Strategic Assessments from MedQuest Radiology Management Services Identify Actionable Radiology Improvements for Healthcare Organizations

Hospitals and healthcare systems are facing unprecedented threats to their bottom lines, challenging them to curtail costs, increase revenue and improve the delivery of efficient quality patient care. In this tumultuous environment, MedQuest Radiology Management Services, one of the country’s leading radiology management companies, is seeing greater demand for its assessment services that help healthcare organizations identify areas for improvement within their radiology operations.

MedQuest’s assessments range from comprehensive evaluations of all aspects of radiology operations to in-depth-examinations of a single function, such as sales and marketing, operations, scheduling, billing and denials, IT/system integration, and facility and equipment review. MedQuest is also often called upon to provide a market assessment focusing on referral patterns, referring physician feedback, radiology network strategies and future expansion opportunities.

“Drawing upon decades of our own hands-on imaging operations experience, MedQuest is uniquely qualified to identify and implement strategies proven to significantly increase revenue, optimize operations and enhance quality, safety and the patient experience,” said Todd W. Latz, MedQuest Chief Executive Officer. “MedQuest is more than just a consultant; we deliver a strategic blueprint with actionable recommendations and can provide extensive implementation support and guidance.”
Recent assessments include:

  • Healthcare system transformation – A multi-state integrated healthcare system was seeking to identify potential efficiencies, cost savings and revenue generating activities for radiology, while enhancing operations. MedQuest narrowed the focus to staffing and scheduling, which offered the greatest ROI within a tight timeline. Under MedQuest’s guidance, the healthcare system exceeded their goal of a $4 million impact on operating cash flow.
  • Medical center expansion – MedQuest was asked to help ensure the success of a medical center’s new location and increased scan volume 27% while maximizing the effectiveness of the system’s imaging network. MedQuest identified areas of opportunity to improve operational processes and workflow in scheduling, patient registration and modality patient flow, evaluated the management and staffing model and identified metrics for operational efficiency and management accountability.

The MedQuest assessment process begins with a data review that allows the team to identify potential opportunities and specific areas of focus prior to the onsite visit. While the team is onsite, they conduct interviews with staff, radiologists, and affiliated and independent referring physicians, and observe procedures and workflow. Following the visit, the team analyzes the information and develops specific and actionable recommendations based on industry and proprietary best practices. And finally, MedQuest presents its findings and recommendations to the healthcare organization, including a comprehensive review of the market, current operations and both near term and longer term improvement opportunities. 

About MedQuest Radiology Management Services
MedQuest provides comprehensive radiology management services to hospitals, imaging centers and physician practices that increase revenue, optimize operations and enhance quality, safety and the patient experience. MedQuest’s decades of management and operational experience, together with industry-leading proprietary systems and processes, create an unrivaled value proposition for customers. Visit www.mqradiology.com to learn more.

Campbell Named to InCharge Healthcare 2015 List of Industry Movers and Shakers

As published in Medical News, “Nashville healthcare insider Laura Campbell has more than two decades of experience in the local healthcare and venture capital industries and has assisted more than 250 ventures and existing businesses in their growth and development. Prior to launching her consulting firm in 1997, she was instrumental in founding the Nashville Health Care Council and served as Partner for Massey Burch Capital Corp. Earlier in her career, she directed investor relations and public relations for Wessex Corp., a publicly traded healthcare company.

Georgia Tech is First to Offer State-of-the-Art Impact Cryotherapy to Student Athletes

Twenty minutes in a tub of ice water or three minutes in a whole body cryotherapy chamber – that’s now a choice for student athletes at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), thanks to the recent addition of a cryotherapy chamber from Atlanta-based Impact Cryotherapy.

Georgia Tech has become the first NCAA Division I athletic program to adopt Impact Cryotherapy’s state-of-the-art chamber. Cryotherapy is used worldwide by athletes and others to maintain fitness and increase energy. Athletes, ranging from professionals to weekend warriors, claim that whole body cryotherapy gives them an edge over competitors by allowing them to recover faster from workouts and train harder.

