ONRAD Blog Posts

Position Overview ONRAD is actively hiring board-certified Diagnostic Teleradiologists to join our fantastic team of physicians. Work from home, with no on-site requirement, state-of-the-art systems technology, 24/7/365 support, optional shift schedules, and world-class earnings potential. About ONRAD ONRAD provides customized teleradiology services, subspecialty teleradiology interpretations and quality...

February 24, 2023

Position Overview ONRAD is actively hiring board-certified Diagnostic Teleradiologists to join our rapidly growing team of physicians. This position will allow you to work from home with flexible shift schedules and no on-site requirement. Workload: Full Time Location: Remote Beginning Compensation: $500-$549K Potential Compensation: $900K+...

February 17, 2022

Job Title: General Radiologist Department: Medical Staff Reports to: Medical Director Position Overview We are actively hiring a board-certified General Radiologist to join our practice for a hospital-based position in Chicago suburbs for a 182-bed acute care facility which includes a certified Level II Emergency/Trauma...

June 29, 2020

Farid Shafaie, MD, ONRAD Medical Director Today is an amazing time to be in radiology. I have practiced as a board certified in diagnostic and neuroradiologist for over twenty years. Before that, I was a mechanical engineer obtaining my license and worked for a time...

September 21, 2018

If you’ve been to Presence St. Mary’s Hospital in Kankakee, Illinois you might recognize a familiar face draped across the walls of the hospital. In an effort to spread the word about Presence St. Mary’s radiology services, they have unveiled a new marketing campaign promoting...

February 27, 2018

To quote Linda Dew M.D., FRCPC, DABR from a recent article posted on DiagnosticImaging.com, “As medicine has moved forward, radiology has been a part of that…we’re much more an integral part of the health care system”. With the advent of Teleradiology technology and vastly improved...

December 9, 2017

HIT & Teleradiology Industry Leader Poised to Advance Rapid Growth & Transformational Success RIVERSIDE, Calif., Nov. 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — ONRAD, Inc., a 24/7 full-service technology-enabled radiology services provider offering comprehensive on-site, remote and custom professional radiology services, is pleased to announce that David Engert has...

December 6, 2017

Onrad is well-known in the radiology community for their expertise in on-site radiology and their involvement with prominent hospitals, but there is much more to Onrad than that. Onrad can help imaging centers, whether they be IDTFs (Independent Diagnostic Testing Facilities) or outpatient imaging centers...

November 5, 2015

There are many people that contribute to Onrad’s success but we wouldn’t be considered one of the top teleradiology service providers without their expertise and dedication. Each of our radiologists bring something valuable to the table whether it be their subspecialty, their experience at a...

October 21, 2015

Presence St. Mary’s Hospital in Illinois announced that they will be offering the innovative Y-90 procedures at their hospital under the leadership of Dr. Farid Shafaie, Chairman of Radiology and Medical Director at Onrad, Inc. This radioembolization procedure has many benefits for patients and is...

October 14, 2015

Onrad joins Inc.’s list of fastest-growing private companies in America, making the Inc. 5000 list along with companies such as FitBit, Intuit, Zappos, Microsoft and GoPro.   We are pleased to announce that this year, Onrad has made Inc’s 2015 list of 5000 fastest-growing private...

September 1, 2015

We’re lucky to have such an impressive team of nationally recognized radiologists at Onrad. Each doctor brings something unique to the table and does their part in making us a top provider of on-site radiology and teleradiology services.  This week we want to focus on...

August 7, 2015

With the rise in popularity of lung cancer screenings in the country, many imaging centers have seen a significant spike in CT chest scans at their practices. Physicians are happy to see their patients taking advantage of these preventative screenings now that they are covered...

July 31, 2015

At Onrad, we consider ourselves an extension of your organization. Whether we are assisting hospitals with on-site radiology coverage or teleradiology services, our level of commitment to overall success is always the same. In our minds, your hospital or radiology practice’s accomplishments are a reflection...

July 6, 2015

Onrad is always looking for ways to improve patient care and referring physician experiences with our team of radiologists. We are able to give patients access to expert care, even in rural areas. Our sub-specialty experience speaks for itself and we’re able work as a...

June 18, 2015

Growing your radiology practice’s business can be tricky, especially if you feel like you’ve already exhausted all of your options and resources. With patients becoming more empowered and the growth of ACOs, you might have noticed your patient volume taking a dive even during traditionally...

June 9, 2015

How do you know if Onrad’s teleradiology services are the solutions to your imaging center’s problems? Deciding to outsource your radiology reading services to second party can be a hard decision to make. With Onrad however, you don’t have to worry about the stress and...

June 2, 2015

ONRAD Radiologists Read Nearly 1 Million Imaging Studies a Year ONRAD, Inc. is pleased to announce that they have now deployed Carestream’s Vue PACS to handle reading and reporting of nearly 1 million imaging studies a year. ONRAD has almost 100 radiologists and provides services to 275...

May 19, 2015

Dr. Farid Shafaie isn’t your standard radiologist. From his background, to how he got involved with medicine, to how he treats his patients; Dr. Shafaie is far from the norm…  After receiving his Bachelor’s degree in engineering science, Shafaie went on to graduate with his...

May 13, 2015

Onsite radiologists are essentially the “CEO” of their departments, which means they need to be able to manage staff, engage patients and work with stakeholders to constantly build the organization’s brand. Onrad “CEO Radiologists” are able to recognize issues within a department and learn to...

May 6, 2015

One of our own Onrad, Inc. radiologists is making headlines again. In a recent article for Illinois’ health magazine, Thrive Healthcare, Dr. Farid Shafaie was highlighted for the way he has improved interventional radiology treatments for patients at Presence Health St. Mary’s Hospital. By promoting...

April 13, 2015

As an innovative national provider of onsite radiology and teleradiology services, ONRAD fosters cooperative relationships and alligns with its hospital partners to provide quality patient care to fulfill the needs of the communities we serve.  ONRAD’s Radiological Group at Presence St. Mary’s Hospital in Kankakee, IL exemplifies how...

December 3, 2014

November is officially Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Consensus has been building for long-time smokers need for annual CT Scan Lung Cancer Screening to reduce their risk of dying from lung cancer. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on November 10th that it...

November 13, 2014

At Onrad, we provide quality patient care to women via our on-site and teleradiology diagnostic imaging services.  The provision of quality health care for all women and girls in the U.S. continues to be an on-going initiative throughout the country.  Medicare’s anticipated plans to implement...

August 5, 2014

  Onrad, as a full service radiology provider, works closely with its hospital partners to develop joint strategies that will benefit overall patient care while making a positive impact on the Radiology Department’s overall business goals. To better understand our partner’s goals and objectives, we...

July 22, 2014

Community Spotlight:  Farid Shafaie, M.D. By Dennis Yohnka, Reprinted Courtesy of The Daily Journal Kankankee IL A primary part of Onrad’s culture is working proactively with our clients and partners to achieve success and deliver the highest quality patient care.  Our Physicians are a driving...

May 23, 2014

David Willcutts of ONRAD Provides Insight on Teleradiology  Our CEO, David Willcutts, met with Jeff Fleming of Carestream at RSNA 2013 in Chicago, IL to discuss the ACR Task Force’s white paper on Teleradiology Practice.  The ACR white paper highlighted issues that are not unique...

February 5, 2014

Teleradiology Technology Update While attending RSNA 2013 in December, David Willcutts, CEO of ONRAD, discussed with Jeff Fleming, VP Healthcare IT at Carestream Health, the business decisions leading ORNAD to leave its previous healthcare IT infrastructure behind. After in-depth analysis, ONRAD chose to transition to...

February 5, 2014

“What? You mean a doctor in another state is looking at my tests?” For some patients, the notion of teleradiology raises some immediate concerns. After all, building a relationship with a specific physician is often a priority, and learning that their X-ray, MRI or other...

January 20, 2014

Cloud computing is changing the face of how we do everything online today, from how we store our personal documents and photos to how we manage our workflow in the office. Nowhere is the cloud roving more revolutionary and useful than in the field of...

January 10, 2014

When one lives outside of a large metropolitan area, or when traveling or visiting a rural area, or even in a large city in the wee-hours of the night and they experience a health-care crisis (no, don’t worry, this article isn’t about the Affordable Care...

October 23, 2013

RIVERSIDE, CA – ONRAD, Inc., a full service radiology provider, announced the acquisition of Shafaie Enterprises, LLC of Chicago, IL. With the addition of Dr. Shafaie and his practice, ONRAD further extends its presence in the Midwest imaging market by adding a number of new...

April 11, 2013

Recently, the Los Angeles Times published an article entitled “False-positive mammograms take mental toll, study finds.” As a radiologist in Los Angeles. I am , of course concerned  with and sympathetic to the anxiety created when an abnormality is detected on a screening mammogram. I...

April 11, 2013

ONRAD Expands Radiology Services to Entire Avanti Hospitals, LLC System Riverside, CA December 18, 2012 – ONRAD, a U.S. based provider of radiology solutions, is pleased to announce that Avanti Hospitals, LLC has selected ONRAD, Inc. to provide 24×7 onsite and remote radiology services at...

December 18, 2012

  This last year at ONRAD has been extremely dynamic. We continue to have record growth. In fact, in November, we broke a monthly volume record. We are also very excited to have partnered with our first full hospital system. By partnering with a hospital...

December 18, 2012

RIVERSIDE, CA–(Marketwire – Nov 7, 2012) – ONRAD, a full service physician-owned radiology provider, is pleased to announce the hiring of David Willcutts as its Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Willcutts brings over 20 years of healthcare expertise to ONRAD. Most recently Mr. Willcutts served as...

November 7, 2012

Check out ONRAD’s new video below and visit our website onradinc.flywheelsites.com for more details!

September 18, 2012

ONRAD Ranks No. 3759 on the 2012 Inc. 500|5000 RIVERSIDE, CA–(Marketwire – Aug 31, 2012) – Inc. magazine ranked ONRAD, Inc. No. 3759 on its sixth annual Inc. 500|5000, an exclusive ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents the most comprehensive look...

August 31, 2012

Creating a request for proposal (RFP) is a critical stage in customizing your radiology services. It puts the medical facility in the driver’s seat. Every service provider is distinctive. At the same time, not all radiology companies have the same capacity. The radiology RFP is a meeting...

August 29, 2012

imagingBiz | How the majority of provisions from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) will affect health care (in general) and radiology (in particular) remains to be seen; with the most sweeping changes still pending in the coming years, providers are holding their...

August 24, 2012

DiagnosticImaging | Medical malpractice isn’t reserved to surgeons and obstetricians. Radiologists and their staff also face litigation and must understand the laws and the risks they face. “Yes, it does really happen in imaging,” said Marie Fredrick, RT (R), CRA, MJ, a vice president at...

August 14, 2012

Over the past few years, teleradiology services have evolved at an impressive rate. Although this practice initially started off as a form of convenience, it is now considered to be indispensable when it comes to supplementary services in the medical field. Teleradiology is one of...

August 14, 2012

DiagnosticImaging | Culture trumps strategy — each and every time. In short, culture is the heart and mind of the organization. Regardless of the time, effort and energy put into developing a new strategy, without readying the culture to accept and embrace the new strategy,...

August 9, 2012

imagingBiz | The global market for X-rays will top $9 billion by 2017, according to “Medical Imaging Markets,” a new report from TriMarkPublications.com. X-rays comprise the largest share of the global medical imaging market at 32%. North America was the largest single market for medical...

July 23, 2012

imagingBiz | Well, it happened: In a surprise ruling, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of health-care reform by interpreting the individual mandate as a tax. The full decision is well worth reading, but the upshot is that starting in 2015, our already beleaguered—some would...

July 18, 2012

Introduction With the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the Constitutional legality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), health care providers are asking questions about how the Act will affect their practices. Those who work in radiology services are certainly no exception. Modern medicine, after all,...

July 16, 2012

Our sales team speaks to hundreds of Radiology Directors each month. Many times there is not a need, but we like to have conversations to simply learn on a daily basis about the emerging dynamics of providing professional radiology services. While most of the conversations...

June 19, 2012

Subspecialty radiology expertise can be a very valuable addition to a practice. If you’re looking for a subspecialty radiology group, learn how to find the best fit for you. Credentials aren’t everything We won’t dispute the value of well-educated physicians from top programs. However, picking...

May 15, 2012

As an active member of the ONRAD management team, an officer of the company, and a 3rd year part-time law student at the University of San Diego School of Law, I have had little time to read the newspaper. That is unfortunate. Well, my law...

May 12, 2012

Customer service is like a good stew. It blends different ingredients that complement each other and eventually results in a great meal. Customer retention is what you get after you’ve served that famous customer service stew. The receipe for successful customer service is unique in...

April 24, 2012

History: Abdominal Pain Images: Diagnosis:             Scroll down to see….         Mesenteric ischemia. Mesenteric volvulus and occlusion of SMA.

April 23, 2012

There are different opinions on how a hospital based radiology practice should be run or how a transition from one group to another should occur. However, in each of these situations, there is one common denominator. The hospital medical staff must be engaged in both...

April 12, 2012

As most ONRAD customers know, the IT team is currently working to update the RIS to TRIS 8.  Beyond the TRIS 8 release, the ONRAD IT department is also hard at work at three other major initiatives that are sure to make our network one of the...

April 12, 2012

Today was the final day of oral arguments in front of the Supreme Court on the Constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. Again, the audio, transcripts, and scholarly responses can be found here: America Health Lawyers Association Blog. There were essentially two sets of arguments...

March 28, 2012

Audio, transcripts, and reaction to today’s arguments can be found here: American Health Lawyers Association Blog. TAX OR PENALTY REVISITED: Today’s oral arguments in front of the Supreme Court revolved around the individual mandate to purchase health insurance or pay a penalty, as required by...

March 27, 2012

For each of the next three days, I will be giving the “ONRAD” reaction to the oral arguments and Supreme Court Justice questions debated in the Oral Arguments phase of the healthcare reform case that is currently being heard. The schedule of this phase of...

March 26, 2012

How to write a Radiology RFP Deciding which radiology group is the best fit for you can be an overwhelming decision. There are many elements to consider. First, be sure that the RFP you create is complete and accurately states exactly what your expecations are. That will help...

March 16, 2012

Patient History: Head Trauma Images:       Diagnosis: Scroll down to see….         Fibrous dysplasia of sinonasal region.

February 29, 2012

The Bill: Recently, Utah senator Tom Udall (D-Utah) has announced plans to introduce a bill this spring that would create a national telemdicine license, thus, in theory, breaking down some very difficult barriers to delivering efficient national healthcare. This bill is specifically relevant to the...

February 16, 2012

If you plan to sign a teleradiology contract soon – read this first! Here are just a few of the things you need to keep in mind when deciding to work with a certain teleradiology provider, and one cliche (we had to): 1)      Billing –...

February 1, 2012

Questions to ask now that will help you avoid conflict later! Don’t be afraid of contracts! Your teleradiology contract is there to help clarify expectations of all parties. When everything is spelled out clearly ahead of time, you can avoid surprises, unexpected costs and contention. If...

January 27, 2012

Patient History: Right lower quadrant pain. Teleradiology Images:                       Do you know the diagnosis?   Scroll down to see…     Diagnosis: Colonic Intussusception

January 25, 2012

Free and Easy Teambuilding Ideas Teamwork is one of the most important aspects of the workplace, especially in radiology where teamwork can save lives.  Unfortunately, while people come together to get the job done, they really lack in everyday teamwork skills.  However, even in the...

January 16, 2012

The first newsletter of 2012 has been published! Read the latest teleradiology newsletter for more information about: Upcoming RIS upgrade New RadRemote video chat tool for radiologists How you radiology practice can develop good Inclement Weather Policies Is there anything you want to see covered...

January 12, 2012

Patient History: Chest and back pain Image:     Do you know what the diagnosis is?   Scroll down to see…         Diagnosis: Esophageal rupture   Which Dutch physician described the first case of esophageal rupture?

