By Michael PachterAUSTIN, Texas — The federal government has granted $12 million in stimulus funding to the Texas health care agency for an experimental medical device called the 360 degree camera.
It’s part of the $1.8 billion in stimulus funds that the Texas Health Resources and Services Commission will spend on research and development to make medical devices better at detecting and tracking tumors.
The money will go to the Department of Veterans Affairs, which uses the device to provide better treatment for veterans with chronic illnesses, such as cancer.
“These devices are used by the VA and other public agencies to monitor disease processes and evaluate their impact on patient care,” the agency said in a statement.
“These devices can also help the VA identify the most effective treatments for specific disease processes, including the treatment of cancer and other life-threatening conditions.
In addition, they have a wide range of applications, including detecting and managing cancers in humans and animals, detecting and analyzing blood flow, and assessing the impact of medications and other therapies on the brain, the nervous system, and other body systems.
With a small amount of funding from the federal government, Texas could have been the first state in the country to get this technology.
The Department of Defense has used 360 degrees cameras for decades, and it’s been used by other agencies in research and clinical testing.
But the Texas program will allow the agency to test the devices at a larger scale.
A state-run website, www.360degrees.gov, lists the agency’s funding allocation.
The state has also set aside $2.4 million for training and technical assistance.
While the agency was initially slated to receive the money this year, the funding will expire at the end of the year, and the Texas governor said in an interview that he plans to use the money to expand its program and make sure it’s ready for prime time.
