Managed care: imaging issues and impact.

The advent of managed care and capitation is dramatically changing our imaging management focus away from centralized inpatient services toward a decentralized ambulatory environment. In many ways, managed care is a response to an industry unwilling to meet the essential needs of its customers. Success in the new climate will depend on our ability to accept the reality of our future, strategically position our services and take absolute control of our costs. Without exception, every imaging department must respond to these challenges; no one will be exempt. This presentation combines data from national experts with the "Minnesota experience" and describes the impact on imaging services.