With $1 billion in payments on the line, hospitals are homing in on patient satisfaction. They are hiring chief patient satisfaction officers and patient navigators and tapping into volunteers to check on patient needs. Other strategies include “yacker trackers” to hush noisy nurses and yoga for patients and staff.

One of the nation’s largest radiology practices, Jefferson Radiology, PC, based in Hartford, Conn., has entered into a strategic partnership with McKesson Business Performance Services (BPS) for comprehensive revenue cycle management services. The arrangement will help the practice keep pace with a fast-changing reimbursement environment, meet growing regulatory demands and implement cost containment strategies.

The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA), the Advanced Medical Technology Association (AdvaMed) and the Medical Device Manufacturers Association (MDMA) today announced that medical device manufacturers have now paid an estimated $1 billion to the Internal Revenue Service for the medical device excise tax.

Samsung Electronics America Inc., a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, today announced the appointment of Doug Ryan as Group Vice President for Health and Medical Equipment (HME) within its Enterprise Business Division.

Four trends will converge and shape the future of healthcare in the U.S. RAND Corporation Chair in Policy Analysis Arthur Kellerman, MD, outlined the issues—healthcare reform, information asymmetry, cost-sharing and innovation—in a Health Affairs blog.

“Discontent.” “Disconnected.” “Dissatisfied.” These are the words that stick out when scanning a report on physician satisfaction from Alpharetta, Ga.-based Jackson Healthcare.

Inappropriately-used medical tests are a product of a myriad of issues within the U.S. healthcare system, but physicians can certainly take steps to better allocate resources.

The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) Research and Education (R&E) Foundation will fund 85 grants totaling more than $3 million in 2013, the largest amount ever awarded by the Foundation in a single year.