Health IT is No. 1 career choice for economy-toughened college graduates
Health information technology is the hottest career option for college graduates in a challenging economy, according to a study by the University of California San Diego Extension. The study, which lists graduates' top 14 career options based on enrollment figures, national employment statistics and interviews with business executives, notes that new medical technologies are leading to increased demand for health IT technicians to maintain data. Jobs in the health IT field are "a critical component of plans for positive change in the healthcare industry," UC San Diego Extension Associate Vice Chancellor Mary Walshok said. Other top career choices include mobile media, data mining, geriatric healthcare, clinical trials design for oncology, and health law, according to the study. Full Story  Further Information

3-D technology could help improve use and effectiveness of hearing aids
Use of 3-D technology could lead to hearing aids that fit and function better than current models, according to researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA. Getting useful sound amplification from a hearing aid depends on a tight fit between the hearing aid and the wearer's ear canal, but the current method of modeling patients' ears is not always accurate, leading to a device that fits poorly and offers little benefit, MIT Prof. of Mechanical Engineering Douglas Hart said. Hart has patented a new way of scanning the ear canal with 3-D imaging technology—a process that is much faster, easier and more accurate than the traditional plaster-mold technique. He plans to market the technology to hearing-aid manufacturers first, but believes it could also be useful to build custom-fitted earplugs for military personnel and other people who work in noisy environments. Only 1 in 5 persons who need hearing aids actually use them, and that number could be increased if the devices better fit wearers' ears, Hart said. Full Story

Researchers test use of shockwaves to reduce post-cardio surgical pain
Cardiologists at three research centers in the U.S. are testing a noninvasive product that uses shockwaves to reduce or prevent pain that patients experience after receiving cardiac stents. Designed by Germantown, MD-based Medispec, the Cardiospec uses a more energy-efficient technology similar to that employed to break up kidney stones. The device sends shockwaves to specific areas of the heart to stimulate growth of new blood vessels and alleviate pain. Roughly 70 percent of the patients who undergo the procedure experience improved blood flood to their hearts, Medispec New Product Development Director Gil Hakim said. The procedure is being tested at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, the University of California at San Diego, and Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia. Medispec is aiming for Food and Drug Administration approval by 2012, Hakim said.  Full Story

VA seeks vendors for kiosk-based mental health evaluation program
The Department of Veterans Affairs is looking for vendors to develop software for a kiosk-based system that would allow mental health patients with limited computer literacy or cognitive disabilities to conduct self-assessments of their conditions. According to a notice posted on the Federal Business Opportunities Web site, the audio- and Web-based system allows patients to sit at kiosks in VA health centers and conduct the assessment through a computer console and Internet browser. The system will provide data to the department's Mental Health Package, and make that data available to physicians through the Veterans Health Information Systems and Technology Architecture (VistA) platform. Interested vendors should apply by June 4, with the VA department making its decision during the month, according to the notice. Full Story

Health IT consultants are a growing commodity in EHR preparation
The healthcare industry's efforts to prepare for "meaningful use"-based Medicare incentives has led to a growing demand for health information technology consultants, according to a report by Orem, UT-based research firm KLAS. "Shifting Demand for Consultants - Who's Hot, Who's Not, and Why" found that 70 percent of healthcare providers expect to hire a consultant to help them establish meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs) and qualify for federal incentives by 2012. In the last three years, the healthcare services landscape has shifted from larger providers trying to implement EHR programs, to smaller, more budget-restricted companies, according to KLAS General Manager Mike Smith. The shift has also changed which consultants are most in demand: Computer Sciences Corp., one of the least-popular consultants among healthcare providers in KLAS' 2007 survey, is now the No. 1 choice, the new report notes. Full Story

