The number of Americans interested in using mobile devices to better monitor their health is growing, according to a survey conducted by Harris Interactive and HealthDay. One-third of Internet-using adults expressed interest in using smartphones or tablets to make doctor appointments, receive medical test results or communicate with their doctor.
The Healthcare Innovation and Marketplace Technologies Act, reintroduced by Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) on June 13, calls for the establishment of an Office of Wireless Health in the FDA. The bill was first introduced last December but did not progress beyond the committee level.
Amid growing concern over malware and unauthorized access to medical devices, the FDA has issued a safety communication warning device manufacturers and healthcare facilities to take steps to guard against cyberattacks.
Former Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) administrator, Donald Berwick, MD, MPP, has set his sights of the position of governor of Massachusetts.
In a safety communication, the FDA is recommending that medical device manufacturers and healthcare facilities "take steps to assure that appropriate safeguards are in place to reduce the risk of failure due to cyberattack, which could be initiated by the introduction of malware into the medical equipment or unauthorized access to configuration settings in medical devices and hospital networks."