January 9, 2012

Patient History: 6th nerve palsy with left eye problems of sudden onset two days ago. Images:                                      Do you know the diagnosis?   Scroll down to see…  ...

December 20, 2011

Looking for simple ways to help your radiology practice to cut costs? We’ve put together a list of fast, easy ideas that could add up to big savings: Install a Smart Thermostat These technological marvels have sophisticated behavioral algorithms that allow them to “learn” your...

December 9, 2011

Patient History: Pain. Status post fall. Images:           Do you know the diagnosis? Scroll down to see…         Diagnosis: Superficial brainstem hemosiderosis

December 6, 2011

What is DICOM? DICOM (Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine) is a standard for storing and transmitting medical images between medical computer, software, and imaging systems. It is a standard protocol that was developed by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) and has been revised...

November 15, 2011

Patient History: Abdominal pain, history of pancreatic lesion. Cholecystitis. Images: Do you know the diagnosis? Scroll down to see…         Diagnosis: Left obturator hernia w/incomplete SBO

November 4, 2011

The RSNA (Radiological Society of North America) is holding its annual tradeshow in Chicago from November 27-December 2, 2011. It’s exciting, fun, educational – and its size can be completely overwhelming! Here are some helpful tips on networking while you’re there. Understand the Purpose of...

October 14, 2011

Chicago is an exciting place to visit any time of year, but there is something about the briskness in the air combined with the anticipation of the end-of-year holidays that makes late November the perfect time to breeze into the Windy City.  Whether you are...

October 14, 2011

Fish hook to the eye Images:                                                                                ...

September 28, 2011

FierceHealthcare | The Obama administration set the stage Monday for the Supreme Court to rule early next year on the constitutionality of the president’s healthcare law by declining to press for a full appeal in a lower court. The Justice Department announced it will forgo...

September 28, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Increased regulations and higher fixed costs have many private radiology clinics across the U.S. choosing to affiliate with local hospitals or healthcare systems. Doing so, however, has raised new questions on the revenue side. Does it become easier or more difficult for a...

September 28, 2011

AuntMinnie | Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) causes fewer bowel and rectal toxicities than 3D conformal radiation therapy, according to study findings to be presented October 3 at the plenary session of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) annual meeting in Miami Beach, FL. A...

September 28, 2011

imagingBiz | Patients with shorter life expectancies are at far less risk relative to those with a good prognosis when it comes to radiation dangers from medical imaging, conclude researchers in a new study in Radiology. The results may bring some relief to radiologists who...

September 28, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | A bill aimed at improving Medicare reimbursement for radiologist assistants is now wending its way through Congress. H.R. 3032, the “Medicare Access to Radiology Care Act of 2011,” would amend the Social Security Act to recognize radiologist assistants as non-physician providers of healthcare...

September 27, 2011

AuntMinnie | In 1993, radiologists working at the Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) did something revolutionary. They moved into a new hospital facility that had no permanent film file room. Why? Because the Baltimore VAMC had purchased a PACS, the very first full-hospital PACS...

September 27, 2011

imagingBiz | Diffusion-weighted MRI may be a better determinant than PET-CT of whether lung lesions are cancerous or benign, according to a study conducted by Belgian researchers and presented yesterday at the European Respiratory Society’s Annual Congress in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The modality could then...

September 27, 2011

AuntMinnie | Does the presence of heavy calcification hinder diagnosis with coronary CT angiography (CCTA)? It surely does, and the more calcium per segment, the greater the inaccuracy, concludes a study in the October issue of Radiology that analyzed data from the recent Coronary Evaluation...

September 26, 2011

AuntMinnie | Asymptomatic adults with a low Framingham risk score (FRS) and nonsignificant coronary artery disease still face a higher risk of death and adverse events if mild coronary artery plaque is present at coronary CT angiography (CCTA), according to a study from Cedars-Sinai Medical...

September 26, 2011

imagingBiz | Top radiology and policy experts will offer solutions to critical imaging informatics and radiation dose challenges at the First Annual ACR Imaging Informatics Summit and Dose Monitoring Forum, to be held by the American College of Radiology (ACR) on November 3 and November...

September 26, 2011

imagingBiz | The cost of defensive medicine ranges from 26% to 34% percent of total annual health care costs, according to a report by Jackson Healthcare, a health care solutions company. Annual spending on medical orders intended to avoid lawsuits, rather than to treat patients,...

September 26, 2011

AuntMinnie | Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) provides good local control and overall survival in patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to a report from Japan. The authors consider SBRT a good alternative to surgery for these patients. The lead author, Dr....

September 23, 2011

<strong>AuntMinnie | </strong>Asymptomatic adults with a low Framingham risk score (FRS) and nonsignificant coronary artery disease still face a higher risk of death and adverse events if mild coronary artery plaque is present at coronary CT angiography (CCTA), according to a study from Cedars-Sinai Medical...

September 23, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | About a decade ago, I was covering a typical callshift at a level-1 trauma center. One of the requisitions for imaging caught my eye. Hastily scrawled in the space for a clinical history was the unilluminating statement: “Patient needs CT.” Although a number...

September 23, 2011

imagingBiz | It’s a good thing patients in MRI scanners are lying down, it turns out. The authors of a study published online Thursday, in Current Biology, have sorted out the root of reported dizziness and vertigo reported by patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging. MRI...

September 23, 2011

imagingBiz | Appropriateness criteria developed in 2009 by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) perform “fairly well” for certain indications, reducing the number of inappropriate imaging exams, reveals a study presented at ASNC’s annual meeting in Denver,...

September 22, 2011

AuntMinnie | President Barack Obama’s plan to tame the U.S. budget deficit includes $320 billion in health savings over the next 10 years — $1.3 billion of which would come from cuts to medical imaging, according to the proposal released September 19 by the White...

September 22, 2011

FierceHealthcare | In a blow to hospital mergers, Prime Healthcare’s move to buy Victor Valley Community Hospital (VVCH) has been denied because the sale is “not in the public interest,” California Attorney General Kamala Harris decided yesterday. After review, the AG determined the sale will...

September 21, 2011

AuntMinnie | Concern about radiation dose from medical imaging exams makes it imperative that radiologists proactively find ways to keep dose exposure to a minimum — and healthcare IT can help, according to Dr. James H. Thrall, who spoke on the topic this week at...

September 21, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Increased regulations and higher fixed costs have many private radiology clinics across the U.S. choosing to affiliate with local hospitals or healthcare systems. Doing so, however, has raised new questions on the revenue side. Does it become easier or more difficult for a...

September 21, 2011

imagingBiz | Health care claims information—representing more than $1 trillion in treatment and services rendered over the past 11 years—will be submitted by four major health plans and Medicare to the newly formed Health Care Cost Institute for researcher analysis of the primary drivers of...

September 21, 2011

imagingBiz | While it remains strongly in favor of serious, properly designed proposals to eliminate the sustainable growth rate (SGR), the American College of Radiology (ACR) has issued a statement is expressing strong opposition to Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) recommendations pertaining to such a...

September 21, 2011

AuntMinnie | Breast cancer MRI screening among high-risk, underserved women can significantly decrease diagnostic costs and increase patient compliance with follow-up appointments compared with general-risk mammography screenings, according to a study presented September 20 at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Conference on the...

September 20, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | The way you receive reimbursement for your services could soon transform. There are two problems, however: no one is sure to what degree it will change, and radiologists haven’t really had a voice in the conversation. In line with the Affordable Care Act’s...

September 20, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | It is something we all dread: a phone call from a colleague to tell us there was something they found that we did not. It makes your heart race. Most of the time, the clinicians or partners are kind — but not always....

September 20, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | The use of production control techniques including statistical analysis, queuing theory, and statistical process control yielded big MRI efficiency gains at a 1,200-bed German hospital, say the authors of a new study in the September issue of the Journal of the American College...

September 19, 2011

AuntMinnie | Appropriateness criteria developed in 2009 by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC) performed “fairly well” for certain indications, reducing the number of inappropriate imaging exams, according to a study presented at ASNC’s annual meeting in...

September 19, 2011

AuntMinnie | How promptly a facility follows up with women who have received an abnormal mammogram is crucial to a screening mammography program’s success, according to a new study published online in Radiology. Time to follow-up varies widely between facilities — indicating there is definitely...

September 19, 2011

imagingBiz | Managed care is now the prevailing method through which states deliver health care to Medicaid beneficiaries. However, key findings of a survey released September 13 by the Kaiser Family Foundation’s Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured (KMCU) indicate that states may not have...

September 19, 2011

Imaging Center Accreditation Options Health care organizations are held to high standards, and for good reason.  The general public has the right to receive the best medical care available while Medicare and other payers need to be assured that facilities are properly run and diagnosis,...

September 19, 2011

AuntMinnie | With the right processes in place, requests for same-day MRI scans can be handled more than 90% of the time, resulting in productivity gains and boosting revenue for radiology departments, according to a study in the September issue of the Journal of the...

September 16, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | At the recent Pennsylvania Radiological Society meeting, I was asked to speak about the “cons” of the new board certification format recently instituted by the American Board of Radiology. The change has created quite a few problems for residency programs across the country...

September 16, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Johns Hopkins researchers reviewing a decade of patient records of those who underwent spinal angiography found the procedure to be safe and effective, they reported online this week in the journal Neurology. The procedure, an X-ray of the blood vessels near the spinal...

September 16, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Voice regnition software continues to gain popularity in healthcare as the technology improves. But among radiologists, it’s often met with mixed reviews. The technology promises to speed turnaround time and save money, but concerns linger that it’s cumbersome and error-prone. How do you...

September 15, 2011

AuntMinnie | In the late 1990s, radiology societies helped encourage vendor adoption of the DICOM 3.0 standard, a milestone that ultimately sparked a revolution in digital image management. Now, RSNA hopes its Image Share project will do the same for the nascent field of image...

September 15, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Increased regulations and higher fixed costs have many private radiology clinics across the U.S. choosing to affiliate with local hospitals or healthcare systems. Doing so, however, has raised new questions on the revenue side. Does it become easier or more difficult for a...

September 15, 2011

imagingBiz | A bill that requires health care providers to inform women when they are found to have dense breast tissue has been passed by the California State Legislature, reports sponsoring Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto). Known as Senate Bill 791 and formerly Senate Bill...

September 15, 2011

imagingBiz | While the volume of CT scans administered in emergency rooms have increased dramatically in recent years, a new study published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine links such an increase to fewer hospital admissions. According to the study, the use of CT scans...

September 15, 2011

FiercePracticeManagement | Tennessee group practice Fayetteville Medical Associates recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. “Never in that time–which included the 1918 flu epidemic, two world wars, and at least one depression–have we been as challenged as we are now in the changing world of health care,”...

September 14, 2011

AuntMinnie | Maximum standardized uptake values on PET/CT scans can help predict prognosis in breast cancer patients with bone metastases, but other PET/CT values could be even more useful, according to research presented last week at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Breast Cancer...

September 14, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Blood flow abnormalities in the brains of veterans with Gulf War illness have persisted 20 years and in some cases have gotten worse, according to a new arterial spin labeled (ASL) MRI study published online in the journal Radiology. Gulf War illness is...

September 14, 2011

imagingBiz | The American College of Radiology (ACR) today sent a statement to newly appointed members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (Joint Select Committee), urging that cuts to diagnostic imaging services not be included in any upcoming legislative proposal. The statement was...

September 14, 2011

AuntMinnie | Radiology groups are losing hospital contracts in record numbers as imaging services have become increasingly commoditized — especially with the advent of  teleradiology, which gives groups a break from night call but also exposes them to the threat of replacement. There are strategies, however, that radiologists...

September 13, 2011

AuntMinnie | In a study being touted as the first to use noninvasive imaging to test the efficacy of an atherosclerosis drug, researchers from Mount Sinai Medical Center and 10 other centers found that a drug called dalcetrapib reduced arterial inflammation and disease progression at...

September 13, 2011

imagingBiz | GE has established Research Circle Technology Inc. (RCT), a new entity formed to accelerate and enhance the development of metabolic imaging and other innovative technology. RCT’s vision is to create a strong alliance between GE’s scientists and the world’s leading universities, providing easy...

September 12, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Women with abnormal mammogram results got faster follow-up care if additional imaging was the next step than if doctors prescribed a biopsy or surgical consultation, according to a new study in the journal Radiology. But most patients needing follow-up got it within three...

September 12, 2011

imagingBiz | Automated entry of procedure codes in radiology reports reduces the percentage of errors compared to manual entry, reveals a study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts and published in the September issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology...

September 12, 2011

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post soliciting some feedback from all of you on your opinions of the Debt Ceiling compromise made by the US Congress in July, 2011 in order to pass the US government’s budget for 2012. https://onradinc.com/uncategorized/the-debt-ceiling-compromise-and-healthcare-reform/ . I received some...

September 9, 2011

AuntMinnie | Chemotherapy delivered concurrently with radiation therapy (RT) is more effective than treatments delivered sequentially for extending the lives of patients with inoperable stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to a study published online September 8 in the Journal of the National...

September 9, 2011

It’s more important than ever for radiology departments to uncover and implement cost saving strategies. While reimbursements will continue to spiral downward, the complexity of managing a radiology department will continue to rise. Download our free whitepaper to learn new cost saving strategies for your...

September 9, 2011

imagingBiz | U.S. House of Representative appropriators have indefinitely postponed plans to consider the 2012 spending bill for health programs. The review had been scheduled for Friday morning. An appropriations staff member says the decision to postpone was made because the Transportation Appropriations panel is...

September 9, 2011

imagingBiz | Ninety-one individuals, including physicians, nurses, and other medical professionals, have been indicted for their alleged participation in Medicare fraud schemes involving approximately $295 million in false billing, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Kathleen Sebelius, secretary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,...

September 9, 2011

ImagingEconomics | While new modalities are rare, there has been an increase in combinations of tried and true technologies that promise to give radiologists and the health care enterprise a diagnostic and competitive edge. One of these hybrid offerings, PET/CT, was the subject of KLAS’...

September 8, 2011

AuntMinnie | Mammography and breast self-exams remain important tools for detecting breast cancer, even among women ages 40 to 49 — for whom routine mammography has been questioned by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), according to a study to be presented this week...

September 8, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Radiography job vacancy rates have fallen for the eighth year in a row, and now stand at just 2 percent, according to a new American Society for Radiologic Technologists survey. The vacancy rate represents the number of positions that are open and actively...

September 8, 2011

FierceHealthcare | The healthcare industry has put much focus on pay-for-performance programs to improve the quality of care. Yet new research questions this approach and suggests that providing financial incentives to doctors and hospitals to deliver high-quality care may not ensure healthier patients. After reviewing...

September 8, 2011

imagingBiz | The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) has enrolled the first patients in RSNA Image Share, its project to develop a network for the sharing of medical images among patients and physicians. Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, New York, is...

September 8, 2011

ImagingEconomics | For community hospitals, the challenges of EMR implementation are many, but achieving meaningful use is a must. When asked to provide advice to community hospitals facing the challenge of electronic medical record (EMR) implementation and demonstrating meaningful use, Keith J. Dreyer, MD, vice...

September 7, 2011

AuntMinnie | This question is not addressed in an article in press published 26 August in Radiotherapy and Oncology comparing the cost of radiotherapy at a Belgian hospital in calendar years 2000 and 2009. However, the content of the article — a financial cost model...

September 7, 2011

AuntMinnie | Polyethylene glycol (PEG), the standard bowel cleansing preparation for conventional colonoscopy, did just a little better than magnesium citrate at virtual colonoscopy, according to researchers writing in Radiology. The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) study prospectively compared the effectiveness of cleansing and...

September 7, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | The ACR called on CMS to scrap proposed payment cuts in the Medicare Fee Schedule Rule for 2012, saying the reduction is “scientifically unfounded, based on flawed assumptions and may limit patients’ ability to receive efficient care.” In a letter commenting on the...

