Archive for August, 2011
Low-Power Wireless EEG Headset – More than a Monitor
EKG Holter technology has been around for decades but portable EEG monitoring itself can be a challenging task. Researchers have now developed a next-generation wireless headset that does not require gel electrodes, cables, or a cap to monitor brainwaves and can be can be interfaced with a cell phone. Read More »
EKG Holter technology has been around for decades but portable EEG monitoring itself can be a challenging task. Researchers have now developed a next-generation wireless headset that does not require gel electrodes, cables, or a cap to monitor brainwaves and can be can be interfaced with a cell phone. Read More »
Coordinating Patient Care Incentives
Medical Home is a reimbursable approach to managing patient care, and CMS has financially supported the approach with steady physican payment increases. First studied as a tool for managing patients with chronic illness, it has transitioned to inpatient care with the intent of lowering costs and reducing readmissions. Read More »
Protons at a Fraction of the Cost
In the next couple of years, single-room proton systems are expected for under $30 million. This is exceptional considering the current technology starts at $100 million. To date, there are nine proton beam therapy centers in the U.S., and several more systems are scheduled to open in the next few years. The only thing keeping the market from exponential growth is the current price tag. Read More »
EP Balloon Catheters
Balloon catheters have just recently entered the market as a therapeutic device for arrhythmias, but the current process of diagnosing and treating arrhythmias requires several catheters, which adds costs and time to the procedure. Considering over 220,000 catheter ablations are performed each year in the U.S., this adds significantly to the cost of healthcare. Read More »
Sonar for the Brain
The world of first line stroke diagnosis may soon rely on a small portable device called the brain sensing system that uses a headset to diagnose strokes (hemorrhagic and ischemic), aneurysms, and concussions. These conditions affect over 800,000 Americans each year. Read More »
Nanoshells in Cancer Therapy
Gold nanoshells are hollow structures that have been previously used for diagnostic tests. Along with their small size, gold nanoshells have a unique characteristic that allows them to be used as a therapeutic tool for cancer. The combination of a gold shell and hollow sphere gives them the ability to absorb near infrared light. The light is then converted to heat energy, which selectively destroys cancer cells from within. Read More »
Medical Technology Market
One of the advantages of my position at MD Buyline is that I can see in real time who is buying what and when. I did some trending and found ultrasound (up 22%), cath labs (up 17%) endoscopy/laparoscopy (up 16%), and nuclear med (14%) technologies will see the most growth. IT also appears to be growing (12% growth) but not as strong as it did in the last six months. I also found it interesting that high-end technologies, such as MRI, will see growth (3 to 4%) but not like we have seen in years past. Read More »
Colon Surgery Without Sutures or Staples
Each year, there are approximately 250,000 colon resections performed in the U.S, and according to a study, complications affect almost 30% of bowel resection patients. But, I recently came across a group of physicians discussing the ColonRing, a revolutionary compression device designed to improve colon resection outcomes by eliminating the need for staples and sutures. Read More »