Pamela L. Moore, PhD

Philips emphasizes newly flexible, wireless detector at RSNA 2011

CHICAGO-System helps physicians follow evidence.

CHICAGO-Carestream features newly mobile system at RSNA 2011

Q.Suite positioned as improvement in cancer treatment assessment.

Philips promotes Ingenuity product at RSNA 2011

Sectra’s vice president of research and development expects lots of conversations about meaningful use, practice consolidation, and teleradiology.

vRad's cloud-based teleradiology alliance model helps radiologists stay put, perform faster services, access subspecialists more easily.

Philips’ Ingenia 1.5 T and 3.0 T MR will get a spotlight in the Philips booth at RSNA 2011. Touted as the first ever digital broadband MR, the devices received FDA clearance in April 2011 and started shipping commercially in July.

Scott Smith, director of project management, CT, Philips Healthcare, describes low-dose CT as nearly a given in the marketplace now. What’s more important is maintaining the speed and quality of the image while using iterative reconstruction to keep the dose low.

Philips will highlight its newly released MicroDose Mammography System at RSNA 2011. The Philips unit will go head to head with other new entries in the mammography space including Hologic’s 3-D breast tomosynthesis product, Selenia® Dimensions, whole breast ultrasound from U-Systems, Dilon’s 6800 MBI scanner, and GE’s Discovery MB750b, a molecular breast imaging system.

In this podcast, Tom Gentile, president and CEO at GE Healthcare Systems, explains that “the whole focus of imaging is moving beyond the quality of the image.” Patient care, physician productivity and reimbursement take on a renewed focus in light of healthcare reform efforts internationally, he says.

Many physicians are stuck in a middle-ground: They are still paid based on volume but are being asked to look more at value. In the transition, it’s hard to make good decisions about investing in new technologies. Here's an example of one product that can work now and in the future.

Retirement and recruitment may be growing. Is your practice ready?

The final 2010 Medicare fee schedule projects an 11% drop in reimbursement to radiologists. The House has voted to delay implementation of the changes until March 2010. The Senate is expected to vote before the end of the year.

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) just released proposed rules for "meaningful use" of electronic medical records. Radiologists who can prove they are making "meaningful use" of certified electronic records are eligible for $44,000 in Medicare incentives starting in 2011. That's per physician.

According to an article in the January 2010 issue of Radiology women with elevated risk of breast cancer are likely to refuse an MRI -- even when it won't cost them anything.

Do you want to be satisfied with your practice and work life?