Physicians and patients are seeing less of each other over the barrier of computer screens. Is hiring scribes the answer?

Executives from GE Healthcare, McKesson, Merge Healthcare, Philips and Siemens Healthcare joined Cardiovascular Business for a candid discussion about cardiologists’ information technology concerns and questions.

Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Analytics has published a report on some of the technologies shaping hospitals’ purchase plans in 2016.

Siemens Healthcare has received 510(k) clearance from the FDA for the Biograph Horizon PET/CT system, which enables physicians to visualize small lesions early.

Health Diagnostics Laboratory, a bankrupt cardiac biomarker laboratory, filed a Chapter 11 liquidation plan, Richmond BizSense reports. In April, Health Diagnostics Laboratory agreed to pay $47 million to settle allegations from the Department of Justice that it paid doctors in exchange for patient referrals and billed Medicare for unnecessary testing.

Although doctors are relying more on echocardiograms and pocket-size ultrasound devices, cardiologists and other providers also continue to use stethoscopes, the Washington Post reports. In fact, the FDA last year approved a stethoscope that reproduces sounds on a cellphone app and sends them to an electronic medical record.

In 2016, consumers and clinicians will embrace technology to create a more connected healthcare system, according to a forward-looking report from the PwC Health Research Institute (HRI).

Cardiac Dimensions, a privately held medical device company, hired Gregory D. Casciaro as its CEO and President on Dec. 15.