Business Intelligence

Providers utilize business intelligence to monitor referral patterns and collaborate with clinicians who order their services. Such analytics tools have also been deployed in the specialty to improve productivity, track patient satisfaction and bolster quality.

Swearingen Vows RIS Is ICD-10 Ready, Are You?

Swearingen Software, Inc, Houston Texas, vendor of one of radiology’s last remaining standalone RIS solutions, has announced that its RISynergy is ICD-10 ready.

CMS Issues Guidance on Sequestration Cuts

Following the requirements of the Budget Control Act of 2011, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will begin reducing all Medicare Fee for Service (FFS) program payments by 2 percent starting on April 1, unless Congress acts to halt the cuts

Hospital Employment Rises, But Investors Wary

Hospital employment continued rising in February, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported, but investors are wary because of the sequester

New York Imaging Service Acquires GXC Imaging

The deal makes New York Imaging Service (NYIS), Newburgh, NY, the largest privately owned digital X-ray dealer in New York State

MITA Releases New Smart Dose Standard for CT Equipment

The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA) has released XR-29, also known as MITA Smart Dose, a set of four standard attributes of CT equipment that enable optimization or management of radiation dose delivery while also providing high quality medical images

New Cloud-based MU Solution for Radiology Debuts

Raleigh, NC-based ImagingElements has introduced a cloud-based meaningful use (MU) services solution for radiology practices, called ElementMU. Designed to mitigate workflow impact while supporting MU compliance, the service leverages an ONC-ATCB-certified complete ambulatory EHR and custom-designed radiology user interface

Viztek Partners With Orthopedic EHR Vendor Phoenix Ortho

Viztek, the Garner, NC-based digital software and hardware imaging solutions provider for the orthopedic practice market is teaming up with Phoenix Ortho, an orthopedic-exclusive electronic health record (EHR) vendor, to incorporate EHR software in Viztek’s Opal-ORTHO PACS and its range of DR offerings

CT Colonography Bill Reintroduced

Representative Ralph Hall (R-TX), along with lead co-sponsor Representative Danny Davis (D-IL), have reintroduced legislation to extend Medicare coverage to CT colonography as a colorectal cancer screening test. The previous such legislation died in committee when the last session of Congress ended

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.