X-Ray Vision

Fort Wayne Radiology Association Inc. boasts many firsts for not only the northeast corner of Indiana, but also the state. The association prides itself in staying abreast of technology and bringing that technology to its patients in the region.

One of the firsts Fort Wayne Radiology points to in its 50-year history is bringing the first total body computerized tomography scanner, or CT as it's commonly known, to Indiana in 1975. Not only was the CT scanner a first for the state, it was also one of the first five prototypes ever manufactured, according to Dr. James Rausch Jr., president of Fort Wayne Radiology.

"We knew that we needed the technology to provide the care we wanted to provide to our patients," he says. In 1986, another addition was made to the association's CT program, when Dr. Gregg Mattison joined Fort Wayne Radiology. He holds a fellowship in CT and MRI.

"We try to find the right people for the group, those with expertise and those who can work within the partnership," Rausch says. "We utilize everybody's strengths. It's a cooperative venture."

Fort Wayne Radiology Association Inc. began as Fort Wayne Radiology Association in the 1950s and was soon incorporated as Fort Wayne Medical Laboratory Radiology Association Inc.

The name was later changed to Fort Wayne Radiology Association Inc. in 1967. Rausch says Association was kept in the name to show respect for the history of the group and the way it developed over the years. The 16 physicians on staff are all partners in the practice.

The partners today hold the same appreciation for patients and technological improvements that the founding doctors did, Rausch says.

Continuing in its efforts to bringing new technology to the northeast Indiana region, Fort Wayne Radiology Association was the first to bring a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner to the area in 1985. The association was able to secure the highly regulated equipment with a certificate of need that was required by the regulatory board. Initially, the request was turned down at all levels, until it reached the Indiana State Board of Health, Rausch says. When the association showed there was a need for the equipment and it was a logical provider for the MRI, it received state approval.

The MRI continues to be an important piece of Fort Wayne Radiology's work and remains at its Carew Street site today. Patients are seen from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. weekdays; 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays; and 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. The equipment is continually upgraded with new technology and software, such as the SIGNA ECHO SPEED HORIZON, "which makes the unit the most technologically advanced system available," says Karen Rothermund, director of marketing and communications for the association.

"Today, MRI can analyze tissue, distinguishing between tumors and strokes, and detect other disorders early," Rausch says. The finely defined pictures help doctors to better see bones and muscles, for better analysis.

"Our physicians have been good and continue to be good at evaluating technology and how it fits into our community," Rausch says.

The group's philosophy to stay abreast of technology and improve medicine for its patients is the same philosophy the group held when it worked with Dr. D.C. Gastineau to establish the first independent center for cancer radiation treatment. The center, Indiana's first, opened in 1976. Today, cancer patients nationwide are surviving more, with the overall death rates beginning to steadily decline for the first time in the United States. The total reduction has been about 3.1 percent between 1990 and 1995.

"He believed that cancer patients should be on the main floor," Rausch says. "They had always been treated in hospital basements, because of the use of radiation."

That was the beginning of an ongoing relationship the association has had with oncology. In 1985, Fort Wayne Radiology helped to establish the Breast Diagnostic Center.

"The concept was to get out of the hospital setting, promoting mammography," Rausch says.

To develop the concept, members of Fort Wayne Radiology visited other sites. The association had been offering mammography at its center on North Clinton since 1975, but this service was mixed with other oncology needs and wasn't meeting the needs of the breast cancer patients, as well as the separate Breast Diagnostic Center.

Since its beginning, the Breast Diagnostic Center has received the highest ratings for patient satisfaction of all of the association's site, even with its high anxiety issues. Rausch attributes that to the doctor's foresight that a location like this was needed, and to the staff at the center. To date, the Breast Diagnostic Center and Screening Centers have performed more than 90,000 examinations. The center is a cooperative effort between Fort Wayne Radiology Association and Parkview Memorial Hospital.

Although these advancements are part of the history that members of Fort Wayne Radiology are proud of, there is still another factor in the organization that is the most important--serving the Fort Wayne community, as well as the communities surrounding it.

The association began serving outlying areas soon after it was founded in 1950 by Dr. J.L. Loudermilk. That outlying coverage began with a partnership with Whitley County Hospital in the early 1950s. Today, the association is affiliated with more than 14 health care facilities, including Parkview Memorial Hospital, Whitley County Hospital and Cameron Hospital.

"The doctors used to drive themselves around the area, serving just about every outlying hospital," Rausch says. "They spent a lot of time on the road, maybe one to two days a week."

When on the road, the physicians had to use the equipment available at the outlying hospitals, which usually was only the basic radiology equipment. Prior to 1975, before the CT scanner, high technology was ultrasound and nuclear medicine, and most of the smaller communities weren't equipped with this technology. The doctors made due, however, with what was available, and provided their expertise to other physicians in order to improve patients' heath.

