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GE adds ipad connectivity to Emr GE Healthcare this week unveiled Centricity Advance-Mobile, a native Apple iPad application designed for primary care physicians in small practices that are using the Centricity Advance cloud-based program to access their patients' EMRs. GE chose to develop the iPad app because the tablet is used by more physicians than other tablets on the market, according to Mike Friguletto, vice president and general manager of GE Healthcare IT's Clinical Business Solutions. It's no surprise then to hear him say that the company has no current plans to put Centricity Advance-Mobile into other mobile devices. The announcement is another sign that the iPad (along with health apps developed to run on them) is the dominant tablet of choice among physicians. As mobile health (mhealth) becomes more pervasive, companies like Apple and Microsoft are eager to push their products into the lucrative healthcare market. GE said its Centricity Advance-Mobile turns the iPad into a digital "notepad" that the clinician can use when completing summary notes. The mobile application enables immediate response to patient requests, such as prescription refills and emailed questions, and allows a physician to attend to tasks even when away from the office. In addition, physicians can now use their iPad to order, digitally sign, and route a new prescription to a pharmacy.
Mobile phone software improves diabetes management
Software added to basic cell phones can help patients with diabetes significantly reduce a key measure of blood sugar over one year, according to a study published in Diabetes Care, the journal of the American Diabetes Association, the Wall Street Journal reports. The study -- conducted by researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine -- involved 163 patients and 26
primary care physicians in Baltimore and outside the Washington, D.C., area. Three groups of patients taking various diabetes medications received mobile phones with diabetes management software, while a fourth group received usual treatment. Patients with cell phones would enter their blood glucose levels and would receive a text message if the reading was considered too high or too low. The phone also would send "retest" reminders to patients. In addition, the software allowed physicians and nurses retrieve data through a secure website. The researchers sought to compare changes in hemoglobin A1C measurements.
At the beginning of the study, the average A1C readings for patients were above 9 percent, which is considered an increased risk of developing complications such as heart, kidney and eye problems. The American Diabetes Association recommends that A1C levels be less than 7 percent. After one year, patients using the mobile management system had an average decline in A1C levels of 1.9 percentage points, compared with a 0.7 percentagepoint decrease among patients not using the mobile phone system. An average drop of one percentage point can be significant in reducing the risk of complications.
Hitachi installs first scenaria ct scanner Hitachi Medical Systems America Inc. (HMSA) today announced the first Scenaria CT scanner has been installed in North America and is available for clinical use at Radiology Imaging Associates in Prince Frederick, Maryland. The new Hitachi SCENARIA™ 64-slice CT responds to today’s challenge to simultaneously provide excellent image
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quality across a wide range of routine and advanced applications with the most sophisticated dose reduction* technologies and in an ergonomic package that accommodates the patient comfortably. “We are very excited about our relationship with Radiology Imaging Associates and are proud to see our first installation in a facility dedicated to excellence” said Sheldon Schaffer, Vice President and General Manager, MRI & CT. SCENARIA includes a comprehensive package of enhanced dose reduction and awareness features highlighted by Intelli IP™ Iterative Processing, Intelli EC™ 3D automatic exposure control and Dose Check that notifies the operator before scanning if a scan protocol selected will result in a patient dose higher than reference levels. With the slimmest 64-slice gantry and a more compact footprint, SCENARIA is an ideal upgrade from an older CT.