Efficiencies in physician work resulting from providing multiple services to the same patient during the same imaging session vary significantly both between and within modalities, and may not exist at all, according to a study published in the September issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

A single, cohesive, on-site radiology group does a better job of adding value to a hospital than when radiology responsibilities are taken over by other specialists or remote teleradiology companies, according to an article in the September issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.

Much of the U.S. healthcare debate is focused on improving patient care and reducing costs. While these objectives arent mutually exclusive, success requires change from its current fee-for-service model, which revolves around individual treatments, to a holistic approach that measures patients overall health, wellness and quality of care. Boston-based L.E.K Consulting offers steps for creating an accountable care organization (ACO) in a recent white paper.

Radiology consistently ranks as a middle to low prestige medical specialty, which could deter some medical students from selecting the specialty, according to a commentary published in the August issue of Radiology. With the prestige issue likely exacerbating other challenges faced by the profession, the authors outlined the reasons behind radiologys relative lack of prestige and solutions for combatting it.

The American College of Radiology (ACR) has announced the Radiology Leadership Institute (RLI), a professional development and leadership academy,,will offer its first courses in 2012.

DALLAS—The accountable care organization (ACO) is an unknown for most physicians and administrators, partially because the government has not yet defined final ACO rules. However, radiology practices can and should begin to prepare for the transition to the ACO model. In fact, the push to ACOs provides an opportunity for radiology practices to re-imagine their businesses, said Jef Williams and Shawn McKenzie, both of Ascendian Healthcare Consulting, during a presentation Aug. 16 at the annual meeting of AHRA.

DALLASReal-life Lean management tactics can produce real outcomes, confirmed James T. Timpe, MS, RT, and Airica Steed, RN, MBA, both of Advocate Condell Medical Center, Libertyville, Ill., during an educational session Aug. 14 at the annual AHRA meeting.

DALLASThe hospital represents more than 80 percent of revenue for many radiology practices, yet breakups between practices and hospitals have become increasingly common, shared Patricia Kroken, principal at Healthcare Resource Providers in Albuquerque, N.M., during an educational session at the annual meeting of AHRA on Aug. 14. These breakups may signify the proverbial canary in the coal mine.