IT, telehealth, mHealth

New pentagonal form of carbon could outperform graphene
A new structural variant of carbon called penta-graphene is a semiconductor and has physical properties that could outperform graphene, according to researchers from the US, China and Japan. 5 Feb 2015

3D printed model of heart helps surgeon plan life-saving heart surgery
A cardiac surgeon at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has used a 3D printed heart as a model to plan a life-saving procedure for a young patient born with a rare heart defect. 2 Feb 2015

Time spent on electronic devices linked to teen sleep problems
The time spent looking at screens throughout the day and before going to bed is directly related to poor quality sleep according to a large study of teenagers published in the online journal BMJ Open. 30 Jan 2015

Sensor technologies and virtual reality are key to transforming healthcare
Technological advances in the medical sector will start to drive the most active and rapid progression health systems have ever seen over the next few years, according to Plextec Consulting. 30 Jan 2015

First map of all known proteins in human body is goldmine for drug discovery
The Human Protein Atlas is an open source interactive map showing all the known proteins in the human body and how they are distributed in tissues and organs. 28 Jan 2015

Basildon and Thurrock Hospitals complete rollout of EMR system
Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has completed deployment of a trust-wide electronic medical records (EMR) system in a project costing £6.5 million. 16 Jan 2015

Birmingham and Solihull NHS Trust chooses Ascribe pharmacy system
Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust has chosen an e-pharmacy system from Ascribe after winning £500k from an NHS England fund to improve patient safety.  13 Jan 2015

Ascom wins service contract at South London & Maudsley NHS Trust
South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) has awarded Ascom UK an eight-year contract to provide maintenance services for a staff alarm system. 13 Jan 2015

3D-printed foot orthotics project awarded £77k SBRI grant
Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) in partnership with the University of Newcastle and Newcastle-based Peacocks Medical Group have been awarded £77,000 funding for the design and manufacture of foot orthotics using 3D-printing technologies. 12 Jan 2015

New Bluetooth Smart profile for blood glucose monitors
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) has adopted the Continuous Glucose Monitoring Profile (CGM), developed by the Medical Device Working Group, to standardise data collection, measurement and delivery for Bluetooth Smart glucose monitors.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supports cloud data system for connecting Ebola responders
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded Fio Corporation a grant to adapt its Fionet solution to connect rapid diagnostics information to frontline healthcare workers fighting the Ebola outbreak. 8 Jan 2015

Feature: Applying big data analytics to improve patient-centric care
The changing economic, regulatory, technological and healthcare environment has given rise to a strategic shift from product and physician-centric strategies to a ‘patient centric’ approach. Sumit Prasad of Mu Sigma discusses the opportunities of this shift for the pharmaceutical sector. 7 Jan 2015

'Deep-learning' computer system predicts genetic causes of diseases
University of Toronto researchers have developed the first method for ranking genetic mutations based on how living cells read DNA, calculating how likely a mutation is to cause disease. 5 Jan 2015

HealthQuest Solutions awarded £1m to develop COPD management system
Southampton-based ealthQuest Solutions has been awarded a £960,000 contract by the Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) to further develop its myCOPD Solution. 15 Dec 2014

Fourteen institutes join $27m initiative to find causes of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy
A new initiative, called the SUDEP Center Without Walls for Collaborative Research, is a $27.3 million international effort to identify the causes of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) a mysterious and deadly phenomenon that strikes people with epilepsy without warning. 10 Dec 2014

Modelling system forecasts spread of Ebola
A forecasting model developed by the EU funded EPIWORK project to model the spread of swine flu H1N1 has shown that Ebola would have infected between 14,000 and 22,000 people in West Africa by the end of November 2014. 5 Dec 2014

Feature: The barriers to tapping into Big Content and how to overcome them
The healthcare sector, like every other industry, is creating not just more data, but ever increasing amounts of information on diagnoses, treatment options, new medications, trials and research, as well as general health factors. Jeremy Bentley, Chief Executive of Smartlogic takes a look at the problems of making use of the unstructured side of Big Data. 5 Dec 2014

Feature: Protecting critical healthcare data in the era of 'big data'
The Internet of Things, Big Data and cloud storage have transformed the way in which data is accessed, processed and stored. As a result, the pressure is on for all organisations to develop a data-centric security approach. By Martin Sugden, Managing Director, Boldon James. Nov 2014

3D imaging helps surgeons measure size of tumours
Three-dimensional ultrasound imaging and augmented-reality software allows surgeons to pinpoint a tumour and measure its volume, including its depth. 26 Nov 2014

Smartphone-based remote monitoring system for pregnancy-related diabetes wins prize
A system for remote monitoring of mothers with pregnancy-related diabetes using a smartphone and wireless-enabled blood glucose meter has won the Best Digital Initiative trophy in the Quality in Care Diabetes Awards. 20 Nov 2014

Technologies for advanced liver disease monitoring allow patients to stay at home
The EC-funded D-Liver project has  developed a remote support system for patients with advanced liver disease to monitor their condition at home and save regular trips to hospital for tests and appointments with consultants. 17 Nov 2014

IBM and UK Science & Technology Facilities Council form Big Data Innovation Hub
IBM and the STFC Hartree Centre has created a Big Data innovation hub using IBM Big Data and Analytics technology to help organisations solve complex business problems. 12 Nov 2014

Hitachi and Danish hospital to study use of big data for improving hospital management
Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg University Hospital and Hitachi, Ltd.  have agreed to jointly develop solutions for increasing the efficiency of hospital management using IT at Hitachi's Denmark Big Data Research Laboratory, which opened on 5 Nov 2014. 12 Nov 2014

Ethitec's Tiara9 awarded NHS Spine certification
Ethitec's EPR system, Tiara9, has successfully completed the  certification process for compatibility with the NHS electronic appointment booking systems, having run without incident at its ‘First of Type’ site at Frimley Park Hospital. 11 Nov 2014

New method for creating biological sensors on silicon chips
Scientists from Chile and Germany  have developed a novel process to layer two readily available chemicals on a silicon substrate to mimic a cell membrane and give the ability to link biological processes to electronics. 30 Oct 2014

Philips and Breast Cancer Care launch breast-check mobile app
To mark breast cancer awareness month, Philips in partnership with the charity Breast Cancer Care has launched an updated version of their Breast Cancer Care mobile app. 28 Oct 2014

Hospital records over 2.5 million patient monitor alarms in one month
A study of five intensive care units in the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), Medical Center over 31 days recorded 2,558,760 unique alarms. Many were caused by a complex interplay of inappropriate user settings, patients’ conditions and computer algorithm deficiencies. 27 Oct 2014

Croydon is first hospital in UK awarded HIMSS EMRAM stage 6 for IT adoption
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust has become the first hospital in the UK to be awarded the Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM) level 6 by international health information body the Health Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). 24 Oct 2014

New model gives 3D reconstruction of the brain's memory structures
Researchers at Ruhr-Universitaet-Bochum have developed a new method for creating 3D models of memory-relevant brain structures. They published their results in the journal Frontiers in Neuroanatomy.

New forecasts show Ebola infections could reach 1.4 million by January
The current Ebola epidemic could claim hundreds of thousands of lives and infect more than 1.4 million people by the end of January 2015, according to a new forecast released by the US CDC. 2 Oct 2014

Scale of current Ebola outbreak makes previous models for predicting spread  useless
A mathematical model that replicates and forecasts Ebola outbreaks is no longer suitable for predicting the eventual scale of the current epidemic, according to researchers at the University of Warwick. 2 Oct 2014

Mayden awards contract to HealthMotive for NHS Spine integration software
Cloud solution developer Mayden has entered into a contract with healthcare systems developer  HealthMotive to incorporate HealthMotive’s Spin Messaging Handler (SMH) product into Mayden’s product offering. 23 Sept 2014

Sheffield displays the latest in robotics in Festival of the Mind
The University of Sheffield is holding a unique series of lectures between 19-25 September, focusing on the latest advancements in robotics and what the future has in store. 19 Sept 2014

Open Bionics 3D printed prosthetic hand reaches global finals of Intel competition
Robotics startup Open Bionics has seen its idea to significantly reduce the cost of prosthetic limbs by using 3D printing reach the global final of Intel's Make it Wearable Competition. 11 Sep 2014

NHS information exchange backbone rebuilt and upgraded
NHS Spine, a set of applications, services and directories that underpin information exchange across the NHS in England, has been successfully rebuilt in a project led by the Health and Social Care Information Centre. 11 Sep 2014

New model predicts best distribution of AEDs to treat heart failure in public places
A new method to predict the optimal number and location of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), to treat members of the public suffering heart attacks, has been developed in Paris. 8 Sept 2014

Exco InTouch achieves a first with mobile health apps for iOS, Android and Windows8
Exco InTouch has announced the availability of electronic clinical outcomes assessment (eCOA) apps on all three mobile operating platforms (iOS, Android and Windows8). 2 Sept 2014

3D printing in reconstructive facial surgery hindered by reimbursement challenge
The 3D printing sector is battling to convince surgeons that it is a financially viable treatment for craniomaxillofacial (CMF) reconstruction, despite it being lauded as a game-changing development, says an analyst with research and consulting firm GlobalData. 1 Sept 2014

Avatars help deaf people to understand online text and interact with websites
Computer scientists from Saarbrücken, Germany are developing animated online characters to display text from web pages in sign language. and help deaf people communicate on online platforms via sign language. 29 Aug 2014

Opinion: In cardiology, Big Data covers the ‘whole’ patient
Jeroen Tas, CEO Healthcare Informatics Solutions and Services, Philips Healthcare
This week’s ESC Congress in Barcelona has a lot of people buzzing about the latest innovation and research in the field of cardiology. From my vantage point, I’m most excited to see how Big Data is being put to work to change the face of cardiac care. 29 Aug 2014

Remote monitoring of heart failure patients via implants halves mortality
BIOTRONIK has announced that a clinical trial of its implant-based remote monitoring system has lead to significant clinical benefits for heart failure patients. 29 Aug 2014

Twelve NHS hospitals use 3D printing to test implants for reconstructive surgery
Stratasys Ltd has announced that UK medical 3D printing specialist, Replica 3DM, is using its Stratasys 3D Printers to provide a service to twelve NHS hospitals to print models for the validation of reconstructive implants prior to surgery. 26 Aug 2014

Smartphones to be adapted to monitor and manage stress, nutrition and HIV infection
A multidisciplinary team headed by Cornell University has been awarded a $3million grant to combine microfluidics and smartphone technology for health monitoring and improving patient engagement in their healthcare. 20 Aug 2014

Western Sussex Hospitals to install acute kidney disease monitoring system
Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in southern England is launching a project to monitor patients and alert clinical staff of patients at risk of kidney failure. 19 Aug 2014

