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.

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High-Tech PACS Improves Performance at Pennsylvania Community Hospital

Sponsored by Konica Minolta

When Meadville Medical Center (MMC), Meadville, Pa., decided in 2013 to replace its legacy PACS, the 235-bed facility faced an issue common to community hospitals nationwide.

Fujifilm Presents Latest Healthcare IT technologies at 2014 Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine (SIIM)

Stamford, Conn., May 12, 2014 (Booth #330-334)  – FUJIFILM Medical Systems U.S.A., Inc., will present its comprehensive Synapse portfolio for IT professionals at the 2014 annual meeting of the Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine (SIIM) in Long Beach, California from May 15-17, 2014.  The Synapse family of products combined provides management of the complete patient record, ensuring diagnostic integrity while providing fast, secure access to clinical users via web platforms or mobile devices. 

RBMA Summit 2014: Building relationships-the changing focus of radiology

Among the many different sessions presented at the Radiology Business Management Association Summit that was held last week in Charlotte, NC, an underlying theme was very apparent. The importance of building relationships was stressed time and again. From forging and maintaining relationships with fellow radiologists and radiology practices, to building relationships with hospitals, it was clear that productivity alone will not demonstrate value in the new healthcare environment. The way radiologists interact and relate to others is crucial when it comes to building a trusting, solid foundation for their practices. 

The devil is in the details; healthcare providers may end up holding the bag

While 8 million people may have signed up for coverage under the health insurance exchanges (HIXs), the world is now watching to see how many of them pay their premiums under affordable care. The current uninsured rate is at its lowest in years, according to recent reports from Gallup, but industry experts indicate those numbers may fluctuate based on people’s continued ability to pay premiums. In an effort to offer consumers ample time to pay their insurance premiums under the new healthcare law, a provision was included to give them a 90-day grace period. While the grace period may be beneficial to consumers, it increases the financial risk and potential financial burden to healthcare providers. 

More people insured, but issues remain

New data released this week indicate that even though the number of adults in the United States who lack health insurance has dropped to its lowest rate since 2008, the new health law still lacks consumer approval. A Gallup Poll released Monday, May 5, reported that the U.S. uninsured rate has fallen to 13 percent as of April, 2014, down from its peak of 18 percent in 2013. According to Gallup, the report captures the surge in late sign-ups that occurred in March. 

2014 AHRA Annual Meeting

August 10-13, 2014Washington, DC

2014 Radiology Leadership Institute—Leadership Summit

August 7-10, 2014 | Wellesley, Mass.

2014 SNMMI Annual Meeting

June 7-11, 2014St. Louis, MO 

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.