Drastic reimbursement cuts for image-guided breast biopsies, and other medical imaging techniques in the 2014 Medicare Fee Schedule Final Rule, may further reduce women’s access to mammography and other breast cancer services.
New and updated evidence-based guidelines to help health care providers choose the most appropriate medical imaging exam or radiation therapy for a patient’s clinical condition are now available via the latest version of the American College of Radiology (ACR) Appropriateness Criteria®. These continually updated criteria are a national standard developed by expert panels of physicians from many different medical specialties.
The Radiology Leadership Institute® (RLI), a program of the American College of Radiology, is now accepting nominations for the 2014 RLI Leadership Luminary Award — an honorary designation given annually to radiologists and related radiology professionals who possess exceptional experience and demonstrate an unusually high level of leadership in organized radiology or organized medicine. Award recipients will be recognized at the 2014 RLI Annual Event, Aug. 7–10, 2014, at Babson College, in Wellesley, MA.
On Friday, Nov. 8, the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) will join more than 100 medical societies in 57 countries around the world in celebrating the second annual International Day of Radiology (IDoR). IDoR 2013 will focus on the important role lung imaging plays in the diagnosis and treatment of lung diseases — including the advent of computed tomography (CT) lung cancer screening.
The American College of Radiology (ACR) Foundation announced today that Zotec Partners will support the Leading Radiology into the Future campaign. The partnership will further develop and strengthen the Radiology Leadership Institute® (RLI) — radiology’s first professional development and leadership academy.
The American College of Radiology’s Radiology Leadership Institute® (RLI) today announced a partnership with the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst to offer RLI participants another pathway to earn a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.
A panel of 15 medical experts from the fields of radiology, obstetrics-gynecology and emergency medicine, convened by the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound (SRU), has recommended new criteria for use of ultrasonography in determining when a first trimester pregnancy is nonviable (has no chance of progressing and resulting in a live-born baby). These new diagnostic thresholds, published Oct. 10 in the New England Journal of Medicine, would help to avoid the possibility of physicians causing inadvertent harm to a potentially normal pregnancy.
The October issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology (JACR) focuses on a variety of issues relating to clinical practice, practice management, health services and policy, and radiology education and training. Topics to be covered include the evolving role of the radiologist; the increasing role of radiologists in thoracic diagnosis; the Image Gently® Pediatric Digital Radiography Safety Checklist; managing incidental findings on abdominal and pelvic computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); and an analysis of radiologists’ imaging workload trends by place of service.
Image Wisely® recently launched its first Image Wisely Radiation Safety Case — a series of free, online and mobile-compatible educational offerings, developed with the assistance of the American College of Radiology, that allow radiologists, imaging technologists and medical physicists to assess their own understanding of important radiation safety concepts such as radiation dose monitoring and optimization. The first case, CT Dose and Size-Specific Dose Estimate (SSDE), offers a total of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™; .5 MPCEC credit by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Physics Education Programs, Inc.; and 0.5 Category A credit hours of the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists.
The Radiology Leadership Institute™ (RLI), a program of the American College of Radiology, awarded its first Certificate of Leadership Fundamentals™ to Alexandru Bageac, M.D., MBA. Dr. Bageac earned this certificate by successfully completing Level I of the RLI program, which focuses on the fundamental tenets of leadership.
A new analysis published online Sept. 9 in Cancer confirms the need for greater use of annual mammography in women ages 40-49 as recommended by the American Cancer Society, American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), American College of Radiology and Society of Breast Imaging for all women 40 and older. It also confirms that, even with new therapeutics and protocols for treating breast cancer, regular mammography screening is still the best way to significantly reduce breast cancer deaths.
The American College of Radiology (ACR) Foundation announced today it has secured a significant donation from GE to support the Leading Radiology into the Future campaign. The gift will be used to further develop and strengthen the Radiology Leadership Institute (RLI) — radiology’s first professional development and leadership academy.
