As 2014 moved into its fourth and final quarter, the one-year hourglass turned on ICD-9, and no one on the exhibit floor at the Radiology Business Management Association’s 2014 Fall Educational Conference, Oct. 19–21 in Seattle, expected another reprieve.

Forget about all of the work waiting for you when you get back, there are so many compelling reasons to attend an annual meeting of one of radiology’s specialty organizations. Hearing new ideas from peers and experts, shopping for technology, software or services and networking are the obvious reasons. In this climate of change and uncertainty, one also hopes to lift one’s head from the electronic grindstone and recharge the batteries. On all of these fronts, the recent meeting of the Radiology Business Management Association did not disappoint.

Showcased at the recent Radiology Business Management Association (RBMA) Fall Educational Conference in Seattle, Wash, RBMA-U is now open and accepting online enrollments. RBMA representatives at the conference were eager to talk about the new online training resource and its application to radiology business managers at all experience levels. 

The Radiology Business Management Association brought back its popular five-minute forecast session at the Fall Educational Conference in Seattle earlier this week.  It just may be the perfect information-delivery format for our technology-induced attention-deficit-disorder world.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — (October 21, 2014) vRad (Virtual Radiologic), the nation‟s largest telemedicine company and radiology practice with over 500 physicians, now offers clients the GPISM (Global Practice Information) Report, a one-stop, automated, monthly analytics solution providing a 24x7 look inside their radiology practice, including consolidated summary and facility-level onsite and teleradiology metrics for effective overall practice management.

Obamacare is not popular. In numerous recent polls, such as one from the Kaiser Family Foundation, 47 percent of respondents said they have an unfavorable opinion of the law, while 35 percent said they viewed it favorably. The overwhelming public reaction to the new law has been less than enthusiastic, as the financial burden to patients and physicians alike has increased significantly. We will soon embark upon the second year of enrollment still questionning the effectiveness of the new law.

Contrary to the recent technical reimbursement cuts this year, which have negatively impacted diagnostic imaging operators, professional reimbursement for the same CPT codes have experienced a stable to slight decline; although, in some instances there was an increase. Modalities such as Computed Tomography (“CT”) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (“MRI”) experienced technical reimbursement declines between 1 percent and 45 percent. For many freestanding imaging operators relying heavily on governmental payors, without an increase in volume and/or expense reductions, the technical reimbursement declines directly impact the operating earnings of the business. 

Many businesses do well at creating value, offering customers goods and services that both whet and satisfy an appetite for consumption.