“We’re looking at it as a valuable recovery tool,” said Tech’s Director of Sports Medicine, Jay Shoop. “It reduces the temperature in the extremity tissues and drives blood to your core, and once you come out the blood starts coming back, creating something of a flushing process. It gets rid of lactic acid, but mostly post-game, post-workout soreness.” Shoop added that 30 to 40 student athletes a day are currently using the chamber.

“We try to stay on the cutting edge of our industry,” Shoop said. “If there is something innovative out there that is going to help our athletes get better quicker, recover quicker, or have any kind of advantage, Georgia Tech is going to do that.”

“We couldn’t be more pleased that our hometown team at Georgia Tech is the first to adopt the Impact Cryotherapy system,” said Richard E. Otto, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Impact Cryotherapy.

“Extreme cold has been used to treat inflammation for centuries; that’s the idea behind immersing the body in an ice bath,” said Otto. “In the 1970s in Japan, cryotherapy treatments were used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, and that spread to Europe, which developed the whole body cryotherapy systems in use today. Impact Cryotherapy is the only American-designed and American-manufactured system.”

The user stands inside the patent-pending, octagonal-shaped chamber during treatment on an adjustable platform, which ensures their head remains outside the chamber. The Impact Cryotherapy chamber is filled with nitrogen vapor, which drops the temperature to a range of (minus) -​140°C to -170°C and temporarily lowers the temperature of the skin’s top layer. This treatment lasts a maximum of three minutes. Once out of the chamber, the body immediately reheats.

About Impact Cryotherapy
Impact Cryotherapy is the national leader in designing and manufacturing whole body cryotherapy systems. The company’s state-of-the-art systems are sleek, attractive single-person chambers that are engineered and manufactured in the United States in an ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified facility. Impact Cryotherapy is redefining the age-old technique of cryotherapy with advanced technology and aesthetics to deliver unmatched efficiency, comfort and reliability. Learn more at www.impactcryo.com.

PatientFocus Eases Financial Stress in Healthcare Industry with Accounts Receivable Cleanup

Healthcare providers seeking to update their back office functions to comply with ongoing legislative reform are turning to PatientFocus, Inc. to help them clean up and reconcile their accounts receivable.

Providers are being pressed to integrate new EHR/EMR systems as required by meaningful use regulations. However, older legacy accounting systems are often not compatible with the newer EHR systems, leading to massive integration problems.  In many cases, providers are left with no option other than writing off the unpaid patient accounts within their former technology systems at a significant loss.

PatientFocus, a fast-growing and innovative healthcare billing company based in Nashville, Tenn., eases this process for providers and prevents them from needing to forgo valuable receivables. Leveraging its billing and customer service expertise, PatientFocus is able to assist providers with reconciling the old accounts, contacting patients, offering discounts and closing account balances.

“Assisting our clients by cleaning up and untangling their accounts receivable is becoming a major service line for our company,” said PatientFocus Founder and CEO David Frederiksen. “We provide a tremendous benefit to our clients as they go through the natural pains associated with upgrading their businesses.”

PatientFocus deals exclusively with patient-pay collections after insurance and before bad debt. Functioning as an extension of a client’s billing office, the company provides patients with flexible, interest-free payment options without a credit check. PatientFocus expertly manages 100 percent of patient communications, including statements, inbound and outbound telephone follow-up and online payment options.

“By helping our clients tackle this problem, without the need for write offs, we can take a lot of the sting out of complying with legislative reform,” said Frederiksen. 

