MIMA tobacco-free initiative

MIMA is implementing a new, tobacco-free policy effective June 25. The policy applies to everyone on MIMA campuses including patients, employees, vendors and contractors, and prohibits tobacco use on all properties including parking lots and landscaped areas. Designated smoking areas will also be removed.

“This policy will distinguish us in the community and, I believe, provide leadership for other workplaces in our area,” said Dr. Joseph McClure, MIMA’s chief executive officer.

“There are discussions in many communities about banning any tobacco products in any public places. Perhaps that will happen here in Melbourne, and MIMA will have been on the forefront of companies promoting healthy work environments.”

For more information, please visit www.mima.com

Laser mammography system important in detection and management

A recent medical study, “Role of CTLM in Early Detection of Vascular Breast Lesions,” highlighted the importance of imaging the presence and extent of angiogenesis in breasts as a means to improve breast cancer detection and management methods. Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood vessels. In the breast, such new vessels are associated with cancer growth.

For more information, please visit www.imds.com

New of REVLIMID trial results

High dose dexamethasone has been used as standard therapy for the treatment of myeloma alone and in combination with other drugs. However, interim findings from a large ongoing clinical trial of REVLIMID plus dexamethasone in newly diagnosed patients, suggest lowering the “dex” dose may not only reduce side effects, but also may improve survival.

The trial, known as E4A03, is sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and led by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. Based on these findings, the group has suspended further patient enrollment for this trial and has recommended that lower dose “dex” be considered for patients currently being treated on the high dose arm of the trial. Because of the public health implications, these findings are being made public immediately.

“Improved survival with low dose ‘dex’ and REVLIMID is an important finding because it further improves the outcome for an already successful treatment, while low dose dexamethasone is better tolerated by patients,” said Brian G. M. Durie, M.D., chairman and co-founder of the International Myeloma Foundation. “We are recommending that physicians consider ese findings when treating their patients across all stages of myeloma and that patients discuss these findings with their physicians.”

For more information, please visit www.myeloma.org

NeoGenomics and Power3 join for research

NeoGenomics has concluded an agreement with Power3 Medical Products to form a joint venture Contract Research Organization. Power3 is an early stage company engaged in the discovery, development, and commercialization of protein biomarkers. Under the terms of the agreement, NeoGenomics and Power3 will jointly own the organization and begin commercializing Power3’s intellectual property portfolio by developing blood serum-based diagnostic tests and other services around one or more of the 523 protein biomarkers that Power3 has identified to date.

Power3 has agreed to license to the organization all of its intellectual property on a non-exclusive basis for selected commercial applications as well as provide certain management personnel. NeoGenomics will provide access to cancer samples, management, sales and marketing personnel, laboratory facilities and working capital.

For more information, please visit www.neogenomics.org and www.Power3Medical.com

New mobile trailer protects medical operations

Battelle has designed and delivered the first Laboratory Response Team Trailer to McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas. The trailer is a self-contained, climate-controlled laboratory that houses advanced test equipment, such as the Joint Biological Agent Identification System, to perform rapid analysis and identification of biological agents. The trailers provide a new stand-off test capability that respond to biological incidents and quickly identify threat agents in water, air, food and clinical samples.

The laboratory equipment in the trailer is capable of identifying a suspect agent at the DNA level. That information not only allows military commanders to quickly react to protect their operations, but it also can be invaluable as a resource to support civilian first responders through Defense Support to Civil Authorities in the event of an incident involving a biological agent.

For more information, please visit www.battelle.org

National Senior Health & Fitness Day at Parrish

Parrish Health & Fitness Center will celebrate National Senior Health & Fitness Day from 1 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 30. The event is free and open to the public. The national day is celebrated each year on the last Wednesday in May by more than 150,000 older adults across the country who participate in health and fitness events hosted by more than 1,000 local organizations. The day begins with registration for a 5K walk. The first 50 attendees to register will receive a free Senior Health and Fitness Day event T-shirt.

