H.R. 2914, the Promoting Integrity in Medicare Act of 2013, seeks to curb overutilization of advanced diagnostic imaging by significantly narrowing the types of medical services that would fall under "in-office ancillary services" exception to the Stark Law

Optimal Radiology and Advanced Diagnostic Imaging are moving forward with set up of their new joint corporate office in Nashville. They announced that they are hiring 15 new people to help staff the office and that it is now officially the company's headquarters

Few would disagree that it’s increasingly difficult to operate as a freestanding imaging-service provider. Reimbursement continues to face pressure, patients have become more savvy regarding their copayments, and increased competition from hospital operators has caused industry participants to become intensely focused on cost efficiencies. We have entered an environment where economies of scale and focused expertise will correlate with enhanced competitive advantages; consequently, we find evidence of increased partnerships and consolidations. One factor that stands to accelerate the partnership/consolidation trend is often left out of the conversation: The impact of the recession on capital investment in imaging equipment might soon create accelerated market activity, however.

Every business starts somewhere; even in the current period of radiology-practice consolidation, startups are popping up around the country. David Myrice, director of practice management for Medical Management Professionals (MMP), says, “Every so often, an opportunity still presents itself to form a new group.

When outpatient imaging center Ocean Radiology (New York, New York) opened its doors in South Brooklyn, seven years ago, the intention of Steven Polk, founder and owner, was to offer an unparalleled imaging service to the community. “We differentiated ourselves from the other imaging providers in the area by going with high-end equipment (which wasn’t common, around here) and with sophisticated studies that weren’t being done at the time,” Polk recalls. “The nearest hospital is an hour’s trip away, and having a study done there could take all day. We’re close to our patients’ homes, convenient, fast, and high quality.”

In the wake of the Cedars-Sinai CT overexposure scandal, California passed legislation in 2012 mandating the monitoring and reporting of CT-exam radiation dose; since then, dose-monitoring legislation has passed (or is being considered) in multiple states, and public awareness of radiation risk has been significantly heightened. Ian Judd, product manager for Sectra, says, “There’s been a lot of media attention in the United States, and in Europe as well. Due to instant access to information on the Internet, people are far more aware that radiation is a bad thing. What they haven’t been made aware of is that it’s a good thing, when used correctly.”

On July 28, I was lucky enough to attend a physician-leadership learning track prior to the AHRA’s annual meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The day got off to a running start with “Creating Sustainability in Medical Imaging: Defining and Rewarding Value,” presented by Rich Duszak, MD, CEO of the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute of the ACR®.

Jeffery A. Surges has resigned as CEO and director of Chicago-based Merge Healthcare Inc. following another disappointing financial performance in the company’s second quarter