CMS Launches Its Physician Compare Website

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has recently announced that new improvements have been added to its Physician Directory tool. One of these enhancements includes the launch of the first phase of its Physician Compare website. The website offers users more details about healthcare providers.
The Physician Compare website was developed after being required as per the Affordable Care Act of 2010. The website has information about physicians included in the Medicare program, such as doctors specializing in osteopathy, optometry, podiatric medicine, and chiropractice. Details about other medical practices are also added to the website, such as clinical psychologists, nurse practitioners, and physical therapists.
Donald Berwick, MD, CMS administrator, said "The new Physician Compare tool begins to fill an important gap in our online tools by providing more information about physicians and other healthcare workers," He added "This helps to pave the way for consumers to have similar information about their physicians as they have for nursing homes, home health agencies and health and drug plans."

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CMS Launches Its Physician Compare Website

MRI Can Not Predict Whether Knee Cartilage Can Be Repaired, Study

A new study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine found that while MRI can diagnose a tear in the disc of cartilage cushioning the knee, it does not reliably predict which tears can be repaired with surgery.
It's estimated that more than 850,000 Americans undergo surgery each year for injuries to the menisci, two wedges of shock-absorbing cartilage in the knee joint. That surgery can involve either suturing the tear back together or removing the damaged part of the meniscal tissue altogether.
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MRI Can Not Predict Whether Knee Cartilage Can Be Repaired, Study

CCHIT Certifies Ophthalmic Imaging Systems' EMR As A Complete EHR.

Ophthalmic Imaging Systems (OIS), a leading ophthalmic digital imaging and informatics company, today announced that Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT), an ONC-ATCB, has accredited the OIS EMR VERSION 4.1.7 as a Complete EHR on December 28 and currently the new EMR is 2011/2012 compliant. The 2011/2012 criteria support the Stage 1 meaningful use measures required to qualify eligible providers and hospitals for funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

OIS announced earlier that Abraxas EMR VERSION 4.1.7 had received CCHIT 2011/2012 certification as a Complete EHR. Abraxas EMR was developed and is distributed by Abraxas Medical Solutions, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of OIS.

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CCHIT Certifies Ophthalmic Imaging Systems' EMR As A Complete EHR.

Brain MRI Indicates Link Between Amygdala Volume And Social Network.

In a recent study, brain MRI scans showed that the more varied social network an individual has, the bigger his/her amygdala will be. The study was carried out by researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in the US. The findings appear in the 26 December advance online issue of Nature Neuroscience.
The amygdala consists of 2 symmetrically placed small almond shaped structures located deep into the temporal lobe. It is connected to various brain structures and amygdala is involved in a wide range of behavioral functions.  "We considered a single primate species, humans, and found that the amygdala volume positively correlated with the size and complexity of social networks in adult humans. They found the link was just as strong when they adjusted for age (older people have on average smaller amygdala volumes than younger people) and when they analyzed left and right amygdalas separately, indicating no lateralization of the effect" said Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett, the study co-leader, from MGH's Psychiatric Neuroimaging Research Program and a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Northeastern University.

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Brain MRI Indicates Link Between Amygdala Volume And Social Network.

New Screening Tools Offer New Chances For Radiologists

A new regulation has been launched under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act affecting practices under the in-office ancillary exception of the Stark law. Referring doctors who offer in-office screening services must offer their patients with a list of other options in their region.


According to this new rule, Thomas W. Greeson, a partner at the Falls Church, Va., office of healthcare group Reed Smith LLP mentioned that most diagnostic imaging centers and radiology groups will not be affected directly, however, he reported that some radiology groups are going to be subjected to the requirement for instance interventional radiologists who are working as treating doctors.

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New Screening Tools Offer New Chances For Radiologists

CT Scans Can Help In Detecting Lung Cancer In High Risk Populations.

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati reported that CT scans can be more effective in cases of high risk lung cancer, if the scans were followed by clinical routine with a multidisciplinary care team.  

