From the November 2016 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
RSNA 2016 will feature several industry experts who will address those gathered in Chicago for the annual event. Here are a few of the presentations that you will not want to miss:
President's address Beyond imaging: Ensuring radiology's impact in clinical care and research
Sunday 8:30-10:15 a.m. Richard L. Baron, M.D., of Chicago
Radiologists have remarkably impacted radiology and medical care through their participation in developing and advancing the modern-day imaging modalities of CT, MRI, nuclear medicine and interventional image-guided therapies. Modern digital advances go beyond the amazing images themselves. The introduction of digital imaging communication and storage systems has enabled timely and impactful distribution of images that put medical imaging and radiologists at the forefront of clinical care 24 hours a day.
At the same time, this rise of information technology in medicine limits personal interactions between radiologists and clinicians, making collaboration between physicians difficult. While technologic imaging innovation continues to advance, the key to continuing radiology's success will lie in our dedication to delivering the best possible care to every patient. To do so, radiologists must think beyond the images they see in practice and stay abreast of advancing subspecialty medical knowledge, and more actively collaborate with referring physicians to improve patient outcomes. Meaningful continuing education and interactive training will be necessary to ensure radiologists are proficient at the subspecialty level required by an ever-increasing subspecialty approach in the medical community at large.
We must reach beyond imaging in radiologic research, building truly multidisciplinary teams to develop multicenter, multi-investigator prospective trials that impact outcomes for entire populations. Today's research will become tomorrow's clinical practice, requiring radiologists to develop and lead impactful clinical imaging research that will position us as an essential part of clinical care teams. And, above all, we must look beyond imaging to gain a broader perspective on the patient experience.
We have entered a new era in radiology and health care at large, driven by changes to reimbursement models and an emphasis on value in patient care delivery. Radiologists must produce examination reports that provide the solutions sought by patients and referring physicians rather than simply describing findings. Ultimately, we should strive to consistently deliver the right examination at the right time by the right radiologist, with the quality of the process and the report matching what we would expect for ourselves or our family members. In doing so, we will better serve our patients and our specialty as we navigate an ever-changing health care environment.
