September 1, 2011 – The HIMSS Electronic Health Record Association (EHR Association), a collaboration of 42 EHR supplier companies, in responding to the Center for Medicare and Medicare Services (CMS) proposed rules for the Medicare physician fee schedule (MPFS) and the hospital outpatient prospective payment system for 2012, asked CMS administrator Donald M. Berwick, M.D., to reconsider its proposal to require the submission of patient-level data as it pilots electronic submissions of clinical quality measures (CQMs) based on the burden it would impose on provider organizations and other considerations.

August 30, 2011 — Today's state-of-the-art diagnostics in digestive tract imaging, including capsule endoscopy, is the topic at MEDICA 2011, the world’s largest medical trade fair to be held in Düsseldorf, Germany Nov. 16-19, 2011. More than 4,500 exhibitors from 60 countries will be present.

Stroke patients who need emergency care should be taken to the nearest certified primary stroke center, which acts as a central point for stroke treatment, according to recommendations from the Brain Attack Coalition (BAC), a group representing medical, scientific, nonprofit and government leaders in the field of stroke. The recommendations, which reflect advances in stroke treatment over the past decade, are published online in the September issue of the journal Stroke.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released its “Strategic Plan for Regulatory Science,” a sweeping initiative to modernize the tools and methods that the agency uses to evaluate whether the products it regulates are effective and safe for consumers.

August 25, 2011 — US Oncology Research (USOR) and Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) announced that USOR has earned Full Member status. As a Full Member, USOR has proven to be a leader in radiation clinical trials. The organization is one of fewer than 50 to reach this status.

August 25, 2011 — Konica Minolta Medical Imaging announced the implementation of the wireless Aero digital radiography (DR) system at Sanford Health, the largest, rural, non-profit healthcare system in the United States. Sanford installed two Aero DRs in the emergency department (Trauma 5) and will order three additional units. The company will order one portable unit for the main radiology department, one stationary and one portable for Sanford Heart Hospital, set to open in spring 2012.

August 24, 2011 – Carestream Health has shipped its 2,500th wireless DRX detector, the company announced. The Carestream DRX-1 was the industry’s first wireless, cassette-size detector. Carestream now has a family of six DRX-base systems that help streamline workflow, improve productivity and enhance patient care in both in-room and mobile environments.

August 24, 2011 -- Radiopharmaceuticals are pharmaceutical agents used to diagnose certain medical problems, such as cardiac, cancer or neurology, and/or treat certain conditions such as cancers. The use of radiopharmaceuticals as tracer dates back to 1930s.