Medquist Holdings, a developer of medical transcription services, will unify its operations under the name M*Modal, as of Jan. 25, and the companys common stock will be traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol MODL."

Venture investments held strong and steady across healthcare in 2011, with medical devices finishing a close second to biopharmaceuticals in dollars invested and healthcare IT seeing a substantial increase over the previous year.

In 2010, the healthcare community accounted for only 1 percent of the 761 data breaches examined in a January 2011 report on data security published by communications company Verizon--which is a decrease from the previous year.

Preoperative MRI helped surgeons make more informed decisions about nerve-sparing procedures in men with prostate cancer, according to a study published online Jan. 24 in Radiology.

It wouldnt surprise me if in five or 10 years this procedure replaced awake [deep brain simulation surgery], Jason M. Schwalb, MD, director of movement disorder and behavioral neurosurgery at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, said in an interview. However, Schwalb confirmed that the data to support intraoperative MRI as a complete replacement for the conventional awake technique are not yet available.

MedQuist Holdings has hired Amy Dellamora Amick, MBA, as chief operating officer (COO), and Michael Clark has been appointed executive vice president of global sales.

The FDA approved over-the-counter (OTC) sales and marketing of the HeartCheck Pen Handheld ECG, a handheld heart rhythm monitor manufactured by CardioComm Solutions.

Stacy Enxing Seng, MBA, has been appointed president of Covidien's vascular therapies global business unit. She will report directly to Peter L. Wehrly, senior vice president and group president of respiratory & monitoring solutions and vascular therapies.