Increase in body weight linked to increased risk of 10 cancers
A study following the health of more than 5 million adults in the UK has found that people with a higher body mass index (BMI) have an increased risk of developing 10 of the most common cancers. 14 Aug 2014

New pathology software improves cancer diagnosis
New software developed jointly by the MedUni Vienna and the Vienna-based firm Tissuegnostics helps pathologists to identify cancerous tissue with greater accuracy and remove some of the variability in current methods based on visual analysis of tissue samples. 14 Aug 2014

Analysis of electronic health records finds effective medicines quicker and cheaper than clinical trials
Analysing electronic health records of large patient populations can efficiently select the right patients and identify the effectiveness of treatments with minimal impact on patients and reduce the need for expensive clinical trials. 13 Aug 2014

Inova chooses Avere storage system for managing the world’s largest genome sequence database
Avere Systems has announced that the Inova Translational Medicine Institute (ITMI) has chosen Avere's hybrid cloud storage systems for the world’s largest, centralised repository of whole genome sequence data. 12 Aug 2014

Going beyond the pill — mhealth programme improves outcomes for COPD patients
Feature: mHealth offers pharmaceutical companies the opportunity to go ‘beyond the pill’ and deliver personalised health support to patients outside of a healthcare setting. Digital health platforms can keep patients involved in managing their care and adherent to their therapy and medication regimes. Mark Brincat, Director of Product Strategy, Exco InTouch. 11 Aug 2014

Princess Alexandra Hospital launches electronic patient record system
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust in Essex, UK, has gone live with the Cambio COSMIC integrated electronic patient record system across its hospital site, external services and outpatient clinics. 6 Aug 2014

EMIS wins contracts for community care systems in the south of England
EMIS has signed two major contracts under the NHS London and Southern procurement framework to provide its EMIS Web software to community care providers. 6 Aug 2014

Northumbria University trains Thai nurse trainers in use of 'SIM patients'
A delegation from Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health has visited Northumbria University, Newcastle, to learn how to use robotic patient mannequins for use in training nurses in colleges across the country. 14 Jul 2014

KTH designs device to sort cells by elasticity properties
Researchers at Sweden's KTH The Royal Institute of Technology have used computational simulations to propose a microfluidic device that can sort cells according to their elasticity. This could offer a more reliable alternative for detecting disease biomarkers. 14 Jul 2014

EU REACTION project develops diabetes management tools
The EU funded REACTION project has developed a set of software tools and devices to help both diabetes patients and medical staff better manage the condition. 24 Jun 2014

Exco InTouch and AstraZeneca develop ground-breaking mHealth system for COPD
Exco InTouch has announced that a collaboration with AstraZeneca has produced a ground-breaking mHealth program that improves condition management for patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 17 Jun 2014

Supercomputers: powering medical innovation to enable the industry to achieve more
Karen Padmore, Operations Director at High Performance Computing (HPC) Wales, explains how supercomputing can be used to help speed-up breakthroughs in medical research.

British Cardiovascular Society launches app to calculate heart age
The British Cardiovascular Society (BCS) has launched an app to calculate risk of heart attack or stroke and estimate heart age compared to the average equivalent person.

Implanted devices made from flexible transistors can wrap around body parts
Electronic devices that become soft when implanted inside the body can reshape to grip body parts, such as large tissues, nerves and blood vessels. 28 May 2014

Personalising healthcare with technology
Feature: The products and services that support patients in managing their health and diseases must be able to adapt in the real world to individual patient needs. As technology develops we should be seeing a continual evolution in dynamic and adaptive solutions that can support patients on their individual ‘patient journeys’. By Mark Brincat. 2 May 2014

Injectable pressure sensor detects full bladders for people suffering neurological disease
A small pressure sensor developed by SINTEF in Norway can help people suffering from a neurological disease that affects control of the bladder and can lead to a life threatening situation. 4 April 2014

Who put the 'm' in mHealth?
Feature: mHealth is currently the topic of much discussion. The problem is nobody really knows what it is, and nobody’s defined what it is — everybody’s interpretation is different. So when you talk about mHealth services people immediately put it into a box according to their interpretation. 28 Mar 2014

Motorbike crash survivor’s face reconstructed with 3D printed titanium implant
A specialist team at the Morriston Hospital in Swansea has successfully implanted a specially designed and printed titanium cheek bone and eye socket for a badly injured motorcyclist. 17 Mar 2014

Partnership to develop mobile health platform to support independent living
HMA Digital Marketing, the Centre for Assistive Technology and Connected Healthcare (CATCH) at the University of Sheffield, and Tunstall Healthcare are collaborating to develop 'mHealth Assist', a mobile health platform. 13 Mar 2014

Trial of 'digital medicines' in the north of England
The Northern Health Science Alliance (NHSA) is working with US company Proteus Digital Health to test if taking pills with ingestible sensors can help patients take medicines properly.

COPD patients remotely monitored at home in rural Scotland
Tunstall Healthcare has partnered with Putting you First to implement a remote monitoring service for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the Annan area of Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. 28 Feb 2014

Philips offers electronic medication dispenser for home care in Benelux countries
Royal Philips has launched a home medication dispensing service with automated, compact dispensers loaded with personalized pre-packaged medication and a dedicated web-based IT connection to the patient’s care giver organisation and pharmacist. 28 Feb 2014

Nottingham University Hospitals redesign pathway for heart valve disease patients
Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust, has selected a specialist Valve Clinic system from McKesson to redesign the treatment pathway for patients with cardiac valve disease.

Computer controlled movement of patient and radiotherapy can target tumour more precisely
Computer controlled movement of the patient on a radiotherapy couch with the 3D control of the radiation beam could deliver high doses to tumours while sparing nearby organs. 10 Feb 2014

Stratasys 3D printers verified by exocad for production of dental models
Stratasys has announced that exocad has verified its printers for the manufacture of physical dental models in the latest release of Model Creator software. 6 Feb 2014

Luton and Dunstable Hospitals install unified communications system
Luton & Dunstable University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has signed a five-year agreement with Unify, formerly Siemens Enterprise Communications, to provide a unified communications suite. 6 Feb 2014

Philips launches new Healthcare Informatics Solutions and Services Business Group
The new group offers hospitals and health systems customised clinical programs, advanced data analytics and interoperable, cloud-based platforms for implementing new models of care. 28 Jan 2014

Bra detects change in mood to help prevent emotional eating
A bra with sensors that monitor heart and skin activity can detect changes in mood, with the ultimate aim of preventing emotionally-triggered overeating in women.

Exco InTouch gives insights in mHealth solutions for clinical research at mHealth Summit
Exco InTouch took part in a session on mHealth Solutions for patient-centric clinical trials at the annual mHealth Summit in Washington DC this week. 12 Dec 2013

Electronic membrane monitors and treats patients through skin
An international team has developed an electronic circuit on a flexible membrane that adheres non-invasively to human skin and can contain a range of microdevices for sensing or delivering stimuli or drugs. 4 Dec 2013

Case study: Automated rostering helps Mount Carmel Hospital maximise staff resources
Mount Carmel Hospital in Dublin has replaced its traditional paper-based system for producing staff rosters by implementing a computerised workforce management system. 3 Dec 2013

Online training improves diagnosis of skin cancer in primary care
Primary care doctors who took an online training course on diagnosing skin cancer significantly improved their skill to properly diagnose and manage benign and malignant lesions, according to a national study from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. 21 Nov 2013

3D video game helps restore muscle function in stroke patients
Researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center have developed a video game so that stroke patients with muscle weakness can have therapy at home to build strength in the affected hand or arm. 18 Nov 2013

Driving operational improvement with joined-up healthcare data
Following the introduction of the new NHS structures in England in 2013, the NHS still needs to find additional cost savings, despite central health budgets being ring-fenced. An integrated approach to data that engages both commissioner and provider could deliver efficiencies without impacting on staff, writes LOC Consulting’s Peter Osborne. 18 Nov 2013

TSF sets up emergency communications in disaster zones of the Philippines
Teams from Télécoms Sans Frontières’ have set up three telecoms centres in the town of Tacloban, the centre of the devastation from typhoon Haiyan to provide communications for all relief organisations and the public. 11 Nov 2013

Monkeys master mind over virtual matter
Rhesus monkeys have learned to control the limb movement of computer characters, or avatars, using thought, in a study led by Duke University in the US. 8 Nov 2013

Exco InTouch to supply electronic scoring system for Clinical Researcher of the Year Awards
Nottingham-based Exco InTouch has been appointed to build an electronic scoring system for the US and International clinical researcher of the year awards organized by Pharma Times. 7 Nov 2013

New software detects genetic diseases 20 times more accurately
A new set of computer programs developed at the iMinds research institute at KU Leuven can rapidly identify hereditary diseases from the vast amounts of data generated by genetic analysis. 30 Oct 2013

ExcoInTouch to showcase patient engagement solutions at J&J digital health masterclass
Nottingham-based ExcoInTouch, a developer of patient engagement and data-capture solutions, has announced it is taking part in a Johnson & Johnson Digital Health Masterclass to demonstrate the benefits of mHealth.

Philips launches app to help check for breast cancer
Philips is launching an iPhone and iPad app that gives an easy guide for women to check the health of their breasts regularly. 23 Oct 2013

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals digitises patient casenotes
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has deployed the Kainos Evolve EMR system to digitise patient records across seven medical specialties. 11 Oct 2013

Southern Health secures funding for telehealth programme
Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust has secured performance-related payments from the UK Department of Health to continue delivery of telehealthcare for patients living with long-term conditions in the South of England. 11 Oct 2013

Virtual monitoring by mobile phone ensures TB patients complete medication
Sending videos by mobile phone is an effective technique to ensure TB patients take their prescribed medication and complete their course of treatment. 13 Sept 2013

Decision-support tool reduces deaths from pneumonia in emergency departments
A trial of an electronic decision support tool that is linked to patients' electronic medical records showed it helped to reduce deaths from pneumonia in emergency departments by up to 25%. 12 Sept 2013

Medical image storage driving exponential growth in vendor neutral archive systems
High growth in medical data storage in vendor-neutral archive (VNA) systems will drive strong demand for VNA solutions over the next five years, according to a report from market analysts IHS. 12 Sept 2013

Vienna Prediction Model calculates risk of venous thrombosis
Researchers at the Medical University of Vienna have developed a model to calculate the risk of patients suffering a recurrence of a venous thrombosis using three factors. 6 Sept 2013

Smartwatches can analyse quality of sleep
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD have developed software for commercially available smartwatches that can collect data on sleep patterns and detect anomalies. 2 Sept 2013

Small monitor records temperature of medicines and vaccines in logistics chain
Swiss company Escatec has announced is building nearly a third of a million temperature monitors a year for Berlinger & Co of Switzerland. 29 Aug 2013

