Economics

This channel highlights factors that impact hospital and healthcare economics and revenue. This includes news on healthcare policies, reimbursement, marketing, business plans, mergers and acquisitions, supply chain, salaries, staffing, and the implementation of a cost-effective environment for patients and providers.

Congress should relax budget neutrality to pay for imaging AI, industry lobbying group urges
"As the nation’s largest payer of healthcare, Medicare’s policies on coverage and payment for AI technologies are especially critical," AdvaMed says.
Tariffs threaten imaging access for patients, RBMA warns
Radiology practices are already operating on razor thin margins, with price increases prompting calls for congressional action to prevent further damage.
Reducing MRI scan times could add thousands of exam slots, generating up to $22M in new revenue per practice
That’s according to a new retrospective study led by the University of California, San Francisco, and Siemens Healthineers, published Tuesday in Radiology.
Feds should take page from EHRs, creating ‘Meaningful Use’ program to spur AI adoption, Rad Partners leaders say
"Using a similar approach of front-loaded, declining incentives, an AI-focused program could help accelerate adoption and implementation," write Richard Heller and Nina Kottler.
Private equity-backed Integrated Diagnostic Services acquires rival radiology firm
Formed by HCAP Partners in March, IDS is now launching its "roll-up" strategy by buying First Choice Mobile Radiology Services.

Konica Minolta Healthcare Americas Inc. and ImagineSoftware announced an integration agreement to integrate the ImagineOne artificial intelligence (AI)-driven platform for automated radiology billing with Konica Minolta’s Exa PACS-RIS solution.

Konica Minolta and ImagineSoftware partner to expand revenue cycle management offerings

Konica Minolta partnered with ImagineSoftware to integrate its AI-driven revenue cycle management platform into the Exa PACS-RIS solution.

David A. Rosman, MD, MBA, deputy chief, radiology enterprise service, Mass General Brigham, explains details of a recent AJR article that showed imaging outside of hospitals could potentially save billions.

Shift toward imaging outside the hospital could save billions

Harvard’s David A. Rosman, MD, MBA, explains how moving imaging outside of hospitals could save billions of dollars for U.S. healthcare.

RadNet sees rocky 2025 start, with severe weather leading to $22M revenue loss

Meanwhile, RadNet saw a strong finish to 2024, with a company record of $477 million in fourth quarter revenue.

Biograph, a new whole-body MRI startup, launches with $7,500 membership fee

The company has already opened its first location in San Mateo, California, with another to follow in New York City, collecting over 1,000 datapoints from 30-plus exams.

Small practices, individual radiologists at a disadvantage in Medicare quality pay program

“Unfortunately, the imbalance in available MIPS radiology measures is worsening,” said study co-author Lauren Nicola, MD, CEO of Triad Radiology Associates.

Fujifilm scores $10M imaging contract with the US military

The Lexington, Massachusetts, company will outfit multiple federal facilities with its imaging solution beginning in Q1.

Imaging startup Ezra hopes to launch 15-minute, $500 whole-body MRI by 2026

The New York-based healthcare AI firm has scored U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance for its Ezra Flash, a class 2 medical device.

Canon Healthcare investing $34M to open new US headquarters, imaging resource center

The vacant, 43,000-square-foot property was formerly occupied by IBM Explorys, with Canon collecting tax credit assistance as part of the deal.

Around the web

Health Imaging

MRI projectile incident likely to result in a 'seven-figure sum' repair bill for hospital

News of an incident is a stark reminder that healthcare workers and patients aren’t the only ones who need to be aware around MRI suites.

Health Imaging

American College of Radiology announces significant expansion of Lung Cancer Screening Registry

The ACR hopes these changes, including the addition of diagnostic performance feedback, will help reduce the number of patients with incidental nodules lost to follow-up each year.

Health Imaging

AI reduces CT lung cancer screening workload by nearly 80%

And it can do so with almost 100% accuracy as a first reader, according to a new large-scale analysis.

Economics

Congress should relax budget neutrality to pay for imaging AI, industry lobbying group urges

Tariffs threaten imaging access for patients, RBMA warns

Reducing MRI scan times could add thousands of exam slots, generating up to $22M in new revenue per practice

Feds should take page from EHRs, creating ‘Meaningful Use’ program to spur AI adoption, Rad Partners leaders say

Private equity-backed Integrated Diagnostic Services acquires rival radiology firm

Around the web