Radiology Manager Job Description

The Management of a Radiology Department

Most departments have some characteristics that are common to a typical department. The organization of a radiology department affects its internal structure and how it handles personnel and resources. Management goals are to arrange employees into groups.

Administration directs the efforts of employees to reach their goals. The patient care of any hospital department is the primary concern and effective patient care depends on cooperation between all of the hospital departments. Being familiar with the procedures of the admissions and medical records departments is important for members of the radiology department so that the process of patient care runs smoothly.

A Radiology Administrator

When you become an administrator for a radiology practice, you need to have both business and radiology knowledge. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that medical office managers can earn close to $84,270 a year, if they have a four-year degree. To get a position, you need a degree in public health, health care administration or even business, and a certification from the Radiology Administration Certification Commission.

The administrator's job is to set up work schedules for all the employees, from clerical and front desk personnel to the X-ray technicians and radiologists who read the films. To staff the office or facility effectively, you need to keep an eye on the patient load and schedule workers to handle the busiest times. The administrator needs to know how to do each job and make sure professionals keep their licenses up to date.

The American College of Radiology recommends the following procedures for the radiology group to follow: reporting and documentation, internal organ radiology, and general diagnostic procedures. You will need to know the specifications of the equipment used in the practice and the needs of the staff. If electrical or construction upgrades are needed to accommodate the necessary equipment, you need to communicate with the building owner and walk through the building with contractors.

You have to keep up with the latest technology in order to find out what the patients want. You will be the one who negotiates the contracts for the equipment. You will see that all radiation safety and regulatory practices are followed.

You represent the facility at professional meetings, from the board of directors to local and state medical boards. National meeting exposure can help your facility get accreditation approvals when you get a new breast image unit or cancer unit, for example, because you will have all the current information you need. As regulatory changes occur, attending professional meetings and conferences helps you keep up with the changes.

Identifying the Cost of Radiology Services

The skills of a radiology manager are becoming more and more critical. Faced with decreasing reimbursements, increased bundling in reimbursement, and restructuring under Accountable Care Organizations, radiology managers are forced to take a closer look at finances to manage dwindling profit margins. Being close to the operations, radiology managers are in a good position to connect operational changes with financial impact.

It is difficult to identify the cost of services because it is hard to manage. To excel, managers of the radiology industry must hone their skills and force the issue to improve cost identification. The management of finances and cost identification is needed as the reimbursement structure of radiology services changes.

The labor intensive data collection process has historically been used to calculate the cost of radiology services. Manual data collection is time consuming and not cost effective. The pilot used automated data collection to identify the cost of the services.

The pilot was to identify the true cost of services using activity based costing methodologies. Increased demands on radiology managers have resulted in an expansion of skillsets to include communication, business knowledge, and operational finance. Managers will have to rely on their skills to ensure the success of their businesses as profit margins decrease.

They will be tasked with examining costs more closely and managing the services as a business line, as much as an essential part of quality healthcare services. The true cost of the services is being identified by technology. The best preparation for the uncertain future is to have detailed cost information and an experienced manager.

A Multi-Modal Outpatient Radiology Department

A professional executive with 20 years of healthcare experience is here. Fluent in all areas of management. A skilled in policy writing.

Contract negotiation, manages supply acquisitions and operating budgets. Director of Imaging is a team member who provides patient care services using general images under the direction of a physician but not requiring constant technical supervision. Patients of all ages were provided with the services.

There was a multi-modality out-patient department. Results were presented to senior management and they secured authorization for the purchase of $4 million of equipment. The contract for the radiology film included two free printers and no increase in prices.

Radiology Assistants: A Job Description

Radiologists must complete a residency and earn their MD before they can practice. They need to complete a diagnostic radiology residency program, earn a pre-medicine degree, and complete 4 years of medical school to get their degree. State licensing is mandatory, and some states may have additional requirements.

There are over 350,000 radiologists in the US. The number of radiology positions is expected to increase by 14 percent by the year 2026. CV technologists need to have a good knowledge of human anatomy, a good attention to detail, and willingness to work with patients in a hospital setting.

Radiologist assistants are highly trained medical professionals who support their supervising radiologist. They help the physician by helping with the technical duties of the medical field. Radiologist assistants are responsible for patient care during and after the procedure.