Jayex patient kiosks achieve NHS interoperability accreditation
InterSystems has announced that  Jayex Technology has delivered the first self-service patient kiosks to achieve the NHS Interoperability Toolkit (ITK) accreditation. 29 Aug 2013

Cisco and Inmarsat collaborate to extend telemedicine worldwide via satellite
Inmarsat has announced a collaboration with Cisco to make Cisco’s telemedicine system, the Cisco TelePresence VX Clinical Assistant, available in the world’s most remote communities. 28 Aug 2013

ASTERICS project develops adaptable assistive technology system
The EC-funded ASTERICS project has developed an assistive technology system with a set of software, controller and actuators that can be adapted to the needs of individual users for controlling devices in the home. 5 Aug 2013

Sensimed AG completes financing round
Swiss company Sensimed AG has announced the completion of its Series C financing round for a total of CHF25m (€20m) for its glaucoma monitoring system. 23 July 2013

South Denmark to build VNA system connecting 17 hospitals
Region South Denmark has announced it has chosen GE Healthcare IT to set  up a vendor neutral archive (VNA) system to be implemented in 2013. The VNA will connect the region’s 17 hospitals, enabling exchange of medical images and easier collaboration. 19 July 2013

Computer models predict effectiveness of colon tumour therapy
Computer models of the behaviour of colon tumour cells in response to drugs have shown that a combination of drugs blocks a survival mechanism triggered by using one drug alone. 17 July 2013

Going paperless — what pressure will this put on NHS IT?
Marc Stein of Dell Software Group reviews the changes that are taking place around paperless and mobile working, how the Caldicott report supports this and the measures NHS organisations need to take to keep up in the changing environment. 11 July 2013

Quartz glass stores data in 5D and could last over 1m years
Scientists at the University of Southampton have, for the first time, demonstrated the recording and retrieval of data in five dimensions in quartz glass, which has an estimated lifetime over 1m years. 10 July 2013

Northern Ireland launches national patient record system for health and social care
Northern Ireland has launched an electronic care record system for its 1.8 million population that integrates acute, community, primary health and social care records. 9 July 2013

Robo-pets can improve quality of life for dementia sufferers
Interaction with a robotic companion can help people with mid to late stage dementia become less anxious and also have a positive influence on their quality of life, according to new research. 28 June 2013

Mobile app helps elderly manage medication better
An application for mobile devices that helps elderly people with multiple illnesses improve medication management has been developed by. Researchers at the Universidad Miguel Hernández and partners. 19 June 2013

EU-wide call for projects to develop mobile access to EMRs across borders
The EC-funded DECIPHER PCP project aims to create a mobile information system that will allow primary and emergency care doctors to access medical records of patients from other EU countries using secure mobile technology. 7 June 2013

Project to design low-cost digital healthcare assistants for the home
The SPHERE project is a collaboration between universities, industry and a local council that will develop simple home sensor systems to monitor the health and wellbeing of people living at home. 7 June 2013

TSB announces funding for 3D printing projects
Research and development projects using 3D printing techniques have received a funding boost from the UK Technology Strategy Board and three research councils. 6 June 2013

Sussex Health Informatics Service secures 40,000 networked devices
Sussex Health Informatics Service (HIS) has selected ForeScout CounterACT to deliver real-time access and endpoint security for 40,000 devices across 500 sites.

Peratech designs QTC Ultra Sensor for pressure-sensitive switching
Yorkshire-based Peratech's QTC Ultra Sensor can be mounted behind a 0.1mm stainless steel or 0.5mm glass sheet and detect the pressure of a finger on the top of the sheet to act as a touch-sensitive switch. 5 June 2013

Baby's life saved by 3D-printed tracheal splint
Doctors at the University of Michigan have saved the life of a 20-month-old baby with a collapsed trachea by printing a custom designed splint based on a CT scan of his trachea. With video. 4 June 2013

Southwest England hospitals deploy joint cloud-based radiology information system
Accenture has completed the deployment of a cloud-based radiology information system (RIS) for a consortium of five NHS hospitals and 23 facilities in Southwest England. 22 May 2013

Department of Health provides £260m for hospital electronic prescribing systems
UK Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has announced a new £260 million fund for hospitals to implement electronic prescribing systems for improving patient safety. 17 May 2013

UK doctors lagging behind Europe in use of online cardiology training tool
Young UK doctors are lagging in their uptake of eduCAD, an online tool for learning the appropriate use of multi modal imaging technology in cardiology, according to co-developer GE Healthcare. 15 May 2013

EPSRC invests £32m in projects to develop smart systems and sensors for healthcare
The UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council has awarded £32m to establish three new "Healthcare Interdisciplinary Research Collaborations" to focus UK research excellence and build critical mass in this area. 10 May 2013

East Kent Hospitals implement clinical portal to simplify access to patient data
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust has selected the clinical integration platform from Harris Healthcare to provide a single view of patient information from several clinical systems that currently work in isolation. 10 May 2013

Siemens provides support on demand for CT imaging protocols at Spire hospital
Siemens Healthcare Customer Services is supporting Spire Southampton Hospital’s diagnostic imaging department through syngo Remote Assist, a remote troubleshooting service for CT scans. 10 May 2013

NHS Lone Worker Service contract awarded to Reliance Hi-Tech
NHS Protect, which provides support and guidance to the NHS on the protection of staff, has retained Reliance High-Tech to supply its NHS framework Lone Worker Service. 10 May 2013

Pan European telehealth project to develop cookbook of co-ordinated care
The Advancing Care Coordination and Telehealth Deployment (ACT) program will explore the organizational and structural processes needed to successfully implement chronic disease management services on a large scale. 30 Apr 2013

Miniature LED implant shines light on workings of mouse brain
A miniature electronic device with LEDs the size of neurons, when implanted in the brain of a genetically altered mouse can stimulate the release of dopamine, a chemical associated with pleasure. 23 April 2013

Bio-patch monitors body's electrical signals
The Bio-patch sensor measures bioelectrical signals through the skin, gathering data on the brain, heart or muscle, depending on where it is placed. 23 Apr 2013

Health awareness to quadruple MEMS sensor market for wearable electronics
Shipments of microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensors are forecast to more than quadruple in just five years due to demand for devices from health-conscious consumers. 22 Apr 2013

Royal Cornwall Hospitals meet CQUIN targets for dementia care
The Trust is to become one of the first in the UK to exceed all its Commissioning Quality for Innovation (CQUIN) targets for dementia care after implementing software from IMS MAXIMS. 22 Apr 2013

North Tees and Hartlepool hospitals transform pharmacy system
North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust has gone live with a web-based pharmacy system from Ascribe. 22 Apr 2013

Groundbreaking map of London's 19th century cholera outbreak digitised
A student from the University of Southampton has digitised data from 19th century epidemiologist John Snow’s famous map of London cholera outbreaks, transferring the lifesaving information to modern day street layouts. 22 April 2013

Derby Hospitals spin-out iQudos wins innovators award
iQudos, an IT company spun out of Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, won an award for its prostate cancer decision support system at the NHS Healthcare Innovation Expo last month. 22 Apr 2013

Feature: Mind the security gap while adopting electronic health records
The target set by UK Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, for digital information to be available across NHS and social care services by 2018, stirred a debate about whether the NHS is prepared to seamlessly transition to new digital records system without exposing patient data to security risks. By Marc Lee, Director EMEA, Courion. 10 April 2013

Feature: Reaching the end of the page: time to replace the outdated bleep
The pager-based communications system in hospitals is outdated, say Paul Volkaerts and Debbie Guy, who explain why getting rid of the ‘bleep’ can help hospitals transform the way they deliver services and improve patient care. 9 April 2013

AstraZeneca and Exco InTouch to develop chronic disease management tool
The companies have announced a joint programme to develop interactive mobile phone and internet-based health tools to help patients in the UK and their healthcare providers to track and manage chronic conditions. 26 Mar 2013

Ashford and St Peter’s adopts digital writing technology for new Maternity Pathway Tariff
The Trust has installed digital writing technology and smartphones in its maternity department to help it comply with the new UK maternity payment system, which comes into effect on 1 April. 26 March 2013

WSD results show telehealth not cost effective for chronic disease management
Results from the Whole System Demonstrator Trial, one of the largest trials of telecare and telehealth ever conducted, show that the cost of telehealth is about three times the cost-effectiveness threshold set by NICE. 22 March 2013

Feature: Give nursing managers the teeth to do their job
Evidence-based systems that highlight staff shortages in real time will help directors of nursing and ward managers to safeguard the quality of patient care and avoid risk, says Tristan Spencer of Kronos. 20 March 2013

Philips introduces graphical dashboard for ICU management
IntelliSpace eCareManager 3.9 health care platform, powered by Orb is a new graphical dashboard that is actuated by over 100 clinical rules, to analyze, process and visualize complex clinical data in real time. 

HIMSS establishes worldwide hub for health and health IT testing
The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society is setting up a testing, demonstration, exhibition, and educational facility in the Global Center for Health Innovation in Cleveland, Ohio. 6 Mar 2013

Feature: The data challenge within the NHS
In January this year, the UK Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt published an ambitious timetable for a paperless NHS by 2018. Hunt described it as ‘crazy’ that paramedics, for example, could not access the medical records of a patient when an ambulance is called to an emergency. Mikko Soirola, VP, Liaison Technologies looks at the feasibility of achieving a paperless NHS within the timeframe. 1 March 2013

Feature: New model needed for managing long-term conditions
Clare Wexler, CEO, Totally Health, examines why commissioners and patients must behave differently if care pathways for the treatment of chronic disease are to improve, and why integrated, innovative technologies must form part of the solution. 26 Feb 2013

European Science Foundation calls for increased use of ICT in health and social care
A new position paper produced by the European Science Foundation (ESF) calls for increased use of information and communications technologies (ICT) to improve delivery of health and social care services. 22 Feb 2012

Manchester hospitals install 97 patient information screens
Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has installed enhanced digital information screens to deliver information in real time to patients in six hospitals. 20 Feb 2013

GP develops app for revalidation and appraisal
A Leeds-based GP has developed the first app in the UK specifically designed to help GPs go through the  new appraisal and revalidation processes. 19 Feb 2013

Mobile device apps help Northwest hospitals meet quality and innovation targets
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) in Northwest England is using mobile devices to collect the data for the Department of Health’s Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) payment framework. 19 Feb 2013

Mobile device apps help Northwest hospitals meet quality and innovation targets
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) in Northwest England is using mobile devices to collect the data for the Department of Health’s Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) payment framework. 19 Feb 2013

Pathology image analysis software improves certainty of cancer diagnosis
Scientists at the University of Oslo have developed pathology image analysis software that can determine the seriousness of a cancer prognosis with 80% certainty, halving errors. 8 Feb 2013

