This Week In Electronics: St. Jude Changes Focus; Democrats Push to Give FDA More Power
St. Jude is focusing on innovation in the face of softening demand for older devices, and Advamed weighs in on the medical device user fees deal. St. Jude Banks on New Technologies in 2012  St. Jude will start selling minimally invasive aortic heart valves and an ablation device to treat hypertension in Europe by the end of the year, Starks said. Analysts estimate the valve market, now led...
This Week in Electronics: VC Flows to Health IT; Device Shows Promise for Parkinson's Patients
Also, J&J CEO Bill Wheldon is optimistic on medical spending, and Abbott is downsizing its diagnostics division. Health IT Attracts Venture Capital (InformationWeek) J&J CEO Predicts Increase in Medical Spending (Bloomberg Businessweek) Abbott to Cut Jobs from Diagnostics Division (CBS News) Deep-Brain Stimulation System Shows Promise for Treating Parkinson's (The...
President's Proposals in State of Union Address Could Impact Industry
In Tuesday night's State of the Union address, President Barack Obama called for a manufacturing renaissance in the United States. Some of the policies he suggested to help bring it about could affect medical electronics manufacturers. The president lauded the American auto industry for adding 160,000 jobs since its government bailout in 2009 and said the same could happen in other industries....
Micro Power Electronics Merger Could Be Boon for Medical Device Designers
Micro Power Electronics recently announced that Electrochem Solutions, a subsidiary of Greatbatch, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the company. Micro Power supplies custom battery systems to the portable medical markets, among others. This has a few benefits for designers. One is that, with an expected growth in manufacturing, designers should be less concerned about needing a...
This Week in Electronics: Consumer Electronics Show Roundup; Telehealth in Dermatology
Some interesting medical devices were on display at the Consumer Electronics Show. Telehealth shows benefits in dermatology.  A Roundup of Mobile Health Products at CES (Pacific Coast Business Times) Defense Department's Telehealth Center Launches Site for Military Kids (ModernHealthcare.com) Dermatology Patients Experience Better Care via Telehealth (MobiHealthNews) What Medical...
LinkedIn Group Helping Medicine and Digital World Converge
The Wireless Health group on LinkedIn has been getting a lot of attention lately. Founded in 2009 by Paul Sonnier, the group has a steadily increasing user base that will likely hit 10,000 members this year. His Wireless Health group has also been praised in Computer World and MedCity News. Sonnier is also a mentor at Blueprint Health, a strategic advisor at Popper and Company, and an advisor at...
This Week in Electronics: Samsung Could Ally with Olympus; Apps Market Continues to Grow
Samsung is eyeing Olympus, UnitedHealth is coming around to mobile health, and the apps market continues to grow.   Source Says Samsung is Open to An Alliance with Olympus (Reuters) UnitedHealth Group Partners with Mobile Health Technology Companies (Information Week) Happtique to Offer Certification for Mobile Health Apps (MobiHealthNews) Mobile App Market to Reach Nearly $400...
State Legislatures to Prioritize EHRs, HIEs in 2012
Each year, the National Conference of State Legislatures takes a look at the issues policymakers will be forced to confront over the coming year. Among the priorities highlighted in the organization's list of "Top 12 Legislative Issues of 2012" are the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) and the creation of health information exchanges (HIEs). From the organization: By mid-year...
This Week in Electronics: The Year in Telehealth; Challenges for Medtech Startups
Reviewing the year in telehealth, plus a look at the challenges ahead for medtech startups.   A Look Back at the Year in Telehealth (Government Health IT) Report: CMS Must Do More to Prevent Fraud by Medical Device Suppliers (Healthcare Finance News) 2012 to be Tough Year to get Medtech VC  (StarTribune) More Bad News for Medtech Startups (EE Times) The Benefits of...
Failed Artificial Hips Offer a Lesson for All Medical Device Designers
This article from the New York Times isn't about medical devices with electronic components. It's about the artificial hips that have been so much in the news this past year. As the Times reports, all-metal artificial hips represent "[t]he most widespread medical implant failure in decades," and I draw attention to the controversy here because of the lesson it holds for all medical...
Best of the MED Blog in 2011
We've already looked at MED's most popular feature articles of the year, but what piqued your interest on the MED blog this year? The medical device excise tax got readers riled up, as did industry scandals such as Biotronik's allegedly shady sales tactics (perhaps a bit of schadenfreude?). See the rest below, and leave a comment with your favorites. 1.) Boston Scientific CEO to...
This Week in Electronics: Medtronic Settles Over Kickback Allegations; The Big Lebowski Influences Medical Device Design
This week, Medtronic settled over kickback allegations to the tune of $23.5 million, and Verizon showed off its telehealth capabilities.   Doctors Can Remotely Manage Pacemakers with iPad (FierceMobileHealth) Verizon Flexes Telehealth Muscles (eWeek.com) Experts' Medtech Predictions for 2012 (MD+DI) Medtronic Agrees to $23.5 Million Settlement Over Kickback Allegations  (...
This Week in Electronics: Top Stories from 2011 and Technology in the Pipeline for 2012
This week we bring you EE Times' tech picks for 2012 and MD+DI's top stories of 2011. Also, FCC calls for broader access to broadband. EE Times' 20 Hot Technologies for 2012 (EE Times) Online Diagnosis Available in Minnesota (StarTribune) MD+DI's Top Medtech Stories in 2011 (MD+DI) Ubiquitous Broadband Internet Required for Mobile Health to Take Off (Nextgov) Microsoft and GE Partner on Health...
