In the years since the announcement of the federal meaningful-use program, the radiology community has been abuzz with discussion about how to meet several of the challenges that it has presented: interoperability with referring physicians; sharing not just of radiology reports, but of full imaging datasets as well; and recording of patient health information that had not previously been considered the domain of radiology. One goal of the program is less frequently discussed, however: deepening patient engagement and empowerment through encouraging the use of personal health records (PHRs).

When Medical Imaging LLC (Tupelo, Mississippi) needed to replace the MRI systems in two of its imaging centers, the practice faced an increasingly common challenge: Although both of the centers needed new equipment, the practice couldn’t afford to purchase two advanced imaging systems at the same time. “We need to conserve capital,” Lee Frans, executive director of the practice, explains. “As we wait to see how the health-care environment pans out over the next few years, we need to be cautious.”

On October 1, 36 states launched new health-insurance exchanges, beginning the influx of new patient volume for which the health-care community has been preparing itself since the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. For radiologists, who have been trying to redefine themselves in the eyes of patients for several years now, these new customers represent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, according to Harry Purcell, operations manager for Zotec Partners. “Radiologists have the chance to reinvent their image as more high-touch and integrated,” he says. “It will be key for forward-thinking groups to start making changes now.”

A study1 published in the October 24 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine adds to the growing body of proof that physician self-referral for imaging continues to occur—in some cases, to a staggering degree. A Georgetown University researcher found that urologists with ownership interest in intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) services are significantly more likely to recommend the procedure for their patients than physicians are if they have no financial stake in IMRT.

RadNet will begin executing a cost savings program targeted at saving $30 million of annual operating costs in response to the reimbursement pressure and lower than anticipated utilization the company has experienced this year

The billing and practice management services declined to confirm the exact size of its commitment. However, it is listed on the ACR’s website as a “Partner,” a distinction reserved for companies that contribute a half million or more

Governor Tom Corbett has signed the Breast Density Notification Act into law, making Pennsylvania the 13th state to require mammogram results sent to patients to include breast density information

Supporters of the mandatory inclusion of breast density information in patient mammogram result notifications are making another run at getting a national law passed to require this of all imaging providers