Mercy hospitals moving from teleradiology to self-employed rads

Three Ohio-area hospitals have decided to cut short their contract with teleradiology provider Imaging Advantage in an attempt to shift to a self-employed radiology model by the end of 2012.

Following two years of radiology interpretations and practice management support by Imaging Advantage, which is based in Santa Monica, Calif., Mercy has decided to establish its own radiology group to serve three of the provider’s seven Midwestern hospitals.

Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center, Mercy St. Charles Hospital and Mercy St. Anne Hospital, all serving the Toledo, Ohio area, will move to establish and employ their own radiology group by December of 2012, one year ahead of the previously set termination of Mercy’s contract with Imaging Advantage.

“Imaging Advantage has provided us with the framework and physician base we needed to move into a successful employment model of radiology physicians,” said Sarah Bednarski, director of public relations for Mercy. Many of the radiologists Mercy plans to incorporate in its group began working with the hospital through Imaging Advantage.

Bednarski told Health Imaging News that a self-employment model had been the long-term goal of Mercy since the network contracted with Imaging Advantage. Now, she said, Mercy is able to make the transition a year ahead of plans.

Around the web

Positron, a New York-based nuclear imaging company, will now provide Upbeat Cardiology Solutions with advanced PET/CT systems and services. 

The nuclear imaging isotope shortage of molybdenum-99 may be over now that the sidelined reactor is restarting. ASNC's president says PET and new SPECT technologies helped cardiac imaging labs better weather the storm.

CMS has more than doubled the CCTA payment rate from $175 to $357.13. The move, expected to have a significant impact on the utilization of cardiac CT, received immediate praise from imaging specialists.