Philips debuts CliniScape

Philips Medical Systems introduced CliniScape, a new mobile clinical assistant (MCA) device, at the World of Health IT annual congress in Vienna, Austria, this week.

The mobile point of care product features a 10.4-inch pen-touch screen, radiofrequency identification and barcode scanning capabilities, and a digital camera.

Designed as a semi-sealed device without any input/output ports except for one USB slot behind a protective cover, the MCA can be wiped clean with disinfectant to reduce the spread of infection. A docking unit for the device comes with a built-in battery charger, three USB ports and one ethernet jack to allow the MCA to be used as a desktop device when docked.

Available in early spring 2008, the CliniScape MCA is based on a 1.2 GHz Intel Core Solo Processor with a 60 GB hard-disk drive, 1 GB SDRAM, WLAN 802.11 b/g/n, Windows XP Tablet PC edition (Vista planned), and a 10.4-inch XGA touch-screen with digitizer, Philips said.

Around the web

Positron, a New York-based nuclear imaging company, will now provide Upbeat Cardiology Solutions with advanced PET/CT systems and services. 

The nuclear imaging isotope shortage of molybdenum-99 may be over now that the sidelined reactor is restarting. ASNC's president says PET and new SPECT technologies helped cardiac imaging labs better weather the storm.

CMS has more than doubled the CCTA payment rate from $175 to $357.13. The move, expected to have a significant impact on the utilization of cardiac CT, received immediate praise from imaging specialists.