TomoTherapy Signs Radiation Therapy Equipment Agreement With Amerinet

MADISON, WI, Jun 22, 2010 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- TomoTherapy Incorporated /quotes/comstock/15*!tomo/quotes/nls/tomo (TOMO 3.03, -0.06, -1.90%) announced today that it has signed a purchasing agreement with Amerinet, a leading national healthcare group purchasing organization (GPO). This agreement will make TomoTherapy's premier radiation therapy solutions available to Amerinet's members and will result in a more streamlined purchasing process for Amerinet member facilities seeking an innovative and proven technology for advanced cancer care.

Amerinet has more than 41,000 members nationwide.

"Our new agreement with TomoTherapy will benefit our members by expanding their options for radiation oncology systems," said Ken Rosemann, vice president, laboratory and diagnostic imaging for Amerinet.

"Over the years, TomoTherapy system users have published many studies that demonstrate the system's effectiveness for treating a wide array of cancers throughout the body, from the most common to the most complex," said Fred Robertson, TomoTherapy CEO. "We look forward to the opportunity to work with Amerinet member organizations as they seek to improve and enhance cancer treatment alternatives for their patients."

About Amerinet As a leading national healthcare group purchasing organization, Amerinet strategically partners with acute and alternate care providers to reduce costs and improve quality through its performance solutions. Built on a foundation of data, savings and trust, and supported by a team of clinical and supply chain experts, Amerinet enriches healthcare delivery for its members and communities they serve. To learn more about the Amerinet difference, visit www.amerinet-gpo.com.

source: MarketWire

Press Release: ASTRO applauds MedPAC review of Stark law exception

Fairfax, Va., June 16, 2010 - The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) commends the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) for highlighting concerns about physician self-referral in cancer care in its report released yesterday. We urge the commission to make recommendations to Congress to end abuses of the physician self-referral law in radiation oncology enabled by the "in-office ancillary services exception."

"We are very pleased that key federal policymakers are fully aware of the ever-expanding schemes that are being used to generate profit at the expense of American taxpayers and cancer patients," Tim R. Williams, M.D., ASTRO chairman, said. "We appreciate the considerable effort that MedPAC and others are dedicating to examine these abuses, and we are confident that this hard work will pay off in sound policies that protect cancer patients and precious health care resources."

ASTRO's highest priority is excellence in cancer patient care. When a patient's medical condition requires a referral for specialized care, the treatment decision must be based on quality care and patient choice, not financial incentives. ASTRO believes it is wrong to create business enterprises centered on rewarding physicians for making referrals, yet we are increasingly seeing business ventures across the country designed to generate additional revenues within a group practice by incorporating radiation therapy.

source: ASTRO

Florida radiation council endorses ASTRO patient protection plan

Fairfax, Va., June 15, 2010 – Through a unanimous decision, the Florida Advisory Council on Radiation Protection has endorsed Target Safely, the American Society for Radiation Oncology’s (ASTRO) patient protection plan.

ASTRO’s Board of Directors developed Target Safely after a systemic review of the Society’s patient safety and quality assurance projects, which began as part of the Board’s winter meeting January 28-31, 2010. The goal of the plan is to improve safety and quality and reduce the chances of medical errors.

"The Florida Bureau of Radiation Control and the Advisory Council on Radiation Protection are pleased to endorse ASTRO’s Target Safely plan," William Passetti, chief of the Florida Department of Heath Bureau of Radiation Control, said. "We are always looking for partners to work with to help reduce any unnecessary radiation exposure to people in Florida and feel this plan is an important piece toward that end."

source: ASTRO

New 'Microbead' Radiotherapy More Effective With Molecular Imaging

ScienceDaily (June 7, 2010) — Research unveiled at the Society of Nuclear Medicine's 57th Annual Meeting may change the way that a novel form of radiotherapy is set up and tested prior to treatment. This technique, known as radiomicrosphere therapy, involves the injection of tiny highly radioactive beads that "nestle up" with cancerous tumors and destroy them with precision. However, technologists and physicians must work together to carefully plan each patient's treatment using molecular imaging to ensure that the beads do not wander off into other areas of the body.

"Radiomicrosphere therapy guided by molecular imaging is an emerging area of radiotherapy and has the potential to target treatments for cancer patients," said Ron Young, C.N.M.T., principal researcher and clinical manager of nuclear medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio. "This technique allows us to provide the most effective and individualized therapy with minimal complications for the patient."

Radiomicrosphere therapy can lead to unwanted damage to healthy tissues. Young emphasizes that those providing care must perform an imaging scan of patients to predict where these particles are going to travel and potentially destroy normal tissue.

source: Science Daily release