For more information, please visit www.parrishmed.com

Health First plans offer fitness center membership benefit

Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation recently approved Health First Health Plans as the first health maintenance organization to offer a fitness center membership as a covered benefit for employees of small businesses.

“Two of the main reasons HMOs were created were to promote preventive care and manage costs - if people are healthier, their medical costs are almost always lower. And since the state has strict requirements about what benefits HMOs can offer, they had never approved any other HMO to offer a fitness center membership as a covered benefit,” said Margaret Haney, president of HFHP.

The way the benefit works is each, covered employee can receive a membership at Pro-Health & Fitness Center at no additional cost, and their spouse and children can join at a discounted rate.

For more information, please visit www.health-first.org

NASA Image Fusion offers better x-rays

NASA scientists are studying ways to improve space medicine to tackle space travel’s medical challenges. One effort is to develop ‘image fusion.’ In this process, clear, sharp x-rays and other high-resolution, scanned images of astronauts taken on Earth will be combined with less sharp sonograms taken onboard spacecraft to enhance those images. These improved images will enable doctors to better see the condition of major organs in astronauts.

Sonogram scanners use non-invasive sound waves to take pictures of organs and features inside the body. Doctors also use sonograms to view and monitor unborn babies. Because sonogram scanners often are lighter and use less power than other kinds of scanners, they are better suited for space travel. According to researchers, they are using the power of computers to tie x-ray details to lower-resolution ultrasound scans, so that when ultrasounds are taken during space travel, they will be sharper and show more detail.

For more information, please visit www.nasa.gov

GE Healthcare leads in compact ultrasound industry

GE Healthcare became the world market share leader in the compact ultrasound industry in 2006 with a 43 percent share. The company’s global Compact Ultrasound business grew sales to $174 million in 2006, which represents 74 percent growth compared to the prior year, industry report issued by Klein Biomedical Consultants.

Harvey Klein, president of Klein Biomedical, stated in the report, “GE is expected to move up into the undisputed worldwide market leadership position in the year 2007 and should remain in this position through the end of the forecast period (2009).”

GE culminated its performance in 2006 with worldwide compact ultrasound revenue for the fourth quarter of $67.8 million. GE’s fourth quarter revenue was significantly higher than competitors in this compact ultrasound arena.

For more information, please visit www.gehealthcare.com

Wuesthoff Health System awards “Physicians of the Year”

In celebration of National Doctors Day, Wuesthoff Health System awarded staff physicians Dr. Robert Barden, and Dr. John Olinde, as Wuesthoff “Physicians of the Year.”

Local cardiologist, Dr. Robert Barden, chosen for Wuesthoff Rockledge, and OMNI General Surgeon, Dr. John Olinde for Wuesthoff Melbourne, were awarded this annual recognition from more than 500 physicians on staff at both Wuesthoff hospital facilities.

“Both physicians were honored for exemplifying Loving Care standards, while also exhibiting our core values of compassion, courtesy, competence, integrity and stewardship,” said Emil Miller, Wuesthoff Health System President & CEO.

For more information, please visit www.wuesthoff.org

ePrescribe Florida breaking new health tech ground

A collaboration of Florida’s leading health plans and provider organizations have joined together to launch a statewide initiative called ePrescribe Florida. The organization was created to ensure that all Floridians have access to the benefits of improved health, safety, and affordability through electronic prescribing.

“We have made incredible progress in a very short period of time,” said Catherine Peper, chair, ePrescribe Florida and vice president, health information technology, BCBSF.

“We put together a clear business case and successfully recruited the leading national and regional health plans, Florida provider organizations and vendors. We all agree to work collaboratively on this important opportunity for all Floridians and the prescribing community. We want Florida to lead the nation.”

ePrescribe Florida is planning collaborative outreach efforts that will focus on retail pharmacy chains, other state and regional health plans, core technology vendors and other industry stakeholders. These organizations will provide valuable direction and input to the future success of ePrescribe Florida programs and initiatives.

For more information, please visit www.ePrescribeFlorida.com