Siemens releases new Soarian version

Siemens releases new Soarian version

The latest version of Siemens' enterprise-wide healthcare information system Soarian Clinicals offers tools that practitioners can use to make healthcare more efficient, as well as ones administrators can apply to monitor and measure staff performance. The tools are embedded in Soarian's "New Plan of Care" functionality, which was beta tested at two U.S. institutions. One, the 271-bed CentraState Health System in Freehold, NJ, used the new functionality to develop and maintain compliance with more than 140 care plans, according to Siemens.

ACR prepares to launch mammo database next month

A database scheduled for July launch will allow mammographers to compare their practice performance and outcome data with those of other facilities. The National Mammography Database (NMD) will comprise data that mammography practices are already collecting under federal mandate, according to its developer, the American College of Radiology. NMD is the latest addition to the college's National Radiology Dose Registry, which ACR describes as a "warehouse" of databases that allow radiology facilities to compare themselves regionally and nationally to similar facilities.

FDA clears attenuation correction software

UltraSPECT is set to begin marketing its Attenuation Correction/Scatter Correction (ACSC) package now that the FDA has cleared it. The field upgrade option is designed to boost the power of algorithms that reduce scan times in nuclear cardiology. The ACSC package works with UltraSPECT's Xpress.Cardiac and Xpress3.Cardiac, which enable half-time and quarter-time acquisitions, respectively.

Carestream readies value-priced laser imager

The FDA has cleared Carestream Health to market a low-cost tabletop laser imager particularly suited for digital mammography and general radiography. The Carestream DryView 5850, featuring 508 pixels-per-inch output, is slated to begin shipping this month in the U.S. and other countries.

MedRad unveils informatics product

MedRad has launched software that allows healthcare staff to access clinical and administrative information associated with radiology patients' injections of contrast. Dubbed Manage.Report, the new product, the first in a planned series of informatics offerings, automatically captures and logs data about contrast delivered by the company's Stellant CT injector. Moments after the scan, a radiologist logging into the Manage.Report database can review the details of protocols and injection specifics associated with the procedure, such as pressure rates and flow graphs, to help with interpretation of the exam. Administrators can use the database to track such metrics as procedure volumes and contrast usage.