Facility Management

Two major providers of teleradiology services, NightHawk and Virtual Radiologic, offered to sell the secrets of their success at the RSNA meeting this week. The companies unveiled on the exhibit floor productivity tools and resources developed for in-house use and made them available for sale to other providers.

Radiologists frequently ask how they can maximize practice revenue. One way is to include proper billing documentation in dictated reports. This strategy will ensure the practice receives proper payment for services and that the proper documentation exists in case Medicare ever conducts an audit.

A special feature on utilization management programs in the October issue of Diagnostic Imaging included discussion of one of the principal tools employed to tamp down overuse of diagnostic imaging services: preauthorization programs. I commented in that story about how I regularly hear from my clients that referring physicians demand "assistance" from the imaging provider in obtaining preauthorization from health plans.

Use of breast ultrasound and breast MRI in Medicare beneficiaries has been on the rise, but mammography utilization has not kept apace. Following a big boost in the number of mammograms in the late 1990s, growth has slowed in recent years. The reason could be waning awareness of screening programs or possibly a decline in access due to center closures.

New analyses of data from the Digital Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial show that digital mammography is superior only for pre- and perimenopausal women with dense breasts. Screen-film mammography may actually have an edge in older women with fatty breasts, according to a study presented at the RSNA meeting on Sunday.

Powerful corporations and Congress make big headlines -- for all the wrong reasons. Scandals plaguing the private and public sectors, however, can provide a wakeup call for radiologists to renew their commitment to ethical behavior, according to RSNA president Dr. Robert R. Hattery.

New analyses of data from the Digital Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial show that digital mammography is superior only for pre- and perimenopausal women with dense breasts. Screen-film mammography may actually have an edge in older women with fatty breasts, according to a study presented at the RSNA meeting on Sunday.

I was caught off guard last week by the barrage of news reports that stemmed from a study regarding lung screening for early cancer detection. Every news channel in my area was reporting it with the same vigor they use to convey news of North Korea and the Iraq war. PBS even had a special on it. What many of us in the imaging community already knew, and those in Congress seem to forget, is that medical imaging saves lives and money.

U.S. hospitals are in trouble, with an estimated shortage of up to 200,000 beds nationwide predicted by 2012. Profitability issues are to blame, according to a report by the Center for Health Design in Concord, CA.

The Access to Medical Imaging Coalition (AMIC) will push hard for the postelection Congress to pass legislation to delay scheduled Medicare cuts aimed at medical imaging reimbursement, but prospects do not look good.

After a 60-day comment period on proposed changes to the Medicare physician fee schedule, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released its final rule this month, a document that deviates little from the changes announced earlier in the year. Comments sent in by interested stakeholders, however, reveal concerted efforts to amend provisions that reduce payment.

Burned out and discouraged, physicians in significant numbers have considered chucking their medical careers, according to the American College of Physician Executives’ first Physician Morale Survey.

Solutions include ways to store and distribute data while offering seamless integration with workflow tools

Specialty hospitals continue to narrow their focus in order to widen their margins

Practical tips from one early adopter demonstrate dos and don'ts of transitioning to 3T MR imaging

Annual release of Medicare update reveals multiple proposals affecting radiologists

Increasing number of state reimbursement policies for CCTA build momentum for national coverage

In a move calculated to open doors for CT as a cardiac screening tool, GE Healthcare will market a software upgrade for its LightSpeed VCT that will dramatically reduce the radiation dose patients receive during cardiac CT.

CT colonography is effective in the right hands, complements conventional optical colonoscopy well, and appeals to consumers, according to a study of about 1100 patients at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

FDG-PET’s ability to monitor and foresee tumor treatment response and long-term outcomes will be put to the test in a new national study run by the American College of Radiology Imaging Network.

Laser-based eye tests now in clinical trials for detection of Alzheimer’s disease have proven successful in spotting early molecular signs of the disease. The commercialization of these tests could ignite future demand for imaging studies of patients suspected of Alzheimer’s.

Laser-based eye tests now in clinical trials for detection of Alzheimer’s disease have proven successful in spotting early molecular signs of the disease. The commercialization of these tests could ignite future demand for imaging studies of patients suspected of Alzheimer’s.

One of the largest health insurers in the U.S. has solicited the American College of Radiology for its opinion regarding who should read coronary CT angiography studies.

Diagnostic Imaging roundtable tackles rationales and realities of efforts to rein in imaging use in radiology

Correlation between pre- and postcontrast images of knees could influence treatment evaluation

Ideal computer-aided detection tool combines high sensitivity with low false-positive rates

New advances in technology keep older modality in the picture for cost-effective cardiovascular diagnosis.