Providing physiotherapy advice by phone gives equal results and reduces waiting times
The service, based on initial telephone assessment, has the ability to provide faster access to the service and cut waiting times, a study published on bmj.com suggests. 30 Jan 2013

UK government needs more innovative approach to improve prospects for telecare
The UK government's flagship 3millionlives telecare programme is in danger of stalling without a more  innovative approach, according to a new report. 28 Jan 2013

Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital captures patient information outside the electronic patient record
The trust will use Hyland Software's OnBase software to capture information on paper, in email, on clinical devices and in other fileshares. 10 January 2012

Portable pollution sensor displays air quality data on user's smartphone
The device, called CitiSense, could be particularly useful to people suffering from chronic conditions, such as asthma, who need to avoid exposure to pollutants. 18 Dec 2012

Fujitsu and National University Singapore to develop body sensor network for health monitoring
The initial objectives involve developing a wireless body sensor network for continuous patient monitoring in hospital and the home, and connected to a “health cloud”. 13 Dec 2012

UK public urged to take part in online Flusurvey to analyse how it spreads
The annual UK Flusurvey aims to collect data from men and women of all ages around the country, in order to map trends as seasonal flu takes hold. 5 Dec 2012

Patients with online access to medical records use clinical services more
Patients with online access to their medical records and who used email to communicate with clinicians used clinical services more, including office visits and telephone encounters. 6 Dec 2012

Ashford and St Peter's NHS Trust empowers staff with wireless network
The wireless network enables clinicians and staff to deliver a better experience to patients through the use of faster and always-on devices. 4 Dec 2012

Aintree University Hospital's EMR project commended at UK IT Industry Awards
The Trust was recognised for its innovative approach to implementing an electronic medical records (EMR) system to enable instant access to patient information. 30 Nov 2012

National brain injury service directory launched in UK
BrainNav will provide users with a national directory of rehabilitation centres, cognitive therapists, clinics, and other specialist facilities, to help support both them and their carers, and ultimately assist in their recovery process. 30 Nov 2012

Barnsley Council integrates health and social care records
The Council is now able to match in real-time an individual’s NHS and social care record through NHS number validation against the Personal Demographics Service. 28 Nov 2012

Kainos drives healthcare software innovation with Health Hack NI
A pioneering ‘Health Hack’ in Belfast next month will bring together medical clinicians and technology and design talent to develop the next generation of healthcare software applications. 26 Nov 2012

London hospitals rollout smartphone app for internal emergency response
Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT) in London has rolled-out a Responder Smartphone App for BlackBerry phones, as part of a major upgrade of its emergency response facilities. 21 Nov 2012

Medical device software comes under the microscope
More than 50% of existing medical devices depend on software in some form or another — the software is either embedded in the devices or plays an important role in the production of the device. The benefits of software, however, come with the cost of risk of failure due to the presence of defects, says the Institute of Medicine. There is typically a strong correlation between code complexity and the number of defects in the software. 16 Nov 2012

Cloud computing is a key component on the path to personalised medicine
When scientists embarked on the 13-year journey to map the human genome in 1990, they envisioned a future where the knowledge of DNA would aid in the diagnosis, treatment and even prevention of thousands of diseases and disorders. James Coffin of Dell Healthcare and Life Sciences explains how cloud computing can help achieve this vision. 18 October 2012 

AQAI Simulation Centre Mayence optimises training in use of anaesthetics
Medical products supplier Baxter is co-operating with AQAI to train medical staff in the Middle East to use its anaesthetic. 24 Sept 2012

New algorithms allow autonomous robotic plane to navigate indoors
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed new algorithms that enable an autonomous robotic plane to fly around pillars in an indoor car park using a laser scanner to determine its position. (see video) 16 Aug 2012

Covidien announces US FDA clearance of Nellcor respiration rate software
The Company plans a limited market release in the US, starting this month, which will allow select hospitals to be the first to use the new technology.  18 Apr 2012

Isansys Lifecare achieves CE Mark for LifeTouch Patient Surveillance System
The LifeTouch is a cloud-ready medical device, and the first to be certified as a Class IIa medical device under the European Medical Device Directive (MDD). 18 Apr 2012

Accutronics develops credit card-sized lithium batteries for medical devices
The batteries have been developed in response to OEM demand for a short lead time, compact and rechargeable lithium ion battery solution for portable devices. 13 Mar 2012

Cambridge Consultants unveils Bluetooth iPhone apps for mobile health
Cambridge Consultants demonstrated new Bluetooth low energy (BLE) iPhone 4S applications using CSR’s BLE devices at this year’s Mobile World Congress at the end of February. 13 Mar 2012

Inside Secure launches enhanced product security chip for counterfeit prevention
Inside Secure has introduced the VaultIC 160, a programmable identification chip for embedding into high-end consumer or industrial products that are often targeted by counterfeiters and cloners. 13 Mar 2012

New design techniques enable extremely reliable chips for medical devices
The EU project DeSyRe is aiming to build extremely reliable components for implantable medical devices, incorporating extreme reliability, small size, and long longevity. 12 Mar 2012

Wireless self-propelled chip swims through blood vessels
A tiny, wirelessly powered, self-propelled medical device capable of controlled motion through blood vessels has been developed by electrical engineers at Stanford University. 27 Feb 2012

Clinical process tracking system for operating rooms developed by Karl Storz and Ekahau
The companies have announced a joint solution for operating room management based on tracking patients and equipment using WiFi tags. 25 Jan 2012

New 7-day body monitor patch to aid wellness initiatives
BodyMedia and Avery Dennison Medical Solutions have announced the development of a body monitor patch for gathering physiological data for health and wellness management. 19 Jan 2012

Medtronic launches mySentry remote glucose monitor
The monitor is aimed at home use to allow a parent or caregiver to monitor from another room a patient’s MiniMed Paradigm REAL-Time Revel System. 17 Jan 2012

AirStrip Technologies gains CE mark for patient monitoring systems
AirStrip Technologies, Inc. has received EU approval for its mobile patient monitoring applications and will now market its devices in Europe and other international territories. 17 Jan 2012

Entra Health's wireless blood glucose meter aids home diabetes management
Entra Health Systems has announced the integration of the company's MyGlucoHealth Wireless blood glucose metrewith the recently unveiled 2net Platform from Qualcomm Life Inc. 18 Dec 2011

IBM contributes massive chemical database to US NIH to speed drug discovery
The database of chemical data extracted from millions of patents and scientific literature will allow researchers to more easily visualize important relationships among chemical compounds to aid in drug discovery and support advanced cancer research. 9 Dec 2011

Cerner shows how technology can deliver world class healthcare at lower cost
At the ‘British Experience in Technology for Health’ conference in Barcelona, Cerner detailed how technology can help people take  more control of their healthcare deliver better care at reduced cost. 14 Nov 2011

AQAI launches TestChest lung-heart function simulator
The AQAI Simulation Center based in Mainz, Germany, has launched TestChest, a device that simulates the functioning of the extremely complex lung and heart-lung functions in humans. 7 Nov 2011

Stucture of AIDS-like virus enzyme solved in three weeks by online gamers
The gamers achieved their discovery by playing Foldit, an online game developed by the University of Washington that allows players to collaborate and compete in predicting the structure of protein molecules. 23 Sept 2011

North West Fund for Biomedical makes first investment in Liverpool start-up
The North West Fund has made its first investment in telemedicine, in Merseyside start-up company Med ePad. 8 September 2011

Cloud computing with TRIAD speeds up biomedical data analysis
The Translational Research Informatics and Data management grid (TRIAD) is a cloud computing platform for analysing biomedical data at an unprecedented rate. 22 August 2011

The IET introduces amended Wiring Regulations for medical locations
The UK Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET, formerly The IEE) has launched new wiring regulations with a major new section relating to all new electrical installations in medical locations. 14 July 2011

Two Fold Software enhances Run Manager LIMS software
Two Fold Software Limited has enhanced the interface design and user friendliness of the Run Manager software module of its Qualoupe system. 19 May 2011

Brainlab HybridArc software for radiosurgery gains US clearance
The software increases the efficiency of existing Linac radiosurgery hardware and offers fast, high precision volumetric arc radiosurgery treatment. 19 May 2011

Isansys Lifecare launches LifeTouch body-worn wireless cardiac monitor
UK company Isansys Lifecare Limited has launched the LifeTouch HRV011, a cardiac monitor that adheres to the patient’s body and analyses the ECG signal of the patient's heartbeat in unprecedented detail. 19 May 2011

Lack of device and system interoperability limiting use of personal health technology
Failure to address interoperability has been identified as a major challenge for the growing personal health solutions market, according to a report by the SmartPersonalHealth project. 4 May 2011

High temperature glueable chip resistors for non-magnetic electronics
Northumberland company TT electronics has produced chip resistors optimised for use with conductive adhesives. 11 April 2011

Movea markets 9-axis inertial measurement device for health and sports
Grenoble-based Movea has developed a wireless, miniaturised, inertial measurement unit (IMU) that uses MEMS sensors to accurately measure nine degree-of-freedom motion with a PCB module that is about the size of a small wristwatch. 4 April 2011

Astra Tech announces strategic alliance with 3Shape for lab-based scanning
Astra Tech, a developer of implant dentistry and CAD/CAM abutments, has announced a global strategic alliance with 3Shape A/S, the Danish-based provider of 3D scanners and CAD/CAM software solutions. 4 March 2011

No increase in brain cancer during increase in mobile phone use in UK
Researchers from the University of Manchester used publicly available data from the UK Office of National Statistics to look at trends in rates of newly diagnosed brain cancers in England between 1998 and 2007 and found no significant change. 22 Feb 2011

Partek and Ion Torrent in partnership to distribute genomics software
Bioinformatics developer Partek Incorporated has signed a distribution agreement with Ion Torrent Systems, to make the Partek Genomics Suite available directly through Ion Torrent’s online store.

