News

The 11th annual European interoperability-testing event known as the IHE Connectathon will be held in Pisa, Italy from April 11 to 15, 2011. The event will take place at the Stazione Leopolda, a former railway station that was transformed into a multifunctional center.The function is a five-day 'connectivity marathon' for assessing the interoperability of applications used in health information systems. More than 200 information technology engineers from 90 companies are expected for this year's event.

The IT Industry Business Confidence Index released Thursday by CompTIA, the information technology trade association, points to renewed optimism and a strengthening economy. Healthcare advancements are key to the uptick.The index, an average of sentiment about the economy, IT industry and individual companies, jumped seven points in December. At 60 on a 100-point scale, the index is now at its highest point since its inception, say CompTIA execs.

The accelerated uptake of electronic health records, the widespread use of smartphones and dramatic advances in telemedicine are among the 2010 healthcare trends cited in a new industry report from staffing firm Jackson & Coker. Forecast in 2011 More RAC audits, deeper Medicare and Medicaid cuts and fierce competition for hospitals.

The market for point-of-care (POC) tests has almost doubled from 2003 to 2009, according to a new report published by Kalorama Information. With the ability to help reduce healthcare costs while simultaneously improving patient care, POC tests represent a significant and growing share of the global in vitro diagnostics (IVD) market, according to Kalorama.In its report Worldwide Point of Care Diagnostic Test Markets, Kalorama values the market for combined over-the-counter and professional applications of point-of-care testing at $13.3 billion worldwide in 2009.