CSC of Falls Church, Va., has acquired Baltimore-based Maricom Systems. Maricom Systems provides business intelligence and data management tools that support health IT systems within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Tension exists in the medical community over whether high-protocol environments provide adequate educational opportunities for junior clinicians, because they often require nurses to perform duties that would otherwise be taken on by trainees. However, the findings of a recent study may add strength to the arguments of those favoring strong protocols.

Infusion pump maker B. Braun Medical has filed a multi-count lawsuit against a competitor, the San Diego-based CareFusion, for patent infringement. B. Braun is crying foul over CareFusions Alaris infusion pumps and its line of smart medication systems.

Despite growing interest in global health, addressing the inaccessibility of health technologies will require a multidisciplinary needs assessment, as well as innovation, in countries where device delays and capacity restraints linger, according to the authors of a New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) perspective published Sept. 1.

The Nivo Nebulizing System, designed for use in patients receiving noninvasive ventilation, was recently released under collaboration between Royal Philips Electronics and Galway, Ireland-based Aerogen. 

Although claustrophobic patients randomized to an open MRI system reported fewer events than those in a short-bore cohort, neither system effectively prevented claustrophobia. Researchers called the claustrophobic event rates of more than 25 percent disappointing and highlighted the need for patient-centered MRI design in a study published in the August issue of PLoS.

Primary stroke centers improve care and are an important component in the care continuum of stroke patients. In the September issue of Stroke, members of the Brain Attack Coalition updated recommendations for the formation and operation of primary stroke centers with the goal of enhancing diagnoses and improving care.

The FDA has given Spine Wave the approval to sell its StaXx XDL, an implant that uses the companys expandable-device technology to aid surgeons correcting spinal disorders.