Turf wars in radiology: possible remedies for self-referral that could be taken by federal or state governments and payers.
The time seems to be ripe for reforms that will address the rapid growth of self-referral in diagnostic imaging by nonradiologist physicians. The authors present a possible course of action containing six elements that federal or state governments and/or payers could take that would assist them in their efforts to control this ubiquitous problem: (1) a legislative ban on self-referral for certain types of imaging, (2) mandatory accreditation and/or site inspections of all imaging facilities, (3) the limitation of imaging privileges among nonradiologists, (4) the required precertification of all self-referred imaging examinations, (5) the auditing of records of physicians who self-refer, and (6) certificate-of-need laws.
Levin
David C
DC
Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. david.levin@mail.tju.edu <david.levin@mail.tju.edu>
Rao
Vijay M
VM
D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000191:economics / Q000941:ethics / Q000639:trends; D035082:Federal Government; D033161:Government Regulation; D018584:Physician Self-Referral / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000639:trends; D011871:Radiology / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000639:trends; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000639:trends; D013219:State Government; D014481:United States