At the technology roundtable

Roundtable discussions at conferences are tricky. In order to work, they require timing, the right topic and an audience willing to speak up with information, not just soak it up.

Today’s technology roundtable, “New Ways to Enhance Your Practice” was led by Cindy Pittmon of Specialty Group Services and Larry Johnson of Medical Billing & Management Services and was attended by a post-lunch crowd of about 40 people. That’s a good number. But after lunch is usually a dreaded slot.

Cindy Pittmon and Larry Johnson leading the technology roundtable.

It’s 5 a.m.: Do you know where your brain is?

At the start of the 8 a.m. session today, Randy Roat, vice-president of MMP in Flint, Mich., read my mind. “I know that for those of you from the west coast it’s 5 a.m…” he began. But together with Michael Gonzales, the central billing office manager at Radiological Associates in Sacramento, Calif., they provided a unique and very lively session on billing benchmarking and investigating the decision to outsource. Complete coverage of this session will appear in the July edition of ImagingBiz.com. To read the current edition, or to subscribe, click here: www.imagingbiz.com.

Michael Gonzales and Randy Roat address a (very) early crowd.

-Steve Smith

Everybody’s talking…

… And here’s what they’re saying. Casual conversations with several exhibitors here at the RBMA conference in Orlando revealed more than a “wait and see” attitude about Washington’s eventual healthcare plans.

All of these representatives, perhaps six or seven on Monday, said that a healthcare overhaul would most likely benefit their businesses and they are planning accordingly.

Take that survey – it’s good for you

At a pre-conference session, Joe White, a principal at LarsonAllen, reviewed important data on the true costs of an internal billing department. White was very clear about the survey results, which could have/should have been higher.

RBMA: Thunder, Lightning and Meetings…

Arriving in a thunderstorm in Orlando on Saturday was just the beginning. On Sunday, while the early RBMA attendees were in meetings and exhibitors were putting the finishing touches on their booths, guests at the Loew’s Royal Pacific Hotel were being ordered from the pool due to local lightning strikes.

Welcome to Orlando in June!

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The chances are good that you have attended several – perhaps even many – conferences over the years. Having been in the unique position of having been an exhibitor, sponsor, speaker and attendee, I thought I would take just a moment to give you a peek behind the curtain of a typical conference. The first image below is of one aisle at 1:00 p.m. here at the RBMA Conference in Orlando. The second image is the same aisle at 6:00 p.m.

Stanford MDCT: open thread

I’m home from San Francisco safe and sound, and though I didn’t leave my heart there, I did leave another two days of MDCT excitement — editorial duties on the homefront called. But that doesn’t mean you should stop reading. Instead, jump in and participate! Leave a comment below about your favorite aspect of the show so far. What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned? Your ideas shape our future coverage, so comment early and comment often! And don’t forget to join us again in June for coverage of SIIM (beginning June 4) and RBMA (beginning June 7).

–Cat

Here’s How to Attend June’s RBMA Summit, Without Leaving Town…

Starting June 7, the Imaging Center Institute will provide daily coverage of the events unfolding at the RBMA’s 41st annual Radiology Summit in Orlando.

We’ll be covering sessions, people and innovations, plus, we’ll keep you up-to-date on whatever it is you want to know. That’s right – you tell us what to cover and we’ll be there for you.

Here’s the link to the conference schedule: http://rbma.org/conferences/radiology_summit/schedule.php

To let us know where you want us to be, just post a comment below. Then, watch for your special news to appear June 7-10, 2009.