A radiologist-friendly configuration can boost the value of a display and help keep radiologists focused on the task at hand.

The arduous, but essential, task of sharing images via CD or DVD can be streamlined by employing smart strategies.

Radiologists rated themselves as less competent than other physicians regarding knowledge of patient imaging costs and patient safety, according to a study presented April 30 at the annual meeting of the American Roentgen Ray Society in Vancouver.

In the years after the passage of the 2005 Deficit Reduction Act (DRA), which reduced Medicare payments for selected in-office imaging procedures, overall growth of Medicare noninvasive musculoskeletal imaging slowed. However, a closer examination shows the slowdown was a continuation of a trend started before the DRA, and growth of nonradiographic noninvasive musculoskeletal imaging performed by nonradiologists still grew more rapidly than that performed by radiologists, according to a study published online April 24 in Radiology.

In many healthcare organizations, physicians play an administrative role that is increasingly complex and changing in scope. As such, stipend amounts for nonclinical effort continue to evolve as a component of many physicians total compensation plans, according to a report released by Medical Group Management Association (MGMA).

At the outset, using local growth factors to set spending targets may better align savings for ACOs with savings for Medicare and reduce the financial uncertainty involved in participation, according to a perspective paper published April 25 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Real-time, enhanced comment peer review software can increase the likelihood that a radiology peer review program will achieve improved diagnostic quality. Use of such programs could improve with monthly compliance reports and peer review conferences, without the need for additional incentives or penalties, according to a study published in the May issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

Both commercially and locally developed clinical decision support systems (CDSS) are effective at improving healthcare process measures across diverse settings, but evidence for clinical, economic, workload and efficiency outcomes remains sparse, according to an Annals of Internal Medicine article published online April 23.