CMS Elimanates Chiropractor Exception

Please note that as of January 1, 2008, a radiologist can no longer order x-rays for Medicare patients referred to them by a chiropractor in a non-hospital setting.  The 2008 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule eliminated the so called “chiropractor exception” which allowed non-treating physicians like a radiologist to order diagnostic tests to identify a subluxation of the spine at the request of a chiropractor.  Chiropractors are still able to refer to the patient’s treating physician for any x-rays that might be needed.

The Imaging Center at Centerra is now ACR Accredited

We are pleased to announce that The Imaging Center at Centerra is now an American College of Radiology (ACR) accredited facility.  To follow are a few of the reasons accreditation is so important:

w ACR accreditation demonstrates commitment to quality patient care.

w ACR accreditation gives you the competitive edge.

w ACR accreditation programs provide a high level of confidence for patients, referring physicians, and managed care organizations that only the highest quality care is being provided by accredited facilities.

w The ACR certificates of accreditation give assurance that staff and equipment have passed ACR's rigorous evaluation.

American Cancer Society recognizes Virtual Colonoscopy as a screening benefit

The American Cancer Society (ACS) has recently added virtual colonoscopy (VC or CT colonography [CTC]) to its five-year colon screening guidelines.  Since 2003, the ACS had considered VC to be promising, but lacking sufficient evidence to recommend its inclusion in the screening protocol. The society now chose to add VC to the guidelines, citing recent data that suggest CTC is comparable to optical colonoscopy for detecting cancer and polyps of significant size when state-of-the-art techniques are applied.

These new guidelines not only reflect endorsement for CTC screening by the ACS and the ACR, but also by the three major gastrointestinal societies: the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (AGSE), and the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG).