Health care mergers and acquisition activity spiked to $66.5 billion in the third quarter of 2010, up 44% from the $45.1 billion spent in the previous quarter, reveals a new report from research firm Irving Levin Associates, Norwalk, Ct. Third-quarter activity also rose 74% from the $38.2 billion spent during the same three months of last year, the

Demand for radiation therapy will exceed the number of radiation oncologists practicing in the U.S. by ten-fold between 2010 and 2020, according to research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Care Center.

Gov Arnold Schwarzenegger of California has signed into law a medical radiation protection bill aimed at protecting patients from excessive radiation exposure received during CT scans and radiation therapy procedures. Greasing the wheels for the first state law of its kind in the U.S., SB 1237, as the bill is known, mandates strict new procedures

Four community hospitals, each located in a non-metropolitan area, sought to improve their radiology service. Each began to see improvements within about six months, and the gains were accomplished, for the most part, without adding new or better modalities.

The decision to outsource billing is one faced with increasing regularity by radiology groups seeking to trim costs while maximizing reimbursement. Within this larger decision also lies another conundrum: how to select the outsourced-billing approach that best suits the practice. Kevin Shepherd is chief development officer for Medical Management

In today’s business environment, it is critical for health care organizations and their leaders to demonstrate a thorough understanding of their respective markets’ dynamics, needs and demands—and to make decisions accordingly, said Donna Wade in the “Know Your Market to Grow Your Market” session held on August 24 at the annual meeting of the AHRA:

Freestanding imaging has come under fire in recent years, with a series of Medicare Physician Fee Schedule reimbursement cuts decimating revenue. Hospital-based imaging, on the other hand, has not absorbed as much impact, a reflection of the aligned-care model promoted by President Obama during the development and passage of health-reform

The FDA’s review process for medical devices still needs clarification, and the link between user fees and performance needs strengthening, representatives of medical device manufacturers testified at a public hearing.