Intraoperative muscle monitoring by use of an acceleromyograph may preserve muscle strength and improve quality of recovery better than conventional monitoring methods, according to a study published in the November issue of Anesthesiology.

The third quarter of 2011 saw medical device companies outdo their biopharmaceutical counterparts in the competition for venture capital. Investors poured $857 million into the former and $715 million into the latter, occasioning the first time devices bettered biodrugs since 1998.

Handheld metal detectors used for screening patients at airports did not affect pacemakers or implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in 388 people who participated in a recent study, according to a report published Oct. 31 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Philips Healthcare has released a clinical decision support tool, called VentAssist, designed to help clinicians manage ventilated adult patients. The software could help reduce the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia, according to the company.

As a specialty, radiology touches many aspects of patient care, from screening to diagnosis to monitoring and therapy.

Digital dashboards and business intelligence come in various flavors. From integrated health systems to critical access hospitals, the term digital dashboard can be retrofitted to meet the needs of many different improvement initiatives. Regardless of the definition, the technology has made great strides in the past five years to be a success story in the IT world and assist CMIOs in tackling a diverse range of tasks from population management to quality reporting.

Can mobile devices such as iPads and Androids untether radiologists from their stationary workflows? Maybe not right away, but evidence is building that these systems will improve efficiency and communication in radiology.

Cardiovascular hardware and software provider CardioComm Solutions will extend its current OEM agreement with GE Healthcare.