Change is coming to radiology in ways the profession could not have anticipated in a pre-Affordable Care Act world. The forces driving the change are many and varied—economic, regulatory, technology-enabled—but one common denominator has emerged as the “cardiopulmonary system” of the transformation: hospitals under intense pressure to perform in order to survive.

A supermajority of primary care physicians credit advanced imaging with helping them make better decisions for their patients—and the longer the docs have been practicing medicine, the more appreciative they are of the latest and greatest in imaging technology. 

As senior vice president of Integrated Radiology Partners, (IRP) and also president of the Radiology Business Management Association, Keith Chew is a well-respected leader in our industry. He recently spent time with RadAnalytics to talk about his new role with IRP, the importance of applying analytics in radiology, and share his thoughts on radiology’s outlook for 2015.

With the introduction of the Affordable Care Act, the health insurance landscape in the U.S. shifted dramatically. In addition to providing affordable coverage for many low- and middle-income families, the rollout of the new law naturally replaces the need for insurers to provide mini-medical plans.

Giving patients unrestricted, on-demand access to primary-care doctors for a fixed monthly fee cuts overall care costs by almost 20 percent while also improving patient satisfaction.

In ancient Roman times, all roads led to Rome. From one monument in central Rome, all roads began and distances were measured. Today, the patient is at the center of care—with success measured in wellness, improved outcomes, reduced variability, increased quality and higher patient engagement and patient satisfaction scores. Monumental for sure. But how do we make the patient journey better and how do radiology departments engage to help the process? Global radiology leaders weigh in.

Propelled by mass wariness of malpractice lawsuits, defensive medicine has crossed the Atlantic on a suprising scale.

If harmonizing the work of two or more doctors treating the same patient is a key reason for computerizing healthcare, then health information technology is singing somewhat off key.