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.

Florida probes CVS Health in latest crackdown on PBMs
State Attorney General James Uthmeier is forcing the company to hand over thousands of documents related to its pharmacy contracts and reimbursement policies to see if the retail giant is abusing its position in the market as both a pharmacy benefit manager and a retail chain of drug stores.
Private equity unlikely to dominate cardiology despite hype
Medaxiom CEO Jerry Blackwell, MD, MBA, FACC, discusses investor's interest in buying cardiology practices, noting that PE ownership remains relatively low.
OIG warns of ‘ghost network’ trouble in maternal health managed care
Looking at the three largest Medicaid managed care plans related to maternal health, the Office of Inspector General found instances of ineligible providers being included in directories, as well as other errors such as incorrect contact information.
OhioHealth agrees to void contracts that allegedly punished payers for including competitors in-network
The U.S. Department of Justice said the settlement will save citizens of the state money and open up the market to competition.
Major private payer encouraging employees to leave willingly
The largest Medicaid-specialized managed care organization in the U.S. is offering buyout packages to most of its 60,000 or so staff workers.

POCUS access: Urban oases, rural deserts

Fewer than 40% of rural counties in the U.S. can offer residents any access to point-of-care ultrasound, while nearly 90% of their metropolitan counterparts have POCUS aplenty.

MRI confirmed as gold standard for pre-biopsy detection of prostate cancer—but that’s ‘not the end of the story’

A clinical trial pitting MRI against a burgeoning PET/CT technique has found the de facto defending champion better at revealing the presence of any grade of prostate cancer.

Low back imaging: All-in-one MR makes strong showing vs. added CT

Two emerging MRI techniques show promise as all-in-one imaging tests for patients with pain in and below the lower back due to changes in the sacroiliac joint.

Radiology operation loses standing to provide mammography services

The FDA is warning patients and referrers about an imaging business near the nation’s capital that has fumbled away its mammography accreditation.

IDE granted for clinical research of MRI-guided focused ultrasound

The FDA has cleared a focused-ultrasound developer to compare the safety and efficacy of acoustic energy for treating prostate cancer against the more conservative approach of active surveillance.

RSNA flagship journal soars in influence; Lancet bumps NEJM on strength of pandemic publishing

Editor David Bluemke, MD, PhD, says the journal’s rising impact factor is “representative of the fundamental importance of imaging throughout our hospitals and clinics.”

Philips picks partner for multispecialty management of lung cancer

An imaging OEM is teaming with a multi-omics diagnostics company to offer lung-cancer care teams lab data alongside radiologic findings and clinical histories.

Big private payer reverses course on cardiac PET/CT coverage

One of the largest private health insurers in the U.S. has gone from considering hybrid PET/CT for cardiac indications “experimental/investigational” to displaying willingness to pay for the modality.

Business Intelligence

Florida probes CVS Health in latest crackdown on PBMs

Private equity unlikely to dominate cardiology despite hype

OIG warns of ‘ghost network’ trouble in maternal health managed care

OhioHealth agrees to void contracts that allegedly punished payers for including competitors in-network

Major private payer encouraging employees to leave willingly