Few would argue that one of the most impressive accomplishments of engineering, throughout history, has been the bridge. From the towering Golden Gate to the simple plank stretched across a stream, bridge design and construction are the essence of problem solving. Bridges exist for no other reason than to overcome the obstacle of a river, a valley,

Five centuries ago, the Roman Catholic Church introduced the devil’s advocate for the express purpose of countering arguments in favor of canonization. It’s too bad that Time Warner, Yahoo, and George W. Bush did not have devil’s advocates at hand when they decided to buy AOL, spurn Microsoft’s purchase offer, and invade Iraq.

Among the more interesting dramas unfolding in the medical imaging profession these days are the number and variety of transactions that are either in the pipeline, in the process of due diligence, or otherwise in some organization’s strategic plan for 2010. Consolidation is one of the indicators of a maturing marketplace, and it is clear that

Imaging providers are well aware of the many challenges that radiology groups are facing today. Considering all of the various external threats, one is reminded of the motto sometimes attributed to Blackbeard (Edward Teach, 1680–1718): The floggings will continue until morale improves. It is in this environment that many radiology groups must

Any reader of Radiology Business Journal knows that the complexity and intensity of managing a radiology practice are increasing exponentially. Likewise, we face myriad external factors from Washington that change almost daily and that are, seemingly, out of our control: health reform, the Physician Practice Information Survey, cuts due to the

During the decade following 1996, the average annual cost of health care for those 65 and older increased 30%, according to a recent analysis.1 Medicare footed a larger percentage of the bill for the elderly, fueled in part by the implementation of Part D in 2006.

Health reform efforts have developed into a heated and contentious debate. Despite the position of the AMA in favor of HR 3200 (America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009), physicians are, in fact, quite conflicted on the issue of health care reform. Many physicians are supportive of a single-payor system, while others are vehemently opposed.

When JAMA published an opinion piece1 in October 2009 questioning the effectiveness of mammography screening and calling for new screening protocols to separate life-threatening cancers from less harmful lesions, the mammography community reacted with alarm. Lawrence Bassett, MD, FACR, Iris Cantor professor of breast imaging at the David Geffen