September 7, 2011

imagingBiz | Rural health networks nationwide will receive more than $11.9 million to support their adoption of health information technology (HIT) and certified electronic health records (EHR), the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) announced last Friday.The funding is also intended to assist participating...

September 7, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | RSNA Image Share, the network designed to help patients take control of their medical images and reports, has enrolled its first patients, Radiological Society of North America officials said. The network was designed to facilitate access to imaging exams for patients and physicians,...

September 6, 2011

AuntMinnie | It’s a well-known fact that the U.S. government did not develop “meaningful use” with radiologists in mind. However, the program may turn out to have strong benefits for imaging specialists that go beyond stimulus funding, according to a new article in the September...

September 6, 2011

imagingBiz | A comprehensive anti-fraud initiative undertaken by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) under health reform law will soon force some physicians in the Medicare program to revalidate their individual enrollment records, the agency has announced. CMS will gradually send revalidation requests...

September 6, 2011

AuntMinnie | Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values generated by MRI scans may be a promising tool to monitor early response and predict prognosis after chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to a study published online August 18 in Radiology. Researchers from Japan concluded...

September 2, 2011

imagingBiz | A comprehensive anti-fraud initiative undertaken by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) under health reform law will soon force some physicians in the Medicare program to revalidate their individual enrollment records, the agency has announced. CMS will gradually send revalidation requests...

September 2, 2011

AuntMinnie | Performing bedside ultrasound on emergency department (ED) patients with undifferentiated hypotension can reduce diagnostic uncertainty and have a clinically significant impact on more than half of cases, according to research from George Washington University (GWU) Medical Center. In addition, the prospective study also...

September 1, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | A new technique combining electrocardiographs (ECG) and computed tomography (CT) paints a more accurate picture of the electrical activity of a beating heart, according to a new study in Science Translational Medicine. The technique, which its inventors call electrocardiographic imaging, or ECGI, can...

September 1, 2011

ImagingEconomics | Managing the explosion of digital medical images, diagnostic reports, and patient medical records has become increasingly complex, making the need for an affordable and effective approach to health care information management and storage greater than ever. At the same time, HIPAA, state, and...

September 1, 2011

imagingBiz | The HIMSS Electronic Health Record Association is asking the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to reconsider a proposal to require the submission of patient-level data as it pilots electronic submissions of clinical quality measures. Responding to proposed rules for the Medicare...

September 1, 2011

ImagingEconomics | Molecular breast imaging proves effective and less expensive than MRI for women with dense breast tissue. It can be tough being the new modality on the block—even more so if it’s a new breast imaging technique. This is due in part to safety...

August 31, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Despite the renewed attention, information technology (IT) continues to be a comparatively low spending area for healthcare. In the U.S., healthcare providers spend 2 percent to 3 percent of their operating budgets on IT, which is significantly less than other industries such as...

August 31, 2011

AuntMinnie | Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is increasingly being used to treat lung cancer patients with for whom surgery is not an option. But overweight and diabetic patients have a greater risk of developing chest wall pain, according to a study published in the...

August 31, 2011

AuntMinnie | Using MRI, researchers have found that intra-aortic balloon pump counterpulsation prior to percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction does not reduce infarct size, according to a study presented on Tuesday at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) congress...

August 31, 2011

AuntMinnie | AuntMinnie.com is pleased to present the next installment of Leaders in Imaging, a series of interviews with individuals who are shaping the radiology landscape. We spoke with Pamela Wilcox, RN, MA, the American College of Radiology’s assistant executive director for quality and safety....

August 30, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | When I have a busy day, I get intensely focused on viewing and interpreting the studies in front of me. That is the core of what I am trained to do. But lately, it seems I am being asked to add new information...

August 30, 2011

imagingBiz | A new medical research body born of healthcare reform should not consider the cost of treatments when evaluating them. That is the opinion expressed by the American Medical Association (AMA), which over the past few days has been soliciting other groups to sign...

August 30, 2011

imagingBiz | The American College of Radiology (ACR) has issued a statement addressing inaccuracies it contends were included in “Radiation Risks of Diagnostic Imaging”, a Sentinel Event Alert issued last Wednesday by The Joint Commission (TJC). The alert indicates general agreement that “care should be...

August 30, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Every now and then, I find myself thinking about some of the skills radiologists have developed that are underappreciated. Some once held more importance than they now do (pneumoencephalography, for instance). Others were more recently of practical value but are on their way...

August 29, 2011

AuntMinnie | The discovery of a thrombus within an aneurysm on a FDG-PET/CT scan can alter the treatment for cancer patients and eliminate potentially major consequences, according to a study published online August 4 by the Journal of Nuclear Medicine. Researchers at Saint Louis University...

August 29, 2011

imagingBiz | New research conducted by the U.S. National Cancer Institute and published online Monday in the journal Cancer suggests a link between the dramatic decline in women’s use of hormone therapy mid-decade and a decline in mammograms. “We found that women in the age...

August 29, 2011

AuntMinnie | Thanks to an internally developed software application, importing external prior imaging studies at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare facilities is now a practical endeavor, according to an article published online in the Journal of Digital Imaging. With the DICOM Importer application,...

August 29, 2011

imagingBiz | Optimism and uncertainties on the health care front color updated budget projections released by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Wednesday. The CBO is forecasting a $1.3 trillion federal deficit for 2011, $116 billion lower than had been projected in a budget update issued...

August 29, 2011

imagingBiz | A new report from MarketResearch.com forecasts that the global radiopharmaceuticals market for therapy and PET and SPECT imaging could see annual growth of 8% over a five-year period, reaching $4.7 billion in sales in 2015. PET and SPECT accounted for 90% of the...

August 26, 2011

AuntMinnie | If in-house IT support is available, open-source PACS software and virtual computing technology may offer a reasonable option for digital image management for some institutions, according to researchers from the University of Patras in Rion, Greece. In an article published online in the...

August 26, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Smaller hospitals might worry they don’t have enough staff or time to effectively reduce CT dose exposure for patients, but one hospital’s success proves it can be done. By changing protocols for CT angiographic imaging, Gundersen Lutheran Health System, a physician-led, La Crosse,...

August 26, 2011

imagingBiz | The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on Tuesday announced a new plan offering bundled payments to physicians, hospitals, and other health care providers. As set forth in the Affordable Care Act, bundled payments comprise remuneration for a given patient’s entire episode...

August 26, 2011

ImagingEconomics | Thanks to a new diagnostic imaging technique, physicians now have an objective test to evaluate patients for parkinsonian syndromes, such as Parkinson’s disease. Northwestern Memorial Hospital is among the first institutions in the country to offer DaTscan™, the only FDA-approved imaging agent for...

August 25, 2011

imagingBiz | Whether allying themselves with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) or working with private payors, entities may, when attempting to form accountable care organizations (ACOs), make errors that impede the success of their endeavors, write two health care policy experts. In...

August 25, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | It was the 250th anniversary of the birthdate of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The Human Genome Project published the last chromosome sequence in the publication, Nature. Pluto was demoted from ‘planet’ to ‘dwarf planet’ by the International Astronomic Union. It was 2006, and since...

August 25, 2011

AuntMinnie | Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) are using a technique called shutter-speed dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI to improve breast cancer diagnostic accuracy and reduce unnecessary biopsies, according to a study published online August 9 by Radiology. In the study sample of 92...

August 25, 2011

AuntMinnie | It may seem intuitive enough that 64-detector-row CT is faster for multiple-casualty trauma than four-detector-row machines, but minutes make a big difference when patients are seriously injured, according to researchers of a new study in the September issue of the American Journal of...

August 24, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores based on cardiac CT scans can stratify the risk of heart disease among those without symptoms, a new study reports. That’s something studies of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) can’t do, according to a team led by Michael Blaha,...

August 24, 2011

ImagingEconomics | The Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Houston, and Philips have collaborated to develop imaging technology that could be used to identify the start and cause of an infectious disease epidemic. The purpose of the suite is to study pathogens that require biosafety level 3...

August 24, 2011

imagingBiz | Health-care IT professionals are no strangers to the complexities that arise from managing ever-growing archives. One particular subset of the data stored across the enterprise, however, might be overlooked: email archives. Although one analysis by Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG), Milford, Massachusetts—a market-research and...

August 23, 2011

AuntMinnie | For surveillance of previously detected lung nodules, CT radiation dose can be cut to approximately 3% of the original exam dose, concludes a new study in the September edition of the American Journal of Roentgenology. The dose savings are important because lung cancer...

August 23, 2011

ImagingEconomics | GE Healthcare has received FDA clearance for its new platform of Radiotherapy (RT) Planning Computed Tomography (CT) systems. The CT systems are designed specifically with treatment planning in mind and help physicians address the increasingly specialized imaging needs of patients. GE’s new wide...

August 23, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you might’ve heard about a need for cost-cutting in health care. Our esteemed politicians tell us that all options are on the table, and that they’re looking for ideas. Just on the off-chance that they actually...

August 23, 2011

imagingBiz | In a move to provide a curriculum comprised of educational activities and programming, the American College of Radiology (ACR) has created a multi-year academy to be known as the Radiology Leadership Institute (RLI). Slated to begin next year, the institute will combine face-to-face...

August 23, 2011

imagingBiz | With new research showing that CT scans may help in the early detection of lung-cancer in current or former smokers, hospitals are increasingly offering steeply discounted CT scans to patients for cash, reports Kaiser Health News (KHN). Because CT screening for lung cancer...

August 22, 2011

AuntMinnie | Manual quantification of stenosis suffers from interreader variability, which can affect interpretation and comparison of results. Software-based automated techniques can do a much better and more efficient job, according to a pair of recent studies. In one study, researchers from the University of...

August 22, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | In his commentary “A Case for Prior Authorization of Imaging Services,” Douglas Tardio posed the question: Which is really better for patient care — clinical decision support or prior authorization? Mr. Tardio concluded that it is the latter. While we agree that both...

August 22, 2011

imagingBiz | To make a point about how health IT can curb runaway health care costs, Peter R. Orszag cited the experience of Partners HealthCare System Inc. in Boston. Orzag was President Obama’s director of the Office of Management and Budget and is now vice...

August 22, 2011

iHealthBeat | Eleven percent of surveyed consumers strongly agree that the increased use of technology in customer service has significantly improved the level of service from health insurers in the past five years, according to an Accenture survey. Seventeen percent of survey respondents strongly disagree...

August 18, 2011

This morning I read a forum post on Aunt Minnie about a popular teleradiology company that experienced a long technology outage during peak coverage hours. As an IT department leader, this piqued my interest. The issue was related to an outside Internet Service Provider –...

August 18, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Now is the time to speak up. That’s the message from Maggie Sayre, executive director of the Association for Quality Imaging in Washington, D.C. Everyone from radiologists to technologists must address upcoming health care changes, as the imaging industry reels from — and...

August 18, 2011

AuntMinnie | A new test may be able to spot people at high risk of stroke, although it’s too early to be excited, researchers said Wednesday. Yet some already are. That’s because the test is able to separate people with clogged neck, or carotid, arteries...

August 18, 2011

imagingBiz | For the fourth year of in a row, AHRA: The Association for Medical Imaging Management and Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc., are offering grants to fund programs, training or seminars aimed at improving patient care and safety in CT, MR, Ultrasound, X-ray and...

August 18, 2011

AuntMinnie | For patients with delayed allergic reactions to iodinated contrast media (ICM), skin tests may help in selecting an alternative agent, French researchers suggest. As many as 3% of more than 70 million patients who are exposed to ICM annually have delayed hypersensitivity reactions,...

August 17, 2011

AuntMinnie | The screening mammography debate has come to the September issue of Radiology through a pair of articles from the most vociferous advocates on either side: One group is led by Dr. Daniel Kopans of Massachusetts General Hospital and the other by Drs. Peter...

August 17, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | The final details of the Accountable Care Organization are still yet to be defined, but now’s not the time for radiologists to hesitate. Imaging professionals should prepare for the new health care model by assessing the current state of the practice, from the...

August 17, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | The Office for Civil Rights has revealed the top areas of interest on its HIPAA privacy and security compliance radar. Adam Greene, former senior health information technology and privacy advisor at OCR and now partner at the law firm Davis Wright Tremaine in...

August 16, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | The radiology field will soon have a professional development and leadership academy. Next year, the American College of Radiology will open the Radiology Leadership Institute, a multi-level academy that will offer leadership courses and activities. The Radiology Leadership Institute will offer a range...

August 16, 2011

ImagingEconomics | Incidental findings can lead to unnecessary testing, expense, and malpractice suits. Radiologists inevitably worry about missing something, but an equally vexing part of the job is seeing too much. Looking for one thing and finding another—the so-called “incidentaloma”—has long been a familiar conundrum...

August 16, 2011

AuntMinnie | Researchers at Stanford University are working on a dedicated breast MRI coil with smaller coil elements, which they believe could result in sharper images and up to three times the sensitivity of standard MRI coils. The coil design could prove better suited for...

August 16, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | A formidably named bit of technology can open a new window into pancreas function, according to a new study in the journal Radiology. Serial magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) with a spatially selective inversion-recovery (IR) pulse can provide insights into pancreatic flow noninvasively, Japanese...

August 15, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | Federal health officials have released three proposed rules governing state-based insurance exchanges and premium tax credits, and Medicaid eligibility, for which an estimated 20 million people will be eligible. Officials also announced awards of $185 million to 13 states and the District of...

August 15, 2011

AuntMinnie | Using CT to measure cardiac fractional flow reserve (FFR) — measuring the shape and speed of blood flow in the heart and coronary arteries — is a potential game changer that could turn everyday coronary CT angiography (CCTA) scans into a one-stop cardiac...

August 15, 2011

imagingBiz | About 40% of last year’s “government waste” was comprised of inappropriate payments made through the Medicare program, reveals a report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) indicate that of the $516 billion remitted...

August 12, 2011

AuntMinnie | Functional MRI (fMRI) has helped researchers at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) find “diminished synchronization” between two areas of the brain to explain why high-functioning autistic adults use the wrong pronouns in their speech, according to a study in the August issue of Brain....

August 12, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Which is really better for patient care: Clinical decision support or prior authorization? Both approaches to managing utilization are meant to help physicians make critical decisions about the best way to diagnose and treat patients. Both can reduce healthcare costs by offering medical...

August 11, 2011

ImagingEconomics | The “World Healthcare IT Market: Trends & Forecast (2010 – 2015)” analyzes and studies the major market drivers, restraints, and opportunities in North America, Europe, Asia, & Rest of the world. The global healthcare IT market is expected to grow from $99.6 billion...

August 11, 2011

At-home x-rays may reduce the delirium elderly patients can suffer during the procedure, new research suggests. A pilot study of 69 patients found that 17% of those who had x-rays in the hospital — but none of those treated at home — suffered delirium and...

August 11, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Increasing use of CT scanning in emergency departments has corresponded with fewer hospital admissions, according to a new study published online in the Annals of Emergency Medicine. A team of researchers led by Keith Kocher, MD, of the University of Michigan, assessed emergency...

August 11, 2011

AuntMinnie | Canadian researchers have found that PET scans with the radiopharmaceutical rubidium-82 can predict major adverse cardiac events independent of other parameters, according to results published online August 9 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The study, from the University of...

August 10, 2011

AuntMinnie | Ignoring manufacturer guidelines for imaging equipment is usually inadvisable, but Kuwaiti researchers have found that doing so for digital radiography (DR) lumbar studies can reduce radiation exposure, according to a poster presentation at last week’s American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) meeting....

August 10, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Radiology bills aren’t straightforward – they get split into categories for professional or technical services with more than one entity often billing for different elements of the same procedure. Choosing the right financial and billing software system, or the best vendor to outsource...

