Royal Philips Electronics has appointed Deborah DiSanzo as CEO of Philips Healthcare and member of its executive committee, effective May 1. DiSanzo will succeed Stephen H. Rusckowski, who will leave the company on April 30 to succeed Surya N. Mohapatra, PhD, as president and CEO of Quest Diagnostics in Madison, N.J., effective May 1.

A majority of young physicians are pessimistic about the future of the U.S. healthcare system, with concerns about healthcare reform and declining reimbursement the main sources of the gloomy outlook, according to an online survey commissioned by The Physicians Foundation.

Researchers have found the introduction of call handling software and mobile technology over a medical-grade wireless network improved staff satisfaction and improvements in efficiency and information flow have been accompanied by a reduction in untoward incidents, length of stay and peri-arrest calls.

Human error remains the greatest threat to data security across the healthcare industry, according to an April report from Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Analytics.

Advanced Medical Isotope Corporation (AMIC), a producer and distributor of medical isotopes, has obtained an exclusive license to eight patents for injectable radiogel technology for use in high-dose radiation therapy. The license was granted by Battelle pursuant to an option between Battelle and AMIC announced in February 2011.

Low-risk patients presenting with chest pain at an emergency department were less likely to undergo stress testing if they used a tool designed to elucidate their risk of a heart attack and engage them in decision making, according to a study published online April 10 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. No patients in the randomized evaluation experienced a major adverse cardiac event after discharge, suggesting the decision aid may help reduce unnecessary testing without compromising care.

The Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI) is collaborating with other industry and government entities to support the healthcare industrys upgrade to ASC X12 5010. This support will take the form of a multi-tiered campaign to gather feedback, track challenges, identify and provide guidance to correcting ASC X12 5010 implementation-related issues, especially among commercial payors.

Cardinal Health, a healthcare services company, has appointed Donald M. Casey Jr. to lead its $9 billion medical products and services business, effective April 16.