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.

AMA Votes to Continue Support for Individual Responsibility for Health Insurance

The American Medical Association (AMA) has voted to continue its policy of supporting individual responsibility for health insurance with assistance for those who cannot afford it.

Cloud Computing Could Help Ordering Doctors Make Better Decisions

According to Medicalis, a provider of information-driven clinical and workflow solutions, part of the problem in curbing overutilization of diagnostic imaging is that ordering physicians often lack easy access to the right forms of decision support. The San Francisco-based company aims to solve this using a new cloud computing product called the

Philips Buys AllParts Medical, Charts Course In Russia

Royal Philips Electronics announced yesterday that it has acquired AllParts Medical, a privately owned, Nashville, Tenn.-based provider of imaging equipment parts and training. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Medicare Claims Indicate CT Scanning Overuse

Efforts by the Center For Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to discourage health care providers from exposing patients to excess radiation have not been entirely effective. While the agency last year provided hospitals with statistics intended to encourage efficient, safer practices, hundreds of hospitals nationwide continue to perform two CT

MedPAC Urges Crackdown On ‘Inappropriate’ Test Orders

Imaging providers may see fewer requests for imaging services to senior citizens if the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has its way. The influential advisory group is urging that physicians who order too many MRIs, CT scans, nuclear medicine studies, and other imaging tests be required to obtain pre-approval from Medicare.

vRad and RBMA Partner to Offer Education and Scholarships

Virtual Radiologic (vRad), a technology-enabled national radiology practice based in Eden Prairie, Minn, and the Radiology Business Management Association (RBMA) will team up to provide RBMA members with additional educational opportunities, including six $1,500 scholarships to RBMA members who have not yet attended an RBMA conference.

FDA Warns Philips to Fix Problems at Imaging Equipment Manufacturing Facility

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent Philips Healthcare of North Andover, Mass, a warning that its manufacturing methods at an Ohio facility that produces CT and nuclear medicine systems do not conform with required current good manufacturing processes.

California Radiologist, Neurologist Charged With Insurance Fraud

Two physicians and two of their co-workers have been indicted for a $17 million workers’ compensation insurance overbilling scheme, the Orange County, Calif. District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) and the California Department of Insurance (CDI) announced earlier this week.