A Medical Device Daily

The National Library of Medicine (NLM; Bethesda, Maryland) last week reported that it will administer a $3.68 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF; Princeton, New Jersey) to develop what it termed “tomorrow’s public health leaders” in the science of public health informatics, defined as: “the practice of integrating state-of-the-art computer technology for managing knowledge and information to enhance the work of public health professionals.”

RWJF is donating the funds to the NLM, which describes itself as having “a longstanding history of training the country’s biomedical informatics researchers and professionals.”

The program will fund educational sites at four universities: Columbia University (New York), the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Baltimore), the University of Utah (Salt Lake City), and the University of Washington (Seattle). Students will receive training in basic information science and public health principles, focused preparation in applying informatics to public health problems and on-site experience with public health agencies. All four sites currently host informatics training programs supported by NLM. The program begins July 1.

Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, president and CEO of RWJF, said that the collaboration “will help prepare new leaders to be the architects of sophisticated information systems that can help public health officials respond to emergencies and save lives.”

Home Diagnostics (San Diego), a manufacturer of diabetes self-testing equipment, and iMetrikus (Carlsbad, California), reported a partnership designed to provide users of the TrueTrack Smart System and Prestige IQ blood glucose monitors with the ability to monitor their diabetes on-line by using MediCompass, a health monitoring software.

Home Diagnostics, manufacturer of the TrueTrack Smart System and Prestige IQ, will promote iMetrikus’ MediCompass monitoring system to its customers.

iMetrikus is the developer of the preferred MediCompass web-based software that enables patients to upload their blood glucose test results and other health data.

Teri Sasse, RN, and director of professional marketing for Home Diagnostics, said, “By providing patients with a tool that allows them to analyze blood glucose results and identify patterns, patients are empowered to make informed treatment decisions and take a more active role in monitoring their condition.”