Qualcomm Exec Talks 2net, Device Tax
Earlier this week, Qualcomm made three big announcements in the area of wireless medical devices. In advance of the news, I had the chance to speak with Don Jones, the company’s vice president of business development and global strategy and market development, who walked me through the details and shared an interesting take on how the medical device excise tax might affect wireless...
This Week in Electronics: Devices Get Spectrum Space from FCC; Federal Funding for Telehealth
This week, FCC grants spectrum space to devices that help patients with paralysis, and the federal government agrees to fund telehealth in the Mississippi Delta. Medical Devices That Help Paralyzed Move Will Get Radio Spectrum (Bloomberg BusinessWeek) USDA Awards $6 Million for Rural Telehealth (Information Week) Competition to Heat Up in the Telehealth Market (ECN) 9 Mobile Health...
A Multidisciplinary Approach is Essential in Creating Successful Health Games
Gaming is the future of healthcare—that's the message that comes across in a new report out today. In "Mobile Social and Fun Games For Health," published by MobiHealthNews, author Bonnie Feldman, a doctor of dental surgery who also holds an MBA in finance, argues that the convergence of trends including the proliferation of smartphones and tablets, the rise of gaming and social...
This Week in Electronics: Samsung Buys Nexus
This week, electronics giant Samsung Electronics continued its quest to become a world’s best medical equipment manufacturer by 2020 with its acquisition of Nexus, a maker of cardiac-testing systems. Samsung Buys Nexus (MarketWatch) The Supreme Court Considers the Healthcare Law (USA Today) Android Developers Show Interest in Amazon's Kindle Fire (CNET) Senator Franken to Introduce...
Health IT Market Expected to Be Worth $20 Billion by 2025
Before we know it, health IT is going to reinvent chronic care monitoring, says Stanford cardiology professor Peter J. Fitzgerald, MD, PhD. Practically everyone now has a smart phone in their pocket and it's only a matter of time before those devices start playing a very significant role in helping patients monitor their health. Speaking at the TCT2011 Conference last week in San Francisco,...
Supplier News: Suntron Celebrates 30 Years, Closing Texas Plant
Suntron Corp. (Phoenix), a contract manufacturer serving the medical electronics market, marked 30 years of being in business with a celebration  at its Tijuana, Mexico, manufacturing facility in October. To mark the milestone, the company held an event featuring speakers, including president and CEO Ed Wheeler and Tijuana mayor Carlos Bustamante Anchondo, and tours of the facility. A second...
This Week in Electronics: What's Next for Olympus's Endoscopy Business; A Theoretical Physicist's Predictions for Healthcare
This week in electronics news, we take a look at the Olympus scandal and what it might mean for the company's endoscopy business. Plus, a theoretical physicist weighs in on the future of healthcare. Olympus Medical Business Too Big to Fail (Reuters) Olympus Medical Business Could Attract Bidders (Market Watch) Theoretical Physicist Michio Kaku Predicts the Future of Healthcare (MD+DI) CMIOs,...
Of iDevices and Heart Disease: Stanford Professor Considers Health IT's Likely Influence
At a recent talk at TCT2011, Stanford cardiology professor Peter J. Fitzgerald, MD, PhD explained how IT would be used to tackle some of the country's (and the world's) most-pressing healthcare problems. He began by explaining his perspective on those health issues. The United States must reduce hospital readmissions, he said. "26% of all Medicare patients in this country get readmitted...
This Week in Electronics: An Implantable Glucose Sensor and a Cotton Transistor
This week, a company that's developing an implantable glucose sensor receives funding and a team at Cornell University has created a transistor from cotton fibers. Implanted Glucose Sensor Company Completes Fourth Round of Financing (mobi health news) Why Science Majors Change Their Minds (New York Times) MD+DI's Manufacturer of the Year: Johnson & Johnson (MD+DI) Cotton Transistors Lead the...
This Week in Electronics: Samsung is No. 1 in Smartphone Sales; St. Jude Turns to OCT
This week, Samsung surpassed Apple to become the No. 1 seller of smartphones. Also, more fallout from the Medtronic insulin pump hacking, and St. Jude gets clearance for an OCT-enabled device. St. Jude Gets Clearance for OCT-enabled Artery Disease System (StarTribune) Hackable Medtronic Insulin Pump Leads to Company Probe (MPMN) Cook Group Chairman: Medical Device Tax Will Kill 15% of Medtech...
Where the Venture Capital is Going
Last week's Question of the Week asked about the state of venture capital for medical device startups. While we've heard a lot lately about the dearth of VC funding for device companies, today's New York Times has a story about where that money is going. While they might be holding back from investing in device companies directly, the Times says venture capitalists have emerged as an ally in the...
Body Computing Seminars on iTunes
In a series of podcasts, Leslie Saxon, the executive director of the University of Southern California Center for Body Computing, interviews leaders in the field of wireless health. There are 12 episodes. Some of the highlights include: A key discussion on design of medical devices with Erik Olsen at Karten Design.He discusses design of users and how important user-intuitive design is for...