The Diagnostic Imaging facility management focus page provides information, videos, podcasts, and the latest news about workflow optimization, artificial intelligence, technology, radiology-radiologic technologist relationships, productivity, legislation, and reimbursement.
May 14th 2024
While radiologists and other providers may be discouraged by insurer denials saying the use of a technological advance is “unproven and investigational,” 82 percent of appeals for prior authorization denials were approved in 2021.
Call goes out for self-referred imaging center guidelines
September 5th 2003It's time for the professional community, including the RSNA and the American College of Radiology, to develop guidelines for self-referred whole-body CT screening, according to researchers at Stanford University.Using results of a study of U.S.-based
Imaging center PACS: ASP and ye shall receive
August 11th 2003PACS involves difficult decisions for even the largest hospitals, but smaller outpatient imaging centers often find dealing with PACS purchasing questions even more perplexing.Problems faced by stand-alone imaging center administrators differ from
Europe's hospitals play catch-up
August 6th 2003Hospitals throughout Western Europe increasingly rely on aging medical imaging hardware, as squeezed healthcare budgets and a lack of long-term financial planning keep the lid on regular upgrades and replacements. The slide toward outdated equipment may
Time zones, remote expertise win at poles, sea, small towns
July 24th 2003A year ago, surgeons at Massachusetts General Hospital, guided by digital x-rays transmitted from the South Pole, helped a physician at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station surgically repair the damaged knee of a meteorologist overwintering in
Epix Medical prepares to file NDA for long-lived MR blood pool agent
July 23rd 2003Researchers present last of clinical results at ISMRM meetingJudgment day is rapidly approaching for Epix Medical. Luminaries have completed four clinical trials aimed at determining the safety and efficacy of the Cambridge, MA,
Feds expand MR and PET coverage in some cases but deny others
April 30th 2003Expansion falls short of advocates' hopesReimbursement typically lags behind the march of imaging technology. But slowly, some would say grudgingly, Medicare and Medicaid have begun to catch up. As April drew to a close, the
Cerner's poor 1Q performance raises concerns for healthcare IT market
April 16th 2003Execs cite deteriorating reimbursement, intensifying competitionCerner Corporation issued an earnings warning April 3, sending a shiver down the corporate spine of the IT industry. The diminished performance is a reflection of
Night moves: tips for moving to global teleradiology
April 14th 2003In the face of a radiologist shortage, many radiology operations, from small private-practice groups to large university centers, are relying on nighthawks to staff night shifts. International "nighthawk" teleradiology is one solution, exploiting time
Breast MR vendor clings to growing demand for units
March 19th 2003Future growth depends on improved educationAurora Imaging Technology is on the rebound. The North Andover, MA, company installed five dedicated MR mammography scanners over the last six months, according to Steven James, Aurora's
Structured reporting rewards early adopters
March 6th 2003From traditional transcription services to speech recognition technology to structured reporting, the way to streamlined reports seems straightforward. But appearances can be deceptive, and many objections may be raised against structured reporting.
PET sales boom drives CTI revenues and profits in Q1 2003
February 19th 2003Most new customers choose fast scintillator A quick and unexpected shift to LSO detectors helped make a good quarter for CTI Molecular Imaging even better and promised continuing growth for the Knoxville, TN, company. The maker of
Partners HealthCare Chooses Neoteris to Deliver Instant Secure Access To Medical Information
February 11th 2003SAN DIEGO, Feb. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Neoteris, the leading provider of instant virtual extranet (IVE) products, today announced that Partners HealthCare, an integrated health care system that provides services from preventive primary care to long-term
ACR Appropriateness Criteria get new relational database model
February 10th 2003The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria (ACRAC) are intended to guide radiologists and referring physicians in making initial decisions about diagnostic imaging and therapeutic techniques.For the ACRAC to be relevant to current
Toshiba America strategy focuses on key modalities in U.S. markets
January 22nd 2003Strategists plan imminent move into PET and PET/CTToshiba America Medical Systems has begun living up to its name. For much of its existence, this Japanese-owned company, based in Tustin, CA, reflected Japanese thinking more than a
CAD moves out of mammography into everyday radiology practice
January 8th 2003Vendors pursue quicker and easier workflow for multiple modalitiesComputer-aided detection began modestly, confined to the single diagnostic niche of mammography screening. Now CAD is breaking out into disease areas other than
SonoSite crams greater power into smaller packages
January 8th 2003Focus seeks top performance at cut-rate pricesSonoSite (Bothell, WA) may have the most recognizable corporate mission of any company in medical imaging. Its commitment to miniaturization, exemplified by the RSNA meeting debut of
Fischer delays earnings report as SEC deadline approaches
August 28th 2002Company cites revenue declines, change in accountantJust one day before the deadline for executives of large U.S. companies to vouch for their firms' financial results, Fischer Imaging postponed indefinitely the release of its
New era of nuc med takes off with commercialization of Zevalin
July 24th 2002Early results foretell future of radioimmunotherapyRadiopharmaceutical Zevalin has ridden a wave of good news this year: FDA approval in early February, commercial launch in the U.S. a month later, a decision in early June by
Hitachi enters PET marketplace with low-end scanner from CPS
June 26th 2002CTI seeks to proliferate core positron technologyHitachi Medical Systems formally unveiled an entry-level PET scanner at the annual meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine in Los Angeles June 15 to 19.The scanner, which Hitachi
PET coverage for Alzheimer's not likely
May 15th 2002The recent spate of favorable Medicare reimbursement decisions for PET may be at an end. The executive committee of the Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee voted unanimously April 16 to endorse a diagnostic imaging panel's earlier recommendation not to