Date and Time
October 1, 2008
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM

Availability
Open to the public
No RSVP required

Speaker
Laurence C. Baker - Stanford University

Over the past 10 years, an increasing number of physicians have acquired their own MRI and CT equipment.  This has raised public policy concerns for a variety of reasons, among them the risk that physicians who own this type of equipment may have strong incentives to use it, perhaps increasing unnecessary imaging.  Medicare, among other payers, is considering steps to regulate physician ownership of equipments.  Previous evidence on the effects of physician ownership of imaging equipment is limited.  This study uses data from the Medicare program to study the effects of acquisition of MRI equipment by orthopedists and neurologists on their use of imaging tests and spending.  Results suggest that acquisition of imaging is associated with moderate increases in use and spending.  The paper also explores relationships between acquisition of equipment and the types of patients seen in a practice, and explores impacts on treatments for back pain patients, a group where imaging is not typically recommended and can lead to unnecessary surgeries.