Healthcare IT Consultant Blog: “VeriChip Corporation Outlines Current Applications and Potential Future Applications for its First-of-a-Kind Implantable RFID Implantable Microchip -Â VeriChip Corporation, a provider of radio frequency identification (RFID) systems for healthcare and patient-related needs, today provided additional comments regarding its VeriMedâ„¢ Health Link patient identification system following the recent passage of a bill by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives banning forced microchip implantation in humans, and also outlined its current and potential future applications for its RFID implantable microchip. The VeriMed Health Link system was cleared by the FDA in 2004 as a Class II medical device and is the first and only implantable microchip cleared by the FDA for patient identification. “
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Category: Cool Technology
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Cool Technology for Pharmacy
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Cool Technology for Pharmacy
Lexi-Drugs for the iPhone: “.. our most comprehensive drug database, with content that addresses all patient populationsand covers clinical specialties such as Pharmacy, Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Oncology, Psychiatry, Anesthesiology, and others. Independently ranked as the #1 drug database for the PDA, Lexi-Drugs includes up to 67 fields of  information, including Adverse Reactions, Canadian Brand Names, Contraindications, Dosing, Medication Safety Issues,  Pharmacodynamics and Kinetics, Special Alerts (including new FDA warnings), plus International BrandNames from 125 countries. Includes drug pricing.”
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Cool Technology for Pharmacy
Alaris System: “The Alaris® System by Cardinal Health is designed for infusions and patient monitoring. It helps protect the patient and clinician from consequences of medical errors and helps positively affect patient outcomes through continuous improvements in clinical practice. The point-of-care platform standardizes every type of infusion on a common user interface and adds respiratory monitoring and bar coding as needed. Also a state-of-the-art computer, it bridges the gap between IV and IT to help prevent harm and optimize care.”
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Cool Technology for Pharmacy
Radio-frequency identification (RFID) printers. RFID refers to small electronic devices that consist of a small chip and an antenna. They are capable of carrying quite a bit of information. To retrieve the information an RFID device must be scanned much like a barcode. While barcodes require a “line of sight” to be recognized by the scanner RFID labels can be scanned independent of position relative to the scanner and may be read up to 20 feet (or more) away.
RFID is an interesting alternative to barcoding for medication tracking and administration. The advantages are their ability to carry increased amounts of information and the relative ease of scanning mentioned above. It is unclear why RFID hasn’t become more main stream, but one reason could be the relative cost when compared to a traditional barcoding system. RFID would certainly make tracking inventory a little easier.
The printer pictured here is the Zebra R110Xi RFID Printer. For more information about Zebra RFID printers, as well as other RFID products, visit IDAutomation.com.
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New LCD technology may be the solution I’m looking for.
A week or so ago I made a comment wishing that someone would make an e-ink screen for laptop or desktop use. E-ink would be an ideal solution as it offers several advantages over current screen technology. Screens using e-ink offer a great reading experience even in bright light environments, they don’t put undue strain on the eyes and draw very little power (e-readers like the Kindle can last up to 40 hours on a single charge). No longer a wish, a company called Pixel Qi has developed new technology that isn’t quite e-ink but definitely a step in the right direction. Their new LCD technology is viewable in full sunlight and looks very similar to epaper. To see what I’m talking about take a look at this video comparing Pixel Qi’s new LCD screen to the Kindle’s e-ink screen. Of course this new technology shouldn’t be confused with the Kindle’s e-ink technology, but it still looks fantastic.
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Cool Technology for Pharmacy
POMS (Paperless Browser Based Pharmacy Order Management System) is an electronic document management (EDM) system from Integrated Informatics, Inc.
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Sperm-like nanopropeller is smallest swimmer ever
Newscientist.com: “REMOTE-CONTROLLED nano-devices that look like sperm but mimic the corkscrew motion of flagella may one day deliver drugs to where they are needed in the body.” Â -The applications here are limitless. I had the opportunity to work on something along these lines when I was an undergrad (Chemistry). We used polyaniline to carry drugs to a specific location. Once at the location, a current was applied directly to the polyaniline, releasing the drug. Of course we had no remote control and our experiments were performed in a beaker, but it was still pretty darned cool. I still have my lab notebooks from back then. Thumbing through them brought back a lot of good memories. Being involved in any type of R&D is exciting and fun, I highly recommend it (if you get the chance).