On April 14, 2014, William T. Thorwarth, Jr, MD, left behind 30 years of clinical practice with Catawba Radiological Associates to officially take the reins of the American College of Radiology.

The new world order in radiology is much more about collaboration than independence, or rather, collaboration to retain independence. More and more, radiologists need to function as consultants, collaborating with other healthcare colleagues to increase their value through their expertise and best practices.

He may have been preaching to the choir, but surgeon and thought leader Atul Gawande, MD, told a crowd at the Healthcare Financial Management Association’s annual meeting in Las Vegas that data and leadership from healthcare finance experts will have the biggest impact on improving the value of healthcare.

Washington, D.C. – The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA), a division of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), today welcomed Kevin J. Cosgriff as NEMA’s next president and chief executive officer. 

Progressive Radiology, the largest radiologist owned and operated medical imaging practice in the Maryland and Washington, D.C. area today announced its strategic acquisition of five Illinois MRI centers from MIDI, LLC. Progressive Radiology’s acquisition of the Chicago, Crystal Lake, Round Lake, Skokie and Tinley Park centers will benefit Chicago metropolitan area patients as well as referring medical providers, hospitals, universities and professional sports teams. 

The final rule for the 2014 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule, which was released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in November, announced significant reductions in reimbursement for imaging-heavy specialties, and these reimbursement cuts will have major effects on future revenue streams for imaging facilities all over the country. 

Radiology groups are continuously being required to run their businesses more efficiently due to the current healthcare environment, in which reimbursements are declining and consumers are shouldering more of their own healthcare expenses under the new healthcare law.

As healthcare evolves, so too must healthcare consumers, providers, and payors. Healthcare consumers have increased access to coverage through the new health law, as well as through cooperative efforts between employers, providers, and payors to provide more affordable coverage. Many of the new plans offer affordable premiums that unfortunately, come with high deductibles.