About PatientFocus

PatientFocus, Inc., based in Nashville, Tenn., is a medical billing company focused exclusively on self-pay and patient-pay accounts after insurance and before bad debt collections. Operating as a branded extension of clients’ internal billing offices, PatientFocus leverages the latest data analytics, proprietary software solutions and compassion for patients to facilitate the self-pay billing process for both providers and patients. With our real-time analytics and predictive payment algorithms, as well as industry-leading online payment tools and friendly, flexible approach to customer service, PatientFocus ensures increased cash collections and improves overall patient satisfaction.

MedQuest Radiology Management Services Expands Offerings that Increase Revenue, Optimize Operations and Enhance Quality

MedQuest Radiology Management Services, one of the country’s leading radiology management companies, has expanded its suite of services that assists hospitals, imaging centers and physician practices in optimizing their available imaging resources. A newly revamped website, www.mqradiology.com, provides insight into how the company’s management services can benefit imaging providers across the healthcare spectrum.

“Rising costs, authorization hurdles, reimbursement pressure and increased competition create a challenging operating environment for any healthcare organization providing radiology services,” said Todd W. Latz, Chief Executive Officer of MedQuest. “We draw upon decades of experience to create multifaceted, customized solutions that meet each customer’s specific needs and requirements.”

Latz continued, “MedQuest’s tested, radiology-specific best practices, as well as our proven metrics and performance standards, have repeatedly increased volume, optimized operations and maximized profitability. MedQuest clients have seen top-line growth of up to 20 percent from increased revenue and more focused and efficient operations.”

MedQuest can deliver services individually or as comprehensive day-to-day management of all radiology operations. These services include:

  • Data-Driven Sales and Marketing – grows the top line by training and managing a dedicated, onsite marketing staff that actively partners with providers to increase referral volume and satisfaction levels
  • Operational Enhancements – helps facilities leverage their staffing while optimizing scheduling to ensure maximum patient throughput and enhanced staff productivity
  • Revenue Cycle and Denial Management – captures more revenue faster and ensures full compensation for services provided
  • Quality, Safety and Patient Experience – uses leading-edge metrics to track and manage radiology-specific quality and safety measures and ensure a high-quality patient experience
  • Strategic Development and Network Management – leverages deep project management expertise and relationships across multiple disciplines to deliver high-ROI projects, as well as provides transformation consulting to identify network-wide improvement and growth opportunities

MedQuest, Inc. is one of the country’s leading radiology management companies, owning and operating or managing approximately 75 freestanding outpatient imaging centers, seven acute care hospital radiology departments and a fleet of mobile MRI units, mobile mammography units and mobile ultrasound units.

About MedQuest Radiology Management Services
MedQuest Radiology Management Services provides comprehensive radiology management services to hospitals, imaging centers and physician practices that increase revenue, optimize operations and enhance quality, safety and the patient experience. MedQuest’s decades of management and operational experience, together with industry-leading proprietary systems and processes, create an unrivaled value proposition for customers. Visit www.mqradiology.com to learn more.

PatientFocus Extends Agreement with Choice Medical

PatientFocus, an innovative medical billing company with enhanced patient billing services, today announced it has extended its agreement with Choice Medical, Inc., a specialty medical products distributor. The ongoing partnership will provide Choice Medical patients access to Patient Focus’ suite of patient-pay account management services.
Launched in 2002, Choice Medical is a specialty distributor in the orthopedic, neurosurgical and orthotic markets. The Knoxville, Tenn.-based company has experienced tremendous growth since its inception and boasts a broad client list representing 80 manufacturers in 10 states with more than 100 combined accounts including hospitals, physician offices and surgery centers.
Nashville, Tenn.-based PatientFocus deals exclusively with patient-pay collections after insurance and before bad debt. Functioning as an extension of a client’s billing office, the company provides patients with flexible, interest-free payment options without a credit check. PatientFocus manages 100 percent of patient communications, including statements, inbound and outbound telephone follow-up and online payment options.
“We continue to be impressed with Patient Focus’ emphasis on customer satisfaction during the billing process,” said Jennifer Monroe, Director of Billing Services of Choice Medical. “The continuation of our companies’ relationship is indicative of our shared goals of excellent customer experience through high quality service and convenient, flexible payment options.”
PatientFocus currently provides Choice Medical’s patients with access to its financial counselors and allows those patients to select payment plans online via their smartphone or computer. They can pay over time, interest-free, in a variety of ways, including check, credit card, bank draft and Health Savings Account.
“We enjoy working with Choice Medical because we share the same values: integrity, transparency and customer satisfaction,” said David E. Frederiksen, PatientFocus founder and CEO.“PatientFocus is thrilled to continue our partnership and remains committed to helping Choice Medical maintain its success by facilitating the billing and payment process.”
 
