Innovative radiology management company helps hospitals grow their radiology business

LAS VEGAS, August 1, 2014 –Current economic factors have created many challenges for hospitals and medical providers, yet one radiology practice is defying the odds.  As Nevada’s largest provider of leading-edge diagnostic and interventional imaging, Las Vegas-based Desert Radiologists has emerged as one of the country’s largest and most successful private radiology practices.

As a way to help hospitals and other radiology practices around the country grow their business more efficiently and profitably, the team has created Desert Radiology Solutions (DRS), a full-service and cost-effective radiology management program.  The group includes more than 60 board certified physicians, with subspecialties in musculoskeletal, nuclear medicine, pediatrics, interventional and neuroradiology, and provides image interpretation on the most complex of cases.

In addition, DRS offers a variety of services for small to medium-sized hospitals, including on-site diagnostic and interventional radiology programs. “Many hospitals, because of their location or size, don’t have the capability to staff some or all of their radiology services, and the most difficult of those services involve interventional radiology.  They need to offer vascular and minimally invasive radiology procedures, and if they can’t, their patients must be sent to a different facility for diagnosis and for subsequent treatment,” said Robb Vaules, national accounts director for Desert Radiology Solutions. “These hospitals are unnecessarily losing patients and potential income.”

DRS has created an innovative on-site program that brings trained diagnostic and interventional radiologists directly into the hospital to provide diagnostic procedures and interventional support. “Smaller hospitals are reluctant to hire additional specialty personnel because of the economic risk and long-term commitment that is associated with expansion. DRS actually employs the physicians, places them in the hospital and manages their activity.”

For partnering hospitals, this means the ability to provide more services to their local medical staff and allow their patients to remain closer to home for their medical care. “Through Desert Radiology Solutions, they can and are able to serve their patient populations comprehensively so medical care isn’t delayed or doesn’t lapse, eliminating the need for patients to drive to distant centers for imaging procedures,” said William Moore, Chief Executive Officer.

Established in 2011, DRS is already helping others achieve their radiology practice goals.  It is currently assisting several hospitals and medical practices in the United States who otherwise would have been required to send patients to other facilities in order to get the appropriate diagnostic reports and analysis.

 “The expertise of our professional board-certified physicians is second-to-none,” said Vaules. “And they are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to cover diagnostic interpretations, complex subspecialty reads and full night call services.” Reports are available within 24 hours for routine exams and within 30 minutes for STAT exams after image acquisition. For hospitals and medical providers, this provides the best of both worlds – on site capabilities to meet their patient needs with full back-up support from a large, experienced radiology group with all-inclusive redundant systems in place to ensure the highest level of quality and service.

In addition, DRS provides customizable management solutions, from administrative and human resource services to technology, contract negotiations and marketing assistance to help its partners grow.  These innovative radiology business and professional services, based upon proven systems and procedures, allow hospitals and physicians to maximize their financial resources and focus on what really matters – their patients.

“Our leadership has the knowledge, know-how and resources to provide hospitals and medical practices with tailored business solutions that make sense for their needs,” said Vaules. “And we have the board-certified radiologists for a turn-key radiology practice. There’s a void for all of these services that we can fill for hospitals and medical practices that want a profitable and more managable operation.”

Representatives of DRS will be exhibiting in booth 918 at the AHRA’s 42nd Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, DC, August 10-13, to meet with hospital radiology administrators from around the country. For information, visit www.dradsolutions.com or call 702-759-8900.
 
About Desert Radiology Solutions
Established in 2011, Desert Radiology Solutions is a business and professional services company that provides comprehensive and customizable radiology solutions to hospitals and radiology practices around the country. Areas of expertise include: management and administrative services, human resources, marketing solutions, operating process management, revenue cycle management, technology services, professional and support services, teleradiology consulting, image interpretation, and operations and billing services. Desert Radiology Solutions is a subsidiary of Las Vegas-based Desert Radiologists, Nevada’s largest provider of leading-edge diagnostic and interventional imaging with all board-certified radiologists, and one of the country’s largest private diagnostic imaging practices. For information, visit www.dradsolutions.com or call 702-759-8900.
 
About Desert Radiologists
Desert Radiologists has been serving Southern Nevada since 1966. The expert team of radiologists is the largest group of physicians providing quality diagnostic imaging in Nevada. The practice operates six outpatient locations throughout Las Vegas and Henderson and is the radiology provider for 11 Southern Nevada hospitals. Additionally, it provides radiology services for a large cancer center, a group of multi-specialty medical centers and several other facilities throughout Nevada and California.  Desert Radiologists offers the most comprehensive procedures available including Angiography, Computed Tomography (CT), CT Colonography, Dexa Bone Densitometry, Dental Implant CT Scanning, Diagnostic Radiology (X-ray), Interventional and Cardiovascular Radiology, MRI/3T MRI, 3D/2D Mammography, Nuclear Medicine, Positron Emission Tomography (PET/CT), Stereotactic Breast Biopsy, Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) and Ultrasound. In addition, its Desert Vascular Institute provides a complete array of vascular services.
For information, visit www.desertradiologists.com or call (702) 759-8600.

Around the web

The nuclear imaging isotope shortage of molybdenum-99 may be over now that the sidelined reactor is restarting. ASNC's president says PET and new SPECT technologies helped cardiac imaging labs better weather the storm.

CMS has more than doubled the CCTA payment rate from $175 to $357.13. The move, expected to have a significant impact on the utilization of cardiac CT, received immediate praise from imaging specialists.

The all-in-one Omni Legend PET/CT scanner is now being manufactured in a new production facility in Waukesha, Wisconsin.