Aperio Collaborates with ADCIS on Advanced Computer-Assisted Stereology Module for Digital Pathology  
Vista, CA - Aperio Technologies, Inc., a global leader in digital pathology for the healthcare and life sciences industry, in partnership with ADCIS, (Advanced Concepts in Imaging Software) of Normandy, France, has introduced a stereology software module for the quantitative evaluation of complex 3D biological structures that originate from 2D sections, built on Aperio’s digital pathology platform. “Aperio offers the only open digital pathology platform that supports products from third-party providers, expanding the functionality of our system and ultimately creating the broadest portfolio of digital pathology solutions on the market,” said Dirk G. Soenksen, CEO of Aperio. “The stereology module is one of many new offerings resulting from such collaborative and open relationships.” Stereology is an effective alternative to complex image processing algorithms when structures of interest are too intricate, staining is problematic, or there is too much variability between slides or within the same slide. Stereology is used in a wide variety of applications including neuropathology, pulmonary and kidney diseases, diabetes, and cancer.
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Philips and bioMerieux Announce Partnership to Develop and Market Next-Generation Handheld Diagnostic Solutions for Point-of-Care   Geisinger to Implement RelayHealth's E-System to Clarify Benefit Coverage
Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Marcy l’Etoile, France - Royal Philips Electronics and bioMérieux announced that they have signed an agreement to jointly develop fully automated handheld diagnostic testing solutions for hospital use that can be deployed at the point-of-care - i.e. close to the patient. The collaboration aims to improve diagnosis and management of disease in critical care settings within hospitals (for example, Emergency Departments, Coronary Units and Intensive Care Units (ICUs)). “Philips is convinced that point-of-care testing in hospital critical care settings will play a major part in improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs. It is an excellent fit with our leading market position in critical care settings and our holistic care cycle approach to, for example, cardiac care,” said Steve Rusckowski, executive vice president and chief executive officer, Philips Healthcare. “Their combined knowledge of medical technology, biomarker assays and clinical workflows, coupled with their joint understanding of the relevant markets, stakeholders and channels, puts Philips and bioMérieux in a commanding position to drive forward a paradigm change in critical care decision-making.”   Danville, PA - Geisinger Health System, one of the nation’s largest integrated healthcare delivery systems, is implementing RelayHealth’s RevRunner eligibility solution to improve patients’ understanding of their health insurance coverage. “During these difficult economic times, it is critical that we help patients understand their health plan’s coverage and their own financial obligations,” said Barbara Tapscott, vice president of Revenue Cycle, Geisinger Health System. “By using RelayHealth’s RevRunner to verify their insurance eligibility both before and during their hospital stays, we can provide patients with an accurate picture of the fees that they must cover.” Geisinger chose RelayHealth’s RevRunner financial clearance services because it automatically uses multiple means to verify the most current and complete data on a patient’s coverage, copayments, coinsurance and deductibles. RevRunner will help improve Geisinger’s verification process by providing unlimited eligibility checks from the scheduling of services through discharge and final billing to verify payor and patient financial responsibilities.
