November 9, 2009
FHS Corp. Announces Partnership with Vecna Technologies
Financial Healthcare Systems (FHS Corp) and AHA endorsed Vecna Technologies announced today a partnership that provides patients more control when interacting with providers by understanding their out–of–pocket expenses prior to service. FHSCorp's HFMA peer reviewed product, ClearQuote, will integrate with Vecna Technologies' QC Kiosk™ adding patient estimation services to point–of–care and patient self–service registration kiosk functionality. [ Full PDF ]
November 5, 2009
National Institutes of Health Award Northrop Grumman Bioinformatics Resource Centers Contract
RESTON, VA., Nov. 5, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been awarded a follow-on contract by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, to create a resource that supports research of pathogenic viruses and that will lead to new medical treatments and preventive measures for humans. [...] Work will be performed at the Northrop Grumman facility in Rockville, MD., and at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas (UTSMC). In addition to UTSMC, other teammates on the program include Vecna Technologies, Inc., Greenbelt, MD. [ Full Story ]
September 4, 2009
Vecna awarded slice of $3.6M robotics grants
The Robotics Technology Consortium has given out $3.6 million to a group of robotics companies including local firms iRobot Corp. and Vecna Technologies Inc. [ by MASS HIGH TECH ]
September 2, 2009
CDC Issues H1N1 Flu Vaccine Planning Guides
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released several documents to help healthcare providers and others plan H1N1 flu vaccination campaigns. The resources include a planning checklist, answers to common questions about vaccine planning and distribution, and vaccination guidelines for pregnant women.
Vecna continues to monitor the spread of the H1N1 virus with Pathfinder™.
August 30, 2009
Influenza Research Database
Vecna is pleased to announce the award of a new influenza bioinformatics contract. This new web-based resource project will be called the Influenza Research Database, or IRD. Sponsored in whole by NIAID, this multimillion dollar, four year award is to Northrop Grumman, UTSW, Sage Analytica and Vecna Technologies, Inc., and marks the continued development of a powerful database and research resource for the influenza community. Spun out of a prior contract, BioHealthBase, which concerned the informatic analysis of genomes of pathogens causing TB (Mycobacterium tuberculosis), Tularemia (Francisella tularensis), Microsporidial infections, and poisoning by Ricin toxin of the Castor plant, the new resource focuses exclusively on Influenza research, and will mark the largest collection of flu isolate data worldwide. It is under the direction of Dr. Richard Scheuermann at UT-Southwestern (Dallas) and stems from the renewal of the Influenza portion of the BioHealthBase work. It will expand focus to include work from Los Alamos National Labs (LANL, Catherine Macken), UC-Davis (Dr. Nicole Baumgarth), and will incorporate data from the many Influenza Centers of Excellence (CEIRS). Vecna will provide engineering and science expertise to the new web resource, with bioinformatics analysis pipelines, algorithms, and workflows.
The web location will be found at fludb.org.
Please direct inquiries regarding this vehicle to Vecna's Federal Program Director, Rob Lecker. (703) 998-5333 rlecker@vecna.com
August 27, 2009
Fox News Reports on the BEAR™
Fox News interviews Vecna President Daniel Theobald about the BEAR.
To watch the video, Click Here
The Battlefield Extraction Assist Robot (BEAR) is the world's most powerful human sized robot. Originally conceived to rescue wounded personnel from the battlefield, the military soon noted that a robot capable of lifting and carrying up to 500 pounds could also be used for numerous other applications. From logistics (loading and unloading trucks) to assisting with chem/bio detection and IED handling, the BEAR could be used to help military personnel perform many important and often dangerous tasks. BEAR has the power and balance to maneuver from a crouched position to a standing position. At over 6 feet tall it can reach high objects, and see over obstacles. BEAR has an ultra-efficient hydraulic power system that gives it extraordinary strength and allows it to move quickly and quietly, all while running on a rechargeable batteries with several hours of run-time. BEAR has impressive hands, too. They are dexterous and strong, with each finger capable of lifting 100 pounds, while being able to sense forces as small as a few ounces. BEAR is able to perform many tasks with little to no operator input. The BEAR is currently in late-stage R&D and could be fielded within 2 to 4 years.
August 22, 2009
CNET Reports on the BEAR™
"While unmanned air vehicles are putting pilots out of business, a new U.S. Army–funded robot could do the same for rescuers and stevedores." [ CNET ]
Covered by:
Liputan6 Media (Indonesian Translation),
GIZMODO,
Student Tech News,
CrunchGear,
POPSCI.
