Index Shows Radiology Managers Still Have Low Confidence in Reimbursement Rates

July 21, 2011

Medical imaging managers continue to have low confidence that reimbursement rates will improve in the near future and that funding for capital purchases will become readily available.

In these times of healthcare uncertainty, medical imaging managers continue to have low confidence that reimbursement rates will improve in the near future and that funding for capital purchases will become readily available.

“Competent imaging managers will ensure that patient care and safety will remain the highest priority despite these challenges. Doing more with less is our new reality," said Roland Rhynus, CRA, FAHRA, President of AHRA: The Association for Medical Imaging Management.

The just-released, third quarter 2011 Medical Imaging Confidence Index (MICI), co-developed by The MarkeTech Group LLC and AHRA: The Association for Medical Imaging Management, reveals results from an online survey of 153 managers of radiology departments meant to assess their confidence in market conditions for the current quarter.

Here are the results for third quarter of 2011:

Topic

Score

Mean	Interpretation
Will grow monthly volume in diagnostic and interventional radiology	104	Neutral
Will receive adequate reimbursement from Medicare for diagnostic and interventional imaging	65	Low confidence
Internal operating and staff costs will remain constant	127	High confidence
Will have access to capital for imaging equipment and IT needs	87	Neutral
Will maintain/grow as a profit center	124	High confidence
Composite score across all areas	100	Neutral

Confidence related to capital availability remained low compared with the second quarter, but managers remained confident about growing as a profit center. (Review the first quarter results and the second quarter results.)

Here's a look at the first three quarters:

Every quarter, the same participants will be asked the same questions.

Because of how the longitudinal index culls responses from a statistical cohort of participants, the index is considered a sophisticated scientific measure and reliable gauge of the industry outlook, according to index developers. For each topic, the index posed this statement: "Over the next three months, I am very optimistic that our department ..." Scores measure their level of confidence (from extremely low to extremely high).

What do you think?

Medical Imaging Confidence Index (MICI) was co-developed by AHRA:The Association for Medical Imaging Management and The MarkeTech Group, owner of the imagePRO panel, launched in 2008. MICI data rely on the feedback of a statistical cohort of respondents from the imagePRO panel that accurately represent the US market hospital market by bedsize and geographic areas.