About Choice Medical
Choice Medical, Inc., based in Knoxville, Tenn., is a specialty distributor in the orthopedic, neurosurgical and orthotic market. Since its 2002 launch, Choice Medical has experienced tremendous growth in orthopedic products, durable medical equipment and third-party billing programs, and sports medicine bracing. The company represents more than 80 manufacturers in 10 states with over 100 combined accounts including hospitals, physician offices and surgery centers. Choice Medical is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care. 
About PatientFocus
PatientFocus, Inc., based in Nashville, Tenn., is a medical billing company focused exclusively on self-pay and patient-pay accounts after insurance and before bad debt collections. The company functions as an outsourced extension of its clients’ billing offices, providing every patient flexible, interest-free payment options without a credit check. PatientFocus manages 100 percent of patient communications, including statements, inbound and outbound telephone follow-up and online payment options.

Impact Cryotherapy Formed to Meet Growing Demand for U.S.-Made Whole Body Cryotherapy Systems

Impact Cryotherapy has been launched in response to increasing requests for a whole body cryotherapy system designed and manufactured in the United States. The company, formed by veteran healthcare executives, is already filling orders for the systems from customers, including sports teams, physical therapy facilities, health clubs, retail locations, trainers and individuals.

Cryotherapy is used worldwide by athletes and others to maintain fitness and increase energy. Athletes, ranging from professionals to weekend warriors, claim that whole body cryotherapy gives them an edge over competitors by allowing them to recover faster from workouts and train harder. Other advocates of cryotherapy seek total body wellness or relief from inflammation.

“Whole body cryotherapy has a growing base of fans who believe strongly in its benefits,” says Richard E. Otto, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Impact Cryotherapy. “We saw that cryotherapy has growing adoption, but all systems were made overseas. It became apparent to us that there was an enormous demand for an American-designed and American-manufactured system.”

“We are pleased to have our corporate headquarters in Atlanta, where manufacturing of the systems is also taking place. We have already sold the cryotherapy systems to customers across the country. We also plan to open an Impact Cryotherapy retail facility during the next six months, which will augment our direct sales of equipment and allow more individuals to benefit from the advantages of cryotherapy,” Otto added.

Extreme cold has been used to treat inflammation for centuries, but modern applications began during the 1970s in Japan, where cryotherapy treatments were used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Since then, numerous clinical studies have been conducted in Europe, which developed the whole body cryotherapy systems in use today.

The user stands inside the patent-pending, octagonal-shaped chamber during treatment on an adjustable platform, which ensures their head remains outside the chamber. The Impact Cryotherapy chamber is filled with nitrogen vapor, which drops the temperature to a range of (minus) -​140°C to -170°C and temporarily lowers the temperature of the skin’s top layer. This treatment lasts a maximum of three minutes. During the process, the skin sends signals to the brain, which stimulates physical reactions and activates naturally occurring healing resources. Once out of the chamber, the body immediately reheats.

“The American-made Impact Cryotherapy whole body system represents the most advanced approach to the proven treatment of cold therapy and is clearly distinguishable from foreign-made units,” says Robert T. Atwood, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder.  “Additionally, the system offers an attractive return on investment because of its cost effectiveness and the rapid throughput, thanks to the very nature of cryotherapy treatments. The compact footprint makes it suitable for a variety of settings.”

