The average diagnostic image reading volume of a radiologist working inthe United States, according to a disparate variety of sources, isbetween 17,000 to 20,000 or more studies annually—depending on theprocedure mix. Outliers exist on both ends of the spectrum, and chestx-rays are easier to clear than a mammogram or neurological MRI study;however, it is clear that radiology groups are confronting anincreasing number of exams each year.

Dec. 6 – Massachusetts must decide quickly how to pay for the newelectronic medical records systems and what role government shouldplay, according to healthcare officials who attended the Mass HealthPolicy Forum in Boston on Wednesday, reported The Boston Globe.

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health InformationTechnology (ONCHIT) has named Charles Friedman as deputy nationalcoordinator for health IT.

Healthcare costs will account for about 50 percent of the U.S economyover the next 75 years, according to a Congressional Budget Office report.

President Bush on Tuesday vetoed the Labor-HHS-Education bill, HR 3043,which would have provided approximately $66.2 million in funding forthe Office of the National Coordinator for Health InformationTechnology for the upcoming fiscal year.

The practice of healthcare in the United States is faced with adouble-edged sword: reimbursement is declining year-over-year, whilethe cost of providing medical services remains constant or increases.The implementation of enterprise-wide healthcare information technology(HIT) systems, such as electronic medical record (EMR) applications,promises to provide more cost-effective care in the future.

The automation of radiotherapy delivery has resulted in more efficientpatient treatments; however, the same informatic controls that providefor greater throughput also present vulnerabilities, both user andsystem generated.

The development of regional health information organizations (RHIOs)may not be effective in advancing healthcare information technology,according to a new report by the Information Technology and InnovationFoundation in Washington, D.C.