August 21, 2009
BEAR™ Featured on BotJunkie
"BEAR stands for Battlefield Extraction–Assist Robot. Developed by Vecna Robotics, BEAR is a humanoid torso on tank treads designed to bring mobile heavy lifting capabilities to military, search and rescue, and industrial applications. BEAR's two arms can lift 500 pounds between them, and it's capable of dynamically balancing on its unfoldable tracked ‘legs.’" [ BotJunkie ]
Covered by: Ready 2 Beat
August 17, 2009
Vecna Combats the High Costs of healthcare
Mass High Tech writes about do–it–yourself healthcare and the effects that medical kiosks can have in driving down healthcare cost. [ MASS HIGH TECH ]
August 15, 2009
TMA HIPAA Electronic Standards Support
The TRICARE Management Activity (TMA) Strategic Planning, Enterprise Architecture, and Requirements (SPEAR) Division has awarded Vecna Technologies, Inc., a contract to support Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Electronic Standards Program Coordination. Vecna will be working with AXIOM Resources to assist in overall program and task coordination; analyzing, developing and implementing requirements; and tracking compliance with the HIPAA mandated electronic standards. In addition, the Vecna/AXIOM team will provide analysis and coordination of the tasks and activities required to achieve compliance with the electronic standards requirements of HIPAA and HHS and achieve business process improvements and simplification. Vecna is honored to assist the Deputy Director, Requirements Design Management to simplify the MHS and TRICARE business by implementing the HIPAA electronic standards, code sets and identifiers.
Please direct inquiries regarding this vehicle to Vecna's Federal Program Director, Rob Lecker. (703) 998-5333 rlecker@vecna.com
August 5, 2009
Vecna's QC Pathfinder installed as the technical solution component of Quality Compass throughout Adventist Health
In an effort to enhance quality patient care and safety, Adventist Health has instituted Quality Compass throughout its system. The infection surveillance and control software program—piloted at Sonora Regional Medical Center in October 2008—has been successfully implemented at almost all system hospitals. Full Article
August 3, 2009
Why Giving Matters
Arthur C. Brooks writes that acts of charity–giving money, serving others, even donating blood–create a remarkable return, lifting us spiritually and financially. This supports Vecna's commitment to give back to the communities in which we work and live. Full Article
July 17, 2009
AHRQ Health IT Portal Infrastructure Management and Website Design and Usability Support.
The Agency for healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded Vecna Technologies, Inc. an IDIQ/Task Order contract through which individual Task Orders will be awarded to maintain, serve, and support the AHRQ National Resource Center for Health Information Technology (NRC). Vecna Technologies' Consulting Division will support the Research Triangle Institute ( RTI) by serving as domain experts on Health IT Portal Infrastructure Management and Website Design and Usability Support.
The AHRQ NRC is a vital component of the Department of Health and Human Service's strategy to improve healthcare quality and efficiency through the widespread adoption of health IT. The AHRQ NRC serves a unique role in that it is the only federally funded body that provides direct funding for the implementation and evaluation of various forms of health IT, including but not limited to: Electronic Health Records (EHRs), telemedicine, Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE), and Health Information Exchange (HIE). Because of its central position as a research clearinghouse for grantees across the nation, the AHRQ NRC can quickly disseminate knowledge and best practices observed by the projects it supports. By way of the AHRQ NRC web site, health providers, administrators, and researchers share lessons learned for how best to improve healthcare quality, safety, and efficiency in the United States through successful health IT adoption and usage. This knowledge is available to the public in various forms, including informal discussion boards, national teleconferences, peer-reviewed white papers, issue briefs and official reports.
Please direct inquiries regarding this vehicle to Vecna's Federal Program Director, Rob Lecker. (703) 998-5333 rlecker@vecna.com
June 10, 2009
Vecna announces partnership with the Winkenwerder Company, LLC
Vecna Technologies, Inc. announced today an agreement with The Winkenwerder Company, LLC to perform as strategic advisors to the company in relationship development and growth of their world class products and services in both the public and private sectors. Vecna's success in providing solutions to the Military healthcare System and the Veteran's Administration is complemented by a rapidly growing portfolio of private healthcare clients. Earlier this year Vecna's Patient Self–Service Kiosk and Portal Solution were endorsed by the American Hospital Association and its PathFinder Infectious Disease Surveillance Solution expanded into international markets. Vecna and the Winkenwerder Company will work together to continue strategic market positioning of these two products.
May 6, 2009
HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announces $50M to reduce HAIs in hospitals.
At a speech before the AFSCME Nurses Conference, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius challenged hospitals to work to reduce healthcare associated infections. Published by the Agency for healthcare Research and Quality, the annual 2008 National healthcare Quality Report and 2008 National healthcare Disparities Report indicate that patient safety measures have worsened and that a substantial number of Americans do not receive recommended care. Upon issuing the reports, Sebelius also announced the availability of $50 million in Recovery Act resources to fight healthcare associated infections and improve patient safety.
May 1, 2009
Vecna announces tracking outbreak of H1N1 North American 'swine' flu.
Vecna announces it is tracking the outbreak of H1N1 North American 'swine' flu, using enterprise bioinformatics methods. With new geolocation methods to gather public health information from the CDC, WHO, and public records, the clinical sciences team is now able to display influenza cases in real time as they are isolated, in a browser based mapping system built for http://www.biohealthbase.org, the Influenza Bioinformatics Resource Project. The goal of the work of Drs. Al Ramsey and Christopher Larsen with Northrop Grumman is tracking individual flu isolates across geopolitical boundaries, to HIPAA compliant latitude and longitude, using modern epidemiology and software tools. This can allow estimation of public health impact, predict the number of cases, enable management of outbreak routes, optimal therapy shipping, and serve as a basis for determining the factors that manifest themselves from pathogenic viral features. Vecna will continue to analyze the virus in detail as it spreads and wanes, using these new geolocation tools.
