Business Intelligence

Providers utilize business intelligence to monitor referral patterns and collaborate with clinicians who order their services. Such analytics tools have also been deployed in the specialty to improve productivity, track patient satisfaction and bolster quality.

Report: Harvard Medical School data backing healthcare-focused Microsoft Copilot update
According to the Wall Street Journal, insider sources said a major update to Microsoft’s AI chatbot could be released before the end of the month, designed to be more reliable at answering medical queries.
Nonprofit investors seek ‘checks and balances’ at UnitedHealth
The Accountability Board has submitted an official proposal for UnitedHealth Group to separate its CEO and board chair positions, both currently held by Stephen Hemsley.
Healthcare market research firm Press Ganey scooped up in $6.75B AI merger
Qualtrics, which uses artificial intelligence to measure public satisfaction and consumer trends, is buying Press Ganey outright, citing the need for more healthcare-specific data to improve its technology.
Duke Health, Aetna reach agreement to keep members in-network
The new contract was signed just ahead of the Oct. 20 deadline. The insurer and academic health system were in dispute over reimbursement rates. The exact terms of the new multi-year agreement are unknown.
Trump, Pfizer announce ‘TrumpRx’ following tariff exemption deal
The new "TrumpRx.com" will sell Pfizer drugs at a heavily discounted price, direct-to-consumers. However, details on the initiative are not entirely clear.

The week’s top industry news bites: Installations & investments, signed contracts & strategic collaborations …

Radiology business developments that broke softly but may soon make waves:

Portable MRI found handy, useful—just not as a full-on replacement for its immovable cousin

Point-of-care MRI is a worthwhile diagnostic option for emergency departments and ICUs concerned about wait or transport times to access fixed MRI for patients with neuroimaging needs.

Number of new osteopathic radiologists far outpaces new allopathic radiologists

The differential could signal an increase in patient access, especially in rural areas and the Midwest.

GE out with next-gen X-ray machine

GE Healthcare introduced a new fixed radiography system Aug. 2, positioning it at the high end of the category and spotlighting its capabilities as the most advanced in its family.

Radiological field offers 3 of the 10 highest-paying associate degree options: ZDNet

Surveying the landscape of well-paying jobs in reach of individuals with two-year degrees, a popular technology-business news outlet has found three of the top 10 exist within the radiological sphere.

Google, NIH converge on Arkansas over medical AI education, advancement

Data scientists and software engineers at the University of Arkansas have been awarded more than $140,000 by the NIH to educate biomedical researchers on the growing role of AI in big-data analytics.

Imaging center owner/doctor charged with doing $1M-plus in fraudulent, risky-to-patients business

A state attorney general has indicted the physician owner of an imaging center for bribing colleagues to order unnecessary exams before performing the exams—including some with IV contrast—and submitting false claims to CMS.

For prostate cancer diagnostics, 7T MRI has next to nothing on ultrasound tomography

In an initial comparison study involving 10 patients with high-risk prostate cancer, ultrasound tomography (UT) soundly beat 7-Tesla multiparametric MRI on detection sensitivity, 85.7% to 65.3%.

Business Intelligence

Report: Harvard Medical School data backing healthcare-focused Microsoft Copilot update

Nonprofit investors seek ‘checks and balances’ at UnitedHealth

Healthcare market research firm Press Ganey scooped up in $6.75B AI merger

Duke Health, Aetna reach agreement to keep members in-network

Trump, Pfizer announce ‘TrumpRx’ following tariff exemption deal