Advancements in technology have improved even these relationships. Doctors still make trips to other hospitals and physician offices, but in emergencies, there are other means of aiding those more rural areas. Teleradiology gives doctors in small hospitals and rural areas a direct link to the radiologists at Fort Wayne Radiology. Teleradiology allows doctors in Fort Wayne to observe X-ray images from wherever they may have been taken. The images are digitized and then transmitted across phone lines to be viewed by doctors at another site, like Fort Wayne.

This technology has been used by the doctors at Fort Wayne Radiology Association for 10 years, and is a major part of the service it provides to these outlying communities. Teleradiology has replaced the former method of the local sheriff driving the film from the rural area to Fort Wayne Radiology doctors, Rausch says. Not only is it easier, but the time saved can be important to a critical patient.

"Our staff is very community minded," Rausch says. "We all serve on boards. In each community we go to, we are members of the community. We join the chambers, sponsor scholarships and get involved.

"We go into communities because we want to take care of people."

The community-mindedness was instrumental in beginning the newest service of Fort Wayne Radiology Association. The DEXA, or Dual Energy X-ray Absorptionary Diagnostics unit is mobile and is used for bone mineral analysis, to detect early signs of osteoporosis. The association bought the equipment in December and began using it in January with Whitley County and Cameron hospitals.

"Osteoporosis has been brought to the forefront due to the drugs that are now available that build back bone density," Rothermund says. "Currently, it's a $12 billion health care cost and is expected to go up to $20 billion by the year 2000 because of bone fractures and caring for those patients. This can be a preventative measure to help people discover early if they're susceptible, to do something about it."

The health care costs include physical therapy and long-term care for those who fracture bones and aren't able to care for themselves any longer. Another factor is that most patients are over the age of 50. "Age added to surgery, in many cases, results in the development of other health problems," Rothermund says.

Osteoporosis is typically a women's health care issue, affecting more than 20 million women in the United States over the age of 50. However, it does affect 5 million men in the U.S. in the same age category.

The association hopes that the unit will help develop more community awareness about this disease. Fort Wayne Radiology also offers educational programs each year on osteoporosis, breast cancer and testicular cancer, Rothermund says.

The DEXA unit will visit hospitals weekly in the outlying areas. There is also a DEXA unit at the Breast Diagnostic Center for patients in the area that want to schedule appointments there.

In addition to these services, the association's radiologists have expertise in: skeletal radiology; abdominal imaging; neuroradiology; body imaging; vascular and interventional radiology; pediatric cardiology; nuclear medicine; ultrasound, including breast, prostate, carotid and doppler; and diagnostic radiology.

Fort Wayne Radiology's service in northeast Indiana -and northwest Ohio will likely be impacted more by areas even further away with the formal relationship the association established in 1996 with seven other radiology groups and more than 100 radiologists in Indiana.

The Indiana Imaging Network has members from Fort Wayne Radiology in Fort Wayne, as well as members in Columbus, Evansville, Muncie, South Bend, West Terre Haute, and Bloomington. The network allows the doctors to gain even greater expertise by associating with doctors in other areas around the state. It also may expand business. The network can negotiate service discounts in exchange for the business of large employers and patient groups around the state.

"This allows us to negotiate directly, with employers or insurance companies, for radiology services," Rausch says. "It gets back to a closer relationship with the patient when we negotiate directly. It also has the potential of reducing costs."

Rausch says patients have been removed from negotiating with their health care provider by HMOs and other insurance companies which decide what services will be covered.

"This network is more closely linked to the old style of doing business, when it was the patient and the doctor discussing health care needs one-on-one," Rausch says.

"If we negotiate directly with the employer, face-to-face, we're able to put together a package to fit its employees' needs, like asbestos testing, or other specific needs.

"This is especially popular with self-insured companies, because it allows them more options," he adds.

The network also gives access to the majority of Indiana residents because about 90 percent of the state's population will be within a half-hour drive of a network provider.

The idea for the network began in the fall of 1994, when Fort Wayne Radiology Association and Radiology Specialists of Indianapolis began discussing the possibilities. Others later joined the discussions and the network was formed. Rothermund says other states have gone to these types of networks and direct coverage negotiating and Indiana is now just catching up with this newest network. All members of the Indiana Imaging Network are associated with hospitals in their area. Fort Wayne Radiology is associated locally with Parkview Memorial Hospital. In addition to these members, other Indiana Radiology groups will provide service to the network on a subcontract basis.

Fort Wayne Radiology Association Inc. Physicians On The Cover From left to right:

John D. Reed Jr., M.D.; Thomas G. Armbuster, M.D.; Marc E. Kaminsky, M.D.; James M. Rausch Jr., M.D.; Thomas J. Hicks, M.D.; Thomas E. Sarosi, M.D.; Kelly D. Ferrell, M.D.; and Jeffrey R. Bessette, M.D.

Company Fort Wayne Radiology Association Inc.

President James M. Rausch, H.D.

Address 2414 E. State Blvd. Suite 200 P.O. Box 5602

Phone (219) 471-9466

Years in Business Since 1950

Number 3 Employees 15 physicians, 20 support staff

Products/Services All forms of radiology services