The American College of Radiology (ACR) Radiology Leadership Institute (RLI) has awarded scholarships to 10 residents enabling them to attend the RLI Annual Event, July 25–28, 2013, at the Kellogg School of Management on Northwestern University’s Evanston, IL, campus. This all-new event will arm participants with the tools and strategies needed to succeed in today's changing health care environment.
After 20 years of outstanding leadership and service to the American College of Radiology (ACR), including service on the ACR Board of Chancellors as a member and chair, and then as chief executive officer (CEO), Harvey L. Neiman, MD, FACR, has announced that he will transition into retirement over the coming year. The ACR is actively seeking a replacement to shadow Neiman before he steps down as CEO in spring 2014.
The American College of Radiology (ACR) urges parents not to delay or forego needed medical imaging care for their children based solely on a study (Miglioretti et al) on radiation risk from pediatric computed tomography (CT) scans to be published online in JAMA Pediatrics. Parents should, however, discuss the risks and benefits of any procedure, including CT scans, with their child’s physician and factor this important information into their joint decision-making.
The American College of Radiology (ACR) strongly urges Americans ages 50-and-older, particularly those with a family history of colorectal cancer, not to delay or forego recommended screening due to concerns raised by a June 1, New York Times article titled, “The $2.7 Trillion Medical Bill.”
The June issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology focuses on a variety of issues relating to clinical practice, practice management, health services and policy, and radiology education and training. Topics to be covered include the impact of radiologist-patient communication on patient anxiety before and immediately after imaging-guided breast biopsy procedures; imaging informatics; citizenship in radiology; radiology stewardship and quality improvement; reading room electives and the Physician Payments Sunshine Act.
A Radiation Therapy Oncology Group trial found that adding bevacizumab to initial treatment for glioblastoma did not improve patient overall survival or progression-free survival,. Results were reported June 2 at the plenary session of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2013 Annual Meeting.
In a randomized phase III clinical trial conducted by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), high-dose (HD), compared with standard-dose (SD), radiotherapy (RT) with concurrent chemotherapy (CT) did not improve overall survival of patients with stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
CT scans detected twice as many early-stage lung cancers as chest X-ray on initial screening exam, according to additional National Lung Screening Trial results. Investigators say the 20 percent lung cancer mortality reduction previously reported in the NLST is achievable at screening centers in the U.S.
Health care in the U.S. is changing, and radiologists, at all career levels, need to obtain the leadership skills necessary to adapt to these changes and keep radiology as central to the delivery of high quality medical care. In response to this growing need, the American College of Radiology (ACR) Foundation recently launched a national fundraising campaign called Leading Radiology Into the Future. All proceeds of this new initiative will be used to further develop and strengthen the Radiology Leadership Institute™ (RLI) — radiology’s first professional development and leadership academy.
As healthcare moves from a volume to a value proposition, building better, more efficient patient care is increasingly important. Radiologists will learn skills to help navigate this transition, become better leaders, and thrive under new delivery and payment systems, at the American College of Radiology’s (ACR) Radiology Leadership Institute (RLI) RLI Annual Event, to be held July 25–28, 2013, at the Kellogg School of Management on Northwestern University’s Evanston, IL, campus. Former Senator, Tom Daschle — the author of “Obamacare” — will deliver the keynote address. The event will offer a total of 22 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ and 22 RLI Credits.
The American College of Radiology’s Radiology Leadership Institute™ (RLI) today announced a partnership with the Jack Welch Management Institute at Strayer University to offer RLI participants an online executive Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.
The American College of Radiology (ACR) has been awarded Accreditation with Commendation for six years as a provider of continuing medical education (CME) for physicians by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME).
According to a new study published online in the Journal of the American College of Radiology, any efficiencies in physician interpretation and diagnosis gained when different providers interpret different medical imaging scans performed on the same patient are minute and vary by procedure.
To be published online Monday, April 1, the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology will focus on a variety of issues relating to clinical practice, practice management, health services and policy, and radiology education and training. Topics to be covered include health care delivery reform; incidental findings; the promotion of radiology practice guidelines; the applicability of Cardiac CT Angiography appropriateness criteria; and dashboard technology.