These results have been reached after a clinical trial conducted on a high-risk local population with rates of histoplasmosis, a fungal infection that enters the body through the lungs and increases the likelihood of lung nodules, three times higher than the national average, performed by Dr. Sandra Starnes, director of thoracic surgery at the University of Cincinnati (UC) College of Medicine and a surgeon with UC Health.
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CT Scans Can Help In Detecting Lung Cancer In High Risk Populations.

Michelson Diagnostics Chosen To Participate In Future Health Mission 2011

Between more than 70 applicants, Michelson Diagnostics Ltd, the Orpington, UK-based developer and manufacturer of laser scanners for use in non-melanoma skin cancer diagnosis & treatment is chosen to participate in the Future Health Mission 2011 to the USA. The event is taking place in San Francisco along with the annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Investing Conference in early January.

Regarding to the mission organizers, the Future Health Mission 2011 may provide the businessmen responsible for these 20 growing healthcare technology companies with the opportunity to connect with key people from the US's top technology businesses. Those companies which are the most successful in the UK will manage a conference to meet the media from all over the world as well as investors and potential partners.

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Michelson Diagnostics Chosen To Participate In Future Health Mission 2011

New Progress With The Cooperation Between Calypso Medical Technologies And Elekta

A master development agreement is announced by both Calypso Medical Technologies, Inc., a developer of real-time localization technology used for the precise tracking of tumors, and Elekta, a leading manufacturer of medical devices and software for treating cancer. This cooperation aims to join the developed products integrating the Calypso® System with Elekta's radiotherapy treatment technologies.


Edward Vertatschitsch, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Calypso Medical said "The combination of the Calypso System into Elekta's world-class radiotherapy technologies could help to improve innovative treatment modalities used to heal prostate cancer along with more problematic radiation therapy targets, like the pancreas and lung". He added "Some of the desired goals are to connect the linear accelerator and the Calypso System for patient positioning during radiation delivery. This connectivity automates the process of re-positioning the treatment couch when the tumor moves out of a prescribed motion threshold".

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New Progress With The Cooperation Between Calypso Medical Technologies And Elekta

Photon-based Radiotherapy Offers Better Results Against Spinal Cord Tumors, Study.

According to a new study, photon-based radiotherapy can be more effective than proton beam while treating spinal cord tumors. The study also showed that photon radiotherapy offers improved survival on long-term. The findings of this study appear in a recent issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics.
The study is the first to review the long-term results of spinal-cord tumor patients when treated by more modern radiotherapy procedures. According to researchers, Gilomas are the most common spinal cord tumors; they affect around 17,000 US citizens every year, causing death to 13,000 of them.
Dr. Arnab Chakravarti, chair and professor of Radiation Oncology and co-director of the Brain Tumor Program at The Ohio State Comprehensive Cancer Center — Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute, said “Our findings need to be verified in a larger number of patients, but they suggest that individuals younger than age 54, those with ependymomas and those treated with photon-based therapy versus proton-beam treatment have better overall survival,”

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Photon-based Radiotherapy Offers Better Results Against Spinal Cord Tumors, Study.

Ultherapy, An Ultrasound Device Used For Non-Surgical Cosmetic Procedures.

The Laser & Rejuvenation Center of Gold Skin Care has announced the first of its kind in the Middle Tennessee area, Ultherapy™, a unique ultrasound device which received the FDA clearance for lifting the brow. It can also be used to lift and lighten the lower face and neck areas above the thyroid cartilage.


While drawing on the same reliable ultrasound principles that doctors and patients have trusted over years, the Ulthera System is considered a pioneer technology because it utilizes ultrasound energy on the face and neck to lift and tighten the skin in a short, 45-minute procedure. Ultherapy™ has been called the non-surgical facelift procedure, and can be done safely and effectively in the office.

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Ultherapy, An Ultrasound Device Used For Non-Surgical Cosmetic Procedures.