• B. Braun (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania) reported the launch of the Stimuplex Pen, the newest product offering in its regional anesthesia product line. The pen is a non-invasive percutaneous nerve mapping device can help those administering peripheral nerve blocks quickly locate superficial nerves and identify the optimal angle and needle entry point before introducing the needle into the patient. The pen focuses a very small current from a Stimuplex HNS 11 or HNS 12 nerve stimulator, and can have an incremental benefit when used in combination with ultrasound-guided nerve technology. It can be used to identify nerves up to 3 cm in depth and is effective in localizing the musculocutaneous, femoral, ulnar, radial and median nerves for interscalene, axillary, mid-humeral, wrist and femoral nerve blocks. B. Braun specializes in regional anesthesia.

• ELA Medical (Denver), a Sorin Group (Milan, Italy) company, reported the first U.S. implant in NATURE, an observational study that will enroll 1,440 patients in North America and Europe. The objective of the NATURE study is to observe the evolution of atrio-ventricular conduction disorders in pacemaker patients over a 2-year time period. Patients implanted with either ELA Medical/Sorin Group's Symphony model 2550 or Reply DR (1) dual chamber pacemakers will be included in the study. Data will be collected using AIDA+, ELA's exclusive feature that is capable of identifying different types of atrio-ventricular blocks. Symphony pacemakers are equipped with AAIsafeR, a unique algorithm designed to deliver right ventricular pacing only when needed. REPLY pacemakers incorporate the same algorithm. ELA Medical specializes in the design and manufacture of implantable pacemakers and defibrillators.

• Making a leap from the paper-based medical records morass, the PatientCentral technologies team from the Texas Medical Center (Houston) introduced MyHealthArchive.com for updating, securely storing and retrieving individual patient information. Physicians and nurses can use the information to know what illnesses, medications and historical events are important to deciding what action should be taken. MyHealthArchive interfaces with hospitals using a number of electronic systems including PatientCentral's MedManager for medications and PatientCentral's DisasterLink for emergency and disaster management.

• Perceptive Informatics (Boston) reported the release of an enhanced version of its comprehensive clinical trial management system (CTMS) Impact technology with improved site management and monitoring capabilities. With more than 25,000 users in 85 countries, Perceptive said its Impact software is the world's most widely used CTMS technology. The software comprises several web-based modules designed to deliver practical and tangible results. The software provides planning and tracking support for all aspects of a clinical trial and consolidates information from various collection points into a single source. The Impact solution is scalable to support studies of all sizes ranging from large, multi-national studies to single center studies. The most recent version features an online and offline web-based site management and monitoring module, called MySites, which offers 24/7/365 access from anywhere in the world, enabling work on all aspects of site management including monitoring, milestone planning, issue resolution and recruitment. Perceptive Informatics makes technology associated with clinical trials.

• RemedyMD (Salt Lake City) reported the launch of OutcomeTrack, a solution that the company said allows hospitals and clinics to instantaneously support new quality improvement and pay-for-performance initiatives. OutcomeTrack has been developed in response to market demand for solutions that can easily evolve along with clinical outcome and quality reporting requirements such as Joint Commission and CMS Core Measures, the Physicians Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI), and other pay-for-performance initiatives. OutcomeTrack allows hospitals and clinics to expand the specificity of information collected in their existing electronic medical record system. Electronically capturing required data during the patient encounter eliminates one of the major challenges for hospitals and clinics in meeting reporting requirements for compliance with quality initiatives. RemedyMd makes predictive informatics to recognize patterns, personalize treatment and measurably improve healthcare outcomes.