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IFEZ, GE Healthcare, BRC Join Hands to Establish ‘GE Global Ubiquitous Health Research and Development Center’   St. Joseph Health System Chooses Accenx as Its Ministry Integration Platform
SEOUL, Korea - Incheon Free Economic Zone (IFEZ), GE Healthcare and Bio Research Complex (BRC) announced the signing of a five year plan to invest in the establishment of the “GE Global Ubiquitous Health Research and Development Center” (GE Global u-Health R&D Center). Under the agreement with IFEZ, GE Healthcare, a global leader in transformational medical technologies and services, and BRC, a respected provider of gene analysis technology, will use the facility for research and development activities related to healthcare IT solutions. “The agreement is a perfect example of a collaboration between the Korean government, a local company like BRC and a global company like GE,” said Sang-soo Ahn, the mayor of the Incheon Metropolitan City in which IFEZ is located. “The establishment of the GE Global u-Health R&D Center will be a triggering event in the expansion of IFEZ’s IT and healthcare infrastructure and the buildup of a research network. We’re hoping IFEZ can position itself as the world’s premier project site that best realizes ubiquitous-Health programs, going forward,” added Ahn.   CHICAGO, IL - Accenx, a wholly owned subsidiary of Initiate Systems, Inc., a leader in data management solutions for information sharing and improved data quality, announced that St. Joseph Health System (SJHS) has chosen Accenx as its partner to aid in the integration of its hospitals with affiliated physicians. The Accenx solution, Accenx Exchange, was selected because its fully managed, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform will enable SJHS to meet its aggressive timeline, without cutting into personnel resources or sacrificing the quality of the integration. With locations throughout California, New Mexico, and Texas, SJHS was looking for more than just connectivity; it wanted a true partner that could handle the intricacies of an exchange. “In the past, we have done our own integrations and know the level of complexity it takes to create a quality exchange,” said Jeff Allport, vice president, IT Solutions Delivery at St. Joseph Health System.
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ZOLL Receives FDA Clearance to Market E Series Defibrillators with Carbon Monoxide Monitoring   FDA Approves ACTEMRA for the Treatment of Moderately to Severely Active Rheumatoid Arthritis
CHELMSFORD, MA - ZOLL Medical Corporation, a manufacturer of resuscitation devices and related software solutions, has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a new model of the ZOLL E Series Monitor/Defibrillator with carbon monoxide (CO) measurement. The product is immediately available for shipment. CO measurement is a breakthrough that helps rescuers non-invasively and immediately diagnose, monitor, and treat patients poisoned by this “silent killer.” CO poisoning can present with flu-like symptoms, but it is also possible to be affected without having any symptoms at all. Undetected, untreated episodes can lead to permanent neurological and cardiac damage, and often death. In firefighters, even mild CO poisoning causes mental confusion, which can put both the exposed rescuer and others on the fire scene at risk. Consistent exposure to CO may cause long term heart and brain damage. In addition, for both firefighters and civilians, just one severe incident of CO poisoning almost doubles the risk of premature death.   Basil, Switzerland - Roche announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration approved ACTEMRA (tocilizumab, RoACTEMRA in the European Union) for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis who have had an inadequate response to one or more tumor necrosis factor antagonist therapies. ACTEMRA, the result of a research & development collaboration with Chugai, is the first interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor-inhibiting monoclonal antibody approved to treat RA, may be used alone or in combination with methotrexate or other disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. "The FDA approval of ACTEMRA marks a major step forward in the treatment of RA, providing a new option for patients with this very serious disease,” said Hal Barron, M.D., executive vice president, Global Development and chief medical officer, Roche and Genentech. “We are optimistic that working with the agency, we will be able to generate the additional data required to support approval in earlier lines of RA therapy and are committed to comprehensively characterizing both the clinical benefit and the safety of ACTEMRA in earlier lines of therapy through our large pharmacovigilance program...”
