Unfors RaySafe, acquired by Fluke Biomedical in February 2014, has signed an exclusive agreement with Philips to license out the Patient Dose Management System RaySafe S1. The RaySafe S1 is a cloud-based patient dose tracking system launched in 2013 that helps healthcare institutions lower patient dose, improve process quality and increase productivity in imaging workflow while reducing costs. In an effort to accelerate market reach and better support healthcare institutions to avoid unnecessary radiation RaySafe has searched for a strong partner. Philips is launching groundbreaking initiatives to provide solutions that lower dose and create a safer environment for patients as well as medical staff.

Each year approximately 3.6 billion X-ray examinations are performed worldwide, leading to earlier and more accurate diagnosis of medical diseases. However, considerable concern has been voiced regarding the stochastic and even deterministic impact on both patients and medical staff. It is critical to ensuring the proper performance of X-ray equipment and of keeping the dose to medical staff and patients as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA).

In a world first, Australian surgeons have successfully transplanted

During the first 24 hours after a stroke, attention to detail – such as hospital bed positioning – is critical to patient outcomes.

Most strokes are caused by blood clots that block blood flow to the brain. Sitting upright can harm the patient because it decreases blood flow and oxygen to the brain just when the brain needs more blood.

Thus it

Stanford University School of Medicine researchers hunting for a better drug coating for coronary stents, the small mesh tubes used to prop open plaque-filled arteries, have pinpointed a cancer drug as a possible candidate.

In mice, crizotinib helped to prevent stent disease, the often-serious medical problem caused by stents themselves, without affecting the blood vessel lining. The medication has already been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for chemotherapy.

New expert guidance by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) outlines recommendations for developing policies regarding the use of animals in healthcare facilities, including animal-assisted activities, service animals, research animals and personal pet visitation in acute care hospitals.

‘Animals have had an increasing presence in healthcare facilities,’ said David Weber, MD, MPH, a lead author of the recommendations. ‘While there may be benefits to patient care, the role of animals in the spread of bacteria is not well understood. We have developed standard infection prevention and control guidance to help protect patients and healthcare providers via animal-to-human transmission in healthcare settings.’

Since evidence on the role animals play in the transmission of pathogens in healthcare facilities is largely unknown, the SHEA Guidelines Committee comprised of experts in infection control and prevention developed the recommendations based on available evidence, practical considerations, a SURVEY of SHEA members, writing group opinion and consideration of potential harm where applicable. The guidance was also endorsed by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), a professional association of more than 15,000 infection preventionists.

Guidance is grouped by the role of animals