Industry news: 3M & HealthInfoNet, Aurora; IBM & University of Washington; TEPR, Viztek
HealthInfoNet, Maine’s health information exchange (HIE), has selected 3M Health Information Systems Division to provide the interoperability systems needed to build a statewide health information-sharing network. 3M will work with its partners, Orion Health and Connectria.
3M Health Information Systems will deliver a scalable, interoperable system that includes the 3M Clinical Data Repository, Enterprise Master Person Index and Healthcare Data Dictionary. Orion Health will provide its Concerto Medical Applications Portal, Rhapsody Integration Engine, and Concerto Forms solution. Connectria will supply remote hosting services.
Aurora Imaging Technology, a manufacturer of MRI systems specifically designed for breast imaging, said that its network of Aurora 1.5T Dedicated Breast MRI System users are well poised to help meet the increasing demand for MRI screening of women at high risk for breast cancer. An increase is expected in light of the recently released recommendations issued by American Cancer Society’s newly established breast cancer screening guidelines that recommend Breast MRI for women at high risk for the disease.
The company has systems installed in more than 23 locations throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia, with the number of installs expected to double during this year alone.
“Aurora users are dedicated breast radiologists who deal exclusively in breast imaging. The vast majority has been experiencing an ongoing increase in patient volumes and many are considering a second Aurora System just to keep up with patient demand,” said Olivia Ho Cheng, president and CEO of Aurora Imaging Technology.
IBM and the University of Washington are sponsoring an upcoming “Workshop on Solving Computational Challenges in Medical Imaging.” The workshop will focus on next-generation technology currently featured in computer entertainment and video-processing platforms, which are driving advancements in medical imaging.
Demonstrating the Cell Broadband Engine (Cell/BE) processor in medical imaging applications, IBM and the university will reveal performance results utilizing Cell/B.E. for several computer-intensive image/signal processing algorithms. With the higher image quality and faster results achieved through the Cell/B.E., there is great potential for new, clinically beneficial applications not previously possible. In addition to highlighting ultrasound applications, the workshop will focus on other computational challenges in medical imaging that can now be addressed through this new class of microprocessors.
The event will take place July 23-24 on the University of Washington campus in the Foege Auditorium. For more information and to register, please visit http://icsl.washington.edu/miworkshop/index.html.
The first keynote speaker has been selected for the TEPR 2007 from May 19-23, 2007 at the Convention Center in Dallas, Texas. Maggie Mahar, author of Money-Driven Medicine, will present a keynote address on Monday, May 21. Mahar has published the books Bull! A History of the Boom, 1982-1999 and Money-Driven Medicine. In her presentation, Mahar will take on some of the key issues in healthcare today, with an emphasis on the need for healthcare information technology. "At this point," she warns, "there is a real danger that investments in bleeding-edge medical technologies will crowd out investment in healthcare IT."
Viztek was named 2006 Kodak Point-of-Care Computed Radiography Channel Partner of the Year for its achievement as the leading distributor of the Point-of-Care and OREX ACL CR products. Viztek sold more than 400 of the point-of-care CR units and OREX systems in 2006.
3M Health Information Systems will deliver a scalable, interoperable system that includes the 3M Clinical Data Repository, Enterprise Master Person Index and Healthcare Data Dictionary. Orion Health will provide its Concerto Medical Applications Portal, Rhapsody Integration Engine, and Concerto Forms solution. Connectria will supply remote hosting services.
Aurora Imaging Technology, a manufacturer of MRI systems specifically designed for breast imaging, said that its network of Aurora 1.5T Dedicated Breast MRI System users are well poised to help meet the increasing demand for MRI screening of women at high risk for breast cancer. An increase is expected in light of the recently released recommendations issued by American Cancer Society’s newly established breast cancer screening guidelines that recommend Breast MRI for women at high risk for the disease.
The company has systems installed in more than 23 locations throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia, with the number of installs expected to double during this year alone.
“Aurora users are dedicated breast radiologists who deal exclusively in breast imaging. The vast majority has been experiencing an ongoing increase in patient volumes and many are considering a second Aurora System just to keep up with patient demand,” said Olivia Ho Cheng, president and CEO of Aurora Imaging Technology.
IBM and the University of Washington are sponsoring an upcoming “Workshop on Solving Computational Challenges in Medical Imaging.” The workshop will focus on next-generation technology currently featured in computer entertainment and video-processing platforms, which are driving advancements in medical imaging.
Demonstrating the Cell Broadband Engine (Cell/BE) processor in medical imaging applications, IBM and the university will reveal performance results utilizing Cell/B.E. for several computer-intensive image/signal processing algorithms. With the higher image quality and faster results achieved through the Cell/B.E., there is great potential for new, clinically beneficial applications not previously possible. In addition to highlighting ultrasound applications, the workshop will focus on other computational challenges in medical imaging that can now be addressed through this new class of microprocessors.
The event will take place July 23-24 on the University of Washington campus in the Foege Auditorium. For more information and to register, please visit http://icsl.washington.edu/miworkshop/index.html.
The first keynote speaker has been selected for the TEPR 2007 from May 19-23, 2007 at the Convention Center in Dallas, Texas. Maggie Mahar, author of Money-Driven Medicine, will present a keynote address on Monday, May 21. Mahar has published the books Bull! A History of the Boom, 1982-1999 and Money-Driven Medicine. In her presentation, Mahar will take on some of the key issues in healthcare today, with an emphasis on the need for healthcare information technology. "At this point," she warns, "there is a real danger that investments in bleeding-edge medical technologies will crowd out investment in healthcare IT."
Viztek was named 2006 Kodak Point-of-Care Computed Radiography Channel Partner of the Year for its achievement as the leading distributor of the Point-of-Care and OREX ACL CR products. Viztek sold more than 400 of the point-of-care CR units and OREX systems in 2006.