Management

This page includes content on healthcare management, including health system, hospital, department and clinic business management and administration. Areas of focus are on cardiology and radiology department business administration. Subcategories covered in this section include healthcare economics, reimbursement, leadership, mergers and acquisitions, policy and regulations, practice management, quality, staffing, and supply chain.

Contract Negotiations: Not Just About the Dollars

Contract negotiations with payors formerly were a lengthy process. Not any more; they are concluded now in half the time because payors have stopped telling radiology groups to take it or leave it and, instead, are simply saying, “Take it.” Payors seem to hold all the cards in any bargaining over reimbursement rates. Mark Kleinschmidt, CEO of St

Creating a Blog That No One Will Read

A couple of years ago, the CEO of a $100-million company was presiding over a conference call with about 16 senior members of several divisions of the company. The CEO mentioned something that he had written on his blog in order to start a discussion of the topic. What he initiated, instead, was silence. Stunned, he asked, “Is anyone reading my

Leverage PACS IT Support to Grow Referrals

While radiology practices and imaging center operators spend heavily on marketing liaisons to help cement favorable referral patterns, few understand the role that hands-on PACS IT support can play.

My PET/CT Experience: Adding a New Modality to PACS

Sponsored by Hitachi Healthcare Americas

It was a Tuesday afternoon when I received the call. The new PET/CT scanner was installed, and acceptance testing was about to begin, but my medical physicist informed me that PACS was not listed as a destination. The installation team had not configured the scanner to communicate with PACS. Not too concerned, I asked to speak with the modality

Ten Trends, Five Years: Predictions for Outpatient Imaging

Sponsored by Hitachi Healthcare Americas

While long-term forecasts are always subject to error in a changing climate, today’s market trends can provide strong, reliable indications of what to expect in the future. For outpatient imaging over the coming five years, ten ongoing trends, in particular, can be predicted based on the changes being seen in imaging now.

The Role of CCTA in Primary Care

Primary care physicians are increasingly referring patients for coronary CT angiography (CCTA) to provide accurate diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) and earlier disease management for their patients. Most practitioners recognize the benefits of CCTA for those who are at risk of coronary disease, as well as for patients who exhibit related

Chris Winkle: Taking MedQuest In-House

Last August, the news that Novant Health, Inc, Winston-Salem, NC, had offered $45 million (with an additional performance-based contingency of $35 million and the assumption of all outstanding debt) for Alpharetta, Ga-based MedQuest set the outpatient imaging world abuzz. The deal, which closed in November, represented what many considered a

To Read or Not to Read

As Shakespeare’s famous Prince of Denmark did, many radiologists I know struggle with choosing between two mutually exclusive paths to fulfillment. In Hamlet’s case, the idea of honorable revenge was countered by fantasies of ending it all. While not as draconian, the choice for radiologists is nevertheless gut wrenching.