The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has established the “Healthcare Horizon Scanning System” led by the ECRI Institute with partners Emerson Consultants, Inc., Mathematica Policy Research Inc., Provider Resources, Inc., and Thomson Reuter (Healthcare) Inc.
The system uses a systematic process to identify and monitor emerging healthcare technologies and innovation in clinical stages of research and development to help health professionals make strategic decisions. The system also includes an inventory of target technologies providing useful information on clinical care, patient outcomes, and costs.
The scanning system produces “Status Update Reports” at http://1.usa.gov/1fNaHxD to provide information on topics currently being tracked. The most recent September 2013 report shows that about one quarter of the topics pertain to devices to help screen, diagnose, identify risks, or devices that are used to monitor diseases.
Several companies along with their systems and devices are mentioned in the report. For example, Health Recovery Solutions Inc. has developed an early warning system to reduce hospital readmission for heart failure. The company’s system uses readmission risk algorithms integrated into EMRs taking into account patient wellness and activity.
Their system uses a research-based platform to guide patient’s behaviors using software loaded on tablets and makes patient clinical data instantly accessible for care providers. This is possible through EMR integration, web-monitoring portals, and smart phone applications such as ClinicanConnect, CaregiverConnect. The company is also conducting pilot programs with providers.
The NanoKnife system by AngioDynamics helps to treat Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) in patients with early stage HCC that is not surgically resectable. Surgical resection and/or ablation of locally advanced tumors is the only potentially curative treatment option for patient with HCC. However, many patients are not eligible for surgical resection because the location of their tumors are in close proximity to essential structures such as major blood vessels.
The knife uses a novel treatment modality known as irreversible electroporation where pulses of high voltage direct current are applied to the target tissue using needle like electrodes. This process induces the irreversible formation of nanopores in cellular membranes since the presence of nanopores are highly toxic to cells. FDA has cleared the knife for surgical ablation of soft tissue but not for any cancer indication.
The Berlin Heart GmbH company located in Berlin has developed a pediatric ventricular assist device called Excor Pediatric Ventricular Assist Device used for pediatric end-stage Heart Failure (HF). Adult heart assist devices are too large to be used in children with end-stage HF.
The device is designed to support pediatric patients and can bridge patients awaiting heart transplantation for days to several month. FDA approved the device in 2011 under the humanitarian device exemption process.
For more information, go to http://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov.