Negative Consequences
The risk to the physician-owner for self-referring is minimal, since he can increase the volume of scans to any point necessary to insure profitability. This is recognized by the machine vendors, who have moved aggressively to sell imaging machines to physicians who are not board-certified or specialized in radiology. One vendor of medical imaging equipment marketing to physicians states:
Are you dissatisfied with declining reimbursement rates, escalating demands on your time and increased competition? You can counteract these prevailing trends by capturing new revenue opportunities through providing diagnostic imaging services, such as MRI and CT, in your own office. Instead of sending your patients—and revenue—to another provider, your patients will appreciate the convenience, while you increase your bottom line.Read more about this topic: Physician Self-referral
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