Expert radiologists and representatives from the American College of Radiology (ACR); the World Federation of Pediatric Imaging; the Society of Pediatric Radiology; the Society of Radiologists in Ultrasound; and the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers will gather in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, March 25-26, to provide a series of didactic lectures and hands-on ultrasound training at “Radiology Education Days.”
Kerlikowske et al., recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, used obsolete clinical endpoints to assess effectiveness of modern mammography screening and is fundamentally flawed regarding participant selection in the two study groups (annually vs. biennially). The study also does not include critical information that, should a biennial screening approach be adopted, thousands of women each year would die from breast cancer that otherwise would not.
As Americans celebrate National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month (March), the Colon Cancer Alliance, COLONTOWN — a survivor/patient support group for colorectal disease, including cancer — and the American College of Radiology (ACR) call on Congress to pass the CT Colonography Screening for Colorectal Cancer Act (H.R. 991). Introduced recently by Reps. Ralph Hall (TX-04) and Danny Davis (D-IL), H.R. 991 would require Medicare to cover beneficiaries for CT colonography — otherwise known as virtual colonoscopy.
The American College of Radiology supports the Diagnostic Imaging Services Access Protection Act (H.R. 846), recently introduced by Reps. Pete Olson (R-TX), Peter Roskam (R-IL), John Barrow (D-GA), Betty McCollum (D-MN) and 38 House cosponsors. H.R. 846 would correct a 25 percent Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction to Medicare reimbursement for interpretation of advanced diagnostic imaging scans performed on the same patient, in the same session.
Since its launch, less than two years ago, over five million computed tomography (CT) scans, and nearly three million exams, have been added to the American College of Radiology (ACR) Dose Index Registry™ (DIR) — bringing the ACR closer to establishing national benchmarks for CT dose indices which will help ensure patients receive safe, quality imaging care.
Participants who complete levels I-IV of the American College of Radiology’s Radiology Leadership Institute™ (RLI) program will now be awarded credits towards a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Babson College’s Olin Graduate School of Business.
The American College of Radiology acknowledges new American Cancer Society recommendations for lung cancer screening using CT scans. Appropriate guidelines and practice standards are needed, and must be implemented, to ensure access to uniform, quality care and a similar life-saving benefit from these exams.
Availability of CT colonography (CTC), commonly known as virtual colonoscopy, is increasing colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates across military medical facilities. Inclusion of CTC as a Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set® (HEDIS®)-compliant colorectal cancer (CRC) screening test can potentially raise overall screening rates, according to a study in the January issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.
A new Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute study shows that fewer than one-in-five healthcare providers meet Medicare Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) requirements.
International Day of Radiology — November 8, 2012 — marks the 117'th anniversary of the discovery of the X-ray and the tremendous advances in patient care made possible by radiation therapy and medical imaging exams, such as MRI and CT scans. It is also a reminder that Congress needs to pass the Diagnostic Imaging Services Access Protection Act (H.R. 3269/ S. 2347) and halt drastic cuts in Medicare funding for imaging scans. This vital legislation would preserve ready access to lifesaving imaging care and may help reduce harm to seniors already resulting from cutbacks.
According to an article in the November issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology, a medical imaging facility in San Diego, Imaging Healthcare Specialists, has implemented a successful radiation dose reduction program, reducing radiation exposure by up to 90 percent in some patients.
A new report by the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute shows that the length of the average hospital stay in the United States has increased at the same time as use of medical imaging scans has declined. It is unclear if the trends are related, but potentially important, as hospital admissions are among the largest, and fastest growing, health care costs. More research is needed to assess the potential negative impact of government and private insurer imaging reductions on overall medical costs and patient safety.
The American College of Radiology’s (ACR) Radiology Leadership Institute™ (RLI) has announced a groundbreaking leadership development program called the RLI Expedition. This three-day, intensive and interactive experience will help radiology professionals define their leadership strengths and refine their leadership skills during a challenging, real-time simulation while receiving focused feedback from trained coaches. Now open for registration, the first RLI Expedition will take place Feb. 22-24, 2013, at the Magnolia Hotel in Dallas and is limited to 24 participants.
