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.

In Hawai'i, Hospital Ousts Locals for Exclusive Radiology Contract

Maui Radiology Associates (MRA), which for years has enjoyed an exclusive contract to provide radiology services at the local Maui Memorial Medical Center (MMMC), is protesting a decision by the hospital to sign over those rights to the Dallas, TX-based teleradiology firm, RadCare.

Quality Care IPA Adds Red Rock Radiology to Growing List of Providers

Quality Care IPA, an independent physicians association serving the Las Vegas area, is adding Red Rock Radiology to its network.

IBM's Sequoia Is World's Fastest Supercomputer On TOP500 List

For the first time since November 2009, a United States supercomputer holds the top spot on the TOP500 list of the world’s fastest supercomputers.

SHINE Isotope Project Courts Investors at Wisconsin BIO Convention

In support of a second round of start-up capital, representatives from SHINE Medical Technologies took their case to the Wisconsin business community at the state’s International BIO convention.

ER Visits, Crowding up, but Imaging Not to Blame

From 2001 to 2008, emergency department visits climbed faster than population growth by a factor of 60, according to a study published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine this week—and although advanced imaging was a big factor in ER crowding, its significance was outweighed by that of standard clinical procedures.

S&P Charts 6 Percent Annual Jump in Healthcare Costs in April 2012

The average, per capita cost of healthcare services—including Medicare and privately insured patients—is up six percent year-over-year in the month of April 2012, as measured by the S&P Healthcare Economic Composite Index.

RamSoft Closes Teleradiology Contract with Mexican Government Hospitals

Canadian teleradiology vendor RamSoft announced that it has sold its PowerServer Tele Plus real-time digital environment to Hova Health, one of the largest teleradiology groups in Mexico.

Imaging Advantage Lands $6M Health Care Innovation Award

Among the second wave of DHHS Health Care Innovation Awards announced this week was a $6 million meaningful use grant to the Santa Monica, CA-based Imaging Advantage.

Around the web

The patient, who was being cared for in the ICU, was not accompanied or monitored by nursing staff during his exam, despite being sedated.

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.