The AIM Advantage

• AIM's OptiNet® program offers health plans the tools to create a comprehensive quality and cost overview of their imaging network
• OptiNet® is powered by a web-based application that provides an automated, easy-to-use interface for providers to enter and update their information, eliminating cumbersome paper processes.
• The OptiNet® proprietary value scoring formula ranks providers based on quality indicators. Provider scores are automatically updated when new information is submitted.
• AIM's technological capabilities allow OptiNet® to seamlessly support health plan transparency initiatives.

Creating Better Understanding of Diagnostic Imaging Providers

High-tech diagnostic imaging equipment is increasingly moving into new settings. Driven by greater availability, high-tech imaging is now increasingly performed outside of the hospital and in places such as: freestanding sites, multi-specialty clinics, and even physician offices. As imaging equipment proliferates, the number of specialties that are performing these studies is also expanding.

The dissemination of imaging into more settings and more specialties is exacerbating the existing lack of information that health plans have regarding their imaging networks. Today, most health plans do not have even basic imaging provider information such as: modalities offered at each facility, qualifications of technical staff, physician staffing, or unit price of the facility.

The inability to consistently monitor and manage this information presents an increasingly complicated problem for health plans, as they are unable to differentiate providers based on either quality or cost providers, or to identify and assess potential issues such as increased self-referral.

Lack of high-tech imaging provider information also represents a lost opportunity for health plan members. With the growth of consumer-directed health care, health plan members require more information to help them make informed decisions concerning the cost and quality of the services that they receive. Given the high cost and potential quality variations in high-tech imaging delivery, the ability to provide more information on these services would offer significant value to health plan members.

The AIM Approach to Order Fulfillment

To complement its Order Entry programs, AIM also offers health plans OptiNet®. OptiNet® is a proprietary multi-faceted program that supplies health plans the information on outpatient imaging provider networks needed to successfully manage these networks. OptiNet® includes the following components:

• Provider Assessment and Registration
  The first element of the OptiNet® program is Provider Assessment and Registration. Through this process, all imaging providers complete an assessment questionnaire on the facilities' qualifications, technician and physician qualifications, accreditation, equipment and technical registration. This information is submitted to AIM through an easy-to-use online tool that facilitates both initial submission and updating by the provider.
• Building Network Optimization: Provider Value Scoring
  AIM uses the information collected from the Assessment process to calculate provider value scoring. OptiNet® takes information from the assessment process to compute a provider "quality" value score using an objective, qualification methodology. The quality value score is then integrated with pricing data, obtained from a review of health plan claims, to produce an overall provider value score. This process allows health plan to comprehensively compare their imaging providers in order to determine which providers are the best performers within their networks.

The Value of AIM's Approach to Order Fulfillment

The implementation of OptiNet® offers significant value to health plans.

• Comprehensive and Easily Updated information: In contrast to traditional paper assessment, the OptiNet® web application offers an automated, easy-to-use interface for providers. The application automatically collects, compiles, and updates information, providing health plans with a continually updated database of their imaging providers.
• Provider Comparison: Through OptiNet® proprietary scoring model, health plans obtain an objective quality comparison of imaging providers in the market. This information can be used to enhance decision making for key initiatives such as: privileging, provider contacting, and network development.
• Provider Selection: OptiNet® can be easily integrated into the Order Entry process to facilitate the selection of imaging providers based on cost and quality indicators.
• Transparency: The cost and quality information collected by OptiNet® can be shared with ordering providers and consumers to improve their decision making.