Putting patients at ease begins with a friendly, soothing waiting area.

February 5, 2011, marked the 10-year anniversary for Advanced Medical Imaging (AMI), a full-service Outpatient Radiology Imaging Center in Lincoln, Neb. It is privately owned by Radiology Associates, PC, which covers 21 hospitals that encompass sections of southeast, central, and western Nebraska. Their mission is “We are a full-service radiology facility designed to provide compassionate, patient focused care, achieved through regional awareness, utilizing advanced technology, unsurpassed operational excellence, teamwork, and leadership.” Although some of the physicians at AMI are from other parts of the country, most are from Nebraska. Being local, there seems to be a larger purpose, and a more personal feel among the staff, as they have an understanding of the area and the communities they serve.

Personalized care for every patient is the common thread linking all services provided by Advanced Medical Imaging. Georgia A. Blobaum, Director of Operations, says, “Personalized point of care from beginning to end is our key to our success. Making the connection with the patient and striving to meet their expectation sets us apart from traditional imaging settings.”

The wide array of modalities and services offered gives many choices to the region. These include MRI, CT, PET/CT, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, DEXA, fluoroscopy, x-ray, interventional radiology (IR), and a full-service Women’s Center that includes digital mammography, stereotactic biopsy, and IR cosmetics.

To further promote the health and well-being of women, AMI offers the Pink Lady Mammo Club. This is a free membership in which women can sign up and are offered a variety of programs, services, and events through Advanced Medical Imaging. Each month they can come in and receive a free pink gift that serves as a reminder for them to perform their monthly breast self-exam. The goal is to promote “top of the mind awareness,” says Alison Jensen, Business Development & Marketing, in regard to women’s health and getting women to come in on a regular basis. Cross marketing is another means of creating awareness among the members of other services that AMI offers to women, such as varicose vein procedures.

Advanced Medical Imaging offers MRI, CT, PET/CT, nuclear medicine, ultrasound, DEXA, fluoroscopy, x-ray, interventional radiology (IR), and a full-service Women?s Center.

This team of professionals is dedicated to the Advanced Vein Institute, a specialty group at AMI that focuses on vein treatments for varicose veins and other conditions.

The Advanced Vein Institute is another specialty at AMI that focuses on vein treatments for varicose veins and other conditions. Treatments include sclerotheraphy, deep vein thrombosis, uterine fibroid embolization, venous access, and IVC filters. Free informational seminars are offered to the public and are usually specialized to a specific topic, allowing an opportunity for the patient to find out about their upcoming procedure, or learn of a new procedure that might be of benefit to them.

At the time of this interview, the most recent seminar was on uterine fibroid embolization. The public had an opportunity to learn more about the procedure, benefits, and risks; ask questions; and meet the interventional radiologists who perform the procedure. Patients even have the option to be scheduled for the procedure the same night as the seminar.

The interventional radiologists add a new dimension to the group of radiologists at AMI. As described on the AMI Web site, “Interventional radiologists are board-certified physicians who specialize in minimally invasive, targeted treatments. They offer the most in-depth knowledge of the least invasive treatments available. They use x-rays, CT, MRI, and other diagnostic imaging equipment to guide tiny instruments, such as catheters or needles, through blood vessels or through the skin to treat diseases without surgery.” Interventional radiologists can now treat many conditions that once required surgery, nonsurgically. These treatments offer less risk, less pain, and less recovery time as compared to open surgery.

Another unique feature of AMI is the personalized care given to each patient by the billing department. Ms Blobaum states, “One of the things that is important in our organization is not only taking care of the patient clinically, but also supporting the patient from beginning to end. Each patient is assigned an account analyst who handles questions about preauthorization, medical necessity, and/or payment arrangement. We created this internal infrastructure that focuses 110% on the importance of the patient.”

Alison Jensen notes, “Patients like the ease of parking, access and ease of registration, and the personal escort to and from the procedure.” The entire process is streamlined and effective. “Patients are in and out in very little time, and are usually surprised by how fast it is.”

Advanced Medical Imaging
7601 Pioneers Blvd.
Lincoln, NE 68506
402-484-6677
www.amimaging.com

Referring physicians enjoy the ease of scheduling at AMI, with same day appointments and same day results. AMI offers walk-in CT, MRI, and x-rays, raising the standard of care for referring physicians. In the Women’s Center, a unique feature is that results are provided to the patient before they leave Advanced Medical Imaging—always remembering that the patient comes first.

AMI offers an excellent, extensive, and self-explanatory Web site (www.amimaging.com) that describes in detail all the services it provides, and the care that comes with the services. Everything done at AMI is with the comfort of the patient in mind, including the ease of finding information. The Better Business Bureau, in the Business Review, has given AMI an A+ rating. To further assist the community and in keeping with the times, AMI can now be found on Facebook.

The top priority at AMI is to serve the needs of the patient. Not only are there many different kinds of services, but also they are personalized, and a lot of attention is given to the patient in order for them to be at ease. There is always someone there to help them; either to guide the process of registration and procedure, or to make sure that the environment is warm and personal. “This is the most important thing to us,” said Blobaum.


J.L. Silverman is a contributing writer for Axis Imaging News.