Systems medicine – the interdisciplinary field incorporating biochemical, physiological and environmental interactions in the study of human body systems as part of an integrated whole – draws heavily on the technological advances in information technology (IT). New ways to use data impact on healthcare and society, says Professor Dr Heyo Kroemer, Dean of the Medical School, Georg August…
By providing tools to allow users to be more productive in working with healthcare big data, several Silicon Valley giants hope to increase their presence in medical services. The latest company to enter the field is Apple Computers. In March it announced the availability of ResearchKit, an open-source software framework that turns the iPhone into a research tool.
Health always has a political dimension, as seen at two recent international events - the World Health Summit in Geneva in May and the G7 Summit in the Bavarian Alps near Garmisch at the beginning of June. Report: Anja Behringer
More than 60,000 Australians are estimated to have reduced or discontinued their use of prescribed cholesterol-lowering statin medications following the airing of a two-part series critical of statins by ABC TV's science program, Catalyst, a University of Sydney study reveals in the latest Medical Journal of Australia.
Can a routine hospital stay upset the balance of microbes in our bodies so much that it sets some older people up for a life-threatening health crisis called sepsis? A new University of Michigan and VA study suggests this may be the case.
DITTA, the Global Diagnostic Imaging, Healthcare IT and Radiation Therapy Trade Association is, for the first time, attending the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Sixty‐Eighth World Health Assembly (WHA) from 18-26 May 2015 since DITTA granted the status of NGO in official relationship with WHO.
They call him Mr Clean Hand. Professor Didier Pittet MD, Specialist in Infection Prevention and Control at the Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève and Head of the Clean Care is Safer Care programme of the World Health Organisation (WHO), is known as the ‘Father of Modern Hand Hygiene’. Report: Michael Krassnitzer
All laboratories should utilise quality monitoring systems and systematically work through their workflow processes to identify problem areas, according to Lucia Berte, who specialises in quality management systems in healthcare ancillary services through the Colorado-based organisation Laboratories Made Better. Report: Mark Nicholls
Is your network safe? This loaded question made delegates shiver during Inforsalud 2015, the annual meeting of the Spanish Health Informatics Society, which was held Feb 17 - 18 in Madrid. Report: Mélisande Rouger
Healthcare professionals looking at leveraging data to improve patient outcomes, as well as navigating tricky issues such as cybersecurity and patient engagement, will have plenty of information at their fingertips at HIMSS 2015, which takes place from April 12 to 16 in Chicago. Report: Lisa Chamoff
The ageing of society needs new, more cost-effective solutions to improve the life quality of patients and cut the burden that is placed on the social welfare system. In modern western societies the fitting of pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) is growing rapidly.
The idea of a ‘dossier médical personnalisé’ (DMP, or electronic health record) for every French citizen was first inaugurated in 2004. Now, over 10 years and €500 million later, we can look at the pros and cons encountered during this still incomplete journey and consider if similar projects would be a useful addition to healthcare administration in other European countries, or…
Toshiba Medical Systems Europe today announced that it has signed a European Union-wide reseller agreement with French radiology manufacturer, Apelem, to market Xantara, a remote controlled, digital radiography and fluoroscopy (RF) system developed for Toshiba Medical Systems Europe.
A surgical algorithm developed and implemented by ovarian cancer specialists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center dramatically increases the frequency of complete removal of all visible tumor - a milestone strongly tied to improved survival.
Contrary to previous reports, a study led by Johns Hopkins researchers found that patients’ satisfaction scores only modestly improved based on the newly remodeled design of a hospital.
Maximizing patient safety is the top priority for hospital c-suite executives and risk managers in the United States - but, "lack of teamwork, negative culture and poor communication" will present barriers to patient safety in the future - according to a new survey commissioned by American International Group (AIG) in consultation with patient safety expert, Dr. Marty Makary, MD, MPH.
On the occasion of the Euro ID and ID World International Congress 2014 in November in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, EH asked about the role of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) in healthcare, during her interview with H Sprague Ackley, Technical Fellow at Honeywell Scanning & Mobility. Report: Cornelia Wels-Maug
Patients are no longer content to be passive recipients of medical care, and are instead taking a more active role in their treatment, says Kathy Oliver, Chair co-director of the International Brain Tumour Alliance (IBTA). Report: Frank Swain
The safety of little children at the University Children’s Hospital Basel (UKBB) has been assured since February by the installation of Patient SafetyNet, an advanced remote monitoring and clinician notification system manufactured by the California-based company Masimo.
Medical grade carrier arm systems by CIM med feature integrated cable management. In contrast to open cables, for instance, the firm’s carrier systems avoid fostering germs at the monitor connections.
The Dräger VarioGard 2300/2320 IR is a fixed gas warning device for monitoring potential leakages or workplace exposure limits. Traditional areas of application include laboratories and hospitals. Its precise infrared sensors with long-term stability are initially configured for the desired gas and the measuring range.
In uncomplicated stable angina cases no evidence suggests that angioplasty reduces heart attacks or death risks, Mark Nicholls reports
Most clinical laboratories use immunoassays routinely to measure 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OH D) in serum. The metabolites of vitamin D are important in the regulation of calcium and bone metabolism.
Ultrasound is playing an increasing role in the management of the upper and lower airways, particularly in interventional procedures and emergency situations. It is also used to enhance patient safety.
The survival of premature newborns in England is 30% higher in specialist units treating large numbers of neonates, reveals an analysis of national data published in the online journal BMJ Open.