Dear AuntMinnie Member,
The PACSman -- Michael J. Cannavo -- is back this week in our PACS Digital Community with a new perspective on the changing market for digital image management technology.
The PACS landscape has changed dramatically since the first systems were installed some 20 to 25 years ago. Nearly every U.S. hospital uses some form of digital image management, and the market is now more concerned with replacement than installation of new systems.
But as all of us who are growing older know, maturity brings a whole new set of problems. Many hospital IT departments have shifted money and personnel resources away from radiology as they look to implement meaningful use, comply with ICD-10, and meet other requirements.
Where does that leave PACS? You'll need to read the article to find out: Click here or visit our PACS Digital Community at pacs.auntminnie.com.
SGR fix is in?
As we go to press, we're getting word that the U.S. Congress may have reached a long-term deal to fix the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula, the flawed tool for adjusting Medicare payments each year.
In what's become an annual ritual, federal lawmakers negotiate to fix the SGR formula, which links Medicare payment rates to changes in the gross domestic product. But efforts to find a long-term fix always fall short in favor of short-term solutions that simply kick the problem down the road.
Reports from Washington, DC, indicate that the SGR formula will finally be scrapped in favor of a series of pay increases for doctors over the next five years. Should such a fix come to fruition, it would be a welcome change from the political brinksmanship that has brought healthcare providers nothing but headaches for years.
Click here to learn more, and continue to check in with our Imaging Leaders Digital Community for updates on this important story.
Are you ready for dose reporting?
Finally, visit our CT Digital Community for a new column by the experts from Ascendian Healthcare Consulting on how hospitals and imaging centers can prepare for new rules on radiation dose reporting.
As Ascendian Project Manager Neomi Mullens points out, dose reporting is about to become a requirement for all imaging providers thanks to new accreditation guidelines announced in December by the Joint Commission. The changes will be implemented in phases starting in July, but are you ready?
Find out how prepared you are by clicking here, or visit our CT Digital Community at ct.auntminnie.com.
