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.
April 16th 2024
A new study shows that GPT-4 may offer comparable error detection rates to those of attendings and radiology residents in reviewing radiology reports, but researchers noted key caveats as well.
Sluggish sales persist in ultrasound market
February 26th 1992Radiology ultrasound leaders ATL and Acuson both acknowledge thatthe ultrasound market tightened up last year. They differ, however,in interpreting how slow the market was and in what ways theirrespective positions changed. Both vendors say that product
Diasonics holds up in tight market
February 12th 1992Diasonics managed to increase income from continuing operations15% in fiscal 1991 (end-December) despite ultrasound price competitionand softening imaging demand in Europe, according to Rod Young,president and CEO.Income for the year was $18.9 million,
Imaging charges vary among states
February 12th 1992A survey of group health charges in the capital cities of 17 statesdisclosed huge variations in the 1991 reimbursement rates forMR and CT procedures. Information on charges was gathered fromthe files of the Group Health Insurance Association of America,a
Acuson growth slows in tight market
December 25th 1991A research report released this month by Wall Street securitiesfirm Morgan Stanley reduced income and sales growth projectionsfor radiology ultrasound leader Acuson. Despite market sluggishness,however, the vendor maintains a bottom line that most
Picker plans reentry into Japan; searches for ultrasound opportunity
November 20th 1991Resuscitated Japanese sales, blooming international market shareand a possible play in ultrasound should help Picker Internationalavoid sluggish sales in a maturing U.S. medical imaging market,according to Cary J. Nolan, president and CEO.With no new
Radiologists gain ground in final RVS regulations
November 20th 1991The final rules for Medicare's new resource-based relative valuescale appear to address two of the three major issues posed bythe American College of Radiology regarding physician paymentreform. The 1500-page regulation, announced last week, recognizes
Mobile imaging remains on growth path
November 6th 1991Prospects for mobile medical services are strong in light of severalfederal and state regulatory trends, said William L. MacKnight,chairman and CEO of Maxum Health, a Dallas-based imaging servicesprovider. Changes in Medicare capital reimbursement and
Aerospace firm supports center company start-up
November 6th 1991Financial support from a Florida aerospace company and the serviceexpertise of several former Quantum Imaging managers aided theformation of a new imaging center firm in September. MediTek Health of Tampa intends to acquire existing
Payers eye cooperative technology assessment
November 6th 1991Diagnostic imaging manufacturers face problems if major insurersproceed with plans to consolidate their medical technology assessmentsefforts, according to Bobby J. Bowen, vice president of GE MedicalSystems' advanced technology division. The joint
National differences coexist with EC unity
October 23rd 1991The Western European market for medical imaging systems remainsdivided along national lines despite efforts to create a unifiedmarket within the European Community by January 1993. Imagingvendors active in Europe will keep their national sales and
Philips trims nuclear from portfolio
October 9th 1991Philips Medical Systems has halted manufacture of nuclear medicineimaging systems to concentrate on better business prospects inother modalities. The firm will focus on MRI, ultrasound, CT,x-ray, and radiation therapy, according to Hans van Bree,
Proceed with caution in restructuring centers
September 11th 1991Imaging center operators should move slowly in modifying jointventures to comply with the Health and Human Services safe harborregulations (SCAN 8/14/91), according to Charles Booth, an imagingcenter consultant. Pending regulatory and judicial action
Open systems support growth in medical 3-D
September 11th 1991Proliferation of three-dimensional medical image processing systemswill accelerate over the next several years (see graph). A primeforce driving 3-D medical imaging is the growing processing powerand open-system architecture of medical workstations,
Multihead SPECT fuels market pep
August 28th 1991Initiation of dual-head single-photon emission computed tomographycamera sales this year will boost revenues in the nuclear marketby about 10%, predicted James L. Besett, general manager of Picker'snuclear medicine division. Unit sales will remain fairly
Some calm returns after first safe-harbor shock
August 28th 1991Turbulence in the imaging center business may be subsiding, althoughmany doctors are nervously reconsidering existing or potentialinvestments, industry sources report. Center deals ground to a halt this month following publicationof the Department of
GE plans mid-field Signa offering
August 28th 1991GE Medical Systems has applied for Food and Drug Administrationmarket approval of a 0.5-tesla version of its high-end Signa MRIsystem. The vendor hopes to receive the go-ahead for U.S. salesby next month. The 0.5-tesla Signa will fill a gap between
PET sales take breather after hot 1990
August 14th 1991While unit sales of mega-expensive positron emission tomographycameras are still nothing to shout about, the PET market showedbrisk growth last year. PET orders flattened out, however, inthe first half of 1991. GE installed or is in the process of
HCFA moves to pay for nonionics
July 3rd 1991A proposal to provide differentiated Medicare reimbursement fornonionic radiographic contrast media was embedded in the same187-page rule containing the relative-value scale regulations(see previous story). Nonionic agents are currently reimbursedat the
Blue Cross proposal means mixed bag for imaging
July 3rd 1991The medical imaging industry views with mixed emotions the reimbursementguidelines established last month by the Blue Cross and Blue ShieldAssociation. BCBSA is urging member insurers to extend reimbursement fornumerous preventive health-care
Medicare fee schedule hits radiologists hard
July 3rd 1991Radiologists received a rude surprise when they read the mostrecent proposal from the Health Care Financing Administrationfor Medicare fees based on a resource-based, relative-value scale(RVS). The proposed regulations were published last month in
Center companies seek growth through merger
April 24th 1991As government efforts to restrict referring-physician ownershipof freestanding imaging centers wallow in the bureaucracy, theanticipated flood of independent centers up for sale has diminishedto a trickle. Imaging center chains are not finding
U.S. medical firms retain their allure
April 24th 1991International investors are showing increased interest in U.S.medical firms, despite the appeal of a unified European market,according to Jack W. Cumming, president of WDI International. WDI offers strategic business consulting and investment
Stark prepares for summer offensive on self-referrals
April 10th 1991Rep. Fortney "Pete" Stark (D-CA) will launch a frontalassault early this summer on referring physicians who have financialstakes in freestanding imaging clinics. Medicare payments formagnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography will also
Struggling investor may sell AHS shares
March 27th 1991A major shareholder in imaging center firm American Health Serviceshas been placed in receivership. It is expected that 3.8 millionshares of preferred AHS stock held by OmniCorp Holdings of Switzerlandwill be offered for sale. This amounts to about 28%
Capital payment plan discourages buying binge
March 13th 1991A last-minute buying binge will not permit hospitals to escapethe proposed phase-out of the Medicare capital pass-through program(SCAN 2/13/91). Payments for old medical equipment will be protectedonly if the equipment was purchased prior to October
Capital pass-through faces termination as Medicare flat-payment system nears
February 13th 1991A government decision to replace the Medicare capital pass-throughprogram with a system of flat annual payments could be the mostsignificant change in how Medicare makes payments to hospitalssince the advent of diagnosis-related groups eight years
Former scanner execs start MRI firm
January 30th 1991Three former Fonar executives have joined with a fourth partnerto form Imaging Systems International of Boca Raton, FL, a magneticresonance imaging center firm. ISI's first center, North GeorgiaDiagnostic Imaging of Atlanta, opened in June, according to