April 26, 2009
Vecna introduces CliniPAK™ at ATA conference in Las Vegas.
Vecna attends ATA conference in Las Vegas and receives warm welcome of self–service vitals kiosk and CliniPAK mobile health solution. Many of the sessions held at the Las Vegas conference focused on new technologies for support of international health initiatives and medical disaster management. The topics were particularly timely as the news of the H1N1 swine flu outbreak progressed minute–by–minute at the conference. Vecna's Field Assessment, Triage and Patient Administration Kit (CliniPAK) was recognized as a viable platform supporting community care in a pandemic as well as a powerful enabler of primary healthcare services in the international domain by many attendees.
April 12, 2009
Vecna's Field Assessment, Triage and Patient Administration Kit (CliniPAK) deployed to community health centers in Kenya.
Vecna health workers deployed the CliniPAK healthcare information technology platform and trained community health workers servicing Maasai tribes in the Transmara district to run standardized and automated primary care protocols and infectious disease surveys. Within one week community healthcare workers had achieved full acceptance of the technology features and clean, complete data sets were aggregated from the two clinics for validation and surveillance purposes. Data will continue to be aggregated and reviewed while new feature and service delivery continues in parallel over the next several months during this evaluation pilot.
April 6, 2009
Vecna unveils Self–Service Vitals Kiosk at 2009 HIMSS annual conference in Chicago.
Vecna attends annual HIMSS conference in Chicago as the only AHA endorsed vendor of patient self–service kiosks and patient–provider portal solutions. Despite the economic downturn, HIMSS conference attendance was strong, thanks to the promise of a stimulus bill and a need for cost reduction strategies and tools. Vecna's documented cost savings through the implementation of patient self–service kiosks and portal solutions drew attention, especially as the only vendor endorsed by the AHA and showing a 100% integration success rate. Vecna's new offering, a self–service vitals capture kiosk, also drew in healthcare thought leaders as an example of successful technology evolution in the self–service space.
March 29, 2009
Vecna wins national VA deployment contract for QC PathFinder™.
The Department of Veterans Affairs awards a contract to Vecna to deploy QC PathFinder throughout the VA's nationwide healthcare system.
January 31, 2009
AHA endorses Vecna's Patient Self–Service Kiosk and Portal solution
Download
January 16, 2009
CNN Covers the BEAR™ in Story on Army Science Convention
Vecna's Battlefield Extraction–Assist Robot (BEAR) was among the scientific and engineering advancements mentioned by CNN in their coverage of the Army Science Convention. The story, titled New Army Technology Could Save Soldiers' Lives CNN, focuses on advancements that will help protect and heal American soldiers. The "video" tab contains footage of the BEAR.
2008
September 19, 2008
Vecna Open House on Sept. 23, 3–6 PM
Please join Vecna at our Cambridge Research Lab's open house this Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008 from 3pm – 6pm. Come tour our facility, see our robots, meet our engineers and enjoy refreshments. We are conveniently located next to the Alewife T station in Cambridge.
August 11, 2008
BEAR™ featured on Discovery Military Channel
Vecna's Battlefield Extraction–Assist Robot (BEAR), along with its team of engineering caretakers, is currently featured on the Discovery Military Channel's program "Backyard to Battlefield" beginning Monday, August 11th. The program will follow the BEAR's development from loose parts, to standing tall, highlighting how engineering ingenuity and persistence can positively affect lives on the battlefield and beyond. "Backyard to Battlefield" will be airing regularly, so check your television schedules for details.
June 18, 2008
Vecna Clinical Analyst Jenn Noppenberger Cook speaks with Department of Veterans Affairs ICP's about upcoming QC PathFinder VA Implementations
Jennifer Noppenberger Cook, RN, CIC, presented to a group of VA Infection Control Practitioners led by Gina Oda, Associate Director of the VHA Office of Public Health Surveillance and Research. At a meeting held during the Annual National APIC Conference, Ms. Cook highlighted the upcoming implementation of QC PathFinder's™ automated infection control surveillance system at additional sites across the Veterans Administration facilities. Ms. Cook's presentation focused on upcoming training, including on–site training and training tools, as well as a review of the structured tiered system post–implementation. Representatives from the next "Go Live" sites expressed enthusiasm for participating in the upcoming implementations.
February 9, 2008
Vecna CEO Deborah Theobald presents at Industry Conference
Vecna's CEO, Deborah Theobald, presented "The State of healthcare Technology" at the Massachusetts Health Data Consortium healthcare IT Conference. Ms. Theobald emphasized that if financial institutions can be successful, so can healthcare in moving services beyond the limitations of physical institutions for on–demand patient consumption. Vecna is leading the way in healthcare technology advances by providing patient self–service solutions including automated check–in, registration and triage/assessment kiosks and extended web–based capabilities.
