News From Around the Web
> A study by researchers at the Thoracic Surgery Unit and Department of Radiology at the S. Corce City Hospital in Cuneo, Italy, suggests that the use of digital tomosynthesis could be a better alternative than CT in screening for lung cancer, DOTmed News reported. Researchers said that the cancer detection rate for digital tomosynthesis was similar to that of CT while using lower radiation dose levels and at one-sixth of the cost. Article
> The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) Transparency and Accountability Act of 2013--which calls for changes to the process by which USPSTF makes formal recommendations for preventive care services--has been introduced in the House of Representatives, according to Health Imaging. The legislation has received support from the Access to Medical Imaging Coalition, and would eliminate language from the Affordable Care Act that ties Medicare coverage of a particular preventive service to a grade given by the USPSTF, as well as ensure that the task force includes members with clinical and health research field experience. Article
> Radiologists who read fewer than 1,000 mammography studies annually could have worse diagnostic accuracy than those who read more, according to a study published online in Radiology. Australian researchers found that perceptual errors linked to poor performance in interpreting mammograms were influenced by the number of readings radiologists performed, AuntMinnie.com reported. Article
Health Finance News
> Although hospital mergers have been routinely making the headlines in recent years, a new study by the American Hospital Association concludes most facilities have yet to be involved in such a transaction. The study found 551 community hospitals were involved in some form of merger between 2007 and 2012--about 10 percent of the nationwide total of community facilities. Article
Provider News
> A federal judge's decision to end a 33-year ban on public access to a confidential database of Medicare insurance claims means patients can find out how much Medicare paid their doctors and may open the door to closer scrutiny of how much physicians charge for their services. Article
And Finally… The force not with Chewbacca in TSA security lines. Article