medical imaging is one of healthcare\'s fastest growing sectors so most everyone
ID: 2623514 • Letter: M
Question
medical imaging is one of healthcare's fastest growing sectors so most everyone wants to get in on the action, including physicians. to illustrate imaging costs are medicares fastest growing service item in recent years they rose at three times the rate of other medical services, and the total spent on imaging servise exceeded $100 billion in 2008 one reason for this rapid increase is the ability of imaging to detect condition that previously required diagnostic surgery for detection but another reson colud be the financial incentives that make some doctors order more scans than are medically necesary.
at a recent meeting of cadiologists, neurologists, and oncologists, westwood imaging centers told doctors how they could get in on the boom. the deal works like this
DOCTORS SEND PATIENTS TO WESTWOOD FOR IMAGING SERVICE AND WESTWOOD CHARGES THE REFERRING PHYSICIAN A FLAT RATE PER SCAN.
1-WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT WESTWOOD'S PARPOSAL TO PROVIDE PHYSICIANS WITH LEASED DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPMENT?
2-IF YOU COULD ACT AS THE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY N THIS SITUATION, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
Explanation / Answer
1. Westwoods proposal to provide physicians with leased diagnostic equipment sounds like a good idea. Even though the equipment will cost them a flat rate per scan it should still work out in their favor assuming the doctors get paid by the patient or the insurance company more than the scan costs and enough to make a reasonable profit to stay in business and make some sort of significant financial gains as well.
2. If I was the ultimate authority in this situation I would accept the equipment under the circumstances that the flat rate per scan is not too high. Also just having the public know you have these sort of imagining devices in your medical office significantly increases your credibility and professional appearance.
Hope this helps, good luck.
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