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Medtronic Introduces the Sovereign Spinal System for Lumbar Surgery   Genzyme’s Mozobil Shows Promise in Chemosensitization
MEMPHIS, TN - Medtronic, Inc. announced the U.S. launch of the SOVEREIGN Spinal System. The SOVEREIGN Spinal System is an intervertebral body (interbody) fusion device used to treat patients who suffer from a degenerative condition that affects the lumbar spine. When a lumbar disc is diseased, it can lose height, compressing nerve roots and the spinal cord, causing pain in the legs and lower back. The SOVEREIGN Spinal System is designed to stabilize the spine and promote bony fusion, which involves the joining of two bones together, such as adjacent vertebrae. There are more than 200,000 lumbar fusion procedures performed each year to relieve leg and lower-back pain. To restore a patient’s disc height, surgeons have traditionally used bone grafts, stabilized and held in place by metal plates anchored to the spine with bone screws. The SOVEREIGN Spinal System incorporates a lens-shaped device with three holes for the placement of titanium screws, which protrude through the device and stabilize the adjacent vertebral bodies while preventing expulsion of the implant.   CAMBRIDGE, MA - Genzyme Corporation announced that a Phase 1/2 trial provided early clinical data suggesting that Mozobil (plerixafor injection) in combination with chemotherapy may offer a therapeutic impact on leukemic cells protected in bone marrow. The investigational trial, partially supported by Genzyme, was the subject of an oral presentation at the 2009 annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology in New Orleans, LA. Genzyme has initiated two clinical trials to further explore this potential new strategy to attack blood cancers. “Our initial work in humans has produced some encouraging results. If we can begin to impact leukemic cells protected in bone marrow, we may be able to reduce residual disease and therefore provide better potential outcomes for patients,” said John F. DiPersio, M.D., Ph.D., professor, Washington University, St. Louis, the senior author of the study that was presented at ASH. “Our initial work in humans has produced some encouraging results.”
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Samarinda Aged Services Improves Its Operations and Resident Care Using AeroScout Safety and Asset Tracking Solutions   Merge Healthcare Building Market Acceptance of Newest “Cloud” Image Management Solutions
REDWOOD CITY, CA - AeroScout, the leading provider of Unified Asset Visibility for the healthcare industry, announced that Samarinda Aged Services in Ashburton, Australia, has implemented AeroScout’s Resident Safety and Asset Tracking and Management solutions at its Samarinda Lodge. AeroScout’s Wi-Fi RTLS (real time location system) enables aged care residents to use call buttons to request assistance when needed, and staff to quickly locate residents anywhere on the property. Samarinda also uses the AeroScout solutions to track and manage equipment that is used to deliver care. As a result of the implementation, Samarinda Lodge has Improved resident satisfaction and safety; Reduced the frequency of resident falls; Improved operational efficiency; Expedited staff response times and provided better documentation of response time; and Increased staff retention rates to 25% above the industry average. Located in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, Samarinda Aged Services is a community-based, not-for-profit organization that provides a range of services for the aged.   Milwaukee, WI - Merge Healthcare, a leading health IT solutions provider, announced the availability of its RIS, PACS and Disaster Recovery solutions that leverage a cloud computing platform to manage a breadth of healthcare information. This scalable software as a service (SaaS) by Merge enables digital imaging enterprises to deploy a HIPAA-compliant medical imaging solution without the cost or complexity of managing multiple layers of hardware or software. The cloud-hosted solutions also enable rapid implementation of a RIS (radiology information system) or PACS (picture archiving communications system); allowing practices a faster return on investment and minimal disruption to workflow. “We were impressed with Merge Healthcare’s commitment and ability to implement a front-to-backend solution so quickly,” says Matt Purser, President of Prestige Imaging, LLC of Dallas, Texas, who recently purchased the hosted Fusion RIS/PACS MX solution. “The flexibility and depth of Fusion RIS/PACS, supported by such a robust hosting environment, was exactly what we needed to be more responsive to our patients and partners.”
