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.

Chart review tougher than claims analysis in utilization analysis of lumbar MRI

Utilization reviewers seeking to ascertain whether MRI was inappropriately ordered for low-back pain might assume that direct review of patients’ charts would tilt toward patient empathy while aloof analysis of claims data would reflect a higher bar to clear. They would be wrong.

September 21, 2016

Imaging comes first as Harvard launches evidence-based library

Harvard Medical School has introduced a publicly accessible, fully digital “library of evidence” to guide clinicians in their imaging decisions.

September 14, 2016

Virginia’s governor gets behind new type of ultrasound

With jobs on his mind and the “future of healthcare” in his heart, a state governor has gone out of his way to both support and promote the budding therapeutic technology of focused ultrasound. 

September 1, 2016

Iffy imaging, other low-value health services in the national spotlight

Consumer media outlets have paid plenty of attention to the recent study showing that, despite the popularity of Choosing Wisely efforts, low-value health services—not least several perennially overutilized imaging exams—are still ringing up more than $30 million a year in probably needless spending. 

September 1, 2016

Physician-owned imaging centers eluding the aim of the Sunshine Act?

A nonprofit news site based in Minnesota has taken a look at the state of the Sunshine Act—which mandated transparency in healthcare providers’ financial interests—and called out physician-owned imaging centers as an example of entities benefiting by “serious gaps” in the 2010 law.

August 29, 2016

Publishing magnate knows medical imaging as well as the news

There’s a common thread connecting Tronc—the nascent news-industry giant formerly known as Tribune Publishing—and Merge Healthcare, IBM’s medical imaging company.

August 15, 2016

iCAD Reports Second Quarter 2016 Financial Results

NASHUA, N.H., July 27, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- iCAD, Inc. (Nasdaq:ICAD), an industry-leading provider of advanced image analysis, workflow solutions and radiation therapy for the early identification and treatment of cancer, today reported financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016.

August 11, 2016

Johns Hopkins study challenges efficacy of hormone receptor test for breast cancer patients

Hospitals nationwide are wasting time and money on unnecessary hormone receptor tests for breast cancer patients, according to the results of a Johns Hopkins study.

August 9, 2016

Around the web

Automated AI-generated measurements combined with annotated CT images can improve treatment planning and help referring physicians and patients better understand their disease, explained Sarah Jane Rinehart, MD, director of cardiac imaging with Charleston Area Medical Center.

Two advanced algorithms—one for CAC scores and another for segmenting cardiac chamber volumes—outperformed radiologists when assessing low-dose chest CT scans. 

"Gen AI can help tackle repetitive tasks and provide insights into massive datasets, saving valuable time," Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, said Tuesday. 

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