The advent of value-based reimbursement has tightened the purse strings on the clinical services income that academic medical centers traditionally rely on. It will become increasingly important for academic hospitals to develop a 21st century funds flow model, and radiology departments need to know where they fit into the institutional mission—both now and in the future.

Columbus Radiology announced an expansion to 10 hospitals within the Mercy Health System, with 14 area radiologists joining Columbus Radiology to provide services to hospitals in the Toledo area. Columbus Radiology is a Radiology Partners practice, allowing them to maintain local control while taking advantage of large-scale support programs such as clinical analytics or physician leadership boards.

McKesson Corporation and Change Healthcare Holdings completed their previously-announced agreement to form a new health IT company, named Change Healthcare. The new company combines the majority of McKesson Technology Solutions and “substantially all” of Change Healthcare Holdings in a $6.1 billion deal. 

GE Healthcare is off to the big (second) city, according to a report from the Chicago Tribune that details their move from suburban Chicago to the downtown area. Hundreds of GE Healthcare employees will join their GE Transportation colleagues in the West Loop neighborhood starting in the third quarter of 2017.

The Veterans Healthcare System is renewing its commitment to HealthLevel to collaborate on high-efficiency data analytics to improve radiology efficiency and physician engagement.

A group hailing from the University of Michigan Medical School found widespread misinformation about Affordable Care Act (ACA)-mandated breast health coverage, using a mystery shopper who spoke with insurance representatives over the phone. Their research was published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

The approval of two new Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes acknowledges echocardiographic myocardial strain imaging and myocardial contrast perfusion echocardiography as emerging technologies, often a necessary step before a code is promoted to payable status.

National health solutions partner MEDNAX has announced the acquisition of Radiology Alliance and Inifinty Management headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., in an effort to expand radiology strategy to include both on-site and teleradiology services.