The decision to perform an invasive procedure to open clogged arteries in the heart instead of first trying medication and lifestyle changes may not reduce a patient's risk of death or of a major cardiac event. Unnecessary procedures to treat chronic, stable heart disease contribute to rising healthcare costs. A targeted approach to avoiding this kind of overutilization by instead relying on evidence-based decision-making is presented in Population Health Management.

Leading research institutions are making breakthroughs in advanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with Toshiba America Medical Systems Inc.’s Vantage Titan 3.0T MR system. Toshiba has partnered with Shands at the University of Florida and the Keck Medical Center of the University of Southern California (USC) for MR research in fMRI, as well as body and cardiac imaging.

Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, Calif., has installed two 12-user headset systems from Quail Digital. The hospital has implemented the systems in the cath EP Labs. Wireless headsets are worn by the physician, scrub technician, X-ray technician, anesthesiologist, nurse and the control room technicians.

April 23, 2013 — Medical device developer Radial Assist LLC was recently awarded a U.S. patent for its Rad Board, a scatter radiation protective arm board used to facilitate upper extremity diagnostic and interventional cath lab procedures.

Zoll Medical has entered into an agreement with Reflectance Medical Inc. to develop and market a ruggedized version of the Mobile CareGuide sensor for detecting the onset of shock in patients during air and ground military and EMS patient transports, as well as hospitalizations.

Sen. Stan Bingham and Sen. Wesley Meredith have introduced a bill in the North Carolina legislature that will require individuals to secure a license before performing medical imaging and radiation therapy procedures.

The Obama administration has released the long-anticipated budget proposal for fiscal 2014. Although the document did not include specific reductions in reimbursement for advanced diagnostic imaging services, the fiscal 2014 budget would largely exclude certain imaging services from the in-office ancillary services exception (IOASE) to the Stark self-referral law and calls for prior authorization for advanced imaging services.