Digital Transformation

This evolution of healthcare involves using technology to improve diagnosis, treatments, monitor patients, enhance hospital operations and culture, and bolster consumer-focused care. This includes virtual reality tools, wearable devices, workflow software, health apps and other digital health tools.

Michelle Obama releases $851M for community health center IT adoption

U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama has announced the release of $851 million in grants to address immediate health center facility and equipment needs and increase access to healthcare for millions of Americans. The money was made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009.

Boston Scientific switches CEOs, with a look away from cardiac devices

Boston Scientific has announced that President and CEO Jim Tobin will retire and that its board of directors has appointed Ray Elliott the new president and CEO, effective July 13.

3D scanner could make hearing aids more comfortable, effective

A new digital scanning technique, developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), could offer a much better fit for future hearing aids, according to an article in the MIT Technology Review.

HHS disseminates $6B for children's insurance

Health & Human Services Secretary (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius has reported that $6 billion in new federal funds will be made available to states and U.S. territories for fiscal year 2009 to provide healthcare to millions of children across the United States through their Children's Health Insurance Programs (CHIP).

Irish stent startup nets $17M in financing round

Cappella has completed a $17.3 million series C investment, led by new investors, Fountain Healthcare Partners and Mitsui Venture Partners. Enterprise Ireland also participated in the round alongside Cappella's existing investors, Polytechnos Partners and ACT Venture Capital.

Senate begins healthcare reform roll out

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, led by Chairman Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., introduced legislation this week advocating for more government involvement in healthcare coverage. The bill is certain to launch a drawn-out debate over the current delivery direction of healthcare in the United States when it is introduced on the Senate floor in July.

Circulation: DES are safe, effective for elderly CAD patients

Stents coated with paclitaxel (Taxus from Boston Scientific) may be a safe, effective treatment option for coronary artery disease (CAD) patients age 70 and older, and should not be withheld due to advanced patient age, according to a study reported in the June 2 issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Interventions.

Around the web

Compensation for heart specialists continues to climb. What does this say about cardiology as a whole? Could private equity's rising influence bring about change? We spoke to MedAxiom CEO Jerry Blackwell, MD, MBA, a veteran cardiologist himself, to learn more.

The American College of Cardiology has shared its perspective on new CMS payment policies, highlighting revenue concerns while providing key details for cardiologists and other cardiology professionals. 

As debate simmers over how best to regulate AI, experts continue to offer guidance on where to start, how to proceed and what to emphasize. A new resource models its recommendations on what its authors call the “SETO Loop.”