News From Around the Web
> Patient and physician engagement solutions provider PatientPoint has named Geeta Nayyar, M.D., as its new chief medical information officer. Nayyar most recently served in the same role for AT&T, and also previously served as the principal medical officer at Vangent, Inc. Announcement
> The founders of ZocDoc, which focuses on helping patients to schedule doctors' appointments online or via mobile devices in real time, once walked away from Aetna bid of $300 million to buy the company, Business Insider reports. The company, founded in 2007, has raised nearly $100 million. In September 2011, investors gave ZocDoc $75 million at a $700 million valuation. Article
> Electrical engineers at the University of Utah developed a network of wireless sensors with the ability to detect a person falling. The network, when linked to emergency medical services, could eventually replace the need for seniors to wear call-button monitoring devices. The researchers plan to develop the technology into a commercial product through engineer Neal Patwari's startup company, Xandem Technology. Announcement
Health Insurance News
> As insurers are gearing up for the launch of health insurance exchanges in less than a month, many are frustrated with the federal government's handling of the technical aspects, including glitches that are still unresolved. Technical problems beleaguering the federally-run exchanges are affecting how medical charges and deductibles are listed. Article
Medical Imaging News
> PET/MRI hybrid imaging is proving to be a highly accurate and dependable way of diagnosing different cancers, according to research published in the September issue of Current Radiology Reports. The strengths and weaknesses of the two modalities are synergistic and complementary, according the authors, led by Karin Anna Herrmann, M.D., from the department of radiology at University Hospitals Case Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. Article
And Finally… Angry bird. Article