August 10, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | A study assessing CT angiographs of nearly 25,000 patients presumed to be free of coronary artery disease (CAD) has shown both obstructive and nonobstructive forms of the disease to increase the risk of death. The study, published August 16 in the Journal of...

August 10, 2011

imagingBiz | Like it or not, Medicare remains the largest component of radiology practices’ payor mix, at 37% of the total. So reveals the 10th annual physician survey conducted by Medical Management Professionals, Inc. (MMP), a provider of billing and practice management service to radiology...

August 10, 2011

imagingBiz | Amid talk of another recession, health care employment rates are rebounding to a level comparable those seen in 2007 prior to the start of the economic downturn, according to data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). According to the agency’s...

August 9, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | Federal health officials have announced that they have expanded the HospitalCompare website, making more information available on 30-day mortality rates for three conditions, and showcasing a new “one-stop shopping” format to find data on various types of healthcare services, from physicians to dialysis...

August 9, 2011

AuntMinnie | Virtual and conventional colonoscopy were both beneficial but less cost-effective for preventing colorectal cancer than stool screening plus flexible sigmoidoscopy — though virtual colonoscopy may have benefits for screening laggards — according to a new model analysis in Radiology. Using data from the...

August 9, 2011

imagingBiz | The American Hospital Association (AHA) has sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR), slamming a proposed HIPAA rule that would allow patients to request reports that identify any party or entity that accesses...

August 9, 2011

Interesting Case File | August 2011  History: Swelling Images: Diagnosis: Sialolithiasis of Wharton’s Duct About ONRAD: ONRAD is a full service radiology provider offering results-proven services including teleradiology, on-site radiology and custom teleradiology hybrid solutions. Preliminary and final teleradiology reports are available 24/7/365. Read more about...

August 9, 2011

DiagosticImaging | Using lower fixed-tube current or automatic exposure control techniques when performing adult and pediatric head CT scans can reduce radiation dose and ease concern about cancer risk, according to a recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology. Head...

August 8, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | More than one in four of the 117,000 new jobs created in the U.S. economy in July were in healthcare, according to preliminary figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Healthcare created 31,300 new jobs for the month and 170,900 new jobs in...

August 8, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | The Society of Nuclear Medicine has picked its 2011 Image of the Year, published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine’s August 1 edition. The image, courtesy of radiologists at Stanford University and Hospital Mãe de Deus in Brazil, show PET/CT (positron emission tomography/computed...

August 8, 2011

AuntMinnie | Despite an abundance of false-positive results, FDG-PET/CT can provide “valuable insight” into the progression of disease in HIV patients without the need for biopsy, according to a paper in the August issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology. The researchers from Boston Medical...

August 8, 2011

AuntMinnie | Researchers have developed a tool that predicts whether coronary CT angiography (CCTA) will be successful before subjecting patients to the time, expense, and risks of scanning. The authors’ “uninterpretable risk score” (URS), based on both patient and scan factors, categorizes patients who are...

August 5, 2011

ImagingEconomics | In a new article published in the August issue of Imaging Economics, researchers explore the reasoning behind U.S. adults’ selection of access to imaging as one of the most important characteristics of their healthcare plans, as found in an independent survey conducted by...

August 5, 2011

imagingBiz | Total U.S. health care spending will increase at an annual average rate of 5.8% to nearly $4.64 trillion for the period 2010 through 2020—1.1% faster than expected growth in the gross domestic product (GDP). This is among the findings of a report released...

August 5, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | Patient-centered care is a healthcare buzzword, but what does it really mean? A bedside nurse would say that all her care is patient centered. It’s the paperwork and bureaucracy that draws the nurse’s focus from patients. All nurses want is time and appropriate...

August 4, 2011

RT-Image | Team sports require a group of people to work together to reach a goal under a defined set of circumstances or conditions. It starts with official rules that ensure a game is played in a safe and fair manner and spell out how...

August 4, 2011

AuntMinnie | Congress’ passage on August 2 of the Budget Control Act of 2011 to lift the federal debt ceiling could negatively affect Medicare reimbursement — and, therefore, medical imaging payments — by piling new reimbursement cuts on top of already serious Medicare reductions. The...

August 4, 2011

ImagingBiz | Such techniques as lower tube current, automatic exposure control, and reduced tube voltage rank among keys to significantly reducing radiation dose from CT of the head, paranasal sinuses, and spine, according to a study published in the current issue of the Journal of...

August 4, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Optical Coherence Technology (OCT), a favored tool of eye specialists for nearly two decades, may soon be coming to an esophagus or colon near you. Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed an experimental imaging system that enables high-speed, three-dimensional imaging...

August 3, 2011

ImagingBiz | Medicare is looking for misvalued imaging codes—and it has already found several for which it has reduced payment. Its efforts have dismayed radiologists. Facing more revenue losses from CMS and the private insurers that follow in the agency’s footprints, radiologists feel targeted and,...

August 3, 2011

iHealthBeat | The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers is calling for increased collaboration between physicians and technical experts to expand the use of telemedicine technology, E-Health Insider reports. IEEE and the American Medical Association are planning a conference in the fall to promote understanding...

August 3, 2011

AuntMinnie | In one study, researchers from the nuclear medicine department and PET center at Austin Health in Heidelberg, Australia, led by Dr. Victor Villemagne, compared cortical amyloid deposition using F-18 florbetaben and PET in a total of 109 participants in three clinical studies. Among...

August 3, 2011

AuntMinnie | Using software to partially automate and centralize routine quality control (QC) of digital mammography could improve the modality’s consistency and reliability, while streamlining QC procedures, according to research presented this week at the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) meeting in Vancouver....

August 2, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Mrs. Anderson called her doctor and spoke with pressured speech: “I think there is a mistake. That cannot be my ultrasound. I don’t have a gallbladder.” Mrs. Anderson was accessing our hospital’s open EHR, which allowed her to view her radiology reports, and...

August 2, 2011

imagingBiz | Physician groups, radiology groups among them, are executing minimal changes in salaries paid to management staff, according to an annual survey released by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). Entitled “Management Compensation Survey: 2011 Report Based on 2010 Data,” the report indicates that...

August 2, 2011

imagingBiz | Cuts to diagnostic imaging services are not included in the initial measures called for in the debt limit agreement approved yesterday by the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate in a move to raise the debt ceiling and prevent the near-term...

August 2, 2011

imagingBiz | Microvascular perfusion deficits and reduced arterial perfusion reserve are clearly detectable in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) when dynamic contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is used after transient arterial occlusion, report the authors of a feasibility study published online and in the August issue...

August 1, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | The right to request an “access report” as outlined in the Office for Civil Rights’ proposed HIPAA accounting of disclosures rule could be an asset to attorneys in HIPAA civil suits and malpractice cases, privacy experts say. Under the proposed accounting of disclosures...

August 1, 2011

AuntMinnie | Switching from film-screen to full-field digital mammography (FFDM) increases the total repeat rate for screening mammograms, offsetting some of the dose savings afforded by the digital equipment, according to research presented this week at the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) meeting...

August 1, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | The United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) released changes regarding the recommendations for screening mammography on November 16th, 2009. Previous recommendations stated that screening mammography should be performed every one to two years for women beginning at age 40. The 2009 recommendations...

August 1, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | The federal government issued $47.9 billion in improper payments to Medicare fee-for-service and Medicare Advantage in fiscal 2010, and Thursday officials from the Office of Inspector General, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the Government Accounting Office went before a House...

July 29, 2011

AuntMinnie | A research paper published on Thursday by the British Medical Journal has cast fresh doubt on the value of breast screening by suggesting that declining mortality rates are due more to improvements in treatment and the efficiency of healthcare systems than mammography screening....

July 29, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Computed tomography (CT) scans beat traditional spirometry in identifying lung damage associated with flare-ups of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, a study published online in the journal Radiology concludes. COPD can damage both the airways and the air sacs of the lungs,...

July 29, 2011

ImagingEconomics | The digital Pandora’s box has been opened and there’s no going back. In fact, according to a recently completed survey by Acsys Interactive, a Connecticut-based firm specializing in digital media consulting, hospital marketers expect a dramatic increase in their use of digital media...

July 28, 2011

imagingBiz | Most accountable care organizations (ACOs) are adopting one of four different approaches to creating new payment models, according to a new report sponsored by the Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation established to promote improvements in the U.S. health care system. Prepared by health...

July 28, 2011

AuntMinnie | When a medium-sized imaging center decided to achieve a paperless clinical work environment when replacing its aging RIS, it expanded this goal to include patient interaction as well. One year later, this decision has paid off handsomely. The patients of Valley Regional Imaging...

July 28, 2011

AuntMinnie | Computer-aided detection (CAD) technology doesn’t improve the accuracy of mammography and increases a woman’s risk of being called back unnecessarily, according to a study released Wednesday in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Lead author Dr. Joshua Fenton, from the University of...

July 27, 2011

iHealthBeat | Two Texas researchers recently published an analysis in the Archives of Internal Medicine outlining a scheme for categorizing health IT-related medical errors and suggesting possible fixes, InformationWeek reports (Terry, InformationWeek, 7/26). About the Analysis The two researchers are Dean Sittig, a professor of...

July 27, 2011

CaliforniaHealthLine | Americans living in rural areas are more likely to have chronic health issues and less access to quality health care than those living in urban areas, according to a report by the UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform and Modernization, Reuters reports (O’Toole, Reuters,...

July 27, 2011

ImagingEconomics | The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently  expanded Medicare coverage of MRI for beneficiaries with implanted  pacemakers when used according to FDA-approved labeling in an MRI  environment. A final National Coverage Determination (NCD) provides  access to the MRI environment for patients...

July 27, 2011

I recently sat down with the COO of a medium-sized East Coast hospital who is interested in ONRAD’s teleradiology services. After briefly getting to know each other, he simply stated, “Your company is golden. Hybrid radiology coverage is the future and your company is well positioned...

July 26, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | The global diagnostic imaging market is expected to swell to $26.6 billion by 2016, driven by an aging population and advancements in the field. The imaging market, which stood at $20.7 billion in 2010, is also expected to be bolstered by an increasing...

July 26, 2011

imagingBiz | While RIS and PACS have become indispensable components of the electronic health record (EHR), they also pose risks to patient security and data integrity. These risks can range in scope from blaster worms to the curious technologist to just plain carelessness, and steps...

July 26, 2011

imagingBiz | Radiologists have become PACS experts, sometimes by default. Because diagnostic images made the greatest demands on early information systems in health care, the most sophisticated systems were first developed to handle these images and associated data. These systems became PACS, which grew out...

July 26, 2011

Healthleadersmedia | The burgeoning mobile medical applications business got a look on Tuesday at how the government plans to regulate some of the industry. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s draft guidelines signal that of the thousands of mobile medical apps available today, it will...

July 25, 2011

imagingBiz | A bipartisan group of senators, among them John Kerry (D-MA), Herb Kohl (D-WI). and Lamar Alexander (R-TN), yesterday sent a letter to the Obama Administration protesting the inclusion of any diagnostic imaging cuts in legislation to raise the debt ceiling. The American College...

July 25, 2011

imagingBiz | The American College of Radiology (ACR) and the Society of Breast Imaging yesterday announced that they “applaud and support” updated American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ (ACOG) recommendations that women begin to receive annual mammograms at age 40. The updated ACOG recommendations, published...

July 25, 2011

Is the world of radiology simply going through a cycle of change or are we experience permanent changes to the world of radiology? Over the past couple of years, new models have emerged – good and bad, new technology has enabled better services across all...

July 21, 2011

AuntMinnie | Face it, folks: In less than six months, all healthcare providers who bill for the technical component of advanced imaging services must be accredited under the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) of 2008. More than a few facilities are scrambling...

July 19, 2011

ImagingEconomics | GE Healthcare recently received FDA clearance for the Optima XR220amx, Optima XR200amx, and Brivo XR285amx, a new platform of user-friendly, mobile x-ray systems offering improvements from its predecessors. These systems are designed to provide health care professionals with fast, low-dose, high-quality images that...

July 19, 2011

imagingBiz |PET imaging may help identify findings in brain tissue associated with Alzheimer’s disease, according to two studies published online first by Archives of Neurology. One study, led by David A. Wolk, MD, of the Penn Memory Center in Philadelphia, Pa., involved the evaluation of...

July 19, 2011

AuntMinnie | New techniques for coronary CT angiography (CTA) — particularly high-pitch scanning — are slashing radiation dose levels to provide safer scans for children without the need for sedation, according to a study presented at last week’s Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) meeting...

July 19, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Reliability is a fundamental part of quality. Consumers rely on their favored brands, and go back again and again to use them. Why? Because they know exactly what they will get, how to use them and where to find all the working parts,...

July 18, 2011

imagingBiz | In recent years, interventional radiologists have had an easier time with the long-standing challenge of impressing their diagnostic colleagues with the intangible worth of a clinical interventional-radiology service. A radiology practice with clinical feet on the street has at least a fighting chance...

July 18, 2011

imagingBiz.com | When Radiology Business Journal was founded four years ago, it was with the understanding that IT represented not just the platform for image interpretation, exchange, and archiving, but also a broad foundation for practice operations, communications, and financial analysis. Earlier this year (and...

July 18, 2011

RT-Image | Many factors drive healthcare facilities to transition from analog to digital radiology workflow. Some organizations use this transition to improve productivity, workflow efficiencies, and information access. Other organizations make this transition to reduce report turnaround time to referring physicians or enhance the healthcare...

July 18, 2011

imagingBiz.com | The ability to access online decision support solutions from within a PACS environment increases radiologists’ use of these tools, reveals a study in the July issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology. However, integrated access must be provided upon system...

July 14, 2011

What the New CMS Rule Means for Teleradiology Credentialing On May 2, 2011, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a final rule that allows hospitals and critical access hospitals using teleradiology services the ability to rely on the credentialing and privileging information...

June 29, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | Phoenix-based Banner Health is in the midst of rolling out a huge telemedicine program to every critical care hospital in its seven-state hospital system. This so-called eICU technology allows a team of off-site critical care nurses and physicians to remotely monitor ICU patients 24/7...

June 27, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | There’s a barrage of data in healthcare – I’m not just talking about patient and billing data – I’m talking about the multitude of surveys that offer insights on the direction of healthcare and the economy. While there may be a lot of...

June 27, 2011

The New York Times | Alarmed by a shortage of primary care doctors, Obama administration officials are recruiting a team of “mystery shoppers” to pose as patients, call doctors’ offices and request appointments to see how difficult it is for people to get care when...

June 27, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | While taking call during the first half of my residency, I was approached by one of the ER docs, who wanted to review a chest x-ray. My prelim report was negative, but we dug up the films (yes, films! Remember those?) and...

June 27, 2011

ImagingBiz | Up to $500 million in Affordable Care Act (ACA) funding will be awarded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to help hospitals and providers develop new programs, training, and monitoring initiatives aimed at improving patient care, the agency announced Wednesday....

June 27, 2011

ONRAD, Inc. to be featured on “21st Century Business”.

June 23, 2011

Interesting Case File | June 2011 History: Fever for two weeks and right lower quadrant pain for one day. Images: Diagnosis: Thrombophlebitis of the right gonadal vein More information: Medcyclopaedia: Thrombophlebitis, gonadal veins

June 22, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | After two days of debate, the American Medical Association’s House of Delegates Monday voted by two-thirds (326-165) to renew its support for the individual mandate, the embattled portion of the Affordable Care Act that requires people who can afford health coverage to purchase it....

June 21, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | Hundreds of hospitals across the country needlessly exposed patients to radiation by giving patients doubled-up CT chest scans a front page article in Saturday’s New York Times found. Assessing Medicare outpatient claims  for 2008 (the most recent data available), Times reporters Walt Bogdanich...

June 21, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | What is a nonprofit hospital or health system? For now, the definition is disarmingly simple. It doesn’t return its profits to shareholders; instead, it is largely free to use its margin for pretty much any other legal reason. In the spirit of their federal,...

