The Imaging 100 Executive Management Conference, an invitation-only gathering of owners and executives of multi-site imaging center companies and radiology groups, will take place March 22-24 in North San Diego, CA. The conference will be held at the Four Seasons Aviara Resort.

The conference will feature several panel sessions on important topics in the imaging industry, including "A Financial Double Whammy: Managing through Concurrent Revenue & Credit Crises," "Insiders View to U.S. Federal Health Care Policy, Politics & Agenda in 2009 and Beyond," and "A Lemon Problem: Communicating the Imaging Center Proposition to Payers & Consumers."

Neil Burgess, CEO of MMR Holdings and panel member at the "Double Whammy" session, told DOTmed News that his topic will be an open discussion with questions and comments from the audience. "I anticipate we will talk about what is working, what is not, and panelist and audience perspectives on the current state of the industry," Mr. Burgess said. Steeper reimbursement cuts and the bad economy make competition more difficult, and costs are being cut in areas such as service and marketing. Mr. Burgess explained, "That is the Catch 22 -- the areas you need to invest in (and in fact the areas we have left untouched or even enhanced the last two years) are the areas most readily cut. So that is the tightrope walk to be discussed at this conference." The session also features Bob Baumgartner, CEO of the Center for Diagnostic Imaging in Minnesota, and Kip Hallman, CEO, InSight Health Corp. of California.

Tim Bateman, Director of Imaging 100, told DOTmed that financial topics are relevant now because of the "perfect storm" in the imaging industry: the convergence of the current financial crisis, the DRA reimbursement cuts, and other factors. Mr. Bateman explained that the participants in the panel discussions have extensive experience in the imaging industry. The issues they will be discussing are those that the presenters feel have arisen as the most urgent, while the industry is in an atmosphere of "What's going to happen next?"

Tim Bateman also will participate in the "Lemon problem" session, which will focus on public relations -- discussing strategies to demonstrate to the payer and consumer the difference between a high quality and low quality operator, and to promote quality and trustworthiness through marketing and accreditation.

Mr. John Thomas, EVP, Medical Facilities Health Care REIT, Inc., of Toledo, OH, told DOTmed that the "Insiders View" session is important because "the Obama Administration is moving swiftly, while it has strong public support, for massive change. The "Insiders View" session also features Marshall Brachman, a registered lobbyist from the District of Columbia, and Robert Wood, President, BGR Holding LLC, also from the District of Columbia.

Read more about the conference:
http://www.imaging100.com/

ASC Conference

Note that a concurrent conference will take place for ambulatory surgical center executive management. ASC 100 hosts the most concentrated, invitation-only gathering of owners and top executives of multi-site ASC companies, medical groups and specialty hospitals. Read about it at: https://www.dotmed.com/news/story/8448/

DOTmed News will be reporting from both conferences. Watch for further coverage of these important events.

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