Modern endoscopy techniques have revolutionized the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the upper gastrointestinal tract (esophagus, stomach, and duodenum) and the colon. The last remaining frontier has been the small intestine. The small intestine has been a difficult organ in which to make diagnoses and treat without performing surgery. Radiological procedures, specifically the upper GI, which involves following swallowed barium as it passes through the intestine with x-ray films, have been available for diagnosis but these radiological procedures are time-consuming and are not accurate in identifying small tumors and other subtle abnormalities of the small intestine.
Smart Operating Rooms Are Coming to Community Hospitals
Smart technology is ubiquitous today but the best example in the modern hospital is the smart operating room (OR). Once found in only a few large academic medical centers, the technology is showing up in the surgical suites at mid-sized community hospitals like the 344-bed Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Just a few years ago, it was unthinkable that a community hospital like Sacred Heart Hospital could be one of the first in the country to use a technology configuration that includes the iCT (intra-operative computed tomography) and iMRI (intra-operative magnetic resonance imaging) for both diagnostic and surgical use. At Sacred Heart Hospital, patient treatment using advanced technology has improved quality out-comes and reduced the need for additional surgeries. It also has given the hospital state-of-the-art tools that have enabled it to draw top medical and surgical talent to the region.
Imaging is Going Mobile With Smart Phones
Radiologists can accurately diagnose acute appendicitis from a remote location with the use of a handheld device or mobile phone equipped with special software, according to a study presented last fall at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). A physician in the division of neuroradiology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore presented results from a study that found that radiologists were able to correctly diagnose appendicitis using an iPhone 3G equipped with OsiriX Mobile medical imaging viewing software. Fifteen of the 25 patients were correctly identified as having acute appendicitis on 74 of 75 (99 percent) interpretations with one false negative. There were no false positive readings. The iPhone interpretations of the CT scans were as accurate as the interpretations viewed on dedicated picture-archiving and communication system (PACS) workstations according to the study’s author. The $20 application is far cheaper than most imaging software. However, physicians and hospitals will likely be reluctant to use mobile software until they feel confident that it is comparable to traditional alternatives when it comes to security and quality. Patients with smart phones could also download the software and potentially carry around a library of their personal medical images.
Wearable Wireless Monitoring Sensor Now Available in Japan
WIN Human Recorder Co Ltd, a Japan-based firm, has introduced a new health monitoring service to keep an eye on a person’s health by capturing data like electrocardiographic signals and body surface temperature, and then wirelessly transmitting that data to a mobile phone or computer where a professional or family member can access it remotely. The company commercialized the health monitoring system, which is called the “human recorder system,” based on the research results of the Advanced Institute of Wearable Information Networks (WIN), a nonprofit organization established by researchers at the University of Tokyo. WIN is a group led by Kiyoshi Itao, professor emeritus at the university.
Ten Facility Planning Trends for 2015
The U.S. healthcare industry is in a crisis with healthcare reform and new financial incentives, constant demands for technology adoption and deployment, rising turf wars among specialists, an intense focus on patient safety, and aging physical plants. The following ten healthcare facility planning trends affect how new or renovated healthcare facilities are planned, designed, financed, and built.
New Options for MRI — Open, Closed, or Standing
Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, uses magnets, radio waves and computers to see detailed images of the internal structures of the body. This technology can be used to diagnose trauma, strokes, problems with the aorta and problems with soft tissues. There are two main types of MRI machines ― open and closed. They both have a top over the patient. The main difference is in their size and how much the machine surrounds the patient. A closed machine has a smaller and more narrow tube and provides the best images.