June 17, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | It is one of the greatest frustrations for many of us. Radiologists have extensive general medical training and multi-disciplinary experience. We are uniquely positioned to help make decisions about utilization of radiologic services. Many of us do so daily when clinicians call to...

June 17, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | A recent blog of mine focused on one of the less-lovable sorts of colleague one might encounter: the Troll. It got me thinking of some of the other imager-archetypes I’ve encountered, both in training and subsequently. I thought I’d share a few: The Workhorse:...

June 17, 2011

ImagingBiz | Radiologists are clearly getting the shorter end of the stick on the compensation front. Salaries are on a decline, according to the “Physician Compensation and Production Survey: 2011 Report Based on 2010 Data” survey released by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). The...

June 17, 2011

Cloud Technology in Healthcare Recently, a blog was posted in Diagnostic Imaging entitled Cloud Computing Creates Climate Change in Teleradiology in which the author, Joe Moock, discussed the benefits of cloud computing for teleradiology.  Reading this post led me to ask myself, is this “cloud” thing something new? I...

June 9, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | Many tales have come my way from a couple of relatives who spent about 15 years running their own business. Most of them are of the “can you beat that?” variety, but a few useful lessons are sprinkled in here and there....

June 8, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | A bipartisan bill to set minimum education and certification standards for technical personnel providing, planning and delivering Medicare-funded medical imaging and radiation therapy treatments is moving through Congress. U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.) introduced The Consistency, Accuracy, Responsibility and Excellence (CARE) in...

June 8, 2011

Over the past year, a lot has been made of the IA take over of the radiology services at the Mercy Hospitals in Ohio. Albeit, much of the noise has come from the Forums on Auntminnie. With the recent news of their confirmed failure, the entire...

June 6, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | Under a proposed rule, Medicare and private sector claims data could be used to produce public reports thatevaluate the performance of physicians, other healthcare providers, and suppliers. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is proposing to allow organizations that meet certain qualifications...

June 6, 2011

Advance for Imaging and Radiation Oncology | The FDA has given its blessing to remote diagnostic imaging; however, purists have concerns. On Feb. 4, radiology lurched into the future. On that day, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) awarded MIM Software Inc. 510(k) clearance for...

June 6, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | A team of American and Canadian researchers analyzing five years of patient data have found significant differences in the role of imaging with stroke patients at major hospitals in Boston and Ottawa. Most strikingly, the rate of stroke-related MRI scans at Boston’s...

June 6, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | This past weekend, during some superb weather, I unexpectedly found myself with a few hours of free time, and decided to go for a hike. I wanted to get out the door and on the move ASAP. The less time spent at...

June 6, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | The uncertainties around a sputtering economy have prompted the nation’s healthcare workforce to delay retirement, a new study shows. Research by The Conference Board shows that the healthcare industry experienced the largest decline in retirement rates among all workforce sectors in the U.S....

May 26, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | If there’s an opposite of a smartphone, my dumb phone would be it. It’s a flip phone without a screen on the outside, without a camera, and without a hint of modernity. As time goes on, I am feeling the pressure to upgrade...

May 26, 2011

Hartford Courant | A Norwalk couple was awarded $58.6 million Wednesday, a record for a single incident of medical malpractice in Connecticut, in a case involving an obstetrician accused of waiting too long to perform a cesarean section and a boy who was permanently brain-damaged. The jury at...

May 26, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | Physicians are becoming savvy at negotiating employment contracts. Signing bonuses, paid relocation packages, and even loan forgiveness packages are not unheard of. Median first-year guaranteed compensation was nearly $20,000 higher for specialty-care physicians in multispecialty practices than in single-specialty practices, according to the...

May 26, 2011

AuntMinnie.com | In this posthealthcare reform era, there’s a fusion of medical economics, quality and safety measures, and a challenging reimbursement reality that may or may not improve patient care or access to imaging, according to a presentation given last week at the Society of...

May 26, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | The median starting salary for diagnostic radiologists in 2010 was $288,000, according to the just-releasedPlacement Starting Salary Survey: 2011 Report Based on 2010 Data from the Medical Group Management Association. The median is a little lower if it includes radiologists in first-year post-residency...

May 26, 2011

The New York Times | Dr. Matthew Rhoa is still haunted by one of his lowest moments as a physician. Several years ago, on the first leg of an international flight, he was just settling in for a nap when a flight attendant came on...

May 24, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | If newly diagnosed heart disease patients who must undergo treatment are optimistic, and expect they’ll resume normal activities, do they actually do better than if they’re pessimistic about the outcome? Reporting on their 15-year study in this week’s Archives of Internal Medicine, Duke University...

May 24, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | Patients are not used to hearing the word no from their hospital or physician. But they will have to start getting used to it. When the discussion takes place about the need for expensive tests or procedures that perhaps don’t follow evidence-based guidelines,...

May 24, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | With increasing numbers of images to read, and more information to integrate into reports, shouldn’t the radiology report structure change with the times? This is what researchers from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center concluded in their study, Improving Communication of Diagnostic Radiology Findings...

May 24, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | I recently needed a leaking radiator removed from my home. The individual doing the job for me came well-recommended, and in fact had done two other high-quality jobs for me during the past few years. The task wasn’t a simple, one-step process;...

May 24, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | In creating and expanding telestroke centers, there is room for variety. Some hospitals and health systems opt for running them on shoestring budgets, or for initiating co-management plans with physician involvement as crucial, integral parts of building relationships among partner hospitals as with patients....

May 20, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | Widespread objections to proposed federal rules on accountable care organizations prompted the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services this week to announce enticements designed to sway providers to apply for the new payment model. On Thursday CMS fleshed out one of the programs that it...

May 20, 2011

AuntMinnie.com | The “harms” of mammography screening — widely cited as justification for raising the mammography screening age in the U.S. — just aren’t that harmful, according to a presentation this week at the Society of Breast Imaging (SBI) meeting in San Antonio. In a...

May 20, 2011

New York Times | Hospital emergency rooms, particularly those serving the urban poor, are closing at an alarming rate even as emergency visits are rising, according to a report published on Tuesday. Urban and suburban areas have lost a quarter of their hospital emergency departments...

May 18, 2011

ImagingBiz | The health care sector continues to flourish, adding more than 37,000 jobs in April 2011 and 295,000 jobs since April of 2010, reveals employment data released last week by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jobs in ambulatory healthcare services have shown the strongest...

May 18, 2011

ImagingBiz | Medicare’s Hospital Insurance Fund (HI Trust Fund) will be totally depleted in 2024, five years earlier than originally projected, according to the Medicare Trustees Report issued last Friday. The report stipulates that HI Trust Fund expenditures have exceeded annual income since 2008, a...

May 18, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | The intensive care unit is one of the most sensitive areas of the healthcare system: That’s where it responds to chronic and unremitting disease of the sickest of hospital patients, as well as those suffering from trauma or complications from surgery. Health systems...

May 16, 2011

ImagingBiz.com | U.S. consumer group Public Citizen is alleging that researchers with ties to Eli Lilly and Co. withheld from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) important information that should have been included in a study of Amyvid (florbetapir), an imaging agent for...

May 16, 2011

ImagingBiz.com | The American College of Radiology (ACR) has launched the Dose Index Registry (DIR), a vehicle to which medical imaging facilities can submit anonymized dose information for all CT exams performed and compare their dose indices to those of other facilities of similar size...

May 16, 2011

The Wall Street Journal | An 18-year-old man with fever and chills is sent home from the emergency room with Tylenol and later dies of sepsis, a blood infection. A 42-year-old woman with chest pains is discharged, only to suffer a heart attack two hours...

May 10, 2011

Los Angeles Times | Within the next few weeks, lawyers from 27 states will urge three U.S. appeals courts to strike down President Obama’s healthcare law. President Obama’s healthcare law faces a series of challenges in three appeals courts starting Tuesday as Republican lawyers from...

May 10, 2011

ImagingBiz | Results of a study¹ released in Chicago, Illinois, during the 2010 annual conference of the RSNA confirm what many in both the radiology and emergency-medicine communities already knew: Utilization of imaging in the emergency department has exploded. According to theRadiology study,¹ emergency-department visits...

May 10, 2011

InformationWeek | The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is calling electronic health records (EHRs) and other information technology “essential” to success of the medical home model of providing quality healthcare management for children. Likewise, IT systems must be able to support the goals of the...

May 6, 2011

Miami Herald | A proposal to give UM doctors working at Jackson Memorial Hospital state lawsuit protection was approved. In a long-sought move, the University of Miami won a legislative victory on Wednesday when Florida lawmakers agreed to extend state lawsuit protection to university doctors...

May 6, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | Headache as a primary diagnosis prompted more than three million visits to hospital emergency rooms in 2008. More than one third of those patients went because of migraine headaches, which were much more likely to result in an admission, according to a new...

May 6, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | A new rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is expected to make it easier for small and critical access hospitals to use telemedicine to link with physicians and other larger hospitals or academic medical centers. The change will also make it easier...

May 6, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | When I tell people I’m a physician, I feel like I’m at risk. Everybody has a medical question or a family member who needs help. I’ve gone from being enthralled by these conversations as an eager medical student to becoming concerned about...

May 5, 2011

AuntMinnie.com | May 2, 2011 — VANCOUVER – Radiologists working at an Olympic Games don’t have to hurl themselves down icy, twisting slopes. But they do have to be at the top of their game and use the best equipment to perform high volumes of imaging...

May 2, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | Emergency physicians have sounded another warning cry about overcrowding following results from a March survey showing that 80% of their departments have seen increases in visits in the last year. The results refute the prevailing but incorrect assumption that when more people have...

April 29, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | You think your reports are great, but the clinicians you give them to might disagree. Are your words clear and understandable? Are the interpretations better by a radiologist or a specialist? Does the radiologist notice things the referring physician would have missed?...

April 25, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | There’s a lot of talk about how online records can give doctors a more complete picture of a patient’s condition within a hospital or medical system, while reducing duplicate testing. But what happens when a patient is transferred to another facility? Importing...

April 25, 2011

ImagingBiz | Physicians who work in larger practices receive higher compensation when on call than those from smaller practices, reveals a new survey by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). For example, according to the study, anesthesiologists make $450 per day in groups with 25 or...

April 25, 2011

Deleware Online | Early last year, four Delaware patients needed emergency heart-related procedures only days after Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware refused to pay for a nuclear cardiac stress test to measure blood flow to the heart, according to results of a state investigation. But the final...

April 20, 2011

The Detroit News | Gov. Rick Snyder today signed “I’m sorry” legislation that will give Michigan health care providers greater protection to apologize for medical errors, without an “I’m sorry” comment being used against them in a lawsuit. Michigan joins 35 other states and the...

April 20, 2011

The Boston Globe | Facebook is a great place to unload after a long day at work. But what if you work in an emergency room, where privacy is paramount? And what if the thing you want to discuss is not the evening traffic or...

April 20, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ “inconsistent payment guidance” erroneously allowed about $38 million for improperly documented imaging claims in hospital outpatient emergency departments in 2008, a Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General audit has determined. A breakdown of the...

April 20, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | According to survey data just released by the American Medical Group Association and recruiter Cejka Search, physician turnover is rising with economic conditions. It’s up for the first time since 2008.www.PhysicianRetentionSurvey.com. In 2010, the year studied, physician tunrover was 6.1 percent. Turnover...

April 20, 2011

ImagingBiz | Successful integration of CDs into PACS has the potential to reduce the number of imaging studies performed in hospital emergency departments, according to a two-part study conducted at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and published in the May issue of Radiology. Approximately...

April 20, 2011

As a supporter of many Critical Access Hospitals via teleradiology coverage, this is a very important Act to pass.  These hospitals provide an extraordinary service to the communities in which they reside and deserve tax breaks in order to survive.   Without these fully functional hospitals,...

April 18, 2011

Boston.com | Concierge medicine is expanding as more doctors — and patients — tire of assembly-line primary care, opting for something more personal, and pricey. The numbers are still very small — a survey commissioned by a congressional agency last year identified 756 concierge medical...

April 18, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | High utilizers of advanced medical imaging beware: the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) just voted 15-1 this month to recommend to Congress that the top tier of referrers of advanced medical imaging should get prior authorization first. The imaging studies include MRI,...

April 18, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | Aycan Medical Systems announced recently that the company has received European clearance to market its mobile imaging app — optimized for use on the iPad 2 — and is awaiting FDA clearance. The teleradiology app, developed for referring physicians and on-call radiologists, received...

April 18, 2011

ImagingBiz.com | Image interpretation should remain a task solely for radiologists, who should utilize itemized reporting and standardized language to produce clear and unequivocal reports, according to results of two surveys published in the April edition of Radiology. The surveys—dubbed “Clinicians’ Opinions, Views, and Expectations...

April 18, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | Two senators have introduced legislation to overturn a 1979 court injunction that bars the government from revealing what individual physicians earn from Medicare. That information is stored in the Medicare-claims database, widely considered one of the best tools for finding fraud and abuse...

April 8, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | Quality is in the eye of the beholder. Clinical image interpretation is paramount as we’ve talked about before. But there are other aspects to demonstrating quality for your partners. Slow service is poor service. We want accuracy, but delivered as fast as possible....

April 8, 2011

Blog – ONRAD, Inc.. Interesting article with a more positive tone. The Great Paradigm Shift by George Ehrhardt Today’s radiology practice model requires strategy and change for improved hospital relationships. Radiology practices are currently in a climate of increasing competition that requires self-analysis and more...

April 6, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | After much anticipation, the public comment period on the proposed Accountable Care Organization regulations from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services began last week. The release of the proposed regs prompts me to ask: Are the potential cost savings worth the effort to establish an ACO,...

April 5, 2011

Boston.com | Dr. Henry Feldman comes up close to the bed, taps on his iPad a few times, and tilts the panel toward his patient, Courtney Williams. On the screen are small pictures of something raw-looking and pink: the inside of Williams’s stomach, up close...

April 5, 2011

Advance for Imaging & Radiation Oncology | Do you have a need for information in a simplistic, quick, efficient, mobile and relatively cheap electronic device? Well, Apple believes they have the solution. Unless you’re living under the proverbial rock, you’ve heard about the iPAD. iPADs...

April 5, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | Sonar is used in the military to detect and communicate with other ships. Now, researchers claim, sonar can be used to detect something else: strokes. Using a headset with a portable, laptop-size console, researchers say they can identify and monitor strokes, ranging...

April 5, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | The use of CT scans on children in the emergency room has risen more than fivefold since 1995, according to a study coming out this week in Radiology online, to be published in the June print issue. The reason for the increase is advancements like...

April 5, 2011

ImagingBiz | The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) yesterday released proposed new rules to aid physicians, hospitals, and other health care providers in better coordinating care for Medicare patients through Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). Under the proposal, on which HHS will be...

April 5, 2011

Over the past few months, a select few teleradiology companies have been on the offensive regarding radiology practices that are deemed predatory. While I agree with some of the content, it’s not always so black and white. Simply because a teleradiology practice takes on a...

March 31, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | Raising the Medicare eligibility age from 65 to 67 in 2014 would generate about $7.6 billion in net savings to the federal government, but it would add $5.6 billion in out-of-pocket costs for 65- and 66-year-olds, and $4.5 billion in employer retiree healthcare...

March 30, 2011

AuntMinnie.com | Setting up a distributed teleradiology network is readily achievable today with technology currently available in the market. But IT isn’t the only factor to focus on when building collaborative teleradiology networks, according to Dr. Jan Schillebeeckx, a healthcare consultant in Bonheiden, Belgium. Workflow...

March 30, 2011

ImagingBiz | The American Medical Association (AMA) today introduced its first-ever app designed specifically for a physician audience. Available for free through the iTunes store and compatible with the Apple iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad, the app serves as an “on-the-go” reference guide that allows...

