The imaging industry is ever-changing, so it’s important to stay up to date on advancements and issues that may impact the development, operation, maintenance, and growth of your imaging services. Here are some important developments:
Call to Action: Nuclear Medicine Reimbursement
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed changes to the nuclear medicine Ambulatory Payment Classifications (APCs) in its 2016 proposed rule for the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (HOPPS). Concerned that the proposed rule will exacerbate an already existing nuclear medicine reimbursement problem, The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) created an APC Remodeling Task Force, which has spent the last 1½ years collecting and analyzing data and developing a proposal in collaboration with other nuclear medicine stakeholders. Read more..
WomenHeart launches first virtual support network for women living with atrial fibrillation and their caregivers
The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease has launched the first virtual support network specifically for women living with atrial fibrillation. The WomenHeart Virtual Support Network is part of WomenHeart’s national patient and public education campaign about atrial fibrillation and stroke risk and is designed to provide critical education and emotional support to women living with the heart condition. Read more…
Heart Age Tops Actual Age in the United States, CDC Says
A new and simpler way to express a person’s risk for a heart attack or stroke still shows the nation to be heart unhealthy on average, but a person’s heart age metric may provide more motivation for patients to adopt healthier lifestyles, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today. Heart age is defined as the predicted age of a person’s vascular system based on their cardiovascular risk factor profile. Read more…
Risk of Death Increased by 50% in Smokers With Diabetes
Being a smoker and having diabetes increases the relative risk of total mortality and cardiovascular events by about 50%, and quitting smoking can reduce these risks, according to a new study published online in Circulation. “Smoking should be routinely evaluated and closely monitored for diabetic patients. As shown in our study, active smoking is associated with increased risks of total mortality and various cardiovascular events among diabetic patients,” commented first author An Pan, Ph.D. Read more…