Industry Briefs

ANS Introduces Rapid Programmer 3.0

Advanced Neuromodulation Systems (ANS), a division of St. Jude Medical, has unveiled a programming platform called Rapid Programmer 3.0 for managing spinal cord stimulation, a therapy used for treating chronic pain of the torso and limbs. The Plano, Texas-based company designs, develops, manufactures and markets implantable neuromodulation systems for patients with disabling chronic pain and other nervous system disorders.

ANS offers four features for clinicians:

Dynamic MultiStim, an electrical field management technology that allows for precise real-time optimization of multiple coverage areas; Active Balancing, which enables the clinician to fine-tune the amplitude levels of various stimulation coverage areas simultaneously to establish a comfortable level for the patient; Calibrated Testing, which allows the clinician to map the neurostimulation system's interaction with the patient's nervous system and quickly move through programming scenarios; and A large database that stores patient information, such as stimulation parameters for trial and permanent implants, on a single programmable card that can be exported to other programs.

Consumers Uninformed and Skeptical on EHR Initiative, Survey Says

A recent survey of 1095 consumers conducted by Health Industry Insights revealed that some 70 percent of U.S. consumers are unaware of the government's initiative to make Electronic Health Records (EHRs) available to citizens by 2014. Many of those surveyed were also skeptical about the government's ability to meet this goal, with 45 percent confident and 43 percent not.

An overwhelming 86 percent of respondents said they were somewhat or very concerned about the health industry's ability to protect the privacy of personal health information in deploying EHRs. This ranked as the top challenge in meeting the 2014 goal, according to 44 percent of those surveyed.

Marc Holland, program director of healthcare provider research at Health Industry Insights and author of the report, said that consumers don't know about the government's EHR initiative and are unconvinced about the value of digital health care. "It's clear that those involved in these efforts to improve health care service delivery -- government, providers, vendors, etc. -- are being called upon by consumers to clearly demonstrate and effectively publicize evidence that they are making tangible progress," he said.

Framingham, Mass.-based Health Industry Insights is an IDC company that offers research-based advisory and consulting services to health industry executives.