According to the results of a survey published today by global analytics company Towers Watson, more U.S. companies plan to increase the use of telemedicine to lower healthcare spending costs in 2015. Telemedicine has the potential to deliver more than $6 billion in healthcare savings per year to U.S. companies, according to the report.

Cerner Corporation has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Siemens Health Services, the health information technology business unit of Siemens AG, for $1.3 billion in cash.

Mecklenburg Radiology Associates (MRA), is a key imaging services provider for Novant Health, a multi-state hospital system that primarily serves the mid-Atlantic region.

Erkan Akyuz was named president of McKesson Technology Solutions' Imaging & Workflow Solutions in May, 2014. Well known in imaging circles, Akyuz previously served as president and CEO of Vital Images, Inc, as well as executive vice president and chief technology officer at Agfa Healthcare. Akyuz brings extensive industry experience, strong leadership and a focus on customer success, and he is well prepared to further McKesson’s mission to break down information silos and improve the quality and cost effectiveness of care delivery. Health IT Executive Forum recently spoke with Akyuz about his perspectives on the current market, new opportunities and where he will take McKesson’s Imaging & Workflow Solutions division.

The fall season is commonly known as the time that people get "back on track". Healthcare is no exception. With the official ICD-10 transition deadline finally announced, radiology practices can get back to the business of preparing physicians and staff for the new coding implementation.

The Senate confirmed Robert McDonald to head the Department of Veterans Affairs last week, just after congressional leaders put together a $17 billion funding bill to help reform the agency. 

In an NPR story, some professional societies and associations expressed concern over a new report from the Insitute of Medicine that calls for more accountability in the distribution of funding for medical graduate education. 

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced late last week that October 1, 2015, is officially the new transition date for the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision (ICD-10) coding system in healthcare claims.