About Impact Cryotherapy
Impact Cryotherapy is the national leader in designing and manufacturing whole body cryotherapy systems. The company’s state-of-the-art systems are sleek, attractive single-person chambers that are engineered and manufactured in the United States in an ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified facility. Impact Cryotherapy is redefining the age-old technique of cryotherapy with advanced technology and aesthetics to deliver unmatched efficiency, comfort and reliability.

PatientFocus Enters into Agreement with Medical Supply Company Verus Healthcare

High-growth medical billing company PatientFocus announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Verus Healthcare. Through the terms of the agreement, PatientFocus will provide Verus its full range of billing services allowing patients access to flexible, interest-free payment options without a credit check.

Verus Healthcare, formerly known as CPAP Care Club, is a healthcare supply company located in Franklin, Tenn., specializing in respiratory, urological and other medical supplies. Serving over forty thousand patients across the country, the company has won competitive bid contracts in all 50 states for its products and has managed care contracts covering over 200 million patients in the U.S.  Verus has grown its patient base seven-fold over the last two years while maintaining a 99.2% patient satisfaction rating.

“Verus is committed to providing the highest level of service and customer satisfaction to our patients,” said Verus President Emmet Seibels. “Our partnership with a company like PatientFocus, who shares our vision, is evidence of that commitment.”

PatientFocus is a fast growing and innovative medical billing company focused exclusively on patient-pay collections after insurance and before bad debt. The company functions as an extension of a client’s billing office, managing 100 percent of patient communications, including statements, inbound and outbound telephone follow-up and online payment options.

“It is a tremendous honor for PatientFocus to be able to provide our services to an industry leader such as Verus,” said CEO and Founder David Frederiksen. “Our company is committed to providing the highest quality service to make the billing process easier and more effective for Verus and its patients.”

About Verus Healthcare
Verus Healthcare, Inc. is a health care supply company located in Franklin, Tenn. specializing in respiratory, urological and other medical supplies.  The company provides direct to patient services to tens of thousands of patients throughout the U.S. for their medical supplies through its national call center.  Verus Healthcare is one of a very select group of companies to win Medicare competitive bid contracts in all 50 states for its products, and the company has managed care contracts covering all 50 states and over 200 million patients in the United States.

About PatientFocus
PatientFocus, Inc., based in Nashville, Tenn., is a medical billing company focused exclusively on self-pay and patient-pay accounts after insurance and before bad debt collections. The company functions as an outsourced extension of its clients’ billing offices, providing every patient flexible, interest-free payment options without a credit check. PatientFocus manages 100 percent of patient communications, including statements, inbound and outbound telephone follow-up and online payment options. Online: www.patientfocus.com

RegionalCare Hospital Partners Selects Agilum to Provide Business Intelligence Solutions

Agilum Healthcare Intelligence announced today that its healthcare business intelligence (BI) solutions and services will be used by RegionalCare Hospital Partners Inc., a leading owner and operator of regionally focused community hospitals in non-urban markets across the United States, to provide healthcare business intelligence (BI) solutions and services.

“The ability to easily access business intelligence that is both hospital-specific and company-wide will benefit all of our hospitals, and ultimately, every patient that we serve,” said Alan Wenk, VP of Financial Operations, RegionalCare Hospital Partners.

Agilum’s business intelligence solutions, specifically designed to meet the needs of hospitals and healthcare systems, transform millions of data points from multiple source systems into actionable business analytics. Agilum customers rely on this real-time information to improve performance, profitability and quality.

“We are very pleased to have been selected by RegionalCare to provide unique, valuable insights generated by our business intelligence solutions,” said Roy Mathews, Founder and President, Agilum Healthcare Intelligence. “Agilum’s ability to pull information from a range of disparate technology systems and integrate it into a unified view offers deep value for operations, financial performance and patient care.”