E-communication with children's doctors would be useful for parents
Nearly half of all parents want doctors to make greater use of e-mails when informing them of their children's health, but not all doctors agree, according to a pair of research reports. According to Dr. Matthew Davis, director of the University of Michigan's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health in Ann Arbor, MI, less than 15 percent of parents are able to use e-mail or the Internet to schedule appointments, receive immunization records or request prescription refills. In the survey, doctors say they are concerned with medical liability regarding providing medical advice without physically seeing a patient. Meanwhile, those patients that use physician review sites on the Internet say they are happy with their doctors, according to a survey by researchers at Tufts University School of Medicine and Baystate Medical Center. Negative comments centered around available parking and long wait times.  Further Information   Further Information

Royal Philips, Project HOPE to coordinate telemonitoring project
Royal Philips Electronics has reached a deal with Millwood, VA-based Project HOPE (Health Opportunities for People Everywhere) to provide home telemonitoring devices in select parts of rural New Mexico. According to Project HOPE President and Chief Executive Officer John P. Howe III, M.D., the partnership will provide training to local health workers, who will assist in installation of monitoring devices, and will help train users how to use the products. New Mexico is one of the more-rural and physician-strapped states, and telemonitoring will go a long way toward ensuring that all residents have access to healthcare, Howe said. Clinicians will be able to monitor patient vital signs and symptoms to make more timely care decisions and prevent unnecessary hospitalizations, Howe added. Full Story

MainStreet Monitoring donates proceeds to Special Olympics
Cranston, RI-based telemedicine services provider MainStreet Monitoring Devices, Inc., said it will donate a portion of its proceeds to the Special Olympics Texas 2010 Summer Games, set for May 28-30 at the University of Texas in Arlington, TX. MainStreet Monitoring Chief Executive Officer Craig Baker said the company, which specializes in telehealth products aimed at improving the health of seniors and children, will contribute 15 percent of its proceeds on an ongoing basis to Special Olympics Texas. The company's flagship product is its CareTracker unit, which allows families or caregivers to designate up to five locations as "safety zones" where an adult or child with intellectual disabilities may move freely, reducing the need for constant supervision. Full Story

InTouch remote telepresence network improves stroke care for patients
Santa Barbara, CA-based InTouch Health has developed a remote telepresence hospital network designed to accelerate a patient's access to clinical stroke experts. According to InTouch Health Chief Executive Officer Dr. Yulun Wang, few hospitals have 24-hour access to stroke neurologists for emergency stroke care, and even fewer are able to staff one of the 500 neurointerventional specialists qualified to deliver advanced stroke interventions. Remote Presence enables highly trained stroke specialists to immediately assess the patients located at any network hospital. Thus far, InTouch Health has more than 25 stroke and multispecialty care networks comprised of over 300 hospital locations worldwide, Wang said. Stroke is the third-leading cause of death and the leading cause of disability in the United States, medical experts note. Full Story

Social media, videoconferencing continue to gain in popularity
Social media tools such as videoconferencing applications, e-mail and instant messages are increasingly being used to help doctors develop closer, more-productive relationships with their patients. According to a report in Computerworld, social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter are being used by physician practices and hospitals to disseminate health information and create online communities where patients can share their experiences. Meanwhile, services such as Online Care Anywhere, Web 2.0, Google Health and HealthVault EMR are giving patients online access to physicians or medical records. Still, there are privacy issues, warns Neal Neuberger, executive director of the Institute for e-Health Policy. These are holding doctors and patients back from fully embracing the technologies. Full Story

Debate continues over use of 'private' patient records in EHR systems
As healthcare facilities continue to implement electronic health record (EHR) systems, some are under scrutiny for attempting to share or sell patient data before all systems are in place. According to a report in the Dallas Morning News, questionable actions range from EHR vendors sharing hospital patients' data with drug companies, to physicians being offered discounts for patient data. Some, such as Austin-based Patient Privacy Rights founder Dr. Deborah Peel, believe the practice violates patients' privacy rights. Others, such as Patricia Johnston, vice president of information services at Texas Health Resources in Dallas, say patients give consent before their records are distributed in any fashion. Full Story

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