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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.

Health Policy

Evolving Radiologist Participation in Medicare Shared Savings Program Accountable Care Organizations

The aim of this study was to temporally characterize radiologist participation in Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) accountable care organizations (ACOs). Full Article

Stefan Santavicca, MS, Richard Duszak Jr, MD, Nicola Gregory, MD, Lauren Golding, MD, Andrew Rosenkrantz, MD, Christian Wernz, MD, Danny Hughes, PhD. 2021. "Evolving Radiologist Participation in Medicare Shared Savings Program Accountable Care Organizations," Journal of American College of Radiology (JACR)

Longitudinal Changes of Financial Hardship in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

To measure the longitudinal changes in three domains of financial hardship (i.e., financial worry, cost-related care non-adherence, material hardship) in patients with MS. Full Article

Gelareh Sadigh, MD, Jeffrey Switchenko, MD, Neil Lava, MD, Richard Duszak Jr, MD, Elizabeth A. Krupinski, MD, Carolyn C. Meltzer, MD, Ruth C. Carlos, MD. 2021. "Longitudinal Changes of Financial Hardship in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis," Multiple Sclerosis

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Update and Computed Tomography for Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Privately Insured Population

The Affordable Care Act of 2010 mandated private health plans to fully cover the services recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. In June 2016, the Task Force added computed tomography colonography to its list of recommended tests for colorectal cancer screening. This study evaluates the association among the updated recommendation, patient cost-sharing obligations, and the uptake of colorectal cancer screening through computed tomography colonography in the privately insured population. Full Article

Steven Chen, MSPH, Courtney C. Moreno, MD, Richard Duszak Jr., MD, Michal Horny, PhD. 2021. "U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Update and Computed Tomography for Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Privately Insured Population," American Journal of Preventative Medicine

Predicted Cost Savings Achieved by the Radiology Support, Communication and Alignment Network from Reducing Medical Imaging Overutilization in the Medicare Population

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)

Increasing and Disparate use of Neuroimaging for Adults and Children with Non‐Traumatic Headaches in the US Emergency Departments: Opportunities for Improvement

Optimization of neuroimaging practices for headache is considered a national priority; however, nationwide patterns and predictors of neuroimaging use for headache in the US emergency departments (EDs) are unknown. The objective of this study is to analyze temporal neuroimaging utilization trends for adults and children with non-traumatic headache in the US EDs and identify factors predictive of neuroimaging use in this patient population. Full Article

Trofimova Anna, MD, PhD, Richard Duszak Jr, MD, Nadja Kadom, MD, Gelareh Sadigh, MD. 2021. "Increasing and Disparate use of Neuroimaging for Adults and Children with Non‐Traumatic Headaches in the US Emergency Departments: Opportunities for Improvement," Headache

January 1, 2021

Research Rounds: Tracking the Pandemic

In the wake of COVID-19, the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute® studied imaging utilization in different settings over the course of 2020.   Read the January 2021 ACR Bulletin Research Rounds column. 

November 29, 2020

The Neiman Institute COVID-19 Studies

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

Radiologist-Practice Separation: Recent Trends and Characteristics

The purpose of this study is to assess recent trends and characteristics in radiologist-practice separation across the United States. Using the Medicare Physician Compare and Medicare Physician and Other Supplier Public Use File data sets, the researchers linked all radiologists to associated group practices annually between 2014 and 2018 and assessed radiologist-practice separation over a variety of physician and group characteristics. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was used to estimate the likelihood of radiologist-practice separation. Full Article

Stefan Santavicca, MS , Danny R. Hughes, PhD, Howard B. Fleishon, MD, MMM, Frank Lexa, MD, MBA Eric Rubin, MD, Andrew B. Rosenkrantz, MD, MPA, Richard Duszak, MD. 2020. "Radiologist-Practice Separation: Recent Trends and Characteristics," Journal of American College of Radiology (JACR)

Patient-reported financial toxicity in multiple sclerosis: Predictors and association with care non-adherence

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

Associations Over Time Between Paid Medical Malpractice Claims and Imaging Utilization in the United States

The aim of this study was to explore state-level relationships between the incidence and payout amounts for medical malpractice claims and Medicare imaging utilization and spending across the United States. Full Article

Alexander Villalobos, MD, Michal Horný, PhD, Danny R. Hughes, PhD, Richard Duszak, MD. 2020. "Associations Over Time Between Paid Medical Malpractice Claims and Imaging Utilization in the United States," Journal of American College of Radiology (JACR)