Becker's Hospital Review

71 EXECUTIVE BRIEFING 4 EXECUTIVE BRIEFING Integration and interoperability enhance efficiency throughout the patient lifecycle Technology has become pervasive in healthcare. As a result, interoperability between systems is essential. Collaborative Imaging integrates with solutions used at every step of the patient journey, from scheduling through to payment. "On the scheduling side, we ensure the right radiology exams are ordered and performed," Mr. Chopra said. "The referring physician doesn't need to call the radiologist to ask what exam to order for a particular study. We provide that to them at their fingertips. We also have built-in logic, so technologists know what protocol to use when performing an exam." Collaborative Imaging has also applied both integration and intelligence to the revenue cycle side of the equation. Radiologists can immediately see whether exams meet the criteria outlined in different insurance companies' policies and procedures. "Perhaps the radiologist needs to provide additional context or mention a specific body part," Mr. Chopra said. "We've built that intelligence into our system and it's applied in real time. So, coding teams don't send reports back to radiologists saying that they didn't mention the gallbladder or there's a conflict in what they dictated." Interoperability and customization of workflows extend to the patient experience, as well. As soon as a radiologist signs off on a report, patients can be notified that their report is ready to view in the portal. This process can be tailored, however, so patients don't access their reports until the referring physician has had an opportunity to review them. This prevents patient phone calls that physicians aren't yet prepared to take. "The technology we've developed is focused on today's top priorities which include reducing costs, improving overall efficiency and improving revenue for radiologists, referring physicians and other key stakeholders," Mr. Chopra said. "In addition to creating solutions for radiology, we've applied our technology to emergency medicine, neurology, anesthesia, pathology and more. We continue to expand into different areas. Our solutions are so capable and versatile that it's easy to adjust them to the unique needs of different specialties." Technology will never replace physicians Technologies like data science and AI are becoming much more common in healthcare due to key drivers like physician shortages, the increasing power of insurance companies and continued decreases in reimbursements. "If you look at the radiology industry as a whole, more physicians are leaving than are coming in," Mr. Chopra said. "The newcomers are very different from the prior generation. Many are looking for different compensation structures and some don't like partnership models. This will force the further evolution of the sector. I think technology will be a key determinant moving forward. As much as technology advances, however, it will never replace the physician." Even though the radiology industry is experiencing considerable upheaval, the future looks bright for groups that embrace the change. According to Mr. Chopra, "The practices that are flourishing are those that are thinking strategically about what they can do. They are becoming part of the change process and figuring out how to be one step better. It's a matter of being flexible, open minded, and thinking about everything differently. Technology has made a seismic shift and I'm excited about the future of radiology and the practice of medicine." n Collaborative Imaging is a physician-owned alliance created to combat the growing threat of consolidation. At Ci we bring proprietary technology solutions and RCM expertise to private practices. The result: +30% additional revenue opportunities, -60% reduction in costs --- all while reducing burnout and retaining full autonomy as an independent practice. Join the alliance today! Dhruv Chopra MBA, Chief Executive Officer, Collaborative Imaging

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