Telehealth, this months cover story topic, has taken the national policy spotlight recently thanks to provisions of the National Healthcare Reform legislation and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

New federal interest and stimulus money will help to spur telemedicine in the U.S., but this field also is enjoying a convergence of four factors that are organically driving it forward.

According to a trial published in the April edition of the Annals of Internal Medicine, early cerebral MRI-identified lesions in patients with endocarditis but no neurologic symptoms can yield a change in the clinical management plan for the patient, and affect diagnostic classification.

Diagnostic imaging and health IT technologies provider Agfa HealthCare has expanded its customer base in Germany by inking 28 new contracts for three of its technologies: Orbis hospital information system/clinical information system, Impax PACS and HYDMedia document management system.

Health Care Systems (HCS) will join Eclipsys Helios application developer program, giving Eclipsys' clients the opportunity to update their medication reconciliation workflows without additional technologies.

Commentary by: Jonathan Leviss, MD President Obama has requested (possibly demanded) that the U.S. healthcare system move into the modern information age with broad implementations of health IT.

Royal Philips Electronics and the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research have settled a suit filed by Mayo alleging that Philips infringed on patents relating to medical imaging technology.

More research is needed but the EHR will likely be a foundational element of the medical home, according to an article in the April edition of HealthAffairs.