Imaging Leaders Digital Community
JACR: Proposed Medicare cuts threaten radiology training
 June 14, 2013 -- Just as healthcare reform is increasing the need for new skills to be incorporated into graduate medical education curricula, Medicare budget cuts threaten to undercut the federal support that covers most of the cost of medical residencies, according to a new article in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.
CMS bends on oncology PET coverage, will pay for 3 scans
June 12, 2013 -- In a victory for PET proponents, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on Tuesday issued a final decision on coverage of oncology FDG-PET scans, agreeing to pay for three follow-up studies rather than just one, as it had proposed three months ago.
Obamacare's effect on radiology: Big, but gradual
 June 4, 2013 -- Obamacare is expected to have far-reaching effects on radiology and the rest of the healthcare delivery system, but the changes for providers are expected to be gradual, as the traditional fee-for-service structure is retained at most facilities.
New ACR award recognizes excellence in radiology
 May 31, 2013 -- You've heard all about the need for quality and excellence in radiology, but the concept means different things to different people. The American College of Radiology (ACR) is hoping to clarify what quality means with its Diagnostic Imaging Centers of Excellence award, given for the first time earlier this month to two radiology facilities.
Confusion over radiation risk could lead to inappropriate exams
May 29, 2013 -- When radiologists have access to radiation exposure histories for patients, most will take them into consideration when assessing the risk of further exposure in future imaging exams, according to a new study published in the June issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology. But should they?
Imaging groups urge CMS not to adopt FDG-PET scan limitations
May 28, 2013 -- Radiology, nuclear medicine, and neuroradiology organizations are anxiously awaiting a decision from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that would finalize its proposal to limit FDG-PET coverage to one nationally covered scan.
RBMA: To thrive, imaging groups must dare to be different
 May 23, 2013 -- Radiology practices face serious challenges in their efforts to be the preferred imaging choice in their markets, especially because the field is so crowded, according to a May 22 presentation at the Radiology Business Management Association (RBMA) meeting in Colorado Springs, CO. The key to survival? Truly distinguishing your group from other providers.
SalaryScan data reveal gender gap between U.S. radiologists
 May 22, 2013 -- Male radiologists make an average of 20% more than female radiologists in the U.S., according to new salary data from AuntMinnie.com. While the salary advantage for men is in line with the U.S. average for all professions, it could reinforce the perception that radiology is an unfriendly career choice for women.
RBMA: How to restructure your imaging center
 May 21, 2013 -- At no other time in history has there been such rapid change in healthcare -- particularly in radiology, according to a May 21 talk at the Radiology Business Management Association (RBMA) meeting. To thrive in such an environment, imaging centers need to understand the options for restructuring their business.
Key to clinician interaction? Location, location, location
May 16, 2013 -- Want more personal interaction with your referring physicians? Try moving your reading rooms out of the basement and into clinical areas. A new study in the Journal of the American College of Radiology found that such "embedded" reading rooms resulted in a big jump in personal visits from clinicians.
Technologists' CT training called woefully inadequate
May 15, 2013 -- CT might be the mainstay of medical imaging, but the basic curriculum for radiologic technologist training hardly mentions the modality, and training centers that do teach it are few and far between, according to a talk on May 10 at the Virtual Symposium on Radiation Safety and Computed Tomography.
California's breast density notification law -- 1 month in
 May 9, 2013 -- It's been just over 30 days since California's version of breast density notification legislation went into effect. How is the law affecting clinical practice in the state's breast centers? Although they are complying, many breast imagers are skeptical of its value.
ED trumps hospital inpatient as source for imaging referrals
May 7, 2013 -- Today's radiologists are reading more imaging exams from emergency departments (ED) and fewer from hospital inpatient departments than radiologists 10 years ago, according to a new study published online in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.
Health Affairs: Healthcare slowdown is saving U.S. money
May 6, 2013 -- The recent slowdown in the growth of healthcare costs in the U.S. could be a sign of long-term trends rather than a result of the recession, according to a new research paper in Health Affairs. If the hypothesis is correct, it could mean that the U.S. could save as much as $770 billion in Medicare spending over the next 10 years.
JACR: Radiology 'citizenship' key to specialty's health
 May 2, 2013 -- Saying it's time for radiologists to give back, a new article in the Journal of the American College of Radiology calls on medical imaging professionals to recognize their responsibility to protect their specialty. The authors believe this concept of "citizenship" is key to defending radiology against future threats.
MICI Q2: Confidence low in Medicare payment rates
 April 30, 2013 -- Radiology administrators are confident that their internal costs will remain constant and their practices will maintain or increase growth in the coming months, according to Medical Imaging Confidence Index (MICI) data. But they're not so sure they'll receive adequate reimbursement from Medicare for diagnostic and interventional imaging.
Mary's Musings: An x-ray jacket -- the radiology wiki that was
 April 29, 2013 -- Mornings were rough, but Sylvia was right there with a cup of coffee, just the way I liked it. That was pretty special, a mark of importance, because she didn't bring coffee to just anyone -- after all, she was the linchpin of the radiology department. Why? She ran the file room.
ARRS: Take care in setting up peer-review programs
April 16, 2013 -- WASHINGTON, DC - Most radiologists polled in a recent survey agree that peer review is an important component of any quality assurance initiative. But most would rather see peer review conducted anonymously, according to a study presented Monday at the American Roentgen Ray Society (ARRS) annual meeting.
President's 2014 budget takes on self-referral
April 11, 2013 -- In its 2014 budget plan released April 10, the Obama administration has directly targeted self-referral, proposing that certain imaging services be excluded from the in-office ancillary services exception to the federal Stark law. Unfortunately, the budget also proposes prior authorization for imaging services.
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