Although computerized physician order entry (CPOE) systems have been around for a few years, only a few vendors really embraced the market with robust offerings and only a few healthcare providers showed interest in adopting them — until the 2009 passage of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA). After that, the landscape changed considerably, as many providers wanted to take advantage of reimbursements available in meeting meaningful use (MU) requirements and the rate of adoption grew significantly.

New research shows the effects of electron beams on implanted vascular access ports composed of plastic, determining how they impair the fluence of radiation around them.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is safe, profoundly safe, provided we follow industry best practices. Unfortunately, the rates of reported MRI accidents are nearly five times what they were just five years ago, according to data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)[1] — an apparent indication that we, as an industry, aren’t following best practices.

The overarching trend in ultrasound continues to be the development of smaller and more powerful imaging platforms. The provision of hand-carried systems that offer advanced functionality and premium image quality in a small, easy-to-use and affordable package has almost become essential to growth in ultrasound over the last few years.

Thomas Cook, M.D., is the emergency medicine residency program director at Palmetto Health Richland in Columbia, S.C., and has been using ultrasound in the practice of emergency medicine since 1996. He also had the recent experience of traveling in China and learning about that country’s use of ultrasound. He shares his expertise and views about ultrasound in the emergency department (ED) in the following Q&A with ITN.