CLC Workbench v4.5 supports paired-end data for RNA-sequencing
CLC bio has upgraded its software for genomics, transcriptomics, and epigenomics analysis to support the use of paired-end data for RNA-seq. 21 Feb 2011

DRC Computer Corp sets world record for analysing gene sequences
DRC has achieved a world record of 9.4 trillion cell updates per second and also drastically reduced the cost of gene sequence analysis using its microprocessors and Microsoft Windows HPC Server. 16 Feb 2011

Web portal to track medical product deliveries across Europe
PODXchange is a web portal that enables companies to track deliveries of products and proof of delivery signatures from different carriers. 14 Feb 2011

Two Fold Software improves data entry options for Qualoupe LIMS
The company is releasing new software that enables the company’s Qualoupe LIMS user interface to display results parameters with more clarity and flexibility. 7 Feb 2011

Siemens launches personalized education plan for laboratory and healthcare staff
Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics has introduced the Personalized Education Plan (PEP), a competency-based clinical laboratory education model. 31 Jan 2011

InhibOx launches Scopius-5 100m compound drug screening database
InhibOx Ltd has launched Scopius-5, a drug-discovery screening database that can store details of 100 million compounds, including 3D models. 24 Jan

CLC bio and Ingenuity Systems integrate pathway and genomics analysis systems
US life sciences software developer Ingenuity Systems and Danish bioinformatics company CLC bio are collaborating to provide interoperability between their software systems. 21 Dec 2010

iSOFT moves into life sciences market
iSOFT Group Limited has moved into the life sciences market with software that extracts and de-identifies clinical data from electronic medical records for clinical research and other secondary uses. 16 Dec 2010

Plextek enhances HD image processing for medical applications
Plextek has announced enhancements to its image processing suite designed to help medical device manufacturers overcome the technical challenges involved in developing mega-pixel video solutions for medical applications. 01 Dec 2010

GE Healthcare integrates facility management software with AeroScout's Wi-Fi RFID system
The combined solution adds real-time asset location information to GE's Maintenance and Facility Management software and helps streamline key business processes. 17 Nov 2010

image of brain nerve structureSoftware to convert MRI scans of brain into three-dimensional maps of nerves
A team of researchers at the Eindhoven University of Technology has developed a software tool that converts MRI scans of the brain into three-dimensional coloured images of nerve structure. making this visible for the first time without having to operate (includes video). 3 Nov 2010

Barcode system to correctly identify patient samples
The Brenmoor PATscan system duplicates patient’s information from a printed wristband straight onto a label in less than a second, enabling correct identification of hospital samples. 25 Oct 2010

Accelrys upgrades Isentris lab decision support software
Accelrys, Inc. has released version 3.3 of its Isentris data access, analysis, and decision support system for displaying manipulating, and comparing spectral, chromatographic, and XY graphical data. 15 Oct 2010

Philips acquires second Brazilian clinical information systems company
Philips Healthcare is to acquire a second Brazilian clinical systems supplier, Wheb Sistemas. It follows the March 2010 acquisition of Tecso Informatica, one of Brazil’s leading radiology information systems (RIS) suppiers. 17 Sept 2010

NAG releases Fortran Builder 5.2 for computational research
This release of the checking compiler features a virtually complete implementation of the latest Fortran 2003 standard and an integrated development environment.

The anaesthesia cockpit used in remote anaesthesiaWorld’s first remote anaesthesia across continents
A world first was achieved by McGill University’s Department of Anesthesia on August 30, 2010, when they treated patients undergoing thyroid gland surgery in Pisa, Italy remotely from Montreal, Canada. 10 Sept 2010

Remote anaesthesia using surgical robot
A surgical robot could be used to perform complex regional anaesthesia procedures remotely — teleanaesthesia, according to researchers who carried out a simulation at the University of Florida College of Medicine. 3 Sept 2010

TomTec introduces new version of 2D cardiac performance analysis software
2D Cardiac Performance Analysis is a speckle tracking based analysis tool which can analyze 2D data from various ultrasound machines. It allows a cardiologist to study the behaviour of the heart muscle quicker and easier due to improved handling. 18 August 2010

Golden Helix upgrades high-performance genetic data analysis software
Golden Helix's SNP & Variation Suite (SVS) 7 software is an integrated collection of high-performance analytic tools for rich, multi-dimensional approaches to uncovering genetic causes of disease and other phenotypes. 12 August 2010

PharmaVigilant enhances clinical trial management system
PharmaVigilant has launched I-Vault 2.5, the enhanced version of its electronic Trial Master File (TMF) system. It improves usability, administration and notification capabilities for seamless site startup, site closeout and IRB submissions.

Remote monitoring and control system for laboratory fridges
Italian company Smartfreeze S.r.l has developed an innovative system of remote monitoring and control of professional refrigerators. 11 August 2010

Fractal design gives more efficient body-worn antennas
Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc. has developed a new approach to body worn antennas that allows smaller antennas that are wideband, to stick onto clothing using Velcro or other attachments. 10 August 2010

Videogame processors reduce radiation in image guided radiation therapy
A new approach to processing X-ray data could lower by a factor of ten or more the amount of radiation patients receive during cone beam CT scans, report researchers from the University of California, San Diego. 26 July 2010

Mirada Medical releases Casebook upgrade for showing medical images in PowerPoint
Oxford company Mirada Medical Limited has released a software upgrade for its Casebook (Casebook 1.1.) software, a unique presentation tool for showing medical scans in Microsoft PowerPoint. 22 July 2010

Case study: Ashley Comms secures pharmaceutical company document transfer with Maytech FTP services
Ashley Communications needed a secure depository for its pharmaceutical company clients to be able to safely access PowerPoint presentations and medical documents without the fear of information being leaked. It turned to Maytech to provide a safe and secure storage and data transfer system to improve management of important medical documents. 22 July 2010

Link found between surgery and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
A causal relationship between the onset of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) and general surgery has been found by analysing decades of Danish and Swedish electronic patient records. 12 July 2010

Computerised blood pressure diagnosis beats hypertension experts
Irish Company dabl’s computerised system for diagnosing 24-hour blood pressure is more accurate and consistent than a leading group of international hypertension experts, according to an independent study. 30 June 2010

JMP Clinical software streamlines clinical trials safety reviews
New from SAS, the software can help shorten the drug development process. It lets users see and explore safety data from every angle, and then easily share findings with others. 30 June 2010

Extedo upgrades PcVmanager drug safety software
Extedo has announced the availability of PcVmanager 1.3, a major new release of the leading drug safety software management solution based on E2B and MedDRA standards. 30 June 2010

Analog Devices launches MEMS gyroscope for harsh environments
Analog Devices has developed the high-performance, low-power ADXRS450 iMEMS gyroscope with digital output specifically for rotational sensing in harsh environments. 12 June 2010

CardioTrace monitors cardiovascular health by measuring arterial blood flow
Advanced Global Health has launched CardioTrace, a non-invasive device that monitors the blood flow in finger arteries to identify fitness levels and abnormalities. 12 June 2010

LynuxWorks and Portwell develop wireless body sensor platform for patient monitoring
The proof-of-concept platform can connect to more than 25 Bluetooth wireless biometric sensors and has the ability to graphically portray patient sensor data for visual monitoring in a familiar Windows environment. 1 June 2010

Accelrys Pipeline Pilot 8.0 to enable the scientific enterprise
Accelrys, Inc's new release of its R&D informatics platform, Pipeline Pilot 8.0, supports a greater number of scientists and researchers working individually or as collaborative teams across the wider scientific enterprise. 14 May 2010

Supercomputer maps evolution of H1N1 flu mutations giving resistance to Tamiflu
If the behaviour of the seasonal form of the H1N1 influenza virus is any indication, scientists say that chances are good that most strains of the pandemic H1N1 flu virus will become resistant to Tamiflu, the main drug stockpiled for use against it. 21 April 2010

First deployment of iMDsoft's ICU software in Denmark
Gentofte University Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark has chosen iMDsoft's MetaVision for its newly-built, state-of-the-art, intensive care unit. 1 April 2010

Telemedicine improves stroke evaluations in rural areas
A US study has shown that compared with telephone consultations, telemedicine evaluation of stroke patients results in more accurate diagnoses, better emergency decision-making, fewer complications and encouraging long-term outcomes. 1 April 2010

FASILIS project invites innovative medical technology businesses to participate
The European FASILIS project is inviting SMEs or start-ups develloping telecare technology to apply for financial vouchers that will give them access to top quality international research and development facilities and their services across Europe. 25 March 2010

UK Cancer Network implements Varian electronic prescribing and patient record system
Chemotherapy software that enables patients to become more involved in managing their own care has been successfully rolled out across The Thames Valley Cancer Network. 9 Feb 2010

Factory Reimbursement launches tools for medical device reimbursement across Europe
Factory Reimbursement has launched a new low-cost research and reporting service for medical device companies that wish to market and sell products in Europe. 9 Feb 2010

3-D modelling of heart enables robotic surgery on beating heart
A team at the Montpellier Laboratory of Informatics in France has developed a computerized 3D model that allows surgeons to use robotics to operate on a beating heart. 15 Dec 2009

Aerotel launches wireless telehealth systems for remote patient monitoring
Aerotel Medical Systems, a global supplier of advanced remote monitoring solutions for personal telehealth and telecare, has launched new innovative wireless telehealth and homecare solutions. 15 Dec 2009

The RFID sensor next to a US pennyOnline tool for teaching medical staff how to spot a sick child
Spotting the Sick Child is aimed at all front line professionals in the field of child health and teaches the basic facts and relevant examination of the seven commonest presenting complaints in acutely ill children. 9 Dec 2009

3M's Littman electronic stethoscope wins innovation of the year award
The 3M Littmann Electronic Stethoscope Model 3200 with Zargis Cardioscan software was named Innovation of the Year by Popular Science magazine. The award highlights outstanding innovation, vision and execution in technologic, scientific and medical advances for the year. 2 December 2009

Radiologists diagnose appendicitis remotely by using smart phone
Radiologists can accurately diagnose acute appendicitis from a remote location with the use of a handheld device or mobile phone equipped with special software, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) this week. 1 December 2009

Xerox develops silver ink for printing electronic circuits on flexible surfaces
Printable electronics offers manufacturers a very low-cost way to add 'intelligence' or computing power to a wide range of surfaces such as plastic or fabric, and can be used in new applications such as smart pill boxes or rollable display screens. 13 Nov 2009

Devlin Electronics to launch Medical division at Medica
Devlin Medical will be launched at the Medica Exhibition in Dusseldorf in November (18-21). Devlin Medical is dedicated to the development of innovative point-of-care computing systems. 27 October 2009.

A DNA strand passing through the DNA microchipIBM building microchip to read human DNA and advance personalised medicine
IBM scientists are designing a microchip with nano-sized holes that could thread single strands of DNA and read the genetic code as the strand passes through.

DNA Precision offers tools for healthcare research, gene discovery and analysis services
DNA Precision is offering services for genetic and healthcare research. These include gene discovery, Agilent microarray processing and bioinformatics. 20 Oct 2009

Linguamatics announces I2E 3.1 text mining tool for pharmaceutical companies
I2E is a high performance natural language processing (NLP)-based text mining platform that streamlines knowledge discovery from text. 20 Oct 2009

Cochlear and NXP Semiconductors collaborate to produce IC devices for advanced hearing implants
The agreement includes the definition, development and supply of ultra low power speech processor and wireless communication ICs to be used in Cochlear’s next generation products. 20 Oct 2009

Mathematical tool links 11 genetic variations to diabetes
Mathematicians at Michigan Technological University have developed powerful new tools for winnowing out the genes behind some of humanity’s most intractable diseases. With one they have isolated 11 variations within genes associated with type 2 diabetes.

