• The American Diabetes Association (Alexandria, Virginia) reported a new web-based diabetes tool that makes it easier for people with diabetes and their care providers to share and organize important health information to improve their diabetes care. The tool, My Diabetes Connector, is a diabetes management software application developed by a software and services company, MyCareTeam. My Diabetes Connector enables people with diabetes to securely send blood glucose readings from their glucose meter to the My Diabetes Connector Application. My Diabetes Connector allows input from multiple blood glucose meters. Data stored to My Diabetes Connector is accessible through the Internet, allowing care providers and family members — with the patient’s permission — to monitor the information, regardless of location.

• Avid Radiopharmaceuticals (Philadelphia) said that enrollment has begun in a proof-of-concept phase I clinical trial investigating Avid’s development compound 18F-AV-133 for imaging patients with movement disorders, including Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and essential tremor, and dementias, including Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). The compound, used with positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, targets vesicular monoamine transporters (VMAT2) in the brain and may enable more accurate and earlier diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. By binding to the VMAT2 transporter, Avid’s 18F-AV-133 compound can image neuronal loss in the brain, making it a potentially effective biomarker for earlier detection and diagnosis of PD. Avid’s 18F-AV-133 compound may also be useful for improved management of (AD) because up to 25% of AD patients also have a component of PD or DLB. The goal of this initial trial is to determine whether 18F-AV-133 PET imaging can detect losses in nigrostriatal neurons in the brains of patients with AD, PD and DLB. Avid is a product-focused molecular imaging company.

• InnerWireless (Richardson, Texas) reported that Denver Health has expanded its RFID tracking throughout the 1.5 million-square-foot, 477-bed hospital in support of an initiative from hospital administrators to identify and reduce waste. InnerWireless deployed Vision, a real-time location system (RTLS) formerly known as PanGo, in response to the hospital’s need for real-time asset tracking that would integrate with its Cisco Unified Wireless Network and Cisco Wireless Location Appliance. Denver Health also is using the technology to track rare, expensive equipment, such as wound vacuums. Wound vacuums can’t be purchased and are usually leased by the day. With InnerWireless’ Vision, Denver Health can locate and track expensive, critical equipment with the Cisco wireless infrastructure and the Cisco Wireless Location Appliance to make better informed leasing and purchasing decisions. InnerWireless makes in-building wireless solutions.

• McKesson (Atlanta) reported the release of Horizon Homecare Wound Advisor, a disease management solution for centralized and in-home care. Using the solution, organizations can identify patients who need evaluation based on their current wound status (decline, new referral or existing referral) and provide “one-click” access to patient histories, assessment findings and digital wound images from a central location. In addition to centralized care, Horizon Advisor assists clinicians at the point of care with a standardized wound assessment, wound image(s) and pertinent patient information including education, supply use and treatment protocols. McKesson is a healthcare services and information technology company.

• Microlife USA (Dunedin, Florida) reported the launch of the Microlife blood pressure monitoring and Peak Flow/FEV1 monitoring drivers as a part of Microsoft’s newly launched consumer health platform, Microsoft HealthVault, to provide consumers with a new way to manage their health at home. The online environment allows consumers to search and connect people with their stored health information, putting them in greater control of their health and wellness. Microlife’s contribution includes the manufacture and support of clinically validated, hospital accurate blood pressure monitors and digital electronic Peak Flow/FEV1 meters. Microlife makes medical diagnostic equipment for home and institutional use, with a focus on blood pressure monitors, digital and infrared thermometers and peak flow meters.

• Unibased Systems Architecture (USA; Chesterfield, Missouri) and Mediware Information Systems (Lenexa, Kansas) said they have created a transition path for Mediware’s operating room software customers to move to USA’s ORMS operating room software. The plan calls for USA and Mediware to work together to make it possible for Mediware’s operating room customers to become users of the ORMS product from USA. USA and Mediware have also agreed to work together to promote Mediware’s BloodSafe offering to hospitals that are installing the ORMS software. The system extends the discipline and strong process controls of the blood bank out to the OR and other theatres with point-of-care and distributed inventory allocation technologies. Mediware Information systems makes healthcare-based software. USA specializes in healthcare information technology.