Opening a new imaging center, or planning a grand reopening, involves details far beyond the technology and construction concerns, the most important of which may be the center’s marketing plan.

It has been said that all we need to focus on, in the daily battle for market share in the rough-and-tumble world of outpatient imaging, is a practice’s unique value proposition. Indeed, I am perhaps the most vocal proponent of increasing the level of professionalism of today’s sales/marketing staff in the outpatient imaging center, equipping them

It’s coming. In many hospitals, it has already arrived. We’re talking about multidetector CT (MDCT), CT angiography, and advanced 3D imaging. This wonderful new technology offers the promise of evaluating disease processes, from atherosclerosis to cancer to trauma, more quickly, safely, and accurately than older techniques. CT angiography is

In imaging today, volume is the name of the game: The only way to maintain your practice’s financial viability is to keep your volume above a certain level. There’s an upside to this highly leveraged business scenario, though. Once you reach a volume that represents a breakeven point in terms of fixed costs, every subsequent scan goes right to your

Obtaining the most favorable financing depends on having the kinds of financial statements that lenders want to see. Before seeking funding for a de novo build, an upgrade to an existing imaging center, or new modality purchases, it is important to understand the commonly used types of financial statements, the kinds of financing typically

Radiographic mammography can be difficult to interpret, and radiologists who read mammograms rely on prior studies to guide them. Many women wisely comply with the recommendation to have this lifesaving study annually, so radiologists are often doing a difficult job within a tight timeline because they must review many mammograms, including the

Today’s imaging market is substantially different from that of earlier years; payment is less secure, coverage for new technology is more difficult to obtain, and government and private oversight are increasing. After years of uninhibited growth and development, the imaging sector now faces unprecedented scrutiny that will probably change the way

Radiology practices create the largest number of new accounts per month of any specialty within a health care delivery system. On average, a practice reading 500,000 examinations per year would generate 35,000 new accounts per month. The billing issue that confronts every radiology practice is achieving a balance between processing costs and