Diagnostics & Healthcare News

With increased emphasis on culture of safety and rising concerns over medical errors, our attention this month turns to this study from Baylor College of Medicine in conjunction with the Houston Fire Department(HFD). As we reported in the March issue, we know that the cognitive load theory (CLT) of education impacts high-fidelity simulation in EMS…

Astronaut Leroy Chiao has traveled to space four times, lived for more than six months on the International Space Station, and logged dozens of hours in spacewalks—pretty mind-blowing stuff. But in a June 14 keynote address at MD&M East in New York City, he marveled at many of the medical technologies that have cropped up…

Dr. Henry Heimlich didn’t hesitate. When a fellow diner started choking, the 96-year-old was ready to perform the maneuver that he invented. This all happened Monday at an assisted-living facility in Cincinnati, The Cincinnati Enquirer reports. Resident Patty Ris, 87, had swallowed a piece of meat and was struggling to breathe. Perry Gaines, an employee…

   Intermountain Healthcare has invested $12 million in strategic funding with Zebra Medical Vision, an Israeli medical company. The partnership will accelerate the creation of Zebra’s imaging analytics engine and create neural networks that will use Zebra’s vast imaging dataset to assist radiologists with automated diagnostic algorithms. In addition to Intermountain, Zebra’s existing investors include Khosla…

A company that makes portable blood alcohol testers has won a national prize for a wearable version that looks like a fitness tracker and delivers results in near-real time. The San Francisco company, BACtrack, will receive $200,000 from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) for its prototype entry, the BACtrack Skyn. The…

Algorithms are boring until your life depends on them. People with Type 1 diabetes use algorithms all day long. They perform mental calculations to manage their blood-sugar levels, which are measured by hand with a finger prick, or with a wearable sensor that fits under the skin. If they stray too far from baseline, the…

Millions of Americans use reading glasses every day, but a new procedure could eliminate the need for some people. Donna Glenn, 51, took advantage of the new treatment, KAMRA inlay surgery, after getting fed up with her glasses. “I had to put reading glasses on for every near task and reading glasses are traditionally never where…

Orlando, Fla – An enormous high tech machine is providing new hope to patients across the country with inoperable tumors. Proton therapy is a precise radiation technique that reduces the side effects often accompanied by traditional treatment options. Thanks to this remarkable technology, a new proton therapy center at UF Health Cancer Center – Orlando…

The concept of shared decision-making in healthcare is making its way from physician offices into emergency rooms as hospitals look to become more patient-friendly. Mobile apps are helping to accelerate the shift. A piece in the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday examined this trend. “Now, to help patients and families weigh the evidence and compare risks and benefits,…

For babies, the sound of their mother’s voice isn’t just comforting — it can be the key to healthy brain development. That’s not easy to manage for premature babies stuck in incubators, though, and Samsung thinks smartphones might help out. Its Voice of Life app lets a mom record her heartbeat and voice on her phone,…