Medscan charts new name, direction

Medscan, a Philadelphia imaging center company, appeared at the1990 Radiological Society of North America with a new identityand plans for expanded services. Although the firm's RSNA exhibitand product literature bore the label Americare Technologies Inc.(ATI), the booth was staffed by Hal Beck, Medscan marketing vice-president.Medscan president John Bennett apparently heads both firms. ATI'saddress in the RSNA exhibit directory was identical to Medscan's.

Although Beck was short on specifics, SCAN learned ATI wasorganized last summer to help free Medscan from physician jointventuring. How Medscan's assets are to be transferred to the newconcern was not disclosed.

Medscan operates 22 imaging centers in Pennsylvania and NewJersey, Beck said. Most are physician-owned joint ventures. Thecompany had seven centers in operation two years ago (SCAN 11/9/88).Medscan was an innovator in the use of teleradiology technologyto centralize the reading and interpretation of magnetic resonanceimages obtained at different centers.

ATI literature distributed at the RSNA meeting touted otherservices in addition to MRI. The company offers nuclear medicineimaging services, including radionuclide angiography.

ATI plans include acquiring additional fixed site imaging centers,marketing mobile MRI, providing consulting and management servicesand helping customers set up their own outpatient joint ventures,according to the company literature.