Health Policy

January 13, 2015

The Cost of Thrift: Utilization of Imaging by Advanced Practice Clinicians

In his popular tome, Innovator’s Prescription, Clayton Christensen proposes several cures to healthcare’s cost disease, known as disruptive innovations. One is the replacement of physicians by advanced practice clinicians (APCs). That is by nurse practitioners and physician assistants. APCs meet the requirements for Christenson’s disruptive innovators: they cost less (than physicians) and are good enough. Read More

Recent Trends in Adherence to Continuous Screening for Breast Cancer Among Medicare Beneficiaries

This study examines recent trends in adherence to continuous screening, especially the rate of subsequent screening mammography following an initial screening before and after the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) revised its guidelines on breast cancer in November 2009. Full Article

Jiang, M., Hughes, D. R., Appleton, C. M., McGinty, G., & Duszak, R.. 2015. "Recent Trends in Adherence to Continuous Screening for Breast Cancer Among Medicare Beneficiaries," Preventive Medicine, 73(2015): 47 - 52.

November 24, 2014

Overuse of Diagnostic Imaging by Advanced Practice Clinicians?

Increasing the use of advanced practice clinicians is crucial to meeting America’s shortage of primary care providers — but careful attention must made to ensure this doesn’t inappropriately increase the use of diagnostic services. Read More

The Effect of Macroeconomic Conditions on the Care Decisions of the Employed

The aim of this study is to evaluate whether patients who are both employed and insured alter their utilization of medical services in response to changes in state unemployment rates. Full Article

Hughes, D. R., & Khaliq, A. A.. 2014. "The Effect of Macroeconomic Conditions on the Care Decisions of the Employed," Medical Care, 52(2): 121 - 127.

Professional Efficiencies for Diagnostic Imaging Services Rendered by Different Physicians: Analysis of Recent Medicare Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction Policy

The aim of this study was to quantify potential physician work efficiencies and appropriate multiple procedure payment reductions for different same-session diagnostic imaging studies interpreted by different physicians in the same group practice. Full Article

Duszak, R., Silva, E., Kim, A. J., Barr, R. M., Donovan, W. D., Kassing, P., McGinty, G., Allen, B.. 2013. "Professional Efficiencies for Diagnostic Imaging Services Rendered by Different Physicians: Analysis of Recent Medicare Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction Policy," Journal of the American College of Radiology, 10(9): 682 - 688.

Emergency Department Imaging: Uncompensated Services Rendered by Radiologists Nationwide

The aim of this study was to examine characteristics of uncompensated services rendered by radiologists to emergency department (ED) patients. Full Article

Duszak, R., Nsiah, E., Hughes, D. R., & Maze, J.. 2013. "Emergency Department Imaging: Uncompensated Services Rendered by Radiologists Nationwide," Journal of the American College of Radiology, 11(6): 559 - 565.

Medicare’s Physician Quality Reporting System: Early National Radiologist Experience and Near-Future Performance Projections

The aim of this study was to examine radiologists' experiences during the first four years of Medicare's national physician pay-for-performance program and project near-future program outcomes for radiologists. Full Article

Duszak, R., Burleson, J., Seidenwurm, D., & Silva, E.. 2012. "Medicare’s Physician Quality Reporting System: Early National Radiologist Experience and Near-Future Performance Projections," Journal of the American College of Radiology, 10(2): 114 - 121.

The 2013 ACR Commission on Human Resources Workforce Survey

The study reports the results of a survey of radiology practices on the labor market for radiologists. Full Article

Bluth, E. I., Truong, H., Nsiah, E., Hughes, D., & Short, B. W.. 2013. "The 2013 ACR Commission on Human Resources Workforce Survey," Journal of the American College of Radiology, 10(10): 750 - 756.