Economics

This channel highlights factors that impact hospital and healthcare economics and revenue. This includes news on healthcare policies, reimbursement, marketing, business plans, mergers and acquisitions, supply chain, salaries, staffing, and the implementation of a cost-effective environment for patients and providers.

US Radiology Specialists to construct 12 ‘de novo’ outpatient imaging centers in 2025
Of the dozen new centers built this year, 5 are through hospital joint venture partnerships, US Radiology said, adding to its total of 183 centers in 13 states.
American College of Radiology urges rads to report supply chain issues
ACR’s request comes amid ongoing trade wars and new tariffs placed on imaging products.
Startup seeking to make MRI ‘10 times less expensive’ raises $17M
Paris, France-based Chipiron will use the Series A financing to build a prototype of its portable machine, hoping to launch clinical trials in 2026.
AHA warns ‘perfect storm’ threatens hospitals with rising costs, reimbursement cuts
In a new report, the AHA said strains from President Trump’s tariffs and struggles with Medicare Advantage plans are creating “financial headwinds” that could shake the economic stability of hospitals nationwide.
CVS Health’s Aetna to withdraw from ACA insurance marketplaces next year
The company cited declining enrollment as the reason for exiting the exchanges, including from patients seeking Medicare options.

Oracle acquires Cerner for $28.3 billion

Oracle has completed its $28.3 billion acquisition of Cerner, the company announced. The deal will finalize June 8.

Virtual conferences come at the expense of lost networking opportunities

A new survey sought to assess how professionals perceived the conversion from in-person to strictly virtual medical conferences during the height of COVID restrictions in the summer of 2020.

Loneliness is an epidemic among U.S. adults

A whopping 58% of U.S. adults are considered lonely, a figure that reflects negative mental health impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.

How will 18% population growth led by the aging show up in U.S. radiology utilization?

If demography is indeed destiny, U.S. healthcare is headed for a major escalation in spending on medical imaging over the next three decades.

Wisconsin company to begin producing medical isotopes next year

The company’s CEO, Greg Piefer, detailed the plans at the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs’ Conference on June 2, stating that production would be achieved via small-scale nuclear transmutation.

How to prevent cherry picking on radiology worklists

One of the problems in radiology today is the selective cherry picking of the easier, more desirable cases from the DICOM worklists and leaving the more complicated studies for other radiologists, which is one of the factors in radiologist burnout.

Physician compensation now above pre-pandemic levels

After overnight disruptions in 2020, healthcare providers returned to a new normal in 2021 that allowed for compensation gains.

Pennsylvania health systems announce merger plans

Butler Health System and Excela Health will combine to create a health system with more than $1 billion in revenue.

Economics

US Radiology Specialists to construct 12 ‘de novo’ outpatient imaging centers in 2025

American College of Radiology urges rads to report supply chain issues

Startup seeking to make MRI ‘10 times less expensive’ raises $17M

AHA warns ‘perfect storm’ threatens hospitals with rising costs, reimbursement cuts

CVS Health’s Aetna to withdraw from ACA insurance marketplaces next year