March 30, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia.com | The recession was bad for business in nearly every industry including healthcare, where patient volume at hospitals declined as people put off elective surgeries and procedures. But as the economy rebounds, some hospitals are abandoning austerity and moving in the other direction with...

March 23, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia.com | Trauma patients who’ve been hurt in car or bike crashes, shot, stabbed, or suffered other injuries are more likely to live if they arrive at the hospital on the weekend than during the week, according to a study from the University of Pennsylvania...

March 23, 2011

AuntMinnie.com | At a busy breast imaging center, radiologists and radiologic technologists (RTs) work side by side, often with stressful workloads. It’s crucial that they work together smoothly: If relations are rocky, the quality of patient care can suffer, and tension can lead to attrition....

March 23, 2011

AuntMinnie.com | Americans worried about the nuclear crisis in Japan have cleared store shelves of potassium iodide as they seek protection from radiation-laced fallout. The frenzy has also drawn attention to specialized drugs and nutritional formulas designed to protect individuals from environmental radiation — and...

March 23, 2011

Los Angeles Times | California emergency room doctors are fighting to preserve a state fund that compensates them for treating poor, uninsured patients at private hospitals — money that lawmakers want to shift to the federal insurance program in order to help bridge the budget...

March 21, 2011

AuntMinnie.com | Apple’s iPad has the hardware power to support preliminary interpretation of emergency brain CT studies, but an inability of current software to access patient information and previous imaging can lead to some missed findings, according to researchers in Ireland. Investigators from Cork University...

March 21, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | There’s something on most teleradiology professionals’ minds: a recent article titled “Outsourcing to Teleradiology Companies: Bad for Radiology, Bad for Radiologists,” published by the Journal of the American College of Radiology. The controversial article labels teleradiology as an industry fueled by predatory practices and...

March 17, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | Methodist Charlton Medical Center in south Dallas is staffed for 225 beds but its emergency department volume is equal to hospitals two and three times larger, says its president, Jonathan Davis. That’s why when the ED is having problems, the rest of the...

March 14, 2011

AuntMinnie.com | March 12, 2011 — WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Transportation Security Administration said on Friday it will start publishing radiation test results from airport passenger and luggage screening equipment in a bid to allay lingering fears about potential health risks. TSA said it also uncovered anomalies...

March 14, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | The workload may be heavy, and the time short, but know this: patients want their radiology study results quickly, and many are happy to get those results directly from the radiologist, according to the study “Creating a Patient-Centered Imaging Service: Determining What...

March 14, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | Efficiency comes in many forms and touches all aspects of your practice. Poor efficiency does not just mean you make less money. It leads to frustration and job dissatisfaction. It may be distracting. As all radiologists know, distraction is one of the...

March 14, 2011

CapSite | Burlington, VT – The 2011 U.S. Teleradiology Study from CapSite represents a strategic assessment of the current teleradiology market. The study provides unique Voice of Customer (VOC) insight from 360 healthcare providers across the U.S. Study highlights: 31% of study participants currently using...

March 10, 2011

ImagingBiz | A recent federal appeals court decision that dismissed a suit focusing on the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) so-called Red Flags Rule “validates” its long-standing argument that physicians who bill after providing services are not subject to that rule as creditors, the American Medical...

March 10, 2011

By Kate Madden Yee, AuntMinnie.com staff writer March 9, 2011 — AuntMinnie.com is pleased to present the next installment of Leaders in Imaging, a series of interviews with individuals who are shaping the radiology landscape. We spoke with Dr. David C. Levin, professor and chairman...

March 9, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | Deep within the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act there is a mandate that extends the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Rural Community Hospital Demonstration Program for an additional five years beyond its 2010 expiration date. The objective of the program is...

March 9, 2011

AuntMinnie.com | Better and faster imaging enables more accurate diagnoses with less risk and at lower cost than ever before. Faster scanning techniques also mean a change from static to dynamic information, while increasing computer power and faster and more complex postprocessing algorithms can deal...

March 9, 2011

DiagnosticImaging | Royal Philips Electronics and Microsoft announced recently that they’re teaming up to give radiologists a more complete way to view patient data, including laboratory and pathology reports, medications, and admission, transfer and discharge data. The collaboration will combine Microsoft’s data amalgamation platform, Amalga,...

March 9, 2011

ImagingBiz.com | Senior Federal District Judge Roger Vinson has put on hold his ruling that the Affordable Care Act was unconstitutional pending appeal. The move enables the White House to continue implementing reforms aimed at lowering spiraling healthcare costs. At the same time, however, Vinson...

March 9, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia.com | Emergency department physicians are badgered by interruptions, many of which cause them to change tasks, leave tasks unfinished, and predispose them to making medical errors. In a normal two-hour period, an academic emergency room physician may treat as many as 16 patients at the...

February 7, 2011

ADVANCE for Imaging and Radiation Oncology | Burton P. Drayer, MD, the Dr. Charles M. and Marilyn Newman Professor and chair of the department of radiology and executive vice-president for risk at The Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, has been elected president of the...

February 7, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | The AMA is urging physicians to take action against inaccurate payments from private health insurers. As part of the launch of its “Heal That Claim” campaign, the AMA is supplying physicians with tools to fight flawed and inefficient claims processing by health insurers....

February 2, 2011

AuntMinnie.com | A new report published this week has harsh words for digital mammography, saying the technology was adopted due to heavy industry lobbying and is costing the U.S. Medicare system millions more than film-based imaging, despite an alleged lack of evidence that it’s any...

February 2, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | The U.S. district court judge in Florida tossed Obamacare on the basis of the individual mandate. The logic the judge used was fine; the Supreme Court will ultimately review it and it will likely be a five-four decision, although I don’t know...

February 2, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | Women who get breast MRI scans may have higher false-positives on their baseline studies, but those rates drop on subsequent scans, according to a study to be published in the April issue of Radiology. Study co-author Martha B. Mainiero, MD, notes that...

February 2, 2011

Los Angeles Times | Eight Southern California hospitals have signed up for a system called InQuickER that lets patients pay a fee of $14.99 to $24.99 to set up an appointment online for emergency care. If they’re not seen within 15 minutes, they get their...

January 31, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | Just when we thought it was safe to go back in the water… President Obama’s signing of the Medicare and Medicaid Extenders Act of 2010 (MMEA) in December 2010 essentially delayed the much talked about 23 percent reduction to the Medicare Conversion...

January 28, 2011

ImagingBiz.com | Dow Jones & Co filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida earlier this week in an effort to overturn a 1979 court order barring access to Medicare claims data. The 1979 court order was the result of...

January 28, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | Federal officials recovered $4 billion in taxpayer funds from fraud and prevention efforts in FY 2010, the highest amount ever, and more evidence of the high priority this effort has for the current administration. “President Obama has made it very clear that fraud...

January 26, 2011

Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel |A semitrailer truck-sized container is headed to Africa Monday, filled with more than 1,000 ventilators, sterile gauze packs, tubes and other medical supplies that were collected in the Milwaukee area. It took two years of planning, four storage facilities, several spreadsheets that...

January 24, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia.com | The United States will spend at least $158 billion to treat cancer in 2020 – an increase of 27% over 2010, and expensive new tools for diagnoses, treatment, and follow-up could bump the price up to $207 billion, according to a new study...

January 24, 2011

AuntMinnie.com | CT not only improves the management of abdominal pain patients in the emergency department (ED), it also reduces hospital admissions significantly while boosting diagnostic confidence, according to a new study published in the February edition of the American Journal of Roentgenology. Researchers from Massachusetts...

January 24, 2011

Advance for Imaging and Radiation Oncology | A blizzard pummeled the northeastern U.S. on Dec. 26-27, 2010, burying cities in knee-deep snow. The storm snarled traffic and left thousands camped at airports with blowing snow and icy roads at the end of the busy Christmas...

January 20, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | A federal proposal to base 30% of hospital “incentive” payments on patient experience scores is meeting with strong resistance, in part because of concerns that culturally, patients in some parts of the country are just harder to please. “We have to look at...

January 19, 2011

AuntMinnie.com | Italian radiologists reviewing CT and MR images on smartphones were as accurate as those reading images from PACS workstations, a new study shows. But reading from smartphones produced greater eye strain, indicating that the devices are probably best used for consulting rather than...

January 19, 2011

ModernHealthcare | Six more states have asked to join the most expansive of the various legal challenges to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which would give the law’s critics the ability to say a majority of states opposed the law, if the judge...

January 19, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia | With rapid changes in healthcare comes a new vocabulary with terms and phrases every provider should know. Culled from journal articles, conferences, blogs and other media, some of these phrases might not be all that new. But it’s our bet that even if...

January 14, 2011

ADVANCE for Imaging and Radiation Therapy Professionals | The estimated total cost of cancer care in the U.S. in 2020 is expected to be $158 billion assuming the most recent observed patterns of incidence, survival, and cost remain the same. This represents a 27 percent...

January 11, 2011

Boston Globe | With a $20 million gift from Robert and Myra Kraft, Partners HealthCare is launching a program to attract doctors and nurses to Massachusetts community health centers, the cornerstone of the push to reduce health costs and care for newly insured patients. The...

January 10, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia.com | The past year saw many hospital mergers and acquisitions, with private, for-profit hospitals or capital management groups using a recovering economy to scoop up distressed public health systems. The top 10 hospital mergers and acquisitions of 2010 were valued at about $3.8 billion, and...

January 10, 2011

ImagingBiz.com | The recession put the squeeze on U.S. health care spending in 2009, but health care expenditures also took a bigger, record-setting bite out of the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to a report released earlier this week by CMS. Shedding light on consistently...

January 10, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia.com | Healthcare is a huge profession, with millions of medical professionals serving hundreds of millions of people in every state, 24/7. It’s a recipe for weird stories. We don’t know what the new year will bring, but 2010 saw some jawdroppers. In an effort...

January 7, 2011

AuntMinnie.com | January 4 – Medicare payments for diagnostic imaging to nonradiologist physicians — especially cardiologists — have surpassed payments to radiologists, according to a new study published in the January issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology. David Levin, MD, and colleagues...

January 4, 2011

The Los Angeles Times | January 3 – Should doctors be Facebook “friends” with their patients? Increasingly, professionals are stroking their beards and mulling the ethical ramifications (not to say potential for awkwardness) of such relationships. Goodbye to posting “Man, I tied one on last...

January 3, 2011

The Washington Post | January 2 – Nearly three out of five people said in a recent Associated Press-GfK poll that people who paid into the system deserve their full benefits – no cuts. But an updated financial analysis shows that the amount workers have paid...

January 3, 2011

The New York Times | January 3 – Soon after the 112th Congress convenes Wednesday, Republicans in the House plan to make good on a campaign promise that helped vault many new members to victory: voting to repeal President Obama’s health care overhaul. The vote, which...

January 3, 2011

HealthLeadersMedia.com | January 3 – Here are the top quality challenges healthcare providers will face in 2011—many, such as imaging  exposure effects, central line infections, and medical data breaches dominated headlines in 2010. 1. Imaging Scan Radiation Exposure and Overutilization 2.  Variation in Dialysis Center Mortality...

January 3, 2011

Diagnostic Imaging | December 29 – Starting January 1st, referring physicians who provide in-office imaging services must provide their patients with a list of other options in their area. This is a new regulation under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act affecting practices under the...

January 3, 2011

AuntMinnie.com | Neuroimaging is an important tool to identify and evaluate traumatic head injury in victims of child abuse. Now, specific findings on CT and MRI can predict which patients have the highest risk for seizures, according to a study published online in Neurocritical Care. Children...

December 29, 2010

AuntMinnie.com | December 28, 2010 — NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – More research is suggesting that heavy smokers may benefit from screening for lung cancer to detect tumors in their earliest stages. A new study found that regular smokers who received 3D x-rays to look for...

December 29, 2010

The Washington Post | An early feature of the new health-care law that allows people who are already sick to get insurance to cover their medical costs isn’t attracting as many customers as expected. In the meantime, in at least a few states, claims for medical...

December 28, 2010

The New York Times | The Obama administration plans to announce Monday that it will make $206 million in bonus Medicaid payments to 15 states — with more than a fourth of the total going to Alabama — for signing up children who are eligible for...

December 27, 2010

ImagingBiz.com | Following a seven-month-long investigation of a security breach at St Joseph’s/Candler Health System, Savannah, Georgia, eight hospital employees were disciplined for photographing an x-ray taken of a male patient’s pelvic area, transmitting the image by cell phone, and posting it to Facebook. After the...

December 24, 2010

InformationWeek | December 22 – Results from a survey of nearly 950 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) members indicates that iPad deployments are accelerating in large part due to the mobile device’s compelling point-of-care applications and uses. Conducted October 26 during an online webinar...

December 22, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia | December 21 – Starting in 2011, health insurers would have to publicly disclose and justify premium rate increases of 10% or higher “to determine if the rate increase is unreasonable,” under proposed federal regulations called for in the Affordable Care Act. The Department of...

December 22, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | December 20 – Record spending on health information technology is greatly increasing the demand for experts in the field and tops a list of hot issues on the minds of healthcare leaders. That’s according to a survey and report by PricewaterhouseCoopers Health Research...

December 21, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | December 17 – With a stroke of a pen, President Obama Wednesday signed the so-called ‘Doc Fix’ bill. The law delays by one year implementation of the sustainable growth rate formula, which sets the rates of Medicare reimbursements to physicians. Healthcare groups have publicly...

December 20, 2010

Advance for Imaging and Radiation Oncology | December 13 – Apart from the domestic economic crisis, U.S. health care has suffered through decades of steeply rising costs. National agencies are tamping down the rapid increase in the volume and cost of advanced imaging exams. The Deficit...

December 20, 2010

Diagnostic Imaging | December 17 – Dose reduction at one time played second fiddle to image quality, but today it enjoys top billing. New algorithms are coming into play in CT, radiography, and fluoroscopy to maintain image quality at traditional levels by processing out the...

December 20, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia | December 16 – President Obama Wednesday signed a bill that delays a dreaded 25% pay cut for physicians who treat Medicare and military patients, legislation that medical groups said was sorely needed to maintain access to quality care for seniors. “Without the action the...

December 16, 2010

The Wall Street Journal | December 15 – The Justice Department said it would appeal a decision invalidating a core provision of the federal health-care overhaul, the next skirmish in a constitutional struggle likely to reach the Supreme Court before the 2012 presidential election. On Monday,...

December 15, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia | December 14 – A senior official with the Office for Civil Rights said Tuesday that the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy and security rule enforcer plans to release final rules regarding the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health...

December 15, 2010

The Wall Street Journal | December 13 – The reactions to Judge Henry Hudson’s ruling striking down a key portion of the health-care law are coming in fast and furious. (Click here for our earlier post on the ruling; here for A smattering from around the...

December 14, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia | December 13 – Most hospitals lose money on Medicare. It typically only reimburses 85% to 90% of costs, and it usually takes cost shifting to private plans for a hospital to stay in the black. The equation looks like this: Take the (hopefully) positive...

December 14, 2010

AuntMinnie.com | December 14 – Emergency department (ED) patients with abdominal pain are far more confident in their diagnosis when a CT scan is used as part of their workup, according to a study in Annals of Emergency Medicine. However, the patients knew surprisingly little about...

December 14, 2010

ModernHealthcare | December 13 – All eyes moved to the U.S. Supreme Court following a Virginia-based federal judge’s decision that Congress lacks constitutional authority to force Americans to purchase health insurance. Both sides in the case and even U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson in his...

December 14, 2010

Diagnostic Imaging | December 13 – As new approaches to health information technology and evidence-based medicine affect payment methodologies, it’s time for radiologists to rethink their clinical practices and business strategies. Radiology will be affected not only because it reaches across the full spectrum of healthcare...

December 14, 2010

The Washington Post | December 12 – He seemed like Superman, able to guide jumbo jets through perilous skies and tiny tubes through blocked arteries. As a cardiologist and United Airlines captain, William Hamman taught doctors and pilots ways to keep hearts and planes from...

