Dear AuntMinnie Member,
Proponents of virtual colonoscopy may have felt spurned when Medicare reimbursement of the technology for screening use was denied in 2009. But VC is slowly making inroads with Medicare as a diagnostic tool, with the percentage of claim denials edging down over the past few years.
That's according to a story we're featuring this week in our Virtual Colonoscopy Digital Community by international editor Eric Barnes. The story describes research by a team from the University of Wisconsin in Madison, which tracked billed and allowed Medicare claims between 2005 and 2008.
The denial rate for VC has fallen from 70.0% in 2005 to 43.4% in 2008, indicating that regional Medicare carriers are looking more favorably on diagnostic VC -- most of them, anyway. Find out what other trends the researchers discovered by clicking here, or visit the community at vc.auntminnie.com.
RTs and repetitive stress symptoms
In other news, it's no secret that the rise of digital imaging has led to an increase in repetitive stress injuries among radiologists, who are spending longer hours in front of computer workstations. But are radiologic technologists (RTs) also suffering at similar rates?
That's the question asked by researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in New York City, who surveyed RTs to find out what's causing their aches and pains. Some technologists did report repetitive stress symptoms from computer use, but most said that traditional job duties such as moving patients are a bigger pain in the neck (and back and shoulders).
Learn more by clicking here, or visit our Imaging Leaders Digital Community at leaders.auntminnie.com.