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Greater Hazleton Health Alliance Saves Nearly $500,000 in Nine Months with Strategic Supply Chain Partner Broadlane   St. Jude Medical Receives FDA Approval for Industry-First Five-Column Neurostimulation Lead to Manage Chronic Pain
Dallas, Texas - Broadlane, the leading end-to-end supply chain partner for healthcare providers, announced that Greater Hazleton Health Alliance (GHHA) has saved nearly $500,000 in nine months by leveraging Broadlane’s unique services. GHHA is located in Hazleton, Pennsylvania and spends approximately $18 million on supply expenses at its facilities which include 150-bed Hazleton General Hospital, Hazleton Health & Wellness Center, Hazleton General Home Care and several associated physician practices. GHHA has selected Broadlane’s Strategic Sourcing Solutions, leveraging the un-rivaled national GPO portfolio of consumable supplies, equipment, pharmaceuticals and purchased services. GHHA can access contracts, view actionable informatics reports and download training materials online via OnRamp®, Broadlane’s client portal. “During a time of limited operating budgets, we were seeking a solution that could not only deliver supply savings but also streamline supply chain processes,” said Jim Edwards, chief executive officer, Greater Hazleton Health Alliance.   ST. PAUL, MN - St. Jude Medical, Inc. announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval and U.S. market introduction of its new Penta surgical lead for neurostimulation therapy. Unveiled at the annual North American Neuromodulation Society meeting, the Penta lead is the first of its kind, featuring the smallest electrodes in the market arranged in five columns. This innovative surgical lead provides the broadest lateral electrode span of any neurostimulation lead on the market - yet the paddle configuration is only 10.9 mm wide. The Penta lead’s unique design is made possible by a proprietary micro-texturing process which enables greater amounts of current to be delivered via the small electrodes. The result is a lead that can more specifically focus current over a greater lateral area of the spinal cord, which may provide better coverage for managing hard to control chronic pain. “The Penta lead provides surgeons with an innovative new approach to increasing targeted control in managing chronic pain through neurostimulation therapy,” said Chris Chavez, president of the St. Jude Medical Neuromodulation Division.
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St. Anthony's Medical Center in St Louis Achieves One-Third of Expected $9 Million Savings Goal in First Year of Membership in Premier Healthcare Alliance   BioDelivery Sciences Granted a Meeting with FDA to Discuss the Clinical Development of BEMA Granisetron
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - St. Anthony's Medical Center, St. Louis' largest free-standing hospital, has achieved one-third of an expected $9 million in savings in just one year of membership in the Premier healthcare alliance. "We're extremely satisfied," said St. Anthony's Director of Supply Chain Management Perry Willmore. "We're one of the few hospitals that not only made their budgets in the last fiscal year but we actually exceeded our budget. Our relationship with Premier had something to do with that, I'm sure." St. Anthony's was formerly with the MedAssets GPO. "Our relationship with Premier is very positive," Willmore said," and will continue to be so because Premier truly thinks about the needs of its members and takes steps to protect the membership. I never feel Premier is doing things for its benefit. I always feel Premier does things for the membership's benefit." Willmore attributes part of the savings to joining Premier's ASCEND (Accelerated Supply Chain Endeavor) program, which helps hospitals achieve and sustain rapid supply chain performance improvements.   Raliegh, NC - BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. announced that the company has been granted a meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to discuss the planned Investigational New Drug (IND) application for BDSI’s antiemetic (anti-nausea and vomiting) product candidate, BEMA Granisetron. The meeting will take place on March 17, 2010. The company will discuss with the FDA clinical development and regulatory plans for BEMA Granisetron, which is anticipated to enter Phase 1 studies in the second quarter of 2010. “Patients experiencing nausea and vomiting often have difficulty taking oral medications. Additionally, absorption of drug from the gastrointestinal tract can be highly variable in these individuals,” said Dr. Andrew Finn, Executive Vice President, Product Development at BDSI. “Having a formulation of an antiemetic that does not require swallowing and gastric absorption could possibly lead to faster and more consistent blood levels of drug. We believe that such a product could have significant potential.”
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Baxter: Creating Products that Advance Patient Care Worldwide.  
A leader in health care for more than 75 years. Baxter International Inc. develops, manufactures and markets products that save and sustain the lives of people with hemophilia, immune disorders, infectious diseases, kidney disease, trauma, and other chronic and acute medical conditions.. Baxter stands for high-quality products, excellence in service and integrity in business practices. Baxter is strongly committed to addressing and meeting the needs of their customers, to building successful relationships with their suppliers, and caring for the world community. Baxter's commitment to operating with integrity requires more than just adequate financial management, workplace relations and public service. It requires a framework for leaders to guide their organization in an ethical way.
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Volume 2, Issue 1 -- February 2010

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