Precision Medicine

Also called personalized medicine, this evolving field makes use of an individual’s genes, lifestyle, environment and other factors to identify unique disease risks and guide treatment decision-making.

CMS offers $100M in grants for healthy behavior

A $100 million program offered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act enables states to grant incentives to Medicaid enrollees who adopt healthy behaviors, such as quitting smoking or losing weight.

ViewRays MRI-guided radiotherapy gains 510(k) approval

The FDA has granted ViewRays MRI-guided radiation therapy system 510(k) clearance for non-human research, bringing the system a step closer to the companys anticipated clinical application.

Gateway EDI merges with TriZetto

The TriZetto Group has acquired revenue management company Gateway EDI, which it will now operate as a subsidiary under investment to integrate the two companies revenue platforms.

EPs speak about implanting first MRI-compatible pacemaker

Earlier this month, the FDA approved the first MRI-compatible pacemaker (Medtronic). In an exclusive interview, Thomas Mattioni, MD, director of electrophysiology at Scottsdale Healthcare in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Ilana Kutinsky, DO, an electrophysiologist at Beaumont Hospitals in Royal Oak, Mich., who implanted the first devices at their respective facilities, said the 10-year wait for the device was worth it.

HIMSS: Hospital Smart Room promises to improve safety, efficiency

ORLANDO, Fla.--A Hospital Smart Room that leverages radiofrequency identification (RFID) technology to optimize medical device connectivity could deliver improvements in patient safety as exemplified in a demonstration at the 2011 annual meeting of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS).

HIMSS: IHE implementation challenging, but doable and valuable

ORLANDO, Fla.--Two experts who shared their experiences on implementing Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) profiles for health information exchanges confirmed the utility and value of IHE profiles during the Experiences Implementing IHE Profiles in the Real World educational session held Feb. 23 at the 2011 annual meeting of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS).

HIMSS: Combining tele-ICU & transfer center reduces length of stay

ORLANDO, Fla.-- Integrating the efforts of a tele-ICU and the transfer center can improve clinical care for emergent patients, resulting in soft savings for the provider and reduced length of inpatient stay, according to a Feb. 22 presentation at the 2011 annual Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) conference.

HIMSS: Record-breaking turnout closes in on 31k

ORLANDO, Fla.-- With more than a day left to go, attendance at the 2011 Healthcare Information Management and Systems Society (HIMSS) conference broke a record, hitting 30,947, according to the Chicago-based nonprofit organization. By comparison, there were an estimated total of 27,800 attendees at the 2010 event, according to a statement from H. Stephen Lieber, CAE, president and CEO of HIMSS.

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.”