The high demand for qualified health IT professionals continues, as revealed in the 2014 HIMSS Workplace Study, conducted by HIMSS Analytics. The study shows more than 84 percent of survey respondents reported their organization hired at least one staff member in the past year, a finding consistent with the 2013 survey (86 percent). With hiring in 2014 expected to continue at the 2013 pace, 82 percent of survey respondents planned to hire at least one full-time employee (FTE) in the next 12 months, a slight increase from the 79 percent of respondents planning the same in 2013.

August 29, 2014 — Radiology professionals who want to grow and develop as leaders in today’s dynamic healthcare environment will embark on a unique, three-day leadership challenge at the Radiology Leadership Institute (RLI) Expedition Feb. 13-15, 2015, at the Omni Dallas Hotel.

CMS announced the Open Payments system is once again available for physicians and teaching hospitals to register, review and, as needed, dispute financial payment information received from healthcare manufacturers. The system was taken offline on Aug. 3 to resolve a technical issue. To account for system downtime, CMS is extending the time for physicians and teaching hospitals to review their records to Sept. 8, 2014. The public website will be available on Sept. 30, 2014.

Oxford Instruments has re-launched OiServices computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) as Oxford Instruments Healthcare to focus on providing high-quality services, parts and turnkey solutions to the CT and MR imaging market. This includes equipment selection, site planning, installation and hands-on training for MRI and CT medical imaging instruments.

August 27, 2014 — The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) has selected San Francisco Bay Area resident and cancer survivor Jasan Zimmerman to receive the 2014 Survivor Circle Award. Mr. Zimmerman will be presented with his award, including $1,000, during the awards ceremony on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at ASTRO’s 56th annual meeting at San Francisco’s Moscone Center.

A balance board accessory for a popular video game console can help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) reduce their risk of accidental falls, according to new research published online in the journal Radiology. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans showed that use of the Nintendo Wii Balance Board system appears to induce favorable changes in brain connections associated with balance and movement.

National population-based screening programs for asymptomatic women aged 40 and above have been established in many European countries for early detection of breast cancer. With every passing year, this population cohort is expanding, spurring breast cancer screening rates and fuelling the need for breast imaging systems. With the number of women being diagnosed with breast cancer also bound to increase, the adoption of equipment for procedures such as biopsy and image guidance too will grow.

August 26, 2014 — Toshiba America Medical Systems’ MR (magnetic resonance) systems have received approval to operate (ATO) with the U.S. Air Force. This makes Toshiba the only manufacturer to have fully certified MR systems (Vantage Titan 1.5T and Vantage Titan 3T) for use on the Air Force Network.

A recent study completed at the University of Eastern Finland provides new information on the limitations and potential new directions for the future development of transcranial ultrasound therapy.