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.

Medicare Advantage insurer accused of upcoding by a whistleblower settles False Claims Act lawsuit for $22.5M
Independence Blue Cross, the largest medical insurance provider in the Philadelphia area, does not admit to wrongdoing. It was accused in a lawsuit backed by the U.S. Department of Justice of misrepresenting the severity of patient illnesses to juice risk-adjusted Medicare payments.
Housing AI company hits $4B valuation as it expands into healthcare
With its $350M in new funding, EliseAI said it plans to build out its technology and sales force. It currently works with specialty provider groups to automate practice operations such as scheduling and insurance verification.
Rural cardiology practices struggle to fill vacancies
A new survey put a spotlight on the staffing issues rural cardiology practices and health systems face on a daily basis.
Some physicians not only avoid burnout but also find fulfillment. Here’s how they do it.
Of surveyed and interviewed U.S. physicians who showed significant six-month improvement in follow-up vs. baseline wellness checks, 47% attributed the gain to active personal changes. Not far behind were those who credited active work-related changes—40% of the field.
Mayo Clinic, Thermo Fisher Scientific launch new AI-supported diagnostics company
The new entity, Precure, will be owned by both groups. Its work in detecting early disease for timely intervention stems from a research project launched this summer. The Mayo Clinic said Precure will make the results of that initiative actionable.

CHS Completes Acquisition of HMA for $3.9 Billion

With the addition of the 71 hospitals operated by Health Management Associates (HMA), Community Health Systems (CHS) becomes the largest hospital chain in the country, public or private, by number of facilities.

Calgary Scientific Joins Hitachi Technology Alliance

Canada’s Calgary Scientific Inc. has become a member of the Health and Life Sciences Technology Alliance Partner (TAP) program of Hitachi Data Systems

FDA Approves Updated Varian Radiation Therapy System

Varian Medical Systems’ updated ProBeam™ proton therapy system can now be marketed in the United States

Medicare Will Reveal Individual Physician Payments

CMS has published rules on how it will comply with requests for the actual dollar amounts it has paid to individual physicians

MedPAC Recommends Equalizing Many HOPPS and MPFS Charges

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has voted unanimously to reduce or eliminate discrepancies in what Medicare pays for services done in hospital outpatient departments versus physician offices and ambulatory surgery centers

Techs Sue Over Alleged Inadequate Radiation Shielding

Five imaging technologists at Methodist Medical Center in Oak Ridge, Tenn., are seeking damage compensation for radiation exposure they say they received from a CT scanner that operated for 7 years without adequate lead shielding in the wall between the scanner and the control room

ACR Names Thorwarth New CEO

William T. Thorwarth, Jr., M.D., FACR, will replace Harvey L. Neiman, M.D., FACR, as CEO of the American College of Radiology (ACR) in April

House Omnibus Budget Deal Rolls Back a Sequester Cut on Imaging Manufacturers

The $1.1 trillion omnibus spending package the House approved on Wednesday restores funding to the FDA for the approval of new medical devices, including advanced medical imaging technologies

Business Intelligence

Medicare Advantage insurer accused of upcoding by a whistleblower settles False Claims Act lawsuit for $22.5M

Housing AI company hits $4B valuation as it expands into healthcare

Rural cardiology practices struggle to fill vacancies

Some physicians not only avoid burnout but also find fulfillment. Here’s how they do it.

Mayo Clinic, Thermo Fisher Scientific launch new AI-supported diagnostics company