Systems Biology Ireland uses HP Extreme Data Storage technology to advance new drug development
IT company HP has announced it is collaborating with Systems Biology Ireland (SBI) on life sciences research aimed at providing a powerful new way to use the strength of computers and mathematics to understand biology. 14 Oct 2009 

Mathematical modelling enables faster development of electrical stimulation devices customised for patients
The Cleveland FES Center in the US has used model-based design tools to develop technology that more quickly restores movement to individuals with neuromuscular disabilities. 13 Oct 2009

Technology to help visually impaired ‘watch’ television on show at TechnologyWorld09
Visually impaired people can ‘watch’ TV thanks to award winning technology developed by Bristol-based Ocean Blue Software. This UK innovation is one of hundreds being showcased to international buyers at TechnologyWorld09 from 23 to 24 November in the Ricoh Arena, Coventry. 12 Oct 2009

The Bioreactor remote control suite on iPhoneDASGIP launches bioreactor control system on iPhone
DASGIP AG, a provider of bioreactor systems at benchtop scale, has launched a Remote Control Suite to remotely observe and access running processes on an iPhone, iPod touch or notebook computer. 8 Oct 2009

On the British Journal of Healthcare Computing (BJHC&IM):
Patient portals could reduce the excessive burden of diabesity on the NHS
Obesity-led type-2 diabetes is demanding ever greater resources from health services globally. Many clinicians agree that greater patient empowerment is essential to improve weight and glucose management, yet individuals typically have little or no interaction with carers between appointments. While the NHS is reported to have pulled back from the use of patient portals, a pilot of a diabetes-specific portal looks set to prove the value of improving day to day patient/clinician interaction. 7 Oct 2009

UTAS chooses ADI Blackfin processors for patient monitoring and diagnostics devices
Patient  monitoring and diagnostics device manufacturer UTAS has selected Analog Devices' Blackfin processors to ensure high-performance digital signal processing operations and robust functionality across its full line of products. 2 Oct 2009

St Jude Medical announces European launch of remote cardiac care network
The Merlin.net Patient Care Network (PCN) is a secure, Internet-based remote care system for patients with implanted medical devices. It gathers and stores data from the implant procedure, in-clinic follow-up visits and from remote transmissions sent from a patient’s home. 5 Sept 2009

3M introduces first electronic stethoscope with Bluetooth wireless
3M has introduced the 3M Littmann Electronic Stethoscope Model 3200, a next-generation auscultation device featuring Bluetooth technology that wirelessly transfers heart, lung and other body sounds to computer systems software for further analysis. 1 September 2009

Case study: Barcodes and handheld computers ensure quality assurance for MED-EL ear implant production
Tyrol-based manufacturer MED-EL produces high-technology ear implant hearing devices. Strict US and European regulations require seamless product documentation and traceability of every individual part throughout the life cycle of the product. This process has been streamlined by a system using wireless mobile computers with data capture by 2-D barcodes. The system reduces manual errors, eliminates paper documentation, and increases the security of all logistics processes. 4 August 2009

Nurses welcome use of sensors and robots in care for the elderly
Front-line staff in the nursing and care sector would welcome sensor and robot technology in nursing homes and the homes of elderly people, according to a survey by Norwegian research agency SINTEF for the Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities. 31 July 2009

Medical simulations help students retain information
Simulating medical scenarios helps medical students learn and retain basic science concepts, according to a new study. 24 July 2009

New €1.2 million project to establish cancer communications network in Europe
An initiative to boost cancer prevention, treatment and care throughout Europe by improving communications within the cancer community was launched this week. The Eurocancercoms project is an initiative of the European Institute of Oncology and is led by ECCO. 22 July 2009

World's first virtual heart brings breakthrough in education for cardiothoracic anaesthetists
HeartWorks, a uniquely realistic computer-generated model of the heart and echocardiography simulator, is the result of a 4-year project to improve teaching of peri-operative transoesophageal echocardiography. 17 July 2009

IBM wins award for developing computer grid to solve world's most critical problems
IBM earned the award for the World Community Grid, which aggregates spare computing capacity of 1.3 million PCs belonging to 460,000 volunteers from over 200 countries and uses it for humanitarian research. 15 July 2009

European project to assemble a virtual human body to aid medical research
The Virtual Physiological Human (VPH) is a pan-European project that aims to create a methodological and technological framework to deliver patient-specific computer models for the personalised and predictive healthcare. 6 July 2009

New communication technologies help cardiac patients improve their prognosis
The use of phone and internet between patients and healthcare providers is an effective way to reduce risk factors for coronary heart disease and the risk of further events after a heart attack, according to new research. 29 June 2009

Molecular automatons could detect and treat disease in the body
Researchers from the Artificial Intelligence Group (LIA) at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid's School of Computing have designed a biomolecular automaton and several genetic circuits with potential future applications in the field of vanguard medicine. 29 June 2009

Clinical decision support system for iPhone
Wave Medical has expanded its clinical decision support applications for general practitioners, nurses, emergency doctors and medical students to the iPhone and iPod Touch. 27 May 2009

Corbis offers Science Faction’s medical, science and space photos
Visual media provider Corbis has partnered with leading science and technology image supplier Science Faction to distribute its premium rights-managed photography covering physical and natural sciences, high technology, medicine and space. 27 May 2009

e-Zassi software streamlines commercialisation of medical device technologies
e-Zassi.com is predictive decision support software that provides rapid due diligence, triaging and assessment of new medical device innovations. 7 May 2009

Phase Forward signs agreement with Novo Nordisk for use of InForm for clinical trial data capture
The multi-million dollar agreement allows Danish company Novo Nordisk to use Phase Forward’s InForm electronic data capture product across all clinical trial phases, from Phases I through IV. 7 May 2009

Medication Management Canada offers decision support and electronic record system for pharmacists
The system provides pharmacists a clinical decision support system and electronic therapeutic record to promote common practice standards, document therapeutic outcomes, and improve patient care. 7 May 2009

iSOFT wins €600,000 HIS contract in Italy
IBA Health Group Limited has announced that iSOFT has entered the Italian market with a €600,000 contract to install its hospital information system in four hospitals operated by Consorzio Regionale Servizi Sociali (CRESS), a private healthcare group. 6 May 2009

SCM Microsystems completes merger with Hirsch Electronics
SCM Microsystems, Inc. based in Ismaning, Germany, has announced that it has closed its merger with Hirsch Electronics Corp. Hirsch is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of SCM. 6 May 2009

McKesson acquires LMS Medical Systems' perinatal information system
McKesson has strengthened its enterprise Horizon Clinicals solution with the acquisition of LMS Medical Systems’ intellectual property for obstetrics (OB) surveillance and archival capabilities. 23 April 2009

OpenVista 2.0 improves patient care and staff workflow through targeted enhancements
Medsphere Systems Corporation has announced the release of an enhanced OpenVista Radiology Application. OpenVista Radiology 2.0 incorporates auto check-in, automatic printing of radiology requisition reports, improved work lists, enhanced picture archiving and autofax capabilities. 23 April 2009

Wolters Kluwer Health launches ProVation Order Sets with decision support
Wolters Kluwer Health has launched ProVation Order Sets, powered by UpToDate Decision Support, an innovative order set development solution that combines ProVation Medical’s award-winning technology platform with UpToDate’s premier clinical decision support content. 23 April 2009

GE introduces Carescape platform for wireless patient monitoring
GE Healthcare's Carescape Telemetry platform builds enables hospitals to simultaneously leverage multiple telemetry frequencies and co-ordinate cell phone, Wi-Fi and other wireless technologies on one infrastructure. 9 April 2009

Imaging Diagnostic Systems develops new algorithm for CT laser mammography
The new reconstruction algorithm improves visualization of angiogenesis (cancer) in laser mammography images. 8 April 2009

Growth in data storage for digital medical imaging causing interoperability problems
It is essential that image archive storage solution providers, PACS vendors and image modality manufacturers become aware of the growing requirements of storage space, says Frost & Sullivan in a new report. 7 April 2009

Integrated care with electronic records reduces cardiac deaths by 73%
Kaiser Permanente has substantially improved the heart attack survival rate for its members in Colorado through an innovative program that links coronary artery disease patients, and teams of pharmacists, nurses, primary care doctors and cardiologists, with an electronic health record. 7 April 2009

Patients and nurses benefit from in-bed patient monitoring system
The system comprises a mattress coverlet which is embedded with sensors that measure heart rate, respiratory rate and provides a bed-exit alert for fall prevention. 6 April 2009

ICW master patient index passes large scale interoperability test
InterComponentWare (ICW) has successfully demonstrated the interoperability of it Master Patient Index iat the IHE North American Connectathon, the only large-scale interoperability testing event for the healthcare industry. 25 March 2009

Systech to integrate serialisation expertise with Axway’s track and trace system
Axway and Systech International will partner to offer integrated systems for pharmaceutical supply chain integrity to ensure customer readiness for upcoming European and Turkish regulatory compliance. 25 March 2009

Report: Bioinformatics Markets: Strategies, Business Models and Trends for the Future
This study is arranged to provide an overview of bioinformatics market segments and offer evidence that these segments are poised for significant future growth. Each segment is accompanied by analysis and forecasts by product type and application. 23 March 2009. read more ...

