The American Medical Association has joined with Google to kick off a contest to collect ideas of novel approaches to improving mobile health technology, including wearables and smartphone apps, to improve the flow of information between patients and physicians. The goal is to streamline technology to improve management of chronic diseases.

With digital radiology, PACS and RIS in use for 15 years or more at most US hospitals, a disparate system architecture is now the reality for most departments. Multiple PACS and mini-PACS populate the environment, resulting in inefficiencies, increased operating costs, and reduced throughput for departments.

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DR Systems is exhibiting release 8.2 of its Unity RIS/PACS platform at the 2009 Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine (SIIM) conference this week in Charlotte, N.C.

Thigh-length graduated support stockings (TL-GCS) do not reduce the risk of blood clots in stroke patients, based on findings of the CLOTS trial published in the May 28 issue of the Lancet. Since most national guidelines recommend use of TL-GCS, such guidelines should now be urgently revised.

Boston Scientific launched its platinum chromium Taxus Element paclitaxel-eluting coronary stent system in select international markets. The Taxus Element Stent features a new platinum chromium alloy engineered for coronary stent applications and represents the company's third-generation drug-eluting stent technology.

Sony has released a medical-grade digital printer, model UP-DR80MD, targeted for surgical, endoscopy and ultrasound applications.

Laboratory information system developer Quest Diagnostics reported that it will enable patients and their physicians to share diagnostic laboratory test results using Microsoft HealthVaults personal health record application.