communication…
Over the past years, TietoEnator has integrated ITB, Waldbrenner, and Cymed - three companies which had all realized functional and powerful Hospital Information System solutions and components for more than 200 customers. The strengths of the individual solutions are being brought together in one single common platform extend by several new features. A team of developers across TietoEnator has…
At MEDICA 2007, the German Meierhofer AG focused their presentation on the scaleable IT-solution MCC. MCC is specially designed for the use in the healthcare sector as an all-in-one software solution.
IP-based nurse call system provides non-body-contact vital signs monitoring as well as patient movements, a fall and epileptic seizure.
USA - Outdated and broken IT systems are blamed for slowness of the Federal Drugs Administration (FDA) reviews of foreign drugs, said former FDA officials and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) during a House Energy and Commerce Oversight Investigations Subcommittee hearing.
One of the biggest RIS/PACS healthcare networks in Germany - a Centricity system installed by GE - was recently launched at the Munich Municipal Hospital GmbH to link its 67 clinics and institutes, which are spread across four sites (Bogenhausen, Harlaching, Neuperlach and Schwabing).
Medical errors occur in any part of the treatment process and typically involve the wrong medication, improper treatment, or incorrect or delayed test results. At its annual partner meeting, which took place in Berlin, September 27-28, Philips reinforced its commitment to use its leading global position in healthcare speech recognition to drive technology advancements towards reducing medical…
Following an agreement between Wolfgang Pföhler, Chairman of the Management Board of German company Rhön-Klinikum AG, and Professor Erich R Reinhardt, Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG and President of Siemens Medical Solutions, the hospital group is to install Siemens' WebEPA, an intra-facility electronic patient file, to link its 46 hospitals and respective medical care centres —…
The healing environment approach is a comprehensive concept targeting the elimination of stress factors for patients as well as their visitors that would otherwise minimise patient's wellbeing, impair the healing process, or even violate their dignity/privacy.
