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.

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Cost savings associated with radiation treatment after lumpectomy for early-stage breast cancer

Using the National Cancer Database (NCDB), researchers set out to find the potential cost savings associated with an evidence-based radiation treatment (RT) approach among women in the United States with early-stage breast cancer.

Hawkeye State hospital execs push against bill that could invite for-profit imaging centers

Hospital leaders in Iowa are concerned that a proposed easing of the state’s certificate-of-need process would pave the way for for-profit outpatient businesses, including radiology centers, to set up shop and cherry-pick the most lucrative services to provide.  

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7 ways radiology can avoid undue industry influence

Radiologists are among the specialists least susceptible to lures from industry players angling for an ethically iffy “in” to push more goods and services—a happy fact in this age of Open Payments. But that doesn’t mean rads are immune. With this in mind, three radiologists at the University of Washington in Seattle propose a methodical approach to evaluating new products and managing relationships with vendors.

Sooner State rads in trouble for improper duty delegation followed by bad billing

Six radiologists in Oklahoma may face monetary damages and penalties in the millions for having practitioner assistants provide restricted clinical services without radiologist supervision—and then billing CMS as though that base had been covered. Their regional health system may be on the hook too. 

Ultrasound systems market to see stable growth to $5 billion by 2023, says GlobalData

The ultrasound systems space, which covers 39 major markets, is set to rise steadily from $4.2 billion in 2016 to $5 billion by 2023, representing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.5%, according to research and consulting firm GlobalData.

Referral-based specialties charge highest markups over Medicare rates

Diagnostic and interventional radiologists are among the specialists who, on average, charge the highest fees above Medicare rates, according to Johns Hopkins researchers.

Hitachi Announces Integration and Expansion of Healthcare Businesses Serving Americas Market

New organization integrates medical imaging businesses with innovation and informatics activities to create new platform for growth

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Mayo radiology shows how to boost efficiency, cut costs the ‘TDABC’ way

An exemplary radiology department has demonstrated how to apply the innovative business-management technique called “time-driven activity-based costing,” or TDABC, to fix some common and costly workflow inefficiencies in radiology. 

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.