SPOC, the students of Stevens Institute of Technology and Dr. Norman Marcus, pain-management expert, have jointly developed a handheld bio medical device for pain management. The product has received the 510K clearance from the FDA for manufacturing and marketing as a clinical device. The product started its life as Stevens’ undergraduate Senior Design Team project and has also given birth to SPOC Inc, based at Stamford, Conn.

A unique program, the Indiana University School of Medicine Center for Youth and Adults with Conditions of Childhood (CYACC) is helping teens and adolescents suffering from cerebral palsy to spread their wings and live more independently. CYACC is addressing various psychosocial, educational, vocational and medical needs of the adolescents with the help of interdisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, social workers and community organization liaisons.

Women suffering with postpartum depression may in future be able to receive psychotherapy from a specially trained nurse over the phone, eliminating barriers to treatment such as distance, time or the availability of a psychologist or psychiatrist. Professor Cindy-Lee Dennis, the lead investigator in the postpartum depression interpersonal psychotherapy trial, is evaluating an innovative way to deliver treatment for postpartum depression, particularly to women in rural or remote areas where they may not have access to a psychologist or psychiatrist, let alone one who specializes in postpartum depression.

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The Arizona Board of Nursing has approved a recommendation from the board’s Advance Practice Committee that nurse practitioners with special training be permitted to perform certain abortion procedures. Under the decision, nurses in the state can perform “aspiration” abortions, in which the fetus is vacuumed out of the uterus, up to the 13th week of pregnancy. Nurses will not be permitted to perform any abortions after 13 weeks’ gestation, the board said.

Nonin Medical Inc. has released the first and only wireless fingertip pulse oximeter to system integrators worldwide. The Onyx(R) II, Model 9560 fingertip pulse oximeter enables patients to accurately monitor vital signs and remotely connect with their clinicians — gaining independence to go about their daily activities. The innovative device combines Bluetooth(R) wireless technology with the revolutionary Onyx(R) fingertip oximeters product line to address rising healthcare costs and promote patient-friendly remote disease management.

Angiotech Pharmaceuticals Inc. has received 510(k) clearance from the FDA for sizes 3–0 and 4–0 of its Quill Self-Retaining System (SRS) Polydioxanone (PDO) product offerings, which are longer lasting absorbable suture typically used for deeper tissue closures. The company indicated that these smaller diameter sizes incorporate a new design for better holding strength and expand the number and scope of procedures that can be done with the Quill SRS product.

Opto Circuits India Ltd.’s subsidiary, Mediaid Inc., received Food and Drug Administration approval for its key vital signs monitoring products. The approval for marketing for model 900 and model 960 opens up the U.S. hospital market for Mediaid products. The model 900 and 960 devices monitor blood oxygen, blood pressure and temperature for a complete and quick assessment of vital signs.

According to a study published in the BMJ Specialty Journal Quality and Safety in Health Care, patients seem more willing to challenge nurses than doctors about safety issues during the treatment process. The direct factual questions were, however, directed more towards the doctors, rather than the nurses. The authors of the research believe that medical errors during hospital treatments may be reduced if the patients ask challenging questions without causing offence.

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According to CQ HealthBeat reports, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission has recommended that the Medicare payment system be amended so as to include skilled nursing facilities as separate nontherapy ancillary component. The prescription drugs and intravenous therapy also come under the same component.

Medtronic Inc. has received clearance from the FDA for its OneTouch UltraLink Meter to wirelessly transmit glucose readings directly to insulin pumps and a continuous glucose monitoring system. This makes bolus dosing more accurate and easier for patients compared with the manual entry of blood glucose readings, the company said. Medtronic plans a staged launch of the meter.