According to an article in the October issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology, radiologists at Emory University Hospital, in Atlanta, and Georgia Health Sciences University, in Augusta, Ga., have developed evidence-based guidelines to assist physicians with the process of managing patients with acute low back pain. Low back pain is one of the most common reasons for visits to physicians in the outpatient setting.
To be published online Monday, Oct. 1, a special issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology will focus on health policy and radiology’s role in health care reform. Topics to be covered include utilization management in radiology, clinical decision support, value-based health care payment systems and patient-centered outcomes in imaging. The October health policy issue was guest edited by Ruth Carlos, MD, MS, FACR, and James Rawson, MD, FACR.
Jacob Reider, MD, acting chief medical officer of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, will deliver the keynote address on imaging and the future of meaningful use at this year’s ACR Annual Informatics Summit and NRDR User Group Conference. Imaging providers, policy makers and IT decision makers are all encouraged to attend the two-day event being held Oct. 11-12 at the Park Hyatt in Washington, DC.
The new Image Gently™ campaign “Back to Basics” initiative has developed online teaching materials, checklists and practice quality improvement projects to help providers strengthen radiation protection when performing X-ray examinations on children — particularly as technology shifts from standard screen-film X-ray to digital X-ray imaging. The campaign emphasizes the need for a standardized approach by measuring patient body size and developing technique charts.
According to a study in the Sept. issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology, overall non-invasive diagnostic imaging (NDI) costs to Medicare Part B dropped 21 percent from 2006 to 2010. The study reveals that medical imaging is not a driver of escalating Medicare costs.
According to a study in the Sept. issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology, using a combination of the Internet and compact discs (CD) to transfer images during inter-hospital transfer is associated with much lower repeat imaging rates, suggesting that regional PACS networks may be useful for reducing cost and radiation exposure associated with trauma.
The paper by Gierach et al, in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, is reassuring for women with dense breast tissue (a large percentage of fibrous and glandular tissues). Flawed analyses have suggested that women with very dense breast tissues are at a major increased risk of developing breast cancer. Although they are at a small increased risk of developing breast cancer compared with women with fatty breasts, the good news is that they are not at increased risk of dying from breast cancer when compared to women with mostly fat in their breasts.
The American College of Radiology (ACR) and American College of Physician Executives (ACPE) have announced an agreement making ACPE the newest affiliate organization of the ACR’s Radiology Leadership Institute (RLI). As a result of this affiliation, select ACPE courses will become a part of the RLI curriculum, allowing RLI participants to earn both RLI credits and ACPE credits. RLI participants can also use the credits they earn from other ACPE approved RLI courses toward an advanced business degree with one of ACPE’s four partner universities, or toward the Certified Physician Executive (CPE) Certificate.
The Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute (HPI), established by the American College of Radiology (ACR), will examine the role of radiology in new health care delivery and payment models — particularly quality based approaches to radiologic care and the impact of medical imaging on overall health care costs. Named for respected radiology leader and luminary, Harvey L. Neiman, MD, FACR, the institute will conduct research regarding medical imaging use, quality and safety metrics, and human resources as medicine moves toward non-traditional value-based reimbursement and delivery.
Among most women in Pakistan, there is limited awareness of breast cancer occurrence, detection, and screening practices, or the importance of self-breast exams and clinical breast exams, according to a study in the August issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology. In Pakistan, breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting women and the incidence is rising. It is usually diagnosed in later stages and often at a younger age compared with populations in the West.
A study (Lee and Levy) published in the August issue of Health Affairs reconfirms results of previous studies that imaging use in Medicare is down significantly over the last several years and that imaging is among the slowest growing of all physician services among privately insured. However, the list of factors cited for this decline is incomplete and the drop in imaging use is not without adverse consequences.
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