Top DOTmed Online News stories of 2014
December 31, 2014
It’s the time of year when we look back to see which stories our readers valued most during the previous 12 months.
But it's also the time to look ahead and we're sure there are plenty of topics you want us to tackle during 2015. So please feel free to make it your New Year's resolution to reach out to let us know what you want us to cover. We're making it our resolution to bring you coverage that answers your questions and responds to your interests.
The most-viewed DOTmed News online articles in 2014 were:
1) Siemens to split off health care division
In May, Siemens AG shook up the entire industry by announcing that its health care division would be managed separately, under the Siemens umbrella. While the move was designed to give Siemens Healthcare greater flexibility to stay on top of an industry undergoing constant changes, it was also seen by some as a first step towards selling off the business entirely. That has not happened yet but in the current climate of mergers and acquisitions, rumors continue to swirl.
Read the story here
2) Philips suspends CT and PET/CT production at Ohio facility
In April, Philips Healthcare hit the brakes on manufacturing CT scanners and molecular imaging equipment at its Cleveland, Ohio facility following an inspection by the FDA. Although the suspension of production was voluntary, the impact was costly for Philips’ and raised issues about its place among CT OEMs. Since at least October, the factory has been ramping back up toward normal output, but repercussions continue.
Read the story here
3) CMS makes dramatic cuts to breast imaging
CMS released the final rule for the 2014 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System last January, and breast imaging took a huge hit. The biggest concern was the reductions in access to care and the cuts to breast biopsy codes.
Read the story here
4) MRI incident at Long Island imaging center spurs legal action
In 2009, a patient was involved in a fatal accident after walking into an MR room at Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology in Medford, N.Y., with his metal walker. The magnet pulled the walker from his hand, causing him to fall and hit his head. Two months later he died. The patient’s family brought the case to court and it went to trial in July.
Read the story here
5) CMS to release physician payment data
Last January, CMS announced that it was going to begin evaluating requests for individual physician payment information on a case-by-case basis. The agency made the decision to replace the previous policy because it received more than 130 comments from over 300 organizations and individuals citing the benefits of releasing the data. However, some organizations, including the American Medical Association, opposed making the information public.
Read the story here
6) Top 10 things you may have missed at RSNA
DOTmed’s News team hit the ground running at the 100th meeting of the RSNA in November and came back with the biggest news from the event. From artifact reduction, 3-D printing breakthroughs, portable to exchangeable DR panels, we broke down the top technology, concepts, and traction-gaining trends across the industry.
Read the story here
7) Medicare cuts will be severe for standalone imaging centers in 2014
Surprising no one, CMS proposed some large cuts to CT and MR imaging reimbursement in the summer of 2013. In late November they increased those proposals and implemented them at the beginning of this year. By some estimates, those revisions meant certain MR imaging procedures would be cut by as much as 40 percent; the biggest impact promised to be on freestanding imaging centers that rely heavily on CT and MR imaging.
Frequently performed exams, including scans of the neck, brain stem, chest, and lumbar spine, were targeted by the legislation — which also aimed to shorten the length of time required for certain imaging procedures.
Read the story here
8) New technique could improve image quality in ultrasound
The development of electromagnetic acoustic imaging (EMAI), an imaging technique that combines radiofrequency and ultrasound, captured our readers’ imaginations. Researchers say EMAI can differentiate between benign and malignant lesions while also perceiving blood-filled spaces for cardiovascular applications. Could this be the next step in ultrasound and shear-wave elastography?
Read the story here
9) Philips changes its management structure
Philips Healthcare made some big changes to its management structure in July when the CEO, Deborah DiSanzo, left the company. All of the health care business groups now report directly to the CEO of Royal Philips, Frans van Houten. By doing that, the reporting lines between Philips Healthcare and the executive committee are much shorter, they told DOTmed News.
Read the story here
10) Medical center under fire for alleged radiation exposure
Former and current employees at Methodist Medical Center filed five lawsuits against the center in early January for allegedly exposing them to excessive radiation. It is suspected that poorly protected walls in and around the center within its new emergency department were the cause.
