Month: March 2020

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COVID-19 Impact Modeling Template for Radiology Groups and Imaging Centers

One of Radiology Executive’s primary responsibilities is to monitor and report on the financial health of their organizations. Given that many of imaging facilities and departments are ceasing to perform screening and other non-urgent imaging a Radiology group and Imaging Center cash flows could be seriously eroded. Some are reporting a 30% to 40% loss of volume, or more. Radiology executives should be modeling the near and mid-term impact these volume decreases have on cash flows at least through the end of the year. 

Historically, most community-based groups and physician owned imaging centers don’t retain a high level of cash reserves, which means they are exposed to sudden cash flow disruptions. Depending upon how long this COVID-19 related volume loss continues, Radiology groups and Imaging Centers could find themselves in a negative cash flow situation that erodes their cash reserves. 

Radiology groups and Imaging Centers need to take proactive steps to 1) understand the size of the potential impact; and 2) takes steps to ensure they have enough cash available to them to continue operations. 

I created a Cash Reserves Modeling template and am making it available here free of charge.

Click here to download. Instructions are included.

[A couple of people have asked if I provide consulting services to help them analyze their practice’s exposure. I am certainly willing to help in any way I am able. Click here to send me an email if you would like to discuss how I can help.]

The template allows users to estimate the impact anticipated revenue losses may have on group practices’ and imaging centers’ cash reserves across 5 different Scenarios. Users need to input historical revenues for both screening services and non-screening, historical expenses, and their current cash balance. The model allows users to enter different base loss percentages for Screening services (often 100% initially) and non-screening services (some are reporting up to a 30% to 40% loss in non-screening imaging services). The model uses varying “Recovery Rates” to create 5 different recovery Scenarios. Default recovery rates are provided. The template auto-calculates tables and a line chart based upon the variables entered.  

Please keep Dose Registry Support Services in mind if you or your facility are looking for a low-cost, staff-friendly, and Joint Commission compliant dose monitoring solution.

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DoseID: An affordable, effective, and staff friendly Dose Monitoring Solution

DoseID is an affordable, turn-key CT Dose Monitoring service for hospitals, health systems, imaging centers, and physician practices. Our DoseID service leverages your participation in the ACR’s Dose Index Registry to comply with The Joint Commission’s requirements to create Expected Dose Ranges for every study and then identify individual exams that exceed their expected range; and, it does so with little daily impact on staff and without having to purchase an expensive third-party solution.

  • Does your current solution require you to pay large annual maintenance fees or have dedicated staff to operate it?
  • Is your current solution complex and difficult to use, often to the point it goes unused? 
  • Is department management and/or staff frustrated with your current solution? 
  • Is your department struggling to understand or meet the Joint Commission’s requirement to establish expected dose ranges for every CT exam, identify studies that exceeded the upper threshold, and then review and analyze CT dose incidents – incidents? 
  • Would you like a less expensive solution that actually provides you with actionable information your staff can use?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above questions take a look at our DoseID program. We provide a yearly service at a cost less than many facilities spend in 1 to 3 months on other solutions, and we do most of the work for you. No hardware or software to purchase; no upfront costs; and, no long-term commitments. 

Our DoseID program is one of the most cost-effective and user-friendly CT dose optimization programs available designed to meet the Joint Commission’s dose incident identification requirements. We are able to do this because we leverage your participation in the ACR’s Dose Index Registry.  The DIR is a powerful tool, yet many facilities fail to grasp its utility or take advantage of it. We help you leverage your participation in it to optimize your doses and meet TJC’s requirements, and do so at a fraction of the cost of other programs.   

Don’t misunderstand – the expensive third-party platforms are wonderful products, particularly for health systems with large budgets and the staff to use them. I would never discourage anyone from purchasing one if they have the resources to purchase and use them. However, that is not the world many small to mid-sized community hospitals find themselves in today. DoseID is designed to meet the needs of facilities that want an effective program, but one which is also affordable and easy to implement and understand.   

Our DoseID service requires no up-front costs, no hardware or software to buy, and there are no annual maintenance or support fees to pay. Because this is a service, we do the work for you and work directly with staff to identify dose reduction opportunities. Simple, but very effective. Click here to see what our customers are saying.

For more information visit www.doseregistry.com or email me by clicking here.  

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Free 2 CE course: “Using the DIR to Implement an Effective CT Dose Monitoring Program and Meet The Joint Commission’s Dose Incident Identification Requirements.”

I just published the FREE independent study course I wrote of earlier titled “Using the DIR to Implement an Effective CT Dose Monitoring Program and Meet The Joint Commission’s Dose Incident Identification Requirements.” The course consists of a 100 minute video presentation followed by a 16 question exam.  Registered Radiologic Technologists successfully completing the course will earn 2 CE credits.  However, anyone interested may take the course without taking the exam.  The course is available at www.doseregistry.com. 

Click on the Course title in the Featured Course menu along the right border.

Note: Users wishing to enroll in the course should first create an account on the website, then login and enroll in the course.    

In this course, I share with you

  • Why dose monitoring is important;
  • 4 of the most useful DIR Reports and how to generate them, including the new Interactive reports;
  • Tips to make Exam Name mapping easier, including how to use the Bulk Mapping option;
  • Success stories others have had using this approach, which provides additional insight for using the DIR;
  • Advice on assigning User Roles; and,
  • How to use the DIR to meet TJC’s Dose Incident Requirement without the need for expensive third-party dose monitoring systems.

As you will hear, the Dose Index Registry is a powerful tool. We only need to understand how to use it and what it is telling us.  At the end of this course you will have enough information to implement an effective, low cost dose monitoring and optimization program at your facility.  My real objective is to have Radiologic Technologists BECOME LEADERS in dose reduction within their institution.  The success stories you will hear are technologist-generated success stories which, in many cases, were then broadly shared within their organizations. 

Please share this with your management and technical staff if they would like to learn more about how to use the Dose Index Registry to reduce CT doses and implement a low-cost, yet effective CT dose optimization program and/or meet TJC’s Dose Incident Identification requirements, or simply want free CE.  If  you are a member of a state chapter or national association feel free to share it with them as well.  The course if free for all. 

Sincerely,
Mike Bohl
Dose Registry Support Servicers
mbohl@doseregistry.com

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About the speaker:  Michael Bohl founded Dose Registry Support Services in 2015 to support Radiology Departments’ use of the Dose Index Registry to optimize doses and meet The Joint Commission’s mandate to identify and review Dose Incidents.  Mr. Bohl is a nationally recognized speaker and has extensive experience in radiology group, imaging center, and hospital management.  He has authored several articles, including an article titled Meeting The Joint Commission’s Dose Incident Identification and External Benchmarking Requirements Using the ACR’s Dose Index Registry published in the August 2016 edition of the Journal of the American College of Radiology.  For more information see Mr. Bohl’s LinkedIn profile, visit www.doseregistry.com, or email us by clicking here.