When it comes to clinical informatics, nurses bring a lot to the conversation. In the course of their daily work, they're immersion users of technology, collectors of crucial data and firsthand observers of health ITs effect on patients. They provide much of the information necessary to improve patient care, show regulatory compliance and propel research.

Clinical data repositories are allowing facilities to improve patient care and move toward an integrated and interoperable health IT environment. The HITECH Act has spurred a need for CDR development in both academic and large-scale healthcare settings, and health IT professionals are getting the technology in place with an eye toward the features that are important to a well-designed CDR.

With profit margins of 3 percent or less and costs rising, hospitals are looking for ways to collect what they're owed as quickly as possible. Numerous forward-thinking facilities are combining strategic finance and technology initiatives to streamline the business end of the caregiving process.

ScottCare, a non-invasive cardiology device developer, has launched its TeleSentry multi-parameter ambulatory monitoring capability for integration into its CardioView Dx suite--a cardiovascular diagnostic technology.

Sprint showcased a variety of technologies including 4G/WiMax applications, as well as partnerships in the converged networks, home healthcare, telemedicine, and business continuity and disaster recovery markets during the recent HIMSS10 conference in Atlanta earlier this month.

Despite significant governmental action, health IT adoption, information utilization and connectivity gaps remain that must be filled to accelerate the benefits of broadband-enabled systems, according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which released its National Broadband Plan last week.

In less than a week, the U.S. House and Senate reconcile and passed healthcare reform legislation. Obama signed the first part of the legislation. Seven minutes later, by some accounts, more than a dozen state AGs filed suit to stop it. Then, the Senate parliamentarian agreed to a couple of Republican challenges that sent the law back to the House for a re-vote. It was re-approved in both housesand the rancor continues.

Pie Medical Imaging has released the new version of its quantitative MR Flow analysis software.