Academic Radiology in the New Healthcare Delivery Environment

Ongoing concerns over the rising cost of health care are driving large-scale changes in the way that health care is practiced and reimbursed in the United States. To effectively implement and thrive within this new health care delivery environment, academic medical institutions will need to modify financial and business models and adapt institutional cultures. In this paper, we review the expected features of the new health care environment from the perspective of academic radiology departments. Our review will include background on Accountable Care Organizations, identify challenges associated with the new managed care model, and outline key strategies—including expanding the use of existing information technology infrastructure, promoting continued medical innovation, balancing academic research with clinical care, and exploring new roles for radiologists in efficient patient management—that will ensure continued success for academic radiology.