The change would require providers to obtain a psychological assessment before performing an interventional procedure used to treat chronic lower back pain.

Backers include societies representing radiologists and nuclear medicine professionals, device manufacturers, patient advocacy groups, and pharmaceutical companies. 

The findings, derived from ACR's National Mammography Database, offer important clues as leaders seek to improve biopsy rates after screenings. 

Clearpath for Patients empowers healthcare facilities to deliver next-generation patient experiences by sharing x-rays, MRIs, and CT-scans digitally.

“These results suggest that hospitals need to substantially improve the integration of their online pricing data with frontline staff who interact with patients," investigators wrote in JAMA Internal Medicine. 

"Under-compensation of out-of-network care will threaten the viability of smaller and independent physician practices," ACR and others charged. 

Experts offered three takeaways from their query of legal claims databases, sharing their findings in Radiology. 

Cardiologist Martha Gulati, MD, lead author of the 2021 chest pain guidelines, explained how the document may have contributed to the rise of cardiac CT. "These guidelines have made it harder for people to push back and say you don't need this test," she said. 

In addition to the hefty fine, the New York physician has agreed to relinquish ownership of his cardiology practice after exchanging kickbacks for PET and SPECT referrals for more than a decade.