Here are some of the top stories at MedCity News this week:
— With Twin Cities, Minnesota, nurses poised to strike at any time against local hospitals, the debate has narrowed to the familiar roles of hardworking, resourceful nurses versus financially besieged hospitals, with both groups claiming the role of patient advocate. But one crucial voice has been noticeably absent in the debate — doctors. On the top issue dividing the Minnesota Nurses Association and six metro hospital chains — the nurses’ demand for set staffing ratios — the union representing local physicians is staying mum.
— Michael DeMane is finally a CEO. The former chief operating officer at Fridley, Minnesota’s Medtronic Inc. (NYSE: MDT), once thought to be a top candidate to lead the world’s largest medical device firm, recently joined Lanx Inc. as chairman and CEO. The company in Broomfield, Colorado, makes devices for spinal surgeries. “Lanx has established considerable momentum based on an impressive product portfolio and pipeline,” DeMane said. He also said Lanx has maintained a high level of ethics and integrity. That’s interesting because DeMane’s tenure as leader of Medtronic’s Sofamor Danek spine business was marked by controversy.
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— Ohio Third Frontier commissioners made a slew of biomedical grants under two programs on Wednesday. Projects proposed by CardioX Corp., Case Western Reserve University, Lanx Inc., OrthoHelix Surgical Designs Inc. and SpineForm LLC were recommended for grants of more than $4.9 million under the Ohio Third Frontier Biomedical Program. Meanwhile, CardioInsight Technologies Inc., EXCMR Ltd., GE Healthcare Technologies, InfraRed Imaging Systems Inc., Neoprobe Corp., Philips Healthcare, Ohio State University and Quality Electrodynamics LLC were recommended for more than $8.9 million under the Ohio Third Frontier Medical Imaging Program.
— The Cleveland Clinic Wellness Enterprise has launched an iPhone or iPod Touch application that can help you manage the stress in your life — for only $1.99. The app, called Stress Meditations, “focuses on the mind-body connection by providing users with eight different relaxation and mindfulness techniques that can be used on their smart phones any time, anywhere,” according to the Clinic. For example, the Body Scan Relaxation module coaches users to concentrate on their breathing and sensations to calm the mind. In January, Mayo Clinic launched a meditation app for iPhones — its first app from a partnership to develop and sell smartphone applications based on Mayo research. Both healthcare institutions are participating in the growing market for health and wellness mobile applications.
— Four of the Top 10 health systems in the nation call Ohio home, according to the second annual analysis of health system quality and efficiency by Thomson Reuters. Researchers from Thomson Reuters ranked 255 U.S. health systems. In no particular order, the four Ohio health systems in the Top 10 were Catholic Healthcare Partners in Cincinnati, Kettering Health Network in Dayton, OhioHealth in Columbus and University Hospitals in Cleveland.