The Vertual systemVertual's virtual training system cuts radiotherapy training costs
A virtual environment for radiotherapy training produced by Hull, UK-based Vertual is dramatically cutting training costs and helping improve cancer survival rates. 17 March 2009

GE develops wireless sensing platform for neonatal and home health monitoring
GE Global Research, the technology development arm of GE (NYSE: GE), has announced that it has adapted its sensors for home security into an innovative, intelligent wireless medical sensing platform. If successful, this new platform could dramatically improve neonatal and home patient monitoring. 15 March 2009

Siemens obtains full rights to the  i.s.h.med hospital information system
Siemens Medical Solutions is taking over all use and exploitation rights to the software i.s.h.med, a clinical information system integrated with the SAP healthcare software. The system was jointly developed by the partner and forerunner companies of Siemens Medical Solutions GSD GmbH and the Austrian T-Systems. Deutsch

The potential of ambient energy harvesting to power electronic devices
Energy harvesting (EH) or scavenging is the use of ambient energy to provide electrical power for small electronic and electrical devices. The technologies employed variously convert human power, body fluids, heat differences, vibration or other movement, dirt, vegetation, ultraviolet, visible light or infrared to electricity. Read more ... 13 March 2009

GE Healthcare launches Centricity PACS suite in Asia
GE Healthcare, has launched a suite of Centricity systems targeted for hospitals and outpatient imaging centres in Asia. The suite offers web-based portability, instantaneous image reporting and scalable business processes. 2 March 2009

Datamining finds new target for diabetes treatment
A team of researchers from Oxford and Southampton Universities have identified a new molecular player in insulin secretion process by mining a free database of 5 million drug compounds. This finding could spark a completely new class of drugs to treat type 2 diabetes. 22 February 2009

NHS medical device training goes online
A ground-breaking project is being launched in the UK to create a National Health Service (NHS) e-learning platform for medical devices, including a library of both generic and detailed training. 22 February 2009

Plasmonic nanoswitches could increase computing power a million fold
Plasmonics may pave the way for the next generation of computers that operate faster and store more information than electronically-based systems and are smaller than optically-based systems. 22 February 2009

Analog Devices’ new data acquisition chip gives faster, clearer images for CT scanners
The new current-to-digital converter chip that enables high slice count CT systems to capture real-time moving images with a high degree of accuracy and detail. 16 February 2009

Website for patients to share diagnostic-quality medical images
US company Heart Imaging Technologies (HeartIT) has launched a free website allowing patients to upload and share diagnostic-quality medical images using just a standard web browser.  16 February 2009

Computerised brain exercises improve memory and attention
Computerised brain exercises can improve memory and lead to faster thinking according to a new study of commercial brain training software. 14 February 2009

Anvita Health launches mobile viewer for Google Health
Anvita Health, formerly known as SafeMed, an integrated partner of Google Health, has released a new mobile viewer for Google Health that is built on the Android mobile device platform. 12 February 2009

New online resource to support children with type 1 diabetes
Sanofi-aventis US has announced the availability of the diabetes KidCare Kit, a multimedia resource that will provide children and their families with valuable tools and information to help guide them through the difficult but crucial first 30 days following a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. 12 February 2009

Bluegiga provides health device profile for Bluetooth OEM modules
The Bluetooth Health Device Profile (HDP) significantly simplifies and reducing the need for engineering and testing time for any type of health or medical device. 11 February 2009

Navigenics launches portal to give doctors access to patients' genomic information
For patients choosing to receive a Navigenics service through their physician, this portal allows the physician to integrate patients’ genetic information into personalized health plans designed to help diagnose early or prevent a number of health conditions. 10 February 2009

Ontario grants Agfa Healthcare $29.6-million to create jobs for developing radiology software
The award is to help create 100 new jobs and support existing jobs by supporting Agfa in the development of new software that allows radiologists to share digital images across a regional network. 31 January 2009

Under-skin sensor to monitor blood glucose of Type 1 diabetics
Diabetes experts based at Southampton General Hospital will fit the tiny devices to participants' stomachs and use them in conjunction with watch-like armbands, which will check participants' physical activity. 31 January 2009

Medusa Siren ePCR Suite integrates with Philips HeartStart MRx monitor/ defibrillator
Medusa Medical Technologies Inc. has announced that its electronic patient care reporting software, the Siren ePCR Suite, now has an interface with the Philips HeartStart MRx monitor/defibrillator. 31 January 2009

Sigma-Aldrich launches bioscience web portal
Sigma-Aldrich and Ingenuity Systems have launched Your Favorite Gene powered by Ingenuity, a web-based biological search portal for exploring dynamic gene-based content. 31 January 2009

ICON launches electronic system for clinical trial adjudication
ICON plc  has announced the launch of a new electronic system that will accelerate the adjudication of cardiovascular events in diabetes studies. 31 January 2009

iPhone used to provide therapy for stutterers
Scientists at the US Hollins Communications Research Institute (HCRI) have completed successful trials using Apple's iPhone as a stuttering therapy tool to enhance the transfer of new fluency skills from the clinical setting into real-life situations. 31 January 2009

Telehealth users forecast to exceed 55m worldwide by 2016
A new report from InMedica forecasts exceptional growth in the number of telehealth subscribers over the next decade due to the increased use of telehealth services for chronic disease management. 31 January 2009

Iris BioTechnologies launches Health Passport for personalized and targeted medicine
BioWindows is a HIPAA compliant, web based, medical information storage system that allows participants to grant selective or full sharing capabilities of their confidential medical and lifestyle information to physicians or family members anywhere in the world. 28 January 2009

Haptic devices deliver more realistic, and safer medical training
SensAble Technologies, Inc highlighted novel touch-enabled applications for medical training and simulation using the company’s haptic devices and software at the Medicine Meets Virtual Reality conference in Long Beach California last week. 28 January 2009

New Venture Partners and Unilever Ventures invest in personalised weight management system
New Venture Partners LLC, the global venture capital firm dedicated to corporate technology spinouts, and Unilever Ventures, the early stage venture arm of Unilever, have jointly invested in MiLife, a company focused on providing technology solutions for personalised weight management. 25 January 2009

Elsevier launches SciTopics, expert-generated web resource for researchers
Elsevier has launched SciTopics, a free online expert-generated knowledge sharing service for the research community to quickly offer scientific, technical and medical knowledge on a variety of subjects. 25 January 2009

Interactive report maps out useful technology for the aging
The US Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST) has released an interactive version of its State of Technology in Aging Services Report that lays out the categories of technologies that exist and are under development to meet the needs of aging consumers and highlights what companies are doing to serve this growing market segment. 13 January 2009

UK NanoKTN supports EC's €1.8bn investment in ICT research
The UK Nanotechnology Knowledge Transfer Network (NanoKTN) has announced its support for the €1.8bn that has been made available for research projects by the European Commission, through their Information Communications Technology (ICT) fund. 9 January 2009

EU agency issues position paper on security for Web 2.0
The European Network & Information Security Agency (ENISA) has issued a new report that explains the risk of Web 2.0 — photo sharing, wikis, social bookmarking and social networking — and 'malware 2.0', a new breed of web-borne infections. 9 January 2008

CMPMedica signs global contract with iSOFT for drug information decision support tools
CMPMedica's information solution will power iSOFT's suite of decision-support tools. These tools enable healthcare professionals to make better informed decisions at the point of care and thus improve patient outcomes. 9 January 2008

Visage Imaging receives US clearance for medical imaging software
Visage Imaging has received FDA 510(k) clearance to market its latest thin-client product release, Visage CS 3.1, which has cardiac neuroradiology and oncology applications. 6 January 2009

Mathematical breakthrough could remove donuts from MRI scanners
Researchers in Ohio and France have solved a longstanding scientific mystery involving magnetic resonance — the physical phenomenon that allows the MRI scanners used by hospitals to take images of tissues deep within the human body. Their discovery, a new mathematical algorithm, should lead to new MRI techniques with more informative and sharper images. 8 December 2008

IBM breaks new ground with open-standard medical imaging and archiving solutions
IBM has unveiled a powerful combination of advanced imaging and information archiving technologies that provides healthcare and medical research organisations with complete and timely access to critical imaging and diagnostic information at the point of care — regardless of the source, age or location of the information. 8 December 2008

Computer model improves design of ultrasound transducer
Researcher Koos Huijssen of the Delft University of Technology has developed a computer model that can predict the sound transmission of improved designs for ultrasound transducers. It will lead to better imaging for ultrasound scanners. 4 December 2008

Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry uses MathWorks parallel computing tools for cancer research
The Institute studies the relationship between the structure and activity of macromolecular protein complexes, which requires processing of vast amounts of data. 24 November 2008

Violent video games have physiological effects on teenage boys
Swedish Researchers studying heart rate and other parameters in boys playing video games found heart rate variability was affected to a higher degree when the boys were playing games focusing on violence. 18 November 2008

Elsevier expands eclinical solutions in Europe
Elsevier is increasing its efforts to provide interactive clinical reference and clinical decision support (CDS) tools to new markets in Europe. It has launched DoctorConsult — the German language version of MD Consult. 5 November 2008

Sectra and DIPS co-operate to provide IT systems for Norwegian hospitals. 1 Nov 2008

Google awards $14 million for research using its disease prediction technology
Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google has awarded the grants to support partners working in Southeast Asia and Africa to help prevent the next pandemic. Google.org's Predict and Prevent initiative is supporting efforts to identify hot spots where diseases may emerge, detect new pathogens circulating in animal and human populations, and respond to outbreaks before they become global crises. 27 October 2008

Philips adds Respironics to Moore microprocessor patent license. 27 October 2008

iMDsoft wins clinical data management contract in Norway
iMDsoft and ErgoGroup have signed a framework agreement with Helse Sør-Øst RHF (South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority) to provide integrated clinical data management services to the Health Trusts and related hospitals in southeast Norway. The value of the project is estimated to be up to 29 million. 20 October 2008

An example simulation using the modelPandemic flu models help determine food distribution and school closing strategies
The 1918 flu pandemic killed more than 40 million people worldwide and affected persons of all age groups. While it is difficult to predict when the next influenza pandemic will occur or how severe it will be, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed models to help organisations such as emergency services and education authorities prepare emergency response plans. 16 October 2008

LIFE Biosystems to deploy TEMIS' clinical text analysis solution Luxid
LIFE Biosystems has entered into a strategic software and services agreement with TEMIS to use TEMIS' Luxid for Life Sciences solution to expedite the analysis of clinical and molecular data from diverse textual information sources. 14 October 2008 Francais Deutsch

NextBio search engine for life sciences shows rapid growth in users
NextBio, a life sciences search engine that enables researchers and clinicians to search and correlate public scientific data and literature, share their own research findings and collaborate with colleagues, achieved 150,000 unique monthly visitors to its website in September 2008.

