The coming year has a lot in store for the field of Medical Imaging, with many physicians trying to attest meaningful use of electronic health records and radiologists working to improve patient engagement. The healthcare industry is always looking for new ways to not only cut costs, but improve the quality of care delivery for Americans.
Looking ahead into the future months, here are some things to watch for as 2014 progresses.
More patients
With the passing of the Affordable Care Act and development of accountable care organizations, radiologists can begin to contemplate the possible influx of new patients with health insurance in 2014. The ACA is meant to make healthcare more accessible for Americans who may not have an easy time securing financially safe insurance. Its implementation as law means that a number of uninsured citizens will finally have coverage, resulting in an influx of Medical Appointment Scheduling and a further need for imaging.
Defining breast density
At the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), breast density procedures was the topic of many discussions. Currently, 14 states in the U.S. require that physicians alert their female patients if they have dense breasts. According to the American Cancer Society, women with dense breasts have a higher risk of developing breast cancer than women with less dense tissue. However, the challenge this poses to radiologists is how to interpret the meaning of breast density and what to do with the information. After a patient is informed, she may go in for an ultrasound, MRI or Digital Breast Tomosynthesis to get further results.
Improved image quality
The recent International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas saw the unveiling of 4K picture quality for televisions. But this technology isn’t just for families – while not medical grade currently, the technology could yield enormous benefits for radiologists in the future. As the Intermountain Healthcare blog pointed out, the level of detail provided by higher-resolution screens will make digital imaging clearer than ever before, allowing physicians to make better clinical decisions regarding treatment and care. Images shown on a 4K screen will have crisper visuals and better detail for radiology specialists.
ICD-10 arrival
Without question, the most impactful upcoming event in 2014 is the implementation of ICD-10 coding in October. The number of codes is essentially going to triple, providing physicians with more specificity in diagnoses. Predictions on potential disruptions range from minor hiccups in processing insurance claims to major revenue interruption that has significant affect on practices. With the deadline almost eight months away at this point, many radiologists and their staff should be learning, practicing and testing with ICD-10 to prepare for the changeover and avoid any problems with revenue management.
While these are certainly hot topics in radiology, the industry will see more trends begin to rise throughout the year. Additionally, teleradiology continues to grow in popularity throughout medical imaging, trending in 2014.
Ronny Bachrach
Latest posts by Ronny Bachrach (see all)
- Konica Minolta Debuts First-of-Its-Kind Digital U-Arm System at AHRA - July 27, 2016
- Researchers Detect Signs Of Stroke Risk Using MRI - June 27, 2016
- Imaging Biz: Q&A with David S. Channin MD: How to Make PACS Patient Centered - June 22, 2016
0
0
0
