Affordable Conversions to Digital Radiography Can Help Mitigate Pending Reimbursement Reductions

ROCHESTER, N.Y., June 16 — Carestream Health is reaching out to healthcare providers across the country to help facilities convert from computed radiography (CR) to digital radiography (DR) in response to the schedule of decreased reimbursements contained in the 2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act.

“Conversion to DR has been going on for almost a decade, and we have helped hundreds of U.S. healthcare facilities evaluate workflows and determine the best DR systems to address their imaging needs and budgets,” said Cheryl McCarron, Carestream’s U.S. and Canada Regional Business Manager of X-ray Solutions.

“With the pending decrease in CR reimbursements, we are continuing to listen to our customers and offer the options they need to either move to DR or stay with CR. Our JUMP to DR program offers CR trade-in discounts, products for every budget as well as financing options to help ease the transition to DR for facilities that are ready to make the move.”

Carestream can retrofit existing analog X-ray systems that are currently using CR technology with either tethered or wireless detectors. This allows providers to reduce costs while producing high-quality DR images that can lower dose and are available for viewing in seconds.        

“Carestream is equipped to upgrade analog X-ray systems from all major suppliers. We have 169 different cable connections that can deliver a rapid retrofit for a tethered detector,” McCarron reports. “In addition we offer a fully featured family of wireless DRX detectors that can be used with existing analog X-ray units to replace their CR systems.”

Carestream’s conversion team usually can upgrade a facility to DR in a day and its comprehensive approach includes pre-installation consultations as well as training and support. Team experts also help customers select and install affordable new DR systems if their existing systems are nearing end of life.

Carestream’s DR systems earned the top rating in MD Buyline’s Market Intelligence Briefing™ for both portable and room-based DR systems in every quarter of 2015. Carestream’s DRX-Revolution, DRX-Evolution Plus and DRX-Ascend systems scored high marks from healthcare providers for performance, reliability, installation and service.

According to the report, “Carestream has been a dominant player in this market … Carestream steals the thunder from other vendors through ‘firsts,’ such as the first wireless panel in the U.S. market and the first collapsible column design for a portable X-ray system.”

The report notes that Carestream’s third generation of DRX Plus detectors offers “a lighter-weight design, higher detective quantum efficiency (DQE), increased liquid resistance and improved battery life.”

Carestream also was praised in MD Buyline customer feedback sessions for its quality of workmanship, well-designed technology and outstanding customer service. According to the report, customers say “they can count on Carestream as an equal, working partner in their mission to deliver outstanding healthcare.”