The European Investment Fund (EIF), the European Union's specialized financial body for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), has provided over 1 bn EUR of guarantees for SMEs through the European Union's Competitiveness and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) via 9 intermediaries in 6 countries, 1 year after being awarded the management of the EU programme.

Asklepios, Germany's largest chain of private clinics and medavis GmbH, a leading provider of medical information systems, have signed a framework contract to equip six Asklepios clinics in Hamburg with medavis' radiology information system. The conversion to medavis RIS as the central radiology information system for the Hamburg clinics will be carried out in the course of the “OneIT“ project for the standardisation of the entire IT infrastructure.

Clinical software specialist Clinical Solutions has announced a partnership with Fujitsu Services, which will help improve access to healthcare and advice for the people of Spain. With an ageing population and chronic conditions on the rise, the escalating cost of healthcare provision is a growing concern for the Spanish Government and regions.

Nuance Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAN), a leading supplier of speech solutions, announced that its SpeechMagic technology has been rolled-out at 12 sites of HCA International, central London's premier healthcare facility.

medavis GmbH, the leading provider of radiology information systems, is reflecting on a successful business year in 2008. With a growth in customer turnover of 40 percent, the company from Karlsruhe, Germany continues on its course of expansion, even in the current financial crisis. medavis considers itself in an excellent position to face the current financial year.

Aerotel Medical Systems, a world leading manufacturer of modular, mobile and home-based telemedicine and telecare solutions and GEBOA SA, a leading distributor of interactive easy to use reliable, and innovative mobile solutions and services for security, location and communication, have launched Aerotel's GeoSKeeper™ personal safety and location system in Switzerland under the brand name AlarmTouch™ GPS.

Time pressure, cost cutting and reams of paperwork - the daily routine for health and social care workers often equates to tilting at windmills. Diakonie- Pflege Verbund Berlin - which provides social care services in Germany's capital - turned to technology to address these pressures more effectively and improve both quality of care and staff working conditions.