Mobile Point of Care (MPoC)

Twitter has the potential to spread misinformation about health and medicine, according to a new study that examines Twitter updates concerning antibiotics.

While the reform legislation did not focus on wellness, expect this area to grow, said E. David Hetz, cofounder and managing director of Cutlass Capital. Hetz spoke on a panel last week at the Health Technology Investment Forum.

Visiting Nurse and Community Health, Inc., which provides services in Tewksbury and Wilmington, Mass., has been awarded a $3,000 grant in support of its telehealth program, which monitors the home healthcare agency’s CHF and COPD patients, significantly decreasing ER visits and hospitalizations.

Gartner expects two new versions of Bluetooth to emerge by 2011. Bluetooth 3 will introduce 802.11 for faster data transmission, and Bluetooth 4 will introduce a low-energy mode that will enable communication with peripherals and sensors, making it a match for industries such as health care.

Houston-based Emerging Healthcare Solutions, a development-stage investment company specializing in emerging medical technologies, has finalized its acquisition of the Disaster Relief and Emergency Medical Services, or DREAMS technology. DREAMS is a telemedicine system initially developed with an $18 million grant from the Defense Department, which allows clinicians to triage and treat patients remotely through the use of video and wireless technology.

People with chronic diseases are less likely than others to have Internet access, but those who do are more likely to blog or engage in online discussions about health problems, according to a new report.

The Department of Veterans Affairs is evaluating the use of various social media-style tools that would enhance the user experience and accessibility of VA's electronic health record portal, My HealtheVet.

While President Obama signed the healthcare reform bill into law on Tuesday, other segments of the federal government are in the midst of decision-making that could also influence a proliferation of new healthcare devices and services.