Read the story here
But it's also the time to look ahead and we're sure there are plenty of topics you want us to tackle during 2015. So please feel free to make it your New Year's resolution to reach out to let us know what you want us to cover. We're making it our resolution to bring you coverage that answers your questions and responds to your interests.
The most-viewed DOTmed News online articles in 2014 were:
1) Siemens to split off health care division
In May, Siemens AG shook up the entire industry by announcing that its health care division would be managed separately, under the Siemens umbrella. While the move was designed to give Siemens Healthcare greater flexibility to stay on top of an industry undergoing constant changes, it was also seen by some as a first step towards selling off the business entirely. That has not happened yet but in the current climate of mergers and acquisitions, rumors continue to swirl.
Read the story here
2) Philips suspends CT and PET/CT production at Ohio facility
In April, Philips Healthcare hit the brakes on manufacturing CT scanners and molecular imaging equipment at its Cleveland, Ohio facility following an inspection by the FDA. Although the suspension of production was voluntary, the impact was costly for Philips’ and raised issues about its place among CT OEMs. Since at least October, the factory has been ramping back up toward normal output, but repercussions continue.
Read the story here
3) CMS makes dramatic cuts to breast imaging
CMS released the final rule for the 2014 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System last January, and breast imaging took a huge hit. The biggest concern was the reductions in access to care and the cuts to breast biopsy codes.
Read the story here
4) MRI incident at Long Island imaging center spurs legal action
In 2009, a patient was involved in a fatal accident after walking into an MR room at Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology in Medford, N.Y., with his metal walker. The magnet pulled the walker from his hand, causing him to fall and hit his head. Two months later he died. The patient’s family brought the case to court and it went to trial in July.
Read the story here
5) CMS to release physician payment data
Last January, CMS announced that it was going to begin evaluating requests for individual physician payment information on a case-by-case basis. The agency made the decision to replace the previous policy because it received more than 130 comments from over 300 organizations and individuals citing the benefits of releasing the data. However, some organizations, including the American Medical Association, opposed making the information public.
Read the story here
6) Top 10 things you may have missed at RSNA
DOTmed’s News team hit the ground running at the 100th meeting of the RSNA in November and came back with the biggest news from the event. From artifact reduction, 3-D printing breakthroughs, portable to exchangeable DR panels, we broke down the top technology, concepts, and traction-gaining trends across the industry.
Read the story here
7) Medicare cuts will be severe for standalone imaging centers in 2014
Surprising no one, CMS proposed some large cuts to CT and MR imaging reimbursement in the summer of 2013. In late November they increased those proposals and implemented them at the beginning of this year. By some estimates, those revisions meant certain MR imaging procedures would be cut by as much as 40 percent; the biggest impact promised to be on freestanding imaging centers that rely heavily on CT and MR imaging.
Frequently performed exams, including scans of the neck, brain stem, chest, and lumbar spine, were targeted by the legislation — which also aimed to shorten the length of time required for certain imaging procedures.
Read the story here
8) New technique could improve image quality in ultrasound
The development of electromagnetic acoustic imaging (EMAI), an imaging technique that combines radiofrequency and ultrasound, captured our readers’ imaginations. Researchers say EMAI can differentiate between benign and malignant lesions while also perceiving blood-filled spaces for cardiovascular applications. Could this be the next step in ultrasound and shear-wave elastography?
Read the story here
9) Philips changes its management structure
Philips Healthcare made some big changes to its management structure in July when the CEO, Deborah DiSanzo, left the company. All of the health care business groups now report directly to the CEO of Royal Philips, Frans van Houten. By doing that, the reporting lines between Philips Healthcare and the executive committee are much shorter, they told DOTmed News.
Read the story here
10) Medical center under fire for alleged radiation exposure
Former and current employees at Methodist Medical Center filed five lawsuits against the center in early January for allegedly exposing them to excessive radiation. It is suspected that poorly protected walls in and around the center within its new emergency department were the cause.
Read the story here