Dear AuntMinnie Member,
The Obama administration released its 2014 budget proposal yesterday, and radiologists will likely be pleased with some of the imaging-related provisions.
Not only were advanced diagnostic imaging services not targeted for any specific reimbursement reductions, but perhaps most important, certain imaging services would be largely excluded from the in-office ancillary services exception to the Stark self-referral law. Closing this loophole is projected to save the government more than $6 billion over the next 10 years.
On the downside, the administration has included provisions that recommend a prior authorization system for Medicare imaging. Get the details by clicking here, or by visiting our Imaging Leaders Digital Community at leaders.auntminnie.com.
The return of the general radiologist?
For a few years now, many have considered the general radiologist to be something of a dinosaur in the new era of imaging subspecialization. But a funny thing happened on the way to extinction.
In a difficult job market for radiologists, employers are increasingly preferring the versatility of the general radiologist, according to Dr. Saurabh Jha, an assistant professor of radiology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Conventional wisdom had predicted subspecialized radiologists, thanks to their specialist training, would be best positioned to compete for jobs during lean times. But it's actually the general radiologist -- the jack of all trades -- who offers the most value in the current market, Jha said.
How could it be so? Read more here, or visit our Resident's Digital Community at residents.auntminnie.com.
Breast health book for women
There can be disconnects between radiologists, pathologists, surgeons, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists when it comes to breast cancer. In addition, women often don't understanding mammography screening and the breast's anatomy.
To bridge these gaps, breast imaging expert Dr. László Tabár of Falun Central Hospital in Sweden and two colleagues have produced a new breast health book. Designed to educate both physicians and women, the 64-page book features 3D stereoscopic thick-section histology images that can be viewed with special lenses that are packaged with it.
Associate editor Kate Madden Yee has all the details on the book, and you can access her coverage by clicking here, or by visiting the Women's Imaging Digital Community at women.auntminnie.com.
