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The rise and recent fall of Theranos, a multibillion-dollar biotechnology start-up in Silicon Valley, and its founder, Elizabeth Holmes, is becoming the classic Wall Street scandal of the decade. When Holmes founded Theranos in 2003, the young, intelligent, and charismatic visionary was already being touted as the next Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg of the […]
The 2018 annual convention of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) in New York City focused on early prevention and definitive diagnosis for better patient outcomes. The target audience was ultrasound professionals who perform and interpret ultrasound examinations, including researchers, physicians, scientists, physicists, radiologists, sonologists, and sonographers. Thanks to live and simulated ultrasound labs, […]
In early June 2018, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimonda signed legislation that requires operating rooms throughout the state to adopt policies to eliminate surgical smoke via smoke evacuation systems. When the law takes effect on Jan. 1, 2019, Rhode Island will be the first state to adopt such a law. Surgical smoke evacuation has been […]
When the American Heart Association (AHA) published updated guidelines for advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) in 2015, it presented evidence that a low end-tidal carbon dioxide (EtCO2) level in intubated patients was linked to a very low success rate for resuscitation (AHA, 2015). As a result, the ability to monitor EtCO2 during resuscitation efforts became […]
It is widely known that pharmacy chains are attempting to claim a bigger stake in healthcare, whether through acquisitions of health plans, distribution services, or other partnerships. Much of this is in response to Amazon’s interest in entering the pharmacy market… again. It seems Amazon bit off a little more than it could chew when […]
The HRS annual meeting brings together healthcare providers and vendors focused on the diagnostic and therapeutic area of heart rhythm abnormalities and the impact on sudden cardiac death, heart failure, and stroke. This review is only a subset of late-breaking clinical trials that were presented at this year’s HRS meeting. Catheter Ablation vs. Antiarrhythmic Drug […]
Many people these days are wearing the Apple watch or some type of Fitbit monitor/device. They are able to monitor their sleep, steps, calories, heart rate, and other physical activity. How about being able to take an EKG on your wrist device? A big topic at the Heart Rhythm Society meeting in Boston in May […]
Far too many healthcare laboratories today are overcapacitated. That’s just a fancy word for too much or over-supplied. All too often, the chemistry, hematology, and microbiology systems found in hospital laboratories are way above the required testing capacity of the hospital. For example, the laboratory will acquire a floor model analyzer when it could have […]
The Medical Device Manufacturers Association estimates that it can take up to five years and more than $30 million to obtain FDA approval of a new device. The extended timeframe and high cost have limited patients’ and providers’ access to leading-edge technology. In Q4 of 2017 the FDA published the plan for its Breakthrough Devices […]
“Analytics” has been a buzz word in the healthcare industry the last few years. Analytics, it is said, can drive better healthcare and provide solutions by predicting diseases earlier, determining appropriate treatment plans, etc. Thus far, however, clinical use of analytics has been of little help to healthcare organizations in providing better care or driving […]
Healthcare is encountering rapid advancements in technology, genomics, and pharmaceuticals. Physicians now have much more diagnostic data and many more therapeutic options available. While this can be a time-consuming challenge, the evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) promises a faster, more accurate diagnosis, and delivery of a tailored therapy to each patient. A rapidly growing technology […]
Sleep is a hot topic. Everyone is talking about how much and how well they sleep. Information about sleep is everywhere. How to sleep, how to get better sleep, how much is required, and the quality of sleep is all over the news, social media, and publications. Sleep is the new black. What has made […]
The term “value” has become a focal point for both payers and providers in the discussion about rising healthcare costs. Historically we have seen the term used in the capital budget process due to the need to control costs and improve quality — both major goals in an evolving healthcare market. Now Value-Based Payer contracts […]
As budget constraints tighten and pressures mount, healthcare IT teams nationwide struggle to meet advancing industry and organizational needs. Balancing operational performance with modernization and innovative solutions has forced executives to think differently about a seemingly dated model and approach. A strong philosophical shift to higher levels of outsourcing and implementation of cloud-based solutions on […]
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tells us that in 2013, heart disease was the leading cause of death for women in the United States, killing approximately 300,000 women. That’s more than cancer, chronic lung disease, or stroke. It’s no longer a man’s disease! One of the leading causes driving this alarming statistic […]
