The emergence of private equity funding across physician practices has continued into 2019, with these firms targeting high-value platforms that can turn around a nice profit in a sale just a few years later. The phenomenon has led to a decline in independent physician practices and created new implications for care services, according to an article in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

The $69 billion merger between CVS Health and Aetna is facing another potential obstacle, as the government shutdown could impact court proceedings currently holding up closure of the deal, Reuters reported.

Are radiologists happy? How do they compare with physicians from other specialties? The Medscape Physician Lifestyle & Happiness Report 2019 explored these very questions, asking more than 15,000 physicians about their lives outside of work and overall happiness.

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey (Horizon BCBSNJ) announced it is seeking 5,000 members to participate in the Women Informed to Screen Depending On Measures of Risk (WISDOM) Study.

Sectra has announced that its PACS will be installed at 15 breast centers owned by Charlotte, North Carolina-based Charlotte Radiology. The contract was officially signed in November.

Fourteen years ago, radiologist Dean R. Ball, DO, founded a breast imaging practice to meet the needs of the underserved communities in and surrounding Youngstown, Ohio. Today, the practice Ball founded, Tiffany Breast Care Center, employs 16 mammography staffers, up from five in 2004. Although the practice has grown significantly, Ball is committed to reading the X-ray images for each of his patients—which is upwards of 15,000 annually.

In today’s era of value-based care, healthcare providers and vendors are more focused on customer service than ever before. FUJIFILM Medical Systems U.S.A., Inc. (Fujifilm), for instance, recently made significant strides with its own customer service, skyrocketing to the top of MD Buyline’s customer experience ratings for digital radiography (DR) portables, flat panel detectors and DR rooms (MD Buyline Q3 2018) which includes the highest rating in the portable category for Service Response Time and Service Repair Quality.

Hackensack Meridian Health Hackensack University Medical Center is the largest provider of inpatient and outpatient services in all of New Jersey. In fact, the 781-bed teaching and research hospital—which first opened its doors in Hackensack back in 1888—was ranked No. 1 in U.S. News & World Report’s 2017-2018 Best Hospital rankings for the entire state.