BALTIMORE – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Wednesday that it has selected five participants in the Medicare Imaging Demonstration (MID), a project that promotes appropriate utilization of advanced imaging services.

CMS solicited proposals from interested parties (referred to as "conveners") that recruited physician practices for participation in the demonstration. The conveners selected are:

1. Brigham & Women's Hospital
2. Henry Ford Health System
3. Maine Medical Center-Physician Hospital Organization
4. University of Wisconsin-Madison
5. National Imaging Associates

"The demonstration provides CMS an opportunity to work closely with individual conveners and physician practices in testing whether the use of decision support systems can improve quality of care by diminishing patient exposure to potentially harmful radiation caused by unnecessary over-utilization of advanced imaging services," said CMS Administrator Donald Berwick, MD.

[See also: Coalition clamors for decision support in imaging.]

The two-year demonstration, authorized by section 135(b) of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, will assess the impact that decision support systems used by physician practices have on the appropriateness and utilization of advanced medical imaging services ordered for beneficiaries in original fee-for-service Medicare.

The demonstration focuses on three advanced diagnostic imaging modalities: magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) and nuclear medicine. The demonstration also includes 11 advanced imaging procedures:

1. Spect MPI
2. MRI lumbar spine
3. CT lumbar spine
4. MRI brain
5. CT brain
6. CT sinus
7. CT thorax
8. CT abdomen
9. CT pelvis
10. MRI Knee, and
11. MRI shoulder

[See also:  Study: Clinical decision support reduces unnecessary imaging.]

The 11 tests were selected based on high spending and utilization in the beneficiary population covered by original Medicare and the availability of relevant medical specialty appropriateness guidelines. The appropriateness criteria used in the demonstration will be medical specialty guidelines that are developed or endorsed by medical specialty societies.

The decision support systems provide immediate feedback to the physician about the appropriateness of the test ordered for the patient. The law specifically excludes any approaches that would require prior authorization. 

Officials say the demonstration has no impact on Medicare coverage or payment policies, and that demonstration participants will be paid for data.