Radiology-only practices have decreased 31.8% in the last 10 years, a recent Renton, Va.-based Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute study found.
The study, published June 5 in the American Journal of Roentgenology, used CMS data from 2014 to 2023 to identify all radiologists nationwide and practices based on the specialty mix of all affiliated physicians as radiology-only or multispecialty. Multispecialty practices were further categorized as radiology-majority, other-specialty-majority or no-majority-specialty.
Here are four findings:
- Medicare-enrolled radiologists increased 17.3%, growing to 36,024 from 30,723.
- Affiliated practices decreased 14.7%, falling to 4,313. The number of radiology-only practices dropped 31.8%, while radiology-majority, other specialty-majority and no-majority practices saw changes of 10.8%, -5.7% and 24.6%, respectively.
- The number of practices with less than 49 radiologists has fallen, while those with 50 or more have risen. Practices with between 50 and 99 radiologists increased by 121.6% and practices with more than 100 radiologists increased by 348.5%.
- A total of 3,494 practices closed, including 2,281 radiology-only practices.
"An overall decrease in the number of radiology practices and concurrent growth in the number of radiologists was mirrored by shifts from small toward large practices and from radiology-only toward multispecialty practices, consistent with ongoing practice consolidation," study authors wrote. "While determining causes of consolidation were beyond this study's scope, the shifts may relate to economic incentives and legislative changes favoring large multispecialty practices."