Meanwhile, this sector, and all healthcare operators, await action on the larger issue of U.S. healthcare reform. One of the financial people at the meeting observed that the U.S. healthcare system is a $2.2 trillion business. When you compare that expenditure on a per capita basis to other industrialized nations, the U.S. is spending $600 billion more than it should. That's a fundamental problem, particularly when the excess is viewed as wasteful and when medical imaging is seen as overutilized.

In addition to consolidations and partnerships, another path to survival for this maturing industry is diversification into other procedures such as sleep studies, and maximizing cost efficiencies such as through electronic record keeping or teleradiology.

As with any sector experiencing economic problems, opportunities also present themselves. One financial executive at the conference observed, "Now is a good time to make acquisitions of imaging centers."



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