Agilum offers unique advantages to healthcare systems with its easy-to-implement, cloud-based solutions that provide deep Oracle functionality at an affordable monthly subscription fee. Hospitals immediately begin receiving new insights that assist with making informed, timely decisions.

About RegionalCare Hospital Partners
RegionalCare Hospital Partners is a growing system of community hospitals focused on a commitment to high quality care and expanding health care services in non-urban markets. Today, RegionalCare is partnered with eight, market-leading, community hospitals in seven states. More information can be found at www.regionalcare.net.

About Agilum Healthcare Intelligence
Agilum Healthcare Intelligence provides business intelligence (BI) solutions and services that are specifically designed to meet the needs of hospitals and healthcare systems. Leveraging a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, Agilum provides its US and international hospital clients customers with the ability to quickly and affordably transform huge volumes of financial and operational data, drawn from multiple source systems, into clear, actionable business intelligence improving performance, profitability and quality.

Agilum Offers Business Intelligence to Broader Healthcare Market with New Website and Products

With a newly revamped website and an arsenal of innovative business intelligence solutions for healthcare providers, Agilum Healthcare Intelligence has positioned itself as a go-to provider of business intelligence (BI) solutions in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.

The continued implementation of regulations surrounding the Affordable Care Act have greatly increased data demands on healthcare providers, along with the need for powerful business tools to manage them. Smoothing this transition is Agilum with its suite of affordable, turnkey business intelligence solutions designed for health systems and hospitals of all sizes.

“Our solutions are designed with the goal of bringing the right information to the right people at the right time,” said Roy Mathews, Agilum Founder and President. “Operational questions that used to take days or weeks to answer are now analyzed with the click of a button using Agilum’s technology.”

“In the past, huge labor and implementation costs meant that only the largest hospitals and health systems could afford business intelligence solutions of the kind Agilum provides. By leveraging the SaaS delivery model, we are able to bring these capabilities to the broader healthcare marketplace,” said Mathews.

Agilum’s cost-effective, Oracle-based solutions include:

  • Service Line Costing & Profitability
    Enables customers to realize cost and utilization improvement, service line profitability, volume-building opportunities and identify optimal capital budget investment initiatives
  • Productivity Management
    Monitors staffing levels and trends allowing customers to quickly adapt to patient volume changes and manage salary expenses without sacrificing quality of car
  • Physician Data
    Measures and monitors physician productivity and compares against national benchmarks, as well as automates physician compensation calculations
  • Revenue Cycle Performance
    Streamlines revenue cycle management and monitors A/R performance indicators and net revenue modeling at the patient level
  • Operational Performance
    Captures, tracks and analyzes healthcare-specific key performance indicators for operating volume, finance, efficiency and more
  • Ad Hoc Reporting & Excel Add-in
    Facilitates complete querying capabilities for companies to leverage Agilum’s data warehouse, gaining more in-depth intelligence

Offered through a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, Agilum’s solutions require no upfront capital expenditure and can be fully implemented within 90 days in facilities ranging from large-scale hospitals to mid-size providers. Taking what were once costly, capital-intensive data mining processes for customers’ finance and operations staff, Agilum’s solutions deftly digest and package data into insightful reports, dashboards and forecasts, drastically reducing the headache of producing analytics.

Based in the healthcare services capitol of Nashville, Tenn., and founded by healthcare services and technology veterans, Agilum boasts a highly skilled team that is dedicated to providing business intelligence solutions, improving performance, profitability and quality for its clients.

About Agilum Healthcare Intelligence
Agilum Healthcare Intelligence provides business intelligence (BI) solutions and services that are specifically designed to meet the needs of hospitals and healthcare systems. Leveraging a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, Agilum provides its US and international hospital clients with the ability to quickly and affordably transform huge volumes of financial and operational data, drawn from multiple source systems, into clear, actionable business intelligence improving performance, profitability and quality.