Dear Imaging Leaders Insider,
Advanced practice providers (APPs) have been utilized by interventional radiology departments for decades. And a new study has found that APPs can handle ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsies of thyroid nodules and superficial neck masses.
As a result, interventional radiologists could be freed up to focus on more-complex procedures, according to the researchers. Our coverage of their work is the subject of this issue's Insider Exclusive.
These types of nonphysician practitioners are also increasingly being employed by radiology practices and taking on more work. And speaking of interventional radiology, Erin Stephens of Healthcare Administrative Partners has shared some tips for how to code and document arterial catheter embolization procedures.
In other news this issue, providing referring physicians with feedback on their exam request patterns led to a significant improvement in order rates for musculoskeletal imaging in Australia.
Often overlooked as frontline healthcare workers, radiologic technologists need to be provided with mental health support, according to a column from Stefanie Manack and Judy Zakutny of 3DR Labs.
Burnout is also a common problem among private-practice radiologist leaders. A recent survey found that one-third were burned out. Unfortunately, burnout reduction strategies seem to be falling short for radiologists.
Research into the effectiveness of diagnostic imaging tests may be affected by small patient populations, potentially affecting the accuracy of the results, according to a new analysis. Although it's uncertain whether the COVID-19 pandemic has affected radiology education positively or negatively, students have at least learned to be more resilient.
More than one-third of U.S. veterans are turning down low-dose CT lung cancer screening. And shared decision-making conversations may be a contributing factor.
In good news, most referring physicians are taking radiation risk into account when ordering CT exams, according to a recent study.
Sandy Coffta of Healthcare Administrative Partners has also explored how radiology would be affected by the proposed Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) rule valuation changes. A coalition of imaging groups has also pushed back on the proposed reimbursement cuts included in the MPFS.
Geographic variation in the ratio of radiologists to population can have a significant impact on imaging access. Researchers have found more than a fourfold difference in the number of radiologists per capita in some parts of the country.
Radiology is not attracting many more female residents than it did 10 years ago, and efforts at racial diversity were also found to be lagging, according to an evaluation of diversity in radiology.
A new organization called the American Board of Artificial Intelligence in Radiology has been launched with the mission of educating radiology administrators and radiologic technologists about artificial intelligence technologies. Also, an initiative by a radiology student-led group helped to increase awareness of radiology for medical students.
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