Advanced Medical Imaging: A Dedicated Team, A Personal Touch

AMI prides itself on offering advanced imaging technology and compassionate, high quality, patient-focused care.

Delivering high-end medical imaging services in the state of Nebraska can prove challenging. Given that a large majority of the population is located in the eastern third of the state, reaching the rural communities and far-reaching patient populations poses obvious difficulties. Years ago, a group of radiologists were practicing “rural community radiology” in Nebraska, by which they would physically go to these distant locations to perform imaging procedures. That was, until 11 years ago when they established Advanced Medical Imaging (AMI), a full-service Outpatient Radiology Imaging Center in Lincoln, Neb, owned and operated by board certified radiologists serving the Lincoln area and beyond.

Offering all imaging modalities—PET/CT, nuclear medicine, MRI, CT, ultrasound, DEXA, fluoroscopy, x-ray, interventional radiology (IR), and a full-service Women’s Center, among a number of specialized procedures—the community-based facility has become the go-to spot in the Lincoln metropolitan area for imaging studies. This is something that AMI doesn’t take lightly, priding themselves on their ability to “provide compassionate, patient-focused care, achieved through regional awareness, utilizing advanced technology, unsurpassed operational excellence, teamwork, and leadership.”

CUSTOMER SERVICE IS A KEY PRIORITY

“We try to find ways to differentiate ourselves,” says Georgia A. Blobaum, director of operations at AMI. “We’re very patient and referring physician friendly. One example of this is we do pre-authorization for patients. We let them know what the cost of procedures is going to be before they arrive. Also, in our women’s center there is a dedicated radiologist every day that gives patients their results before they leave. If the patient needs any other additional procedures, we try to do them that day.”

To offer truly exceptional services to its patients, AMI has a motto: “If it’s performed that day, it’s read that day, it’s transcribed that day.” A driving tenet of the facility’s workflow, AMI is committed to performing, interpreting, and transcribing the exam the day a patient comes to the facility. The reasoning for this is twofold: the immediate turnaround for studies eases stress on patients, while the distances that patients have to travel in order to arrive at the facility can oftentimes exceed hundreds of miles, making it difficult for them to return for follow-up appointments, either with their doctor or for additional imaging.

Advanced Medical Imaging (AMI) is a full-service outpatient radiology imaging center that is owned and operated by board certified radiologists.

After an imaging study is performed, one of AMI’s board certified radiologists such as Dr. Semin reads it the very same day.

“We have our own on-site transcriptionist,” Blobaum says. “We have our own billing department on-site. We have a strong infrastructure. We don’t outsource anything so it’s very intimate and everyone is very close to the process. We don’t have to make phone calls to Kansas City or Houston or Milwaukee to get billing information, or to help a patient with an account. None of our services are outsourced and all of the infrastructure is contained within our own building.”

GROWING TO ACCOMMODATE PATIENT NEEDS

The proof is in the pudding: AMI continues to grow and covers 21 hospitals that encompass sections of southeast, central, and western Nebraska. This dedication to its patients and delivering the highest quality imaging has paid dividends for the facility. Even in a time of declining reimbursement, AMI recently opened a second facility in north Lincoln to service that population.

“There was no imaging in north Lincoln but the population in north Lincoln is growing,” Blobaum says. “All radiology services have always been in south Lincoln. We wanted to provide high-end imaging to the community located in north Lincoln. In this trying time, we’re still growing, because of the dedication of our radiologists and the leadership that we have. We’re not minimizing the perspective of growth. We think there’s always good things coming down the road. We’re always looking for new opportunities.”

Though AMI makes every accommodation it can for patients, the organization is also structured to streamline interactions with referring physicians.

“We do provide walk-in services for those referring physicians,” Blobaum says. “If it’s a CT, MRI, or x-ray, patients can just walk in. They don’t have to schedule an appointment for the procedure. They can just walk in with an order and if it needs a pre-authorization, we will start the process right away, but if it doesn’t, they’re taken right back to get imaged.”

In addition to these imaging services, last year, AMI opened the Advanced Vein Institute, a specialty that focuses on vein treatments for varicose veins and other conditions. Treatments include sclerotherapy, deep vein thrombosis, uterine fibroid embolization, venous access, and IVC filter removal.

STAYING FLEXIBLE AND FOCUSED

All of these modalities, specialties, and unique accommodations have allowed AMI to serve a widespread, diverse population and customize its services to all patients. Even during challenging economic times, AMI is both growing its business and maintaining room for more expansion by being flexible and staying ahead of the curve.

“Everyone is different,” Blobaum says. “Every process at every location is different. You have to be flexible for those challenges that come across. That’s why we built the infrastructure that we have. If we were to outsource this kind of business, it would be so difficult to have that personal touch. We’re a phone call away, literally. We’re not a state away. I think what helps us overcome those challenges is our infrastructure. AMI has definitely become the hub of our network.”