by Marius Ged, on Jan 18, 2023 4:15:37 PM
Keep up with the latest orthopedics news and insights from the industry’s trusted legal partner, Ged Lawyers. Here is an overview of what happened this month in the radiology field.
What's New in Florida Radiology
1) A Florida Clinic Adopts SCANSLATED’s Interactive, Patient-Centered Radiology Reports
Florida and North Carolina-headquartered US Radiology Specialists, Inc. recently expanded its partnership with SCANSLATED, Inc., a radiologist-headed company, to offer patient-centered radiology imaging at more outpatient imaging sites. Patients who visit American Health Imaging and Touchstone Medical Imaging centers throughout the south will receive access to SCANSLATED reports.
SCANSLATED reports are more patient-centered and interactive than traditional imaging reports. Specifically, they are written in language patients can understand and include interactive diagrams and definitions. Moreover, patients can access these reports through links sent to their devices, including smartphones.
“Feedback from our initial deployment of SCANSLATED's solution at our locations in Colorado was overwhelmingly positive, with 95 percent of patients who received their reports in the new format reporting that they could more easily understand their imaging procedures and have more informed conversations with their providers," said Gerry Lewis, Chief Information Officer at US Radiology.
Industry Updates
1) Radiologists Are Becoming More Discerning About the Artificial Intelligence Tools They Adopt
The use of artificial intelligence was a primary focus at the Radiology Society of North America (RSNA)’s 2022 Conference. However, conversations this year moved away from the flashiest technology towards the solution that promised the most usefulness.
Before the pandemic, radiologists often sought AI that performed only one task, like detecting a single abnormality or checking for specific conditions.
Now, however, radiologists are more interested in AI that offers integrated workflows.
“What I have started to see at this show is more than just being a platform that hosts several algorithms across different specialties or clinical use cases. It’s now a case of curating the algorithms and putting them into packages or workflow solutions that address a service line,” said Sanjay Parekh, PhD, senior market analyst at Signify Research.
Specifically, vendors at RSNA 2022 demonstrated AI solutions that seamlessly integrated into PACS or enterprise imaging system workflows.
2) The 2022 Radiology Society of North America (RSNA) Conference Saw Few Product Launches; RSNA 2023 May Offer More Options
The RSNA 2022 conference didn’t deliver on product announcements, and those that were unveiled primarily focused on existing gaps or underserved customer segments, rather than new platforms. Still, vendors promised “disruptive” product releases for RSNA 2023.
Some of the products that were either launched or reintroduced at the conference included:
- Edge AI designed to lessen the need for contrast agents
- “Extremity” imaging
- Remote diagnostics
- Fleet management service contracts
- Smart subscriptions
Many radiologists hope vendors will focus on developing solutions for clinical workflows and care pathways, especially products emphasizing imaging’s role in diagnostics and therapy.
“Doing more with the same or less shone through as the leading trend of the show. While this reflects the current focus of the customer base facing a tough period ahead, it was also clear that vendors still have some way to go in ensuring the ‘solution’ offering they promise will deliver substantial long-term cost savings,” said Steve Holloway of Signify Research.
Growing Your Practice
1) GE Healthcare Rolls Out 40 New Solutions for Patient Outcomes and Clinical Efficiency
GE Healthcare unveiled 40 solutions relevant to radiology practices during RSNA. The healthcare arm plans to spin off from its parent company in January 2023, signaling a new era for the medical technology company.
“A new era is coming for GE Healthcare and with it, we hope to help healthcare transform as a whole by advancing precision diagnostics, improving capacity and efficiency, and increasing patient access,” said Peter Arduini, CEO of GE HealthCare.
Some of the solutions discussed at RSNA 2022 include:
- SIGNA Experience: a platform with four components, including an “anticipatory user interface” and an automated workflow feature incorporating AI and deep learning.
- CT Motion: “multi-dose syringeless injector that delivers iodinated contrast media for Computed Tomography (CT) imaging.”
- Optellum: a partnership that helps cancer teams detect, precision diagnose, and treat lung cancer.
- Vivid e95 Ultra Edition: a 4D cardiovascular ultrasound system that improves image quality, measures, and visualization.
GE remains an essential partner to radiologists, offering solutions that make clinical workflows and patient care more efficient. It is hoped that other vendors will continue to roll out new solutions at RSNA 2023.
2) How Does the PIP Recovery Process in Florida Work?
Florida is one of only ten states that require drivers to have personal injury protection (PIP) insurance. Regardless of who caused the accident, insurance companies must cover up to $10,000 in benefits, including 80 percent of medical expenses and 60 percent of lost wages.
While PIP insurance helps support those involved in auto accidents, medical providers can sometimes wait months or years to receive payment for submitted claims. One imaging center, for instance, had $3.7 million in outstanding or underpaid PIP claims.
However, recovering unpaid or underpaid claims can be labor-intensive and difficult for clinical managers to follow up on these claims with insurance companies. That’s where the attorneys at Ged Lawyers comes in.
First, we send PIP demands for all of your unpaid or underpaid claims with a notice for insurance companies to comply within 30 days. If they still do not comply, we turn to litigation, forcing insurance providers to acknowledge their failure to pay what they owed. As we deal with outstanding PIP claims, we track them for clients so they can follow along at every stage of the process.
Unpaid and underpaid PIP claims can be a financial and time management burden on radiology clinics. Connect with the team at Ged Lawyers at (561) 995-1966 or through our website to learn more about how we can win you back what you’re owed.
