HHS introduces new HIT czar

WASHINGTON – Just as this issue of Healthcare IT News was going to press, the Department of Health and Human Services introduced David Blumenthal, MD, as the Obama Administration’s new National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.

“I am humbled and honored to have the opportunity to serve President Obama and the American people in the effort to harness the power of health information technology,” Blumenthal said.

For up-to-the-minute coverage of Blumenthal’s appointment and industry reactions, please visit our Web site at
www.healthcareitnews.com.

Panasonic introduces medical-grade 3D monitor for surgery

SECAUCUS, NJ – Panasonic, a provider of professional healthcare display and monitor solutions, today announced a new 3D medical-grade 32” class monitor.

The new monitor, the EJ-MDA32U-K, is fully compliant with medical equipment standards, delivers 2D and 3D image quality and can display multiple images from various sources at once, according to Panasonic officials.

These combined features, paired with Panasonic’s renowned reliability, make the new monitor ideal for use in the surgical bubble, they said in a press release.

“To improve patient outcomes, there is an ever increasing reliance on technology in the surgical suite,” said Scott Thie, director of Healthcare, Panasonic System Communications Company of North America. “Although this technology has many benefits, it can also create a cluttered environment."

The EJ-MDA32U-K helps to improve the surgical experience by having a large screen, HD image that can be clearly viewed by all clinicians, while also providing flexibility that helps to reduce clutter, according to Thie. “By allowing up to three images to be displayed on the screen at once – from multiple input sources – and by delivering high quality 3D and 2D HD images, we offer a single device that addresses multiple needs in the surgical suite,” he said.

 [See also: Panasonic introduces 3D videoconferencing.]