The Radiology Support, Communication and Alignment Network (R-SCAN) is a quality improvement program through which patients, referring clinicians, and radiologists collaborate to improve imaging appropriateness based on Choosing Wisely recommendations and ACR Appropriateness Criteria. R-SCAN was shown previously to increase the odds of obtaining an appropriate, higher patient or diagnostic value, imaging study. In the current study, the researchers aimed to estimate the potential imaging cost savings associated with R-SCAN use for the Medicare population. Full Article
Max Wintermark, MD, MAS, MBA , Andrew B. Rosenkrantz, MD, Paymon G. Rezaii, MS, Nancy Fredericks, MBA, Laura Chaves Cerdas, MS, Judy Burleson, MHSA, G. Rebecca Haines, MSM, CPXP, Mythreyi Chatfield, PhD William T. Thorwarth Jr., MD, Richard Duszak Jr., MD, Danny R. Hughes, PhD. 2021. "Predicted Cost Savings Achieved by the Radiology Support, Communication and Alignment Network from Reducing Medical Imaging Overutilization in the Medicare Population," Journal of American College of Radiology (JACR)
The purpose of this study was to assess potential disparities in the utilization of advanced imaging during emergency department (ED) visits. This retrospective study was conducting using 5% Research Identifiable Files. All CT and MRI (together defined as “advanced imaging”) examinations associated with ED visits in 2015 were identified for continuously enrolled Medicare beneficiaries. Among Medicare beneficiaries receiving care in U.S. EDs, significant disparities exist in advanced imaging utilization. Although imaging appropriateness was not investigated, these findings suggest inequity. Further research is necessary to understand why consistent health benefits do not translate into consistent imaging access among risk-adjusted ED patients. Full Article
Tarek N. Hanna, MD, Eric Friedberg, MD, Ivan M. Dequesada, MD, Laura Chaves, MPP, Robert Pyatt, MD, Richard Duszak, Jr., MD, Danny R. Hughes, PhD. 2021. "Disparities in the Use of Emergency Department Advanced Imaging in Medicare Beneficiaries," American Journal of Roentgenology
January 11, 2021
The Radiology Support, Communication and Alignment Network (R-SCAN) is a quality improvement program through which patients, referring clinicians, and radiologists collaborate to improve imaging appropriateness based on Choosing Wisely recommendations and ACR Appropriateness Criteria. In the current study, we aimed to estimate the potential imaging cost savings associated with R-SCAN use for the Medicare population. View Infographic
November 29, 2020
To understand the impact of COVID-19 on radiology in a variety of care-delivery settings, the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute (HPI®) initiated a series of studies from an integrated healthcare system in New York and community radiology practices, and analyzed data from a national survey of radiology practices. View the infographic to see how COVID-19 affected imaging volumes and radiology practices. View Infographic
November 13, 2020
Using two separate publicly available Medicare datasets, the researchers studied the frequency and characteristics of radiologist-practice separation between 2014 – 2018. View Infographic
Using the Medicare Physician-Supplier Procedure Summary Master File, we evaluated the evolving use of fMRI in
Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries from 2007 through 2017. Annual use rates (per 1,000,000 enrollees) increased from 17.7 to
32.8 through 2014 and have remained static since. Radiologists have remained the dominant specialty group from 2007 to 2017
(86.4% and 88.6% of all services, respectively), and the outpatient setting has remained the dominant place of service (65.4% and
65.4%, respectively). Full Article
Solmaz Asnafi, MD, Richard Duszak Jr, MD, Jennifer M. Hemingway, MS, Danny R. Hughes, PhD, Jason W. Allen, MD, PhD. 2020. "Evolving Use of fMRI in Medicare Beneficiaries," American Journal of Neuroradiology
Multiple sclerosis (MS) results in considerable financial burdens due to expensive treatment and high rates of disability, which could both impact care non-adherence. Full Article
Gelareh Sadigh, Ruth Carlos, Carolyn Meltzer, Jeffrey M. Switchenko, Neil Lava, Rich Duszak, Danny Hughes, Elizabeth Anne Krupinski. 2020. "Patient-reported financial toxicity in multiple sclerosis: Predictors and association with care non-adherence," Multiple Sclerosis
The toll of burnout on healthcare is significant and associated with physician depression and medical errors. The objective of this study it to assess the prevalence and risk factors for burnout among neurointerventionalists. Full Article
Kyle M Fargen, Adam S Arthur, Thabele Leslie-Mazwi, Rebecca M Garner, Carol A Aschenbrenner, Stacey Q Wolfe, Sameer A Ansari, Guilherme Dabus, Alejandro Spiotta, Maxim Mokin, Italo Linfante, J Mocco, Joshua A Hirsch. 2019. "Survey Measures Burnout Among Neurointerventionalists," Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery
The objective of the study was to assess temporal changes in the utilization of musculoskeletal extremity imaging in Medicare beneficiaries over a recent 20-year period (1994–2013). Full Article
Gyftopoulos, S., Harkey, P., Hemingway, J., Hughes, D.R., Rosenkrantz, A.B., Duszak, R. 2017. "Changing Musculoskeletal Extremity Imaging Utilization From 1994 Through 2013: A Medicare Beneficiary Perspective," American Journal of Roentgenology
The aim of this study was to evaluate patient satisfaction scores for interventional radiologists across the United States using a leading physician ratings website. Full Article
Obele, C., Duszak Jr, R., Hawkins, C.M., Rosenkrantz, A.B. 2017. "What Patients Think About Their Interventional Radiologists: Assessment Using a Leading Physician Ratings Website," Journal of the American College of Radiology, 14(5): 609 - 614.
