Steven R. Renard

May 01, 2008

>Declining reimbursements in outpatient diagnostic imaging pose significant challenges for center operators across the county. What was once a fairly easy business to operate has in many ways become a challenge, especially during the past two years. Finding a good technologist was, and still is to a certain extent, a hardship for some radiology departments, but hiring a skilled manager is proving to be like finding a needle in a haystack.

December 20, 2007

As a consultant, I have the opportunity to speak with many operators, vendors, payers, analysts, and banks about the future of outpatient imaging. In our conversations, I share trends, numbers, and perceived areas of growth. What they want to talk about most is financials, particularly what 2008 will bring. It’s a curiosity that these folks, no doubt, share with vendors.

November 21, 2007

In keeping with family tradition, my niece has entered the radiology business. She is getting ready for her first RSNA meeting and asked me, “As a potential customer, what would you want to see or hear at our booth this year?”

October 24, 2007

In keeping with family tradition, my niece has entered the radiology business. She is getting ready for her first RSNA meeting, and one day she asked me, “As a potential customer, what would you want to see or hear at our booth this year?” Her question, simple as it seemed, was hard to answer.

September 21, 2007

If the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 wasn’t enough of a blow to the imaging industry this year, just wait. Congress has a surprise awaiting us in 2008.

August 27, 2007

Over the past year, many payers and utilization management companies have been looking at accreditation and certification. Large payers, such as United Healthcare, Aetna, and Blue Shield (and soon Blue Cross), require the outpatient facility and its equipment to meet the American College of Radiology requirements at the risk of losing their contracts. These requirements can be demanding, as seen in the Blue Shield list for MRI or CT, according to Guidelines for Providers Performing Imaging Procedures: Blue Shield of California.

July 17, 2007

As imaging centers across the country fall behind on equipment payments, they are getting calls from workout groups. We’re not talking gym memberships here. These groups try to recoup lost revenues from notes in default and are being used more than ever in the radiology finance world. During the past few months, I have spent a good portion of my time speaking to finance vendors involved in attempting to salvage centers. It is frightening to see the washout of once-profitable centers, as they fall victim to the draconian cuts in Medicare reimbursement resulting from the Deficit Reduction Act.

April 20, 2007

Pressure to go filmless has been mounting for years. Rising chemical costs and reimbursement cuts under the Deficit Reduction Act have compounded the pressure on outpatient centers such as ours to rein in escalating expenses. To make a serious dent in

March 19, 2007

Two months ago, a seasoned vendor told me that he hadn’t sold a single piece of equipment in six months. He had built his business serving entrepreneurs within the medical imaging marketplace. As a long-time friend, I could tell he was frustrated and at the same time, scared of the unknown.

February 12, 2007

For the better part of a year, imaging industry analysts have been studying and hypothesizing about the impact of the Deficit Reduction Act. I considered myself an optimist throughout most of last year, believing that an idea this bad would not make it into practice, at least not in 2007.