December 13, 2010

The Philadelphia Enquirer | December 12 – The nation is facing an unprecedented drug shortage. From cancer treatments to surgical sedatives to standard emergency-room remedies, the pharmaceutical supply cabinet is increasingly bare of the drugs of choice, according to doctors, advocacy groups, and the FDA. Industry...

December 13, 2010

The New York Times | December 11 – UNEQUAL access to health care is hardly a new phenomenon in the United States, but the country is moving toward rationing on a scale that is unprecedented here. Wealthy people will always be able to buy most...

December 13, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia | December 13 – Medical liability costs continue to grow for hospitals, but the secret to controlling this isn’t necessarily found in the financials. It’s cultural. And that may leave a CFO wondering just what he or she can do to bend that cost...

December 13, 2010

Diagnostic Imaging | December 10 – Self-referral of imaging services by non-radiologists doesn’t necessarily benefit patients, and can lead to overuse and increased spending. Those are the conclusions of a series of studies published this week in the December issue of Health Affairs. The findings bolster the arguments...

December 13, 2010

AuntMinnie.com | December 9 – After a period of rapid increases in the first half of the decade, growth in diagnostic imaging utilization finally appears to be slowing in the U.S., according to a survey of Medicare databases that was presented at last week’s 2010 RSNA...

December 10, 2010

Advance for Imaging and Radiology Oncology | November 29 – You need a new scanner to generate more income for your practice. Or maybe you’d just like to upgrade to a snazzier model. But you’ve crunched the numbers and held off, preferring instead to hold on...

December 10, 2010

ModernHealthcare.com | December 9 – The U.S. House of Representatives voted 409 to 2 to pass legislation that extends a Medicare payment fix to physicians through 2011. On Wednesday, the Senate passed identical legislation in its Medicare and Medicaid Extenders Act of 2010, which was then included...

December 10, 2010

Diagnostic Imaging | December 10 – When it comes to complying with the federal government’s Red Flags Rule, physicians are off the hook. Congress passed legislation yesterday exempting physicians from the identity theft protection law. Doctors’ groups, including the AMA and several specialty organizations, have...

December 10, 2010

Washington Post | December 7 – As the all-too-familiar number flashed on his cellphone shortly before 9 p.m., Dan Landrigan reflexively braced himself for bad news. The caller was one of the doctors treating his wife, Donna, who had been in a coma for four...

December 7, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia | December 6 – The past year proved to be a very busy one for healthcare financial leaders. More than a few stories kept everyone abuzz wondering how new laws and mandates would affect their organizations’ bottom line. So much happened this year, in...

December 7, 2010

DiagnosticImaging.com | November 22 – CT protocols for ischemic stroke can be expanded to cover the heart as well as the head and neck, obviating other imaging tests that may be necessary to pinpoint the source of the stroke, a new study finds. A new study...

December 7, 2010

Diagnostic Imaging | December 6 – Minnesota is in the vanguard as far as implementing clinical decision support, a tool that tamps down overutilization and reduces the incidence of patients receiving inappropriate diagnostic imaging tests. Minnesota is launching a statewide initiative to adopt the tool;...

December 7, 2010

Radiology Business Journal | November 15 – Arnold Schwarzenegger, California’s governor, signed a new radiation patient protection law in October 2010 that mandates strict procedures and reporting requirements for CT scanners and radiation-therapy procedures, as well as the reporting of radiation overdoses to the state’s Department of...

December 7, 2010

Radiology Business Journal | November 28 – For the second year, Advanced Radiology Services PC was the largest practice in the nation (see table, page 30), with 106 radiologists. The practice continues its focus on the hospital market, with 15 hospital clients and 105 teleradiology clients...

December 7, 2010

The Wall Street Journal | November 22 – Huge budget shortfalls are prompting a handful of states to begin discussing a once-unthinkable scenario: dropping out of the Medicaid insurance program for the poor. Elected and appointed officials in nearly a half-dozen states, including Washington, Texas and...

November 22, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | November 19 – There will be wide variability in the types of accountable care organizations that are established in the near future. Some will be tightly organized around existing integrated delivery networks. Others will be based on independent physician associations without an integrated...

November 22, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | November 22 – Healthcare reform will dramatically change how physicians conduct business and likely will mean the end of full-time, independent, private practitioners accepting third-party payments, according to a new report. Instead, the survey and report commissioned by Boston-based The Physicians Foundation predicts that...

November 22, 2010

AuntMinnie.com | November 22 – With the help of 3-tesla functional MRI (fMRI), researchers at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN, have found that some high school football players suffer undiagnosed changes in brain function as a result of repeated hits to the head during...

November 22, 2010

ModernHealthcare.com | November 19 – An alliance of six associations representing U.S. hospitals formally filed a friend-of-the-court brief backing the Obama administration in the marquee lawsuit among several aiming to gut the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The American Hospital Association, Federation of American...

November 22, 2010

ImagingBiz.com | November 20 – Minnesota’s groundbreaking Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI) has reached an agreement with Nuance, Burlington, Massachusetts, to license its decision-support and analytics software for a statewide electronic utilization management initiative to ensure delivery of clinically indicated high-tech diagnostic imaging. The...

November 22, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | November 18 – The average, per capita cost of providing healthcare services in the United States rose by 7.08% for the past 12 months ending in September, a rate of growth that has slowed slightly, but which is still well above the 1.1% overall...

November 19, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | November 19 – It’s no surprise that people who live in low-income areas are more likely to visit a hospital emergency room than people who live in affluent areas. But statistics released by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality show the numbers...

November 19, 2010

AuntMinnie.com | November 19 – Digital photographs of CT images taken with an iPhone can be used to predict the need to transfer patients with head injuries, preventing unnecessary patient transfers and reducing healthcare costs, according to research from Florida. In a pair of retrospective...

November 19, 2010

Kaiser Health News | November 18 – A new international survey finds that U.S. consumers report greater access to specialty health care but also have a tougher time seeing a doctor on the day they need help and in paying their medical bills than consumers in...

November 18, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | November 15 – Now that healthcare reform has gone from a concept to a law, big changes are ahead for everyone associated with providing healthcare to Americans. But perhaps no other group will need to adapt more than physicians, many of whom fear that...

November 18, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | November 17 – Six groups representing 5,000 U.S. hospitals and health systems filed an amicus brief late last week asking to join the Florida lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act. But while the state of Florida is arguing against the...

November 18, 2010

AuntMinnie.com | November 17 – The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on November 17 that it has formally established an innovation center to examine new ways of delivering healthcare that are designed to save money for CMS while improving the quality...

November 18, 2010

Diagnostic Imaging | November 15 – Combining digital breast tomosynthesis and a laser-based technique called diffuse optical tomography, radiologists may be better able to distinguish malignant from benign lesions in the breast, according to a new study published in Radiology. Diffuse optical tomography measures levels of hemoglobin...

November 18, 2010

The New York Times | November 15 – No patient gets closer medical attention than the president of the United States. Wherever he goes, a doctor, nurse or paramedic trails a few footsteps behind, ready for any medical need. It is the ultimate in concierge...

November 17, 2010

Imaging Economics | Marianne Matthews| November – A new teleradiology group is about to be born. Here’s the point-counterpoint from two industry professionals. I was surprised when I searched the RSNA Web site and did not find a single session on the topic of “teleradiology.” I...

November 17, 2010

ImagingBiz.com | November 12 – A recent series of radiation overdose incidents in CT brain perfusion exams were likely due to improper use of CT systems, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Earlier this week, the agency announced the results of its...

November 17, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | November 11 – The American Medical Association this week adopted a social media use policy to help physicians protect patient privacy, and physicians’ personal and professional reputations. “Using social media can help physicians create a professional presence online, express their personal views and foster...

November 12, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | November 12 – Shifting specialists’ routine follow-up care to primary care physicians in a medical home model under the new federal healthcare reforms could save time, money, and free specialists for more complex patient care. However, the lack of primary care physicians could...

November 12, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | November 11 – Hospital leaders are objecting to draft recommendations issued Wednesday that would impose earlier and more draconian pay cuts to hospitals and doctors, and slice many programs that support hospital programs that serve the poor. The report from the co-chairs of the...

November 12, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | November 12 – Accountable Care Organizations must be physician-led, patient-centric, and ensure voluntary participation from patients and physicians, including independent practitioners, under the American Medical Association’s principles for ACOs. “The AMA is committed to ensuring physicians in all practice sizes can lead and participate successfully in...

November 12, 2010

AuntMinnie.com | November 12 – Whimsy and fantasy can do wonders to make hospital experiences less frightening and intimidating for children. Clinical staff benefit as well because the treatment process can be a whole lot easier. Just ask the radiology team at Children’s Hospital of...

November 12, 2010

AuntMinnie.com | November 12 – A Montana hospital has agreed to pay $4 million to a radiologist to settle a breach of contract lawsuit that accused hospital officials of reducing his staff privileges because he worked for a competing imaging center. The suit alleged that officials...

November 12, 2010

USA Today | November 9 – U.S. doctors must become more attuned to Islamic beliefs and values that could affect the physician-patient relationship with Muslim Americans, researchers found in a recently released study. This will become even more important as the U.S. Muslim population of...

November 10, 2010

The New York Times | November 9 – With health care costs climbing even higher during this enrollment season, more employers are adopting a tiered system to pass on the bulk of those costs to their employees by assigning bigger contributions to workers in top...

November 10, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | November 10 – Cuts in Medicare reimbursements can significantly reduce unnecessary care, according to a study conducted by university researchers and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Study authors from the University of Michigan, University of Florida and University of Texas Medical Branch...

November 10, 2010

Los Angeles Times | November 8 – Fewer doctors report accepting drug samples, gifts, meals and all-expenses-paid trips from drug companies, according to a new study published Monday that comes amid mounting concerns over the potential for conflicts of interest in medical practice. Still, arrangements...

November 9, 2010

The Wall Street Journal | November 8 – Several Supreme Court justices appeared reluctant Monday to overturn an Internal Revenue Service requirement that medical residents pay Social Security taxes. Arguing before the court on behalf of the Mayo Clinic, lawyer Theodore B. Olson urged the court...

November 9, 2010

AuntMinnie.com | November 9 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today released the results of its investigation into a series of radiation overdose incidents in CT brain perfusion exams. The agency said that, most likely, the incidents were not due to scanner malfunction,...

November 9, 2010

The Wall Street Journal | November 8 – The traditional model of doctors hanging up their own shingles is fading fast, as more go to work directly for hospitals that are building themselves into consolidated health-care providers. The latest sign of the continued shift comes from...

November 8, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | November 8 – The Massachusetts Hospital Association unabashedly announced this month that it will no longer hire tobacco users, sending a very public get-tough message that it hopes will resonate with other employers looking to reduce healthcare costs. MHA President/CEO Lynn Nicholas says the...

November 8, 2010

ModernHealthcare.com | November 8 – The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to get involved in one of the many legal challenges gunning for the core of the national healthcare reform law passed in March. The court offers no explanation when announcing decisions whether to accept...

November 8, 2010

DiagnosticImaging.com | November 5 – A California neurosurgeon has launched what could turn into an epic legal battle over the rights to use diffusion tensor imaging, an MR technology that lately has begun to catch on as a diagnostic and neurosurgical planning tool. Claiming that...

November 8, 2010

ImagingBiz.com | November 5 – Former and heavy smokers screened for lung cancer with low-dose helical CT are less likely to die of lung cancer than those screened with standard chest X-rays, according to initial results of the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) released yesterday. Sponsored...

November 8, 2010

AuntMinnie.com | November 5 – Point-of-care ultrasound conducted by emergency medicine physicians may be a useful screening tool for evaluating acute appendicitis in children, according to research from Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in New Jersey. The research team found that point-of-care ultrasound yielded 85%...

November 5, 2010

AdvanceWeb.com | October 29 – Like most telephone calls that come in the middle of the night, the one that woke Dr. Javad Jamshidi, MD, alerted him of disaster. Luckily, no one was hurt or in danger. Unfortunately the call, which he received on an early...

November 5, 2010

American College of Radiology | November 5 – The National Cancer Institute (NCI) released initial results from a large-scale clinical trial evaluating whether lung cancer screening with low-dose helical computed tomography (CT) or standard chest X-rays saves lives. Lung cancer, most frequently caused by cigarette smoking,...

November 5, 2010

DiagnosticImaging.com | November 4 – For the vast majority of medical imaging devices, passing FDA review is a snap: Show equivalence to a device already on the market, wait a few months, and release the announcement that your new product is ready for U.S. patients....

November 5, 2010

AuntMinnie.com | November 4 – Too many connections in the frontal lobe of the brain may help explain some of the learning problems experienced by people with autism, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday. They said autistic children with a common autism risk gene appear to...

November 4, 2010

The Journal Sentinel | November 2 – Terry Kopplin didn’t let a heart attack prevent him from voting. Kopplin, 69, used an absentee ballot. Nothing unusual about that. Except that Kopplin had a heart attack at 7:30 a.m. on Election Day and while he was recovering...

November 3, 2010

The Los Angeles Times | November 3 – The Obama administration Tuesday approved a $10-billion plan to help California modernize its Medicaid health insurance program, pushing the state to the forefront of the national effort to implement the new healthcare law. The administration’s much-anticipated decision...

November 3, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | October 28 – For a good part of Tuesday, health providers across the country lined up in a federal phone cue. They’d been invited to a special forum to express their deep concerns about a major piece of health reform rules yet to be...

November 3, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | November 3 – Stroke patients admitted to the hospital on weekends are slightly more likely to die compared to stroke patients admitted on weekdays, regardless of the severity of the stroke, according to a Canadian study published by the American Academy of Neurology....

November 3, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | November 3 – A Rhode Island Hospital report shows that 33 patients needed 305 medical interventions to remove foreign objects, including knives, razor blades, and batteries that were intentionally swallowed, resulting in more than $2 million in hospital costs over eight years. The findings...

November 3, 2010

DiagnosticImaging.com | November 2 – Brain MRI could expand the number of stroke patients eligible for a potentially life-saving treatment, according to a new study, published online and in the December issue ofRadiology. In the study, Dr. Catherine Oppenheim and her team of researchers reviewed data...

November 2, 2010

Statesman.com | October 29 – Doctors working in Texas emergency rooms and their allies lined up once again to tell the Texas Medical Board on Friday that a year-in-the-making rule restricting the claims that doctors can make about their credentials was a “food fight” that would...

November 1, 2010

WashingtonPost.com | November 1 – While most people are focused on the midterm elections Tuesday, the American Medical Association is gearing up for the lame-duck congressional session scheduled to start Nov. 15. Unless Congress intervenes, payments to doctors for treating Medicare patients will be cut...

November 1, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | November 1 – The quarterly costs to hospitals for growth in wages, salaries, and total compensation has steadily declined over the past decade and now is roughly the same as the wage, salary, and total compensation growth for all workers in the overall...

November 1, 2010

AdvanceWeb.com | October 31 – The client for teleradiology is shifting, according to new research from independent health care technology research firm KLAS. Teleradiology contracts have been held historically by local radiology groups; however, in a newly published report, KLAS found that hospitals and clinics...

November 1, 2010

ImagingBiz.com | October 28 – Health care mergers and acquisition activity spiked to $66.5 billion in the third quarter of 2010, up 44% from the $45.1 billion spent in the previous quarter, reveals a new report from research firm Irving Levin Associates, Norwalk, Ct. Third-quarter...

November 1, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | October 29 – Hospitals are putting more patients into observation status for longer than 48 hours instead admitting them, in part out of fear of what happened at one hospital this month, the American Hospital Association says. Observation status is a Medicare billing category...

October 29, 2010

InformationWeek | October 27 – Social media initiatives that help physicians, patients, and the medical research community share patient information will drive down healthcare-related costs while improving the quality of care, a report concludes. The report, “Healthcare Performance Management in the Era of ‘Twitter,'” was published...

