CHICAGOWhile appropriate use criteria are key to curbing radiation exposure and ensuring beneficial CT exams, clinicians have not yet embraced them. Despite the lukewarm acceptance of appropriateness criteria, James A. Brink, MD, chair of radiology at Yale University Medical Center in New Haven, Conn., upped the ante and called for development of multidisciplinary diagnostic algorithms to standardize image utilization during a session on Nov. 27 at the 97th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

CHICAGOWith cost and quality pressures mounting, eeking every iota of efficiency and productivity from imaging processes, while maintaining or improving quality, is essential. Reducing waste can help, and Lean methodology provides a system that can help cash-strapped, time-crunched radiology departments achieve this ambitious objective, according to a scientific poster presented on Nov. 27, at the 97th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

CHICAGOBurton P. Drayer, MD, president of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), met with Health Imaging prior to the RSNA annual conference to discuss the shifting paradigm for radiologists in clinical practice, and how they can better prove their worth in todays clinical practice.

Donald M. Berwick, MD, is resigning as Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), effective Dec. 2.

CHICAGO--In the American College of Radiology booth (4623) at the 97th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America, the college is providing iPads where imaging stakeholders can tell their Member of Congress to cosponsor H.R. 3269, the Diagnostic Imaging Services Protection Act. RSNA attendees can enter their zip code and either thank their congressman for their support or tell them to get on board with H.R. 3269 with a click of a button.

Instead of reducing costs and improving quality of care, Federal Trade Commissioner J. Thomas Rosch believes that the potential benefits of accountable care organizations (ACO) are minimal at best and that ACOs may even provide poorer quality of care while causing healthcare costs to rise.

Thanksgiving is fast approaching, which for many means a day spent visiting family, watching football and eating food. But can tasty treats lure medical center staff to departmental meetings? It appears that you can leave the food at home. A study published in the November issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology demonstrated that faculty attendance at monthly meetings in academic radiology was not significantly affected by offering complementary food.

ORLANDO, Fla.Researchers recommended widespread adoption of a program that eliminates co-payments for preventive MI medications after it was shown to reduce rates of major vascular events at no added cost to insurers. The results of the Post-MI FREEE trial were presented Nov. 14 at the American Heart Associations 2011 Scientific Sessions.