Radiology, despite its contributions to the health care industry, has experienced a decline in utilization in the last five years. A recent study of emergency department medical imaging showed that while usage had increased between 1993 and 2007, the reduced use of MRI and CT have led to a decrease in procedures.
Published in the August issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology, researchers from the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, examined utilization trends in the facility from Jan. 1, 1993, through Dec. 31, 2012. Led by Ali Raja, M.D., from the hospital's Center for Evidence-Based Imaging, the team retroactively reviewed cases from the same time period.
According to FierceMedicalImaging, the total number of relative value units – a reimbursement formula for Medicare physicians – that were attributable to ED digital imaging per 1,000 visits increased by 208 percent between 1993 and 2007, but dropped 24 percent by 2012. For CT alone, RVUs rose 493 percent through 2007, while MRI utilization flew up by 2,495 percent in that time.
However, after 2007 both modalities decreased by 33.4 percent and 20.6 percent, respectively. These results indicate that while diagnostic imaging is beneficial, radiologists are looking for new avenues to leverage their existing technologies.
Lower dosages, higher use
In keeping with the standards established by the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014, health care providers need to meet federal thresholds for reduced radiation doses. If they fail to do so, they will face decreasing reimbursements for CT use and run the chance of experiencing issues with revenue cycle management.
Replace current PACS can help doctors ensure that they continue to deliver high-quality scan results and avoid costly expenses and budget cuts. Furthermore, EHR integration could serve to better track past procedures and treatments, allowing radiologists to review previous cases and order to appropriate exams for patients.
However, the decline in utilization begs the question: What happened? Although the researchers concluded that further studies will be needed to accurately determine the cause, numerous factors such as quality improvement activities and concerns over radiation exposure may be the roots of the issue. Whatever the reason, the findings lend credence to the need for PACS replacement to utilize the appropriate imaging modalities in the future. This way, providers deliver the best care possible while maintaining profitability.
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Ronny Bachrach
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