Evidence suggests evolution does not happen at a uniform speed in a predictable way; it happens in fits and starts. So National Coordinator for Health IT David Blumenthal's use of the phrase "natural evolution" last week to describe what's happening with the Nationwide Health Information Network is an interesting choice of words.  

Baptist Health System, a not-for-profit healthcare system in Alabama, has selected Compuwares EHR service delivery technology to monitor the performance and availability of its EHR systems to ensure service-level agreements are being met.

Avera McKennan University Hospital, of Sioux Falls, S.D., will use Versuss real-time locating system (RTLS) technology in the Avera Surgery Center, a new ambulatory surgery center scheduled to open in July.

Just because your organization has successfully implemented an EMR doesnt mean it will be used, or be used appropriately. You have to aim for EMR adoption, say Heather Haugen, PhD, and Jeffrey Woodside, MD, authors of Beyond Implementation: A Prescription for Lasting EMR Adoption, a book slated for release next week, and the authors of which recently spoke with CMIO.

Agfa HealthCare experienced a 5.2 percent drop in revenue in the first quarter of 2010 compared with the same quarter a year ago, from 291 million ($360 million U.S.) in  2009 to 276 million ($342 million U.S.) in 2010.

RIS/PACS developer DR Systems used virtual computing infrastructure technology from EMC to create eMix, a cloud computing service for sharing medical imaging studies.

Royal Philips Electronics has partnered with Moscow-based medical equipment manufacturer Electron for the development of CT products, with the hope of expansion into other healthcare products, said Amsterdam-based Royal Philips.

St. Jude Medical and iRhythm Technologies have entered into an agreement to market iRhythms Zio Patch, a single-use ambulatory cardiac rhythm monitor that recently received FDA 510k clearance.