October 28, 2010

USAToday.com | October 28 – HAMMOND, La. — At the Cypress Pointe Surgical Hospital here, construction workers scrambled on a recent day to turn a mud pit into a parking lot and put other finishing touches on the $35 million physician-owned facility. They are on...

October 28, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | October 28 – Medical practices that have avoided implementing an electronic health record system (EHR) because of the associated costs may not have such a strong argument, according to a study published by the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). Data collected from both...

October 28, 2010

ModernHealthcare.com | October 28 – Harvard Medical School is using a $30 million philanthropic gift to establish a new Center for Primary Care, which will focus on researching ways to improve primary care education, research and delivery systems. The center’s director will hold a new...

October 28, 2010

DiagnosticImaging.com | October 27 – It’s all too easy to reduce medicine to facts, practices to technology. Patients need to be consulted when it comes to making decisions involving the use of CT, according to a recent emergency room survey, even when time is in...

October 28, 2010

AuntMinnie.com | October 26 – PARIS – It’s radiology’s equivalent of the French paradox: France has one of the world’s best healthcare systems as measured by patient outcomes, yet it also seems to have one of the most poorly equipped systems in Europe. “For the...

October 26, 2010

ModernHealthcare.com | October 26 – Altering payment mechanisms and care delivery structures aren’t enough to achieve a successful accountable care organization, according to a new report examining ACO experiences in California. The report, by the Oakland, Calif.-based Integrated Healthcare Association, a well-respected quality and affordability improvement...

October 26, 2010

DiagnosticImaging.com | October 25 – Healthcare reform is game changer but nobody can yet fully articulate the impact of the new rules. How do you plan for the future when there are so many unknowns? This is the second article in a series that examines...

October 26, 2010

AuntMinnie.com | October 25 – The devil is in the details. That could be said about the failed merger between the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS): the two radiology groups called off their strategic integration after they were...

October 25, 2010

The New York Times | Pauline W. Chen, MD | October 21 – Several years ago I helped care for a man who had been hospitalized with a severe infection of the abdominal wall. When his primary doctors discovered that the bacteria responsible was resistant...

October 22, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | October 22 – The average, per capita cost of providing healthcare services in the United States rose by 7.32% for the past 12 months ending in August, a rate of inflation wildly above the 1.1% overall inflation for the same period, according to new...

October 22, 2010

AuntMinnie.com | October 22 – Offering outside image reading service is a common activity among radiology practices, and as teleradiology capability continues to grow, this service is being provided more and more via the Internet, according to a new study in the November issue of...

October 22, 2010

ModernHealthcare.com | October 21 – In yet another prosecution intended to deflate the notion that South Florida is a “haven” for Medicare fraud, federal authorities broke up a $200 million operation that they say was claiming, among other allegations, to have provided psychological counseling services...

October 22, 2010

DiagnosticImaging.com | October 21 – Researchers in the radiation oncology department at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have received a $14 million grant to develop countermeasures that will help treat damage caused by radiological or nuclear threats such as a dirty bomb attack. The grant,...

October 22, 2010

DiagnosticImaging.com | October 13 – “Meaningful use” is on everyone’s mind and sure to be a predominant topic for years to come. Despite its significance, many healthcare professionals and technology providers are still unclear as to who is eligible for the federal government’s incentive programs and...

October 21, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | October 21 – The public is being unwittingly exposed to potentially dangerous levels of radiation from patients released from the hospital after undergoing therapy with radioactive isotopes, according to Rep. Edward J. Markey, (D-MA). In a letter Wednesday to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory...

October 21, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | October 20 – When an independent physician harasses or discriminates against an employee of a hospital, someone must be held accountable, and guess what—it’s not the physician. Hospitals are the ones that are on the hook. “[The hospital] controls the terms and conditions...

October 20, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | October 20 – More than half of U.S. medical schools don’t provide any instruction on federal fraud and abuse laws, according to a report from the Office of Inspector General. That should change, the report said, because Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse cost...

October 20, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | October 20 – Twenty-four states gambled—and came up short—on receiving additional federal funds to relieve state Medicaid budgets stressed by the recession. The Federal Medicaid Assistance percentages fell $1.74 billion short of what those 24 states had planned, leaving huge holes in their...

October 20, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | October 20 -Demand for radiation oncologists in the U.S will outpace the supply 10-fold in the next decade a report published in this week’s edition of theThe Journal of Clinical Oncology says. The number of full-time equivalent radiation oncologists entering the workforce is...

October 20, 2010

The Wall Street Journal | October 18 – Of all the problems with the U.S. health-care system, one of the most vexing for patients is simply sitting in the doctor’s waiting room. Being ushered into the exam room, only to be left shivering in a...

October 19, 2010

AdvanceWeb.com | October 15 – Headlines regarding excessive patient exposure have raised new questions regarding radiation’s use in medicine. Here’s how you can reduce errors. On Jan. 23, the radiotherapy community awoke to startling headlines–the first in a series from The New York Times dealing with...

October 19, 2010

ImagingBiz.com | October 11 – Sunshine Radiology was facing a quandary familiar to many radiology groups. The busy 25-radiologist practice (based in Sebring, Florida) wanted to expand its hospital business, but knew that it needed to lower its costs in order to do so. “We...

October 19, 2010

New York Magazine | October 17 – Its demise was only the beginning. An alarming number of New York’s major medical institutions are teetering on the financial edge. St. Vincent’s plight has been portrayed by public officials and the media as a story of local...

October 18, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | October 18 – Pharmacists might soon be leaving the confines of their drug-filled fortresses to work alongside primary care physicians. Two studies indicate that adding pharmacists to the primary care team for joint care management increases medical benefits. In an American Diabetes Association...

October 18, 2010

ModernHealthcare.com | October 15 – Consumer prices for hospital services spikes 1.8% in September, the largest one-month jump since the Bureau of Labor Statistics first gathered comparable data in January 1997. The figures are seasonally adjusted. The surge comes two months after the bureau reported...

October 18, 2010

The Washington Post | October 15 – A federal judge ruled Thursday that a lawsuit brought by 20 states challenging the health-care overhaul law can move forward. The decision by Judge Roger Vinson of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida to...

October 15, 2010

The Wall Street Journal | October 15 – Earlier in the decade, growth in the frequency of claims declined for several years in a row, down to a 1.81% increase for incidents occurring in 2006. The pace has now ticked up for the past three...

October 15, 2010

The Wall Street Journal | October 15 – Computerized patient records could be used to improve lax reporting of serious drug side effects, the results of a small study suggest. The study, at Massachusetts General and Brigham & Women’s hospitals in Boston and sponsored by...

October 15, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | October 13 – Hospital CEOs have been getting a lot of bad press lately. In fact, HealthLeaders Media Editor John Commins chronicled the personal faux pas of several hospital leaders in his September column, Executives Gone Wild: Paying the Price for Personal Conduct....

October 15, 2010

AuntMinnie.com | October 15 – In today’s world of seemingly omnipresent cell phones and smartphones, along with widespread access to e-mail in most corners of the globe, fast and efficient communication among physicians concerning a patient’s test results should be easy, right? Unfortunately, conveying critical...

October 15, 2010

The New York Times | October 13 – Obviously, doctors and nurses have different roles in the hospital. Our training is different, and so are our responsibilities. It’s also true that patients choose their doctor and only end up with a particular nurse through the...

October 14, 2010

The Wall Street Journal | October 14 – The four largest U.S. for-profit health insurers on average denied policies to one out of every seven applicants based on their prior medical history, according to a congressional investigation released Tuesday. Two top House Democrats said the...

October 14, 2010

ABC News | October 14 – The collapse of the copper and gold mine in the Atacama Desert captured the world’s attention, along with that of some of the foremost medical organizations in the world. But while the rescue of the miners is a light...

October 14, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | October 14 – The business models that will emerge in the era of healthcare reform are still unclear, but leading hospitals and health systems are already positioning themselves to adapt when they do come into focus. They’re taking the first steps toward becoming...

October 14, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | October 14 – Seventy-three defendants – including alleged members of an Armenian-American crime syndicate called Mirzoyan-Terdjanian – have been indicted for crimes involving more than $163 million in fraudulent billing of Medicare and insurance companies across the nation, the U.S. Department of Justice...

October 14, 2010

AuntMinnie.com | October 14 – U.S. researchers used MRI to show that walking at least 6 miles per week may preserve brain size and help prevent Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment as adults age, according to a study published October 13 in the online...

October 14, 2010

Radiology Business Journal | October 13 – Gov Arnold Schwarzenegger of California has signed into law a medical radiation protection bill aimed at protecting patients from excessive radiation exposure received during CT scans and radiation therapy procedures. Greasing the wheels for the first state law...

October 14, 2010

DiagnosticImaging.com | October 12 – Launch of the new fourth-generation network from cellular wireless companies will enable radiologists to upload and download images more than 10 times faster than they have been able to in the past. While wireless mobile applications for imaging are still...

October 13, 2010

The New York Times | October 11 – Dr. Verghese is the senior associate chairman for theory and practice of medicine at Stanford University. He is also the author of two highly acclaimed memoirs “My Own Country” and “The Tennis Partner,” and a novel, “Cutting...

October 12, 2010

The Palm Beach Post | October 11 – Women’s hair clips. Barrettes. Cleveland Clinic CEO Dr. Delos “Toby” Cosgrove pauses for effect as he describes his inspiration for the AtriClip, a new medical device designed to eliminate the source of many strokes in patients withe...

October 11, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | October 11 – For the past few months, hospitals have been on a carousel ride of revolving telemedicine standards, courtesy of The Joint Commission and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Now that the accreditors appear to be moving in the same...

October 11, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | October 6 – Two reports last month on how rural area hospitals handle trauma indicate there’s lots of low-hanging fruit for providers who want to improve trauma care and save more lives. Both studies published in the Journal of Trauma give stronger voice...

October 8, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | October 8 – If you’ve been wondering how healthcare reform will affect your hospital’s credentialing process, part of the answer may lie in new CMS regulations about terminated providers. Specifically, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 requires: CMS to establish...

October 8, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | October 8 – A study on the increased use of imaging in the emergency department raises questions about how to best provide quality, cost-effective care to patients, and at least one expert sees implications for comparative-effectiveness research and value-based insurance design (VBID). The...

October 8, 2010

PRNewswire.com | October 5 – When Baylor College of Medicine wanted to improve transmission times across their teleradiology network, they found that Dicom System’s solution was “a win for teleradiology sites, for our teleradiologists, for IT and, most importantly, for the patients” (Executive Director, BCM)....

October 8, 2010

Ocala.com | October 7 – The emergency department, despite the chaos that can ensue there, is the front door of any hospital. “Insist on Munroe Regional,” one ad reads. “Call 9-1-1 and ask to go to Ocala,” reads a competing ad. With the main emergency...

October 7, 2010

AuntMinnie.com | October 6 – For children with traumatic brian injuries potentially serious enough to warrant a head CT scan, a small change in the clinical guidelines used to perform follow-up head CT led to a significant drop in rescan rates and costs – all...

October 6, 2010

The New York Times | October 3 – There is no silver bullet for reforming America’s health care system, but medical experts have long agreed that digital patient records and electronic prescribing can help improve care and curb costs. It seems straightforward. Just combine technology...

October 5, 2010

The Wall Street Journal | October 5 – Some doctors are raising concerns about a new cancer-treatment device that use electrical jolts to zap tumors but that hasn’t been through a large clinical trial to prove it’s safe and effective in people. The device, called...

October 5, 2010

HealthLeadersMedia.com | October 5 – This week marks the start of residency recruitment season for many institutions. With the opening of the Electronic Resident Application Service on Wednesday, program directors and coordinators can begin downloading applications and recruiting your hospital’s future physicians. Recruiting physicians-in-training is...

October 5, 2010

ImagingBiz.com | October 2 – Virtual Radiologic (vRad), Eden Prairie, Minn, has entered into an agreement to acquire pioneer teleradiology provider NightHawk Radiology, Scottsdale, Ariz, for $170 million, bringing the company’s clinical firepower to 325 radiologists. The offer of $6.50 per share represents a 100%...

October 5, 2010

DiagnosticImaging.com | September 30 – California radiologists will be required to incorporate radiation dose levels in their reports under a measure signed into law Thursday by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The measure requires that radiologists include in their reports the dose length product or the CT...

October 1, 2010

Dallas Business Journal | September 29 – Company wellness programs should be a lot like personal exercise programs: You start with a plan. You start slowly. It doesn’t have to be expensive to be effective. And it should pay off in the end. That was...

September 30, 2010

The Wall Street Journal | September 30 – McDonald’s Corp. has warned federal regulators that it could drop its health insurance plan for nearly 30,000 hourly restaurant workers unless regulators waive a new requirement of the U.S. health overhaul. The move is one of the...

September 30, 2010

AuntMinnie.com | September 30 – “Meaningful use” has become the holy grail of healthcare IT – the standard that providers must achieve to receive stimulus funds. U.S. regulators recently issued final rules that define how they view meaningful use, but the guidelines raise almost as...

September 30, 2010

DiagnosticImaging.com | September 29 – Pathologies such as infections, or even tumors, crop up from time to time in patients examined for entirely unrelated issues. These “incidental findings” can put doctors – and patients – in a tight spot. How do they proceed with the...

September 30, 2010

ImagingBiz.com | September 24 – Routine breast screening with mammograms packs a less-than-expected effect on preventing cancer deaths, according to a study by Norwegian researchers that once again sparks a fierce debate over its value. Published this past week in the New England Journal of...

September 30, 2010

ModernHealthcare.com | September 28 – HHS has awarded $320 million in Affordable Care Act grants to strengthen the health professions workforce, the bulk of which will go toward expanding primary-care needs. “We have to make sure there are enough primary-care providers so everyone can take...

September 29, 2010

AuntMinnie.com | September 28 – The deadline is getting closer: Providers of advanced imaging services who bill for technical components must become accredited by January 1, 2012. The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has designated three organizations as accrediting bodies. which program...

September 28, 2010

AuntMinnie.com | September 28 – A spate of shareholder lawsuits have been filed in the wake of the September 24 announcement that Virtual Radiologic of Eden Prairie, MN, would buy fellow teleradiology services firm NightHawk Radiology Services of Scottsdale, AZ. Powers Taylor of Dallas; Brodsky...

September 28, 2010

The Wall Street Journal | September 28 – In the last two weeks, my department has been accused on “thuggery” (this editorial page) and “Soviet tyranny” (Newt Gingrich). What prompted these accusations? The fact that we told health-insurance companies that, as required by law, we...

September 28, 2010

I recently found this article regarding EDs advertising their current turnaround times via text: http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/page-1/MAR-255934/3-Reasons-to-Market-Your-ED-Wait-Times At first glance, this appears to be a great marketing idea, especially in many markets where hospitals are as common as gas stations.  After all, if I actually have a...

September 7, 2010

Recently, there has been a great deal of discussion about so-called “predatory” teleradiology companies.  This conversation turned ugly when an investor-backed teleradiology firm took over a large hospital contract in Toledo, OH, replacing a traditional radiology practice incumbent at the site.  Further discussion on the...

August 17, 2010

In a white paper written by Tony Gevo, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at ThinAir Data, he argues that the Electronic Radiology Practice will be the most competitive in the new radiology market. The paper includes a case study featuring ONRAD, a longtime TeleRIS...

July 30, 2010

Below is an article from 2 years ago.  I always find it interesting to look back at past problems and/or predictions to compare the situation to current trends and market conditions. Our economic conditions have certainly changed the landscape of radiology.  Most prominently, fewer and...

July 15, 2010

A recent Aunt Minnie article titled “U.S. PACS market rides on replacement sales” cites a report from the IMV Medical Information Division indicating that 85% of all PACS sales in 2010 were replacements.  This brought to mind the question, as a Radiology PACS user, why would...

June 28, 2010