According to a newly released study by IMV Medical Information Division, U.S. hospitals with fewer than 200 beds are budgeting major increases in their budgeted capital spending for diagnostic imaging equipment in 2009, compared to 2008 spending levels.

"Capital budgets for diagnostic imaging equipment remained virtually flat between 2007 and 2008 in smaller U.S. hospitals," observed Mary C. Patton, Director of Market Research at IMV. "But, radiology administrators in these hospitals are generally bullish on capital spending plans for 2009. Many hospitals with aging diagnostic imaging equipment acknowledge they cannot remain competitive if they continue to postpone investment in newer technologies."

IMV's new report, Outlook for Investment in Diagnostic Imaging by US Hospitals, 2008-2009: The Radiology Administrator's Perspective, provides specific insights about hospital radiology departments' near-term plans for capital investment in new and replacement imaging modalities and related capital purchases such as PACS systems. The study found that radiology departments in hospitals in 100 to 199 bed size range, which budgeted an average of $1.061 million per site in capital spending for 2008, have budgeted an average of $1.401 million per site in capital spending for 2009, or an increase of over 32%. Similarly, radiology departments in hospitals with fewer than 100 beds, which budgeted an average of $538,200 per site in capital spending for 2008, are planning capital investments averaging $793,400 per site in 2009.
Considering all of the facilities represented by the survey sample, MRI equipment stands out as the modality most likely to be purchased in 2009, followed by 16-slice and 64-slice CT scanners. Other modality acquisitions most likely to be considered priority purchases for 2009 include digital mammography equipment and ultrasound equipment. Other highlights of the report include:

-68% of the surveyed radiology administrators consider reductions in Medicare reimbursement for imaging procedures as a 'very major challenge' or 'major challenge' to growing or maintaining imaging services revenues in their hospitals

-Recent imaging facility closures have had an impact on the perceived competition for imaging services for 10% of the hospital radiology departments in the survey sample

-Pre-certification requirements for diagnostic imaging procedures are most likely to have affected candidates for MRI and CT scans. Some hospitals report that two-to three-day delays have become the norm for non-emergency diagnostic CT and MRI procedures

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