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.

FDA Clears Low-Dose Digital Mammography Unit

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday announced that it has granted Sectra clearance to market its Sectra MicroDose Mammography L30 low-dose digital mammography unit for sale in the U.S.

Study Pegs Increasing Revascularization Rates Among Self-Referring Physicians

The likelihood that patients with intermittent caludification will undergo revascularization is highest when those patients are treated by cardiologists and vascular surgeons, even if exercise is the preferred approach, according to research to be presented this week during the American Roentgen Ray Society’s annual meeting in Chicago.

Community Health Systems Refutes Tenet’s Allegations

In the midst of a hostile, $6-per-share, $3.3 billion takeover bid for rival Tenet Healthcare, Community Health Systems (CHS) last Thursday defended itself against Tenet’s allegations of improper patient admission practices, calling them “contrived and biased.” The move follows a lawsuit filed by Tenet on April 11, in which it charged CHS—whose

GE Healthcare To Acquire Applied Precision

GE Healthcare late last week announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire Applied Precision, Inc., a supplier of cellular imaging technologies for the cell biology and biomedical research sectors. The acquisition of Applied Precision will allow GE Healthcare to expand its offering of products and services for pharmaceutical and life

Hospital Settles False Claim Charges

In what can be seen as a cautionary tale for any hospital that trains residents, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, N.H., has agreed to pay more than $2.2 million to settle charges that it improperly billed several federal healthcare programs, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Vermont announced yesterday. More than $80,000 of the

Royal Philips, NEC To Collaborate On Digital Pathology Solutions

Royal Philips Electronics and NEC Corporation earlier this week announced the signing of an agreement under which the two companies will jointly develop and market highly integrated digital pathology solutions. Based on Philips’ new high-throughput pathology slide scanner and NEC’s e-Pathologist Cancer Diagnosis Assistance System, the solutions

Insurer Wrongly Denied Vital Imaging Tests

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware (BCBSD) has reportedly violated state law by signing a contract with Franklin, Tenn.-based radiology benefits management company MedSolutions that guaranteed the insurer would save money by denying high-tech imaging tests, such as nuclear cardiac exams, the Delaware News Journal reports.

Physician Turnover Rates On An Upswing

Physician turnover has increased for the first time since 2008, according to the sixth annual Physician Retention Survey conducted by Cejka Search and the American Medical Group Association (AMGA). The survey, which takes into account responses from 62 medical organizations representing 17,624 physicians, reflects a total turnover rate of 6.1% in