Bluetooth system orients blind and sighted pedestrians in urban environments
A new system based on Bluetooth wireless technology places a layer of information technology over the real world to tell pedestrians about points of interest along their path as they pass them. 5 October 2008

Kit to design your own bio-feedback clothing
Textronics is offering a developer’s kit that includes the company’s textile electrodes for use by designers, researchers and product developers interested in creating their own interactive wearable prototypes. 1 October 2008

SCM Microsystems' ehealth terminal approved for German eHealth card program
SCM Microsystems, Inc. has announced that its ehealth200 BCS terminal has been approved by the gematik, the German healthcare organization overseeing the implementation of Germany's ehealth card program. 29 September 2008

Computer modelling provides breakthrough in psoriasis management
LEO Pharma has unveiled a ground-breaking computer-modelling tool designed to help those involved in the assessment, planning and provision of psoriasis treatment in primary care to balance optimum outcomes with the growing need for cost control. 23 September 2008

Online health record of limited use for diabetic patients
An online personal health record system that allowed people with diabetes to check their lab results and get guidance about medication proved to be of only limited use in improving their health outcomes, according to a new American study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. 23 September 2008

Picis launches critical care information system
Picis has launched eView for Critical Care Manager, part of the company's CareSuite family of software for intensive care units. The new product is designed to consolidate clinical information for the entire intensive care unit (ICU) patient census and present it in a concise, web-based view to help clinicians identify patients requiring attention. 23 September 2008

The Heart Guard cardiographEarly warning system for cardiac patients
Latvian company Integris Ltd, has developed an inexpensive, real-time heart activity monitor for personal use. The device is small enough to be worn continuously and can monitor both heart activity and the patient's physical activity and alerts the patient of abnormalities. 9 September 2008

Data analysis methods for classification of patient samples shown to be worthless
Computer-based methods that have been used for 25 years for classifying patient samples are worthless, according to researchers at Uppsala University, Sweden. 9 September 2008

Medicsight's colonography analysis software receives Brazilian regulatory approval
Medicsight PLC, the London-based developer of computer-aided detection and medical image analysis software has received approval from the Brazilian regulatory agency, Agencia Nacional de Vigilancia Sanitaria (ANVISA), for its ColonCAD software. 3 September 2008

Handys werden zu Gesundheitsberatern für Kids (Mobile phones as health advisers for children. Article is in German — you can translate text online). 27 August 2008

Online resource for diabetes self management
A complete online diabetes self-management education program, has been launched by the University of California, San Francisco Diabetes Teaching Center. 27 August 2008

St Jude Medical wireless transmitter for implanted cardiac devices gains FDA approval
The Merlin@home transmitter is a wireless system that transmits data from implanted cardiac devices and enables remote monitoring of patients by medical staff. 2 August 2008

iCAD records revenue growth of 73%
Computer-aided cancer detection systems supplier iCAD, Inc. has announced announced record revenue of $10.5 million for the second, quarter of 2008 up 73% over last year. 1 August 2008

Agfa and GE demonstrate interoperability of globally distributed PACS
CT scans were shared over the internet, at the UK Radiological Congress (UKRC) In Birmingham, between Agfa and GE PACS with interaction with systems in France and the US. 30 July 2008

Devlin launches infection-control keyboard in multiple languages
UK company Devlin has responded to growing demand in Europe for infection-control products with the launch of its CleanKey infection- control keyboard in six European languages. 29 July 2008

Agfa HealthCare integrates OrthoView into IMPAX
Agfa HealthCare and Southampton, UK based Meridian Technique Ltd have signed an agreement to integrate Meridian's orthopaedic digital planning solution, OrthoView, into Agfa HealthCare's IMPAX for Orthopaedics solution. 17 July 2008

Varian ranked first in oncology IT vendors
Varian Medical Systems was ranked the leading supplier in its class in an independent study released by KLAS, a research firm that specialises in monitoring and reporting on the performance of healthcare vendors. 16 July 2008

The in-home patient device of the Intel Health Guide systemIntel receives FDA clearance for personal health system
The Intel Health Guide combines an in-home patient device that has interactive tools for personalised care management and can integrate patient-monitoring devices, and an online interface allowing clinicians to monitor patients and remotely manage care. 14 July 2008

RFID tags could cause medical device malfunction
Radio frequency identification devices have the potential to cause critical care medical equipment to malfunction, according to a study of the effects on medical devices that included, external pacemakers, mechanical ventilators, infusion/syringe pumps, dialysis devices, defibrillators, monitors and anaesthesia devices. 29 June 2008

Location technology enables people with dementia to go out safely
The Keeping In Touch Everyday (KITE) project in northeast England is developing technology that allows people with dementia (PWD) to take part in the activities they enjoy with the knowledge that their family can track their whereabouts if they require assistance.

Wavelets speed up diagnosis of brain tumours
Researchers at the University of Warwick have devised an automated technique that can give a preliminary analysis of a precise brain tumour type within seconds. 17 June 2008

Quest Diagnostics collaborates with Google to provide diagnostic test results online
Doctors can securely provide diagnostic data with a brief explanation of test results to a patient's Google Health account. The system is expected to empower patients and physicians to collaborate more closely in making more well-informed healthcare decisions. 3 June 2008

US verification program for Internet pharmacies
LegitScript LLC has launched an Internet pharmacy verification and information service. The service, which is free to consumers and pharmacies in the US, includes information on whether an online pharmacy meets standards of quality and safe business practices. 2 June 2008

Airedale hospital uses Wi-Fi-based location system to track IV pumps
Airedale NHS Trust in West Yorkshire, England, is deploying a real-time location system using from Ekahau to streamline the workflow and improve availability of intravenous pumps. 23 May

GE Healthcare adds M*Modal's speech understanding technology to radiology reporting
GE Healthcare has announced a partnership agreement with M*Modal to integrate its advanced speech understanding solutions into GE's Centricity radiology information system reporting module. 21 May 2008

Remote monitoring of pacemaker patients improves detection of serious events
Remote monitoring of pacemaker patients via the Medtronic CareLink Network detected clinically actionable events more quickly than routine follow-up care of transtelephonic monitoring and in-office visit, according to a study presented last week at the Heart Rhythm 2008 congress. 21 May 2008

NDS Surgical Imaging introduces new visualisation technologies for endoscopic surgery
NDS Surgical Imaging (NDSsi) has introduced new visualisation technologies for surgical and endoscopy suites, including a new touch-screen display and backlit surgical display. 21 May 2008

Computer simulation of surgery to reduce implant complications
A computer simulation breakthrough could mean fewer medical complications and better surgical outcomes for patients undergoing hip, knee or spinal implant surgery. The EU-funded OrthoSim project has developed a platform that could significantly reduce the risk of post-op complications, as well as provide a means for testing new implant devices. 8 May 2008

Picis launches total perioperative automation solution in Europe
Picis has announced the European launch of Picis Total Perioperative Automation suite of products for managing care through every aspect of surgery. 8 May 2008

The 3-D structure of the immunoglobulin locus in B cellsFirst 3-D image of antibody gene
Scientists at the University of California, San Diego have shown for the first time how a genome is organized in three-dimensional space. They used a multidisciplinary mix of geometry, biological research and techniques developed to solve problems on supercomputers. 29 April 2008

LynuxWorks expands into embedded software for medical devices
LynuxWorks, Inc., developer of embedded software for aerospace and military systems, has announced plans to target medical device manufacturers, and broaden its ecosystem of products to help support these devices. 29 April 2008

Dr Carmen Martinez viewing radiology imagesMultimedia PACS networks healthcare services on the Balearic Islands
All public hospitals and about 80 primary health centres in the Spanish region Islas Baleares are building the foundation of a health service network which is unique in Europe for its scope and depth of integration. 8 April 2008

Implanted wireless medical devices are potential security risk for patients
Implanted medical devices with wireless technology have a potential risk of unauthorised access to patient data and reprogramming of the device. 2 April 2008

Breakthrough in medical device interoperability with Vena wireless platform
Cambridge Consultants has announced the first demonstration of the emerging industry standards for medical device interoperability. The 'Vena' platform is a breakthrough software solution on a single chip that allows medical devices such as blood pressure monitors to transmit data wirelessly. 31 March 2008

Mercury introduces new applications for Visage clinical imaging solutions
Mercury Computer Systems introduced the enhanced Visage product family with integrated clinical applications at the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) in Vienna last week. 19 March 2008

Axellis announces 'global expansion' with three acquisitions
Axellis Ltd, a UK and US based medical technology company, has announced three acquisitions, which it says are part of a strategy to become a leading, global provider of specialist hardware and software solutions to optimise treatments in oncology and cardiology. 19 March 2008

EQ2 signs UK distribution agreement with BCAS Biomedical Engineering
Medical equipment information systems software company EQ2 has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with BCAS Biomedical Engineering Ltd, a UK provider of clinical equipment services. 19 March 2008

Egyptian Children’s Cancer Hospital chooses Cerner for health record system
The Children’s Cancer Hospital Foundation 57357 (CCHF) in Egypt has selected Cerner Corporation's Millennium solutions to create a unified, patient-centric health record throughout the various hospital venues. 7 March 2007

Google and Quest Diagnostics collaborate to provide online access to diagnostic test results
Quest Diagnostics, a leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services in the US, and Google have agreed to collaborate to facilitate communications between doctors and patients using Google's online health record system, Google Health. 6 March 2008

iCAD introduces mammography film digitizer
Medical imaging solutions company iCAD, Inc. (NASDAQ:ICAD), has launched the TotalLook MammoAdvantage system that converts prior mammography films to digital images for comparative review on a single digital review workstation. 6 March 2008

3mensio receives US clearance for vascular imaging software
3mensio Medical Imaging BV of the Netherlands has received US FDA 510(k) clearance to market its 3surgery vascular imaging  software in the US. 29 February 2008

Microsoft launches US fund to promote development of HealthVault applications
Microsoft Corp has launched the $3 million Microsoft HealthVault Be Well Fund to stimulate the research and development of online tools for its health application platform, HealthVault. The fund is aimed at stimulating solution development across a broad range of health disciplines. 28 February 2008

Agfa, InterComponentWare and Sun form Open eHealth Foundation to boost interoperability
The ehealth market is set for explosive growth, driven by growing challenges to healthcare systems in industrialized societies, as well as new medical information and communication technologies. The Open eHealth Foundation will provide software components under an Open Source license that will boost the open standards-based exchange of medical information. 27 February 2008

Philips re-structures healthcare informatics business
Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG; AEX: PHI) has restructured its healthcare informatics businesses to include its entire portfolio of clinical information solutions, including patient monitoring, enterprise and clinical image management, anaesthesia information, women’s health information, and cardiology information systems. 27 February 2008

Radiologists feel virtual organs with 3D mouse
Researchers at Uppsala University have developed a method of analysing images of organs and 'feeling' the resulting virtual organs with a 3D mouse. This can help construct three-dimensional models of organs when surgery or radiation treatment is being planned. 20 February 2008

Unilever extends collaboration with Transinsight in biomedical semantic searching
Unilever, one of the world’s largest consumer products companies, will continue working with German search technology company Transinsight in developing a semantic search solution to integrate internet and intranet searching. 15 February 2008

iPods cleared of interfering with cardiac pacemakers
A study by the US Food and Drug Administration has refuted claims that portable music players, such as Apple's iPod, interfere with cardiac pacemakers. The study is reported in the open access journal BioMedical Engineering OnLine. 1 February 2008

US oncology group aims to revolutionise cancer care with free online service
A website set up by Georgia Cancer Specialists (GCS) in the US aims to change the way oncology professionals prescribe chemotherapy to cancer patients. 30 January 2008

Medical Simulation Corporation sets up medical skills training suite in Germany
MSC has parnered with CardioSkills Company of Frankfurt to provide an interventional skills training experience for physicians and their staff. 30 January 2008

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