Carestream Health has been awarded the U.S. governments DIN-PACS III (Digital Imaging Network-PACS) contract, which allows the Department of Defense, Veterans Administration, Indian Health Service and federal civilian agencies to purchase its PACS, subsystems and components.

In this era when all facets of healthcare are expected to be meaningful, advanced image integration and interoperability will be equally scrutinized. Image management, even with very large datasets created by advanced imaging systems, has begun to take shape at the enterprise level. To facilitate this new model, cardiologists, radiologists and IT administrators will require improved healthcare technologies and methodologies.

Cape Regional Medical Center, a 242-bed acute-care medical center in Court House, N.J., has appointed Dianna Deignan, MD, as its CMIO.

CHICAGOIn an impressive example of near real-time business intelligence in action, an enterprising radiologist surveyed 72 physicians attending the annual meeting of the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) about the lessons they wished they learned in medical school. The results emphasized the need for leadership training and development at all levels.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a final rule that revises the conditions of participation for hospitals and critical access hospitals, easing the burdensome credentialing and privileging process for physicians and practitioners providing telemedicine services, according to the agency.

New for Heart Rhythm 2011, the Networked EP Lab will prepare electrophysiologists for the future of health information technology (HIT). Visitors will discover new processes and technologies to integrate into the EP Lab to optimize patient safety, outcomes and improve procedural management and outcomes.

Adding to the conflicting body of evidence surrounding angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), research published last week in the British Medical Journal contradicted previous evidence that outlined that ARBs may increase a patients risk for MI.  Researchers instead found that use of the drugs decreased the risk of stroke, heart failure and the onset of diabetes.

Unlike product support, which is commonly cited as the critical factor for hospitals choices of vendors, the market for echocardiography devices appears to favor cutting-edge technology and low costs over tight relationships with vendors, according to a report released April 18 by market research firm KLAS.