The Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed), the Medical Device Manufacturers Association (MDMA) and the Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA), a division of National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), today commended the House of Representatives for passing legislation to repeal the medical device excise tax. The legislation, H.R. 160 “The Protect Medical Innovation Act,” passed with a vote of 280 to 140.

The prices hospitals set for a series of common procedures increased by more than 10% between 2011 and 2013. That’s a faster surge than the rate of inflation—and it’s just one of 50 “things to know about healthcare costs” as spotlighted in a mid-year report from Becker’s Hospital CFO.

When there is conflict and tension at work, do you fight, take flight or let it fester?

Imagine if you could image the future. You’d see the exact path your radiology group must take to protect, and expand, its business. You’d be safe, secure and satisfied.

Healthcare managers challenged to adjust to the foundational changes transforming their industry might do well to take a page—literally—from a titan of the consumer business world. 

vRad (Virtual Radiologic), the nation’s leading telemedicine company and radiology practice, and MetaMind, Inc., a provider of state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions powered by “deep learning,” announced a partnership to improve the speed, accuracy and quality of radiology diagnostics for a series of potentially life-threatening conditions, the first of which will be intracranial hemorrhaging (IH).

“The one thing Democrats and Republicans agree about is mammograms: We need more, not less, screening. Meanwhile, screening has become radiology’s raison d’être, the treatment effect, the proof that imaging saves lives, the link between the radiologist in a dark room and the people.”

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) has awarded more than half a billion dollars to fund the formation and growth of health information exchanges (HIEs). Has the return been worth the investment? One researcher has looked into that question, found a qualified Yes—and pointed to decreased radiology utilization as a prime piece of supporting evidence.