The mission of the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute® is to establish foundational evidence for health policy and radiology practice that promotes the effective and efficient use of health care resources and improves patient care.
A new study published in JACR found that an artificial intelligence algorithm can meaningfully enhance brain aneurysm detection when used alongside radiologists. The findings provide important real-world evidence supporting AI as a clinical assistive tool for brain aneurysm detection. Read More
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of shorter-course radiation therapy for women with early-stage breast cancer, leading to reduced treatment burden and lower healthcare spending, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Oncology. Read More
A new study from the Neiman Institute found that the odds of imaging following an office visit were 188% higher when ordering clinician self-interpreted the imaging they ordered versus referring interpretation to a radiologist. Practices that routinely referred imaging to a radiologist also demonstrated lower imaging use following office visits. The study, based on 24.2 million Medicare office visits, was published in JACR. Read More
A new HPI study reveals a substantial decline in DXA testing among Medicare beneficiaries that was greatest in certain underserved groups. The findings raise concerns about missed opportunities to diagnose osteoporosis and prevent fractures and associated costs. The study analyzed nearly two decades of Medicare claims data from more than 5 million beneficiaries and found that use of DXA fell by 35% over the study period. Read More
A new study from the Neiman Institute found that the time between an imaging scan and its interpretation for office/hospital outpatient imaging increased 27% between 2023 and 2024. The study, based on 2.9 million office/hospital outpatient Medicare imaging studies, published in JACR, was an update to previous HPI study of turnaround times through 2023. Read More
A new study from the Neiman Institute found that the persistent declines in Medicare physician reimbursement are associated with widening disparities in access to care, with patients in rural communities, low-income areas, and disadvantaged neighborhoods falling further behind their more urban, affluent, and advantaged counterparts. The study, based on 4.7 million unique patients over the 2005-2023 period, was published in INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing. Read More
A new study published in the American Journal of Neuroradiology finds that adoption of artificial intelligence software for detecting large vessel occlusion in acute ischemic stroke when billed through Medicare's New Technology Add-On Payment program has grown but remains uneven, with use concentrated in larger, specialized hospitals and varying geographically. Read More
