The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has awarded $9.9 million to a group of five University of California medical schools, plus Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, to research use of wireless and telephone care management to reduce hospital readmissions for heart failure patients.

Radiotherapy provider Varian Medical Systems and Winnipeg, Manitoba-based image-guided therapy developer Imris have finalized an agreement for the joint-development of an MR-guided radiation therapy system for cancer treatment.

Siemens Healthcare has released the latest version of its mammography workstation, the Syngo Mammo Report.

Providing statistics of costs and use of healthcare interventions to compare the values and outcomes of interventions between institutions is necessary, and must be upheld to raise quality of care measures and also reduce spending, according to an analysis and commentary published in the October issue of Health Affairs.

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) has published the Certified Health IT Product List, a comprehensive listing of Complete EHRs and EHR Modules that have been tested and certified under the Temporary Certification Program.

TMNG Global, a provider of professional services to the global communications, digital media, technology and financial services industries, and Scientia Advisors, a management consulting firm focuse on healthcare, life science, nutrition and biotechnology, will partner to provide strategic consulting services for the emerging home health sector.

Clinical documentation company MedQuist has entered into a $310 million financing agreement consisting of a $225 million senior secured credit facility and the issuance of $85 million of senior subordinated notes. The $225 million senior secured credit facility is being led by GE Capital as administrative agent, and SunTrust Bank as syndication agent.

The MRI equipment market is predicted to rise to $7.4 billion by the year 2015 globally, as expansion of clinical applications, including neuro, cardiovascular and breast imaging, paves the way for growth, according to a report issued Oct. 4 by market research publisher Global Industry Analysts (GIA).