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.

Harvard Researchers Link Iodine Based Contrast Material to Hyperthyroidism

Harvard University researchers have documented a link between iodinated contrast media used in CT scans and hyperthyroidism, based on a report in the January 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

Poverty Not Linked to Increased Radiation Dosage from Imaging

Living in poverty is associated with higher rates of ionizing radiation dosage, but only because people with lower incomes are more likely to be sick and require a greater amount of imaging, according to a study in the current issue of the Journal of American College of Radiology.

Cost Main Barrier to HIEs, say Health Care Execs

Health care executives recognize the need for a robust health information exchange, but they largely lack the budget, according to a survey by Beacon Partners.

Study Questions Two-Year Bone Density Screening for Older Women

A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine calls into question the bi-annual screening for osteoporosis that Medicare recommends for women over 65.

Georgia Woman in Case Against Tech Dies

A woman who was part of a criminal case against a radiology technologist in Georgia for wrongfully reporting the results of 10 mammogram tests has died.

University of Michigan Helps Develop Low-Impact CT

Radiologists at the University of Michigan have been helping to develop a new technology that performs a CT scan at a fraction of the radiation dose required for a conventional CT, according to a press release by the University of Michigan Health System.

Worldwide PACS Market to Grow 10% Annually to $5.8 billion in 2017

The worldwide market for Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) is expected to grow by 10% annually to about $5.8 billion by 2017, according to MarketResearch.com.

Health Care Mergers Worth $227.4 Billion Last Year

The health care merger and acquisition market in the US generated 980 deals worth $227.4 billion in 2010, which was 9% higher than the previous year, based on a market report by Irving Levin Associates, Inc.

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