On a positive note, health IT will enjoy a boost from federal stimulus money earmarked for electronic medical records (DM 8027, DM 8671, DM 8720, DM 9354, DM 9401, DM 10702).

New modalities are making inroads including breast specific gamma imaging (DM 8199), shock wave therapy (DM 10675), and elastography (DM 10918).


But as for health care providers, many smaller imaging centers had to shut down due to the impact of DRA imaging reimbursement cuts; and hospitals are suffering in the economic downturn (DM 7894, DM 8006). Neverthless, overall the health sector is better off than most industries (DM 8273).

Independent service organizations fared better than OEMs as hospitals and clinicians sought low-cost alternatives to new equipment, service and parts, as reported in DOTmed's industry sector reports throughout the year. Merger and acquisition activity heated up for the third party sector in the last half of the year. For instance AllParts Medical and CT Resources merged (DM 9951). In a three-way deal Medical Imaging Holdings acquired Barrington Medical Imaging, Echoserve, and Sonora Medical Systems (DM 10330, DM 10398, DM 10419, DM 10824). Also, Platinum Medical Parts merged with Eclipse Medical Imaging (DM 10610). And Nationwide Imaging Services, Inc. acquired Kosmic Medical, Inc. (dba Atlas Medical Technologies of California), DM 10846.

The biggest story of the year, U.S. health care reform, began with the inauguration, the president's address to a joint session of Congress, and early stumbles in cabinet appointments. Remember Tom Daschle? (DM 7937, DM 8065, DM 8227). Our reform coverage has been exhaustive and it continues into 2010 as the debate goes on (DM 10794, DM 11136, DM 11140, DM 11141, to name a few).

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