Today's SurgiCenter - Breaking News

Medical Ventures Becomes Neovasc

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:37:21 PDT

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Neovasc, Inc., formerly Medical Ventures Corp., a company developing and marketing innovative specialty vascular devices, announced its name change and the expansion of its product portfolio, as the company completed the acquisition of two vascular product development companies and the closing of $8.3 million in private financing. The company's previously announced share consolidation is also now in ... (545 words)

Patent Issued for Change-A-Blade

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:43:35 PDT

CHATSWORTH, Calif. — Traditionally impressions of safety scalpels have been unfavorable amongst the surgical community. Due to the unsatisfactory performance characteristics of existing safety scalpels, surgeons would need to alter their proven surgical technique. Hearing the voices of concern, Sandel Medical Industries created a revolutionary product which combines the safety surgical team's need and the preferred functionality surgeons demand. Upon ... (279 words)

2009 Joint Commission Ambulatory Care Standards Available Online

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:33:03 PDT

OAKBROOK TERRACE, Ill. — The Joint Commission’s revised ambulatory care standards, rationales and elements of performance for 2009 are now available online. The standards will take effect Jan. 1, and have been placed online to give all healthcare organizations time to become familiar with the new language, ordering and numbering.The changes are part of the Standards Improvement Initiative (SII), launched ... (430 words)

Microscopic Needles Could Revolutionize Eye Treatment

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:06:22 PDT

LONDON — A new technique that effectively delivers drugs to the eyes, using microscopic needles, could offer hope to the millions of patients worldwide suffering from common eye diseases that threaten vision such as glaucoma, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University will presented this research, entitled "Microneedles for Ocular Drug Delivery," to ... (361 words)

Political Wrangling, Formula Leaves Medicare in Limbo

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:13:41 PDT

A bill that would eliminate a 10.6 percent cut in doctors' fees for Medicare patients was filibustered on the Senate floor Thursday (June 26), leaving both Medicare patients and doctors up in the air over the plan while Congress began its midsummer break this week. The bill would increase Medicare payments to doctors by 1.1 percent next year, while keeping ... (805 words)

Physician Hospitals of America Applauds Congress on Supplemental Appropriation

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:11:33 PDT

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Physician Hospitals of America (PHA), representing the nation’s physician owned hospitals, applauds the wisdom of Congress in passing supplemental appropriations legislation that did not contain proposed language harmful to PHA members. An earlier version of the bill crafted by the Senate Appropriations Committee included very troubling language, tied to a debate over Medicaid rules. PHA argued that ... (212 words)

Medline Announces Advanced Line of Therapeutic Mattresses, Operating Room Table Pads and Stretcher Pads

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:39:37 PDT

MUNDELEIN, Ill. — Medline Industries, Inc., announced an advanced line of therapeutic pressure redistribution mattresses, operating room table pads and stretcher pads aimed at helping hospitals and long-term care providers prevent avoidable, painful pressure ulcers in their facilities. Designed with state-of-the-art materials, the products provide outstanding pressure redistribution, greatly reduced shearing effects and a cool, comfortable therapeutic surface for patients. ... (292 words)

Attorney and Accountant Indicted in Largest Medical Insurance Fraud Case

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:37:37 PDT

Santa Ana, Calif. — The California Department of Insurance and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) announced the unsealing of criminal grand jury indictments in the largest medical fraud prosecution in the nation, charging the final two defendants for their role in the Unity Outpatient Surgery Center scheme, in which $154 million was fraudulently billed to medical insurance companies. ... (1360 words)

Medical Professionals Worldwide Endorse WHO Checklist

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:35:53 PDT

A new safety checklist for surgical procedures developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) won the endorsements of nearly 250 health organizations from over 40 countries at a launching event yesterday at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Washington, D.C.The endorsements include "70 professional associations, ministries of health and hospitals from 29 countries in the Americas," said PAHO director ... (831 words)

Can Nurses Inject Botox?

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:23:03 PDT

New York — The Physicians Coalition for Injectable Safety is advising patients that all nurse and physician assistant (PA) injectors may not be qualified to perform cosmetic injections such a Botox, Restylane or other dermal fillers. Patients should be aware that the most important factor to any nurse or physician assistant injector is their relationship with an appropriately trained, supervising ... (580 words)