Less than one-third (30 percent) of medical technology executives are satisfied with the FDA’s management of the review process, according to a survey about the 510(k) pathway for new medical devices conducted by the Medtech Resource Alliance.

One week after the 2012 election and the healthcare community is coming to grips with what may or may not change going forward. Just getting past the election allows everyone to focus on the task at hand, from increasing the adoption of health IT to better engagement with the patient.

Merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the medical device sector of the healthcare industry has proceeded at a fairly steady pace between January 2009 and June 2012. That trend appears to be continuing, according to Irving Levin Associates' new report: The Medical Device Acquisition Report, Second Edition, 2012. In fact, the medical device sector has been the most active M&A sector in the healthcare industry through the first half of 2012.

The Rochester Regional Health Information Organization is upgrading its Image Exchange to allow healthcare providers improved access to diagnostic images.

Allscripts Healthcare Solutions is evaluating strategic alternatives, according to a statement from CEO Glen Tullman.

Numerous organizations have commented on the FDA's July proposed rule for a unique device identifier system. The system would track medical tools, allowing for prompt recall of any devices deemed dangerous to patient safety.

For every problem that health IT might solve, it seems it introduces a few new problems as well. The ECRI Institute, a nonprofit patient safety organization, has released its sixth annual report listing the top health technology hazards for the coming year.