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Q&A with Dr. N. Reed Dunnick, RSNA president

by Sean Ruck, Contributing Editor | November 20, 2014
From the November 2014 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine


HCBN: Is there anything in particular that RSNA needs to work on to remain the leading association for radiologists?
RD:
The RSNA is a wonderful forum for investigators to present their research and for all radiologists to learn about the advances in our field. We must recognize that people learn in different ways and continue to make our content available in multiple formats electronically. We also recognize that not all radiologists are able to attend the RSNA meeting. We have begun addressing this by creating the Virtual RSNA meeting, and acceptance has been quite positive. We hope we can expand this to include all of the meeting content.

The RSNA is recognized as a global leader in research and education, but travel to attend the annual meeting is challenging for many. The RSNA would like to reach out to radiologists in locations on all continents and provide regional educational meetings. This should be done in cooperation with the local radiology organizations to create durable educational programs.

HCBN: Do you see or do you anticipate expanding roles for the radiology department?
RD:
Departments of Radiology are in the information business. They translate the clinical question into the most appropriate imaging examination and perform it as safely as possible. Our examination reports are intended for the referring physician, but are increasingly accessed by our patients. We must educate our patients, both generally and specifically, about the potential risks and expected gains from imaging studies. We do this well in image-guided interventions and therapies, but are increasingly expected to do this for diagnostic studies as well. As the health care field advances and new imaging studies and treatment protocols are developed, there is a need to provide the education necessary for referring physicians to request the most appropriate examinations. Decision support systems are one method, but participation in interdisciplinary conferences, such as tumor boards, is another way.

HCBN: Can you offer any advice for those entering the field?
RD:
Medical students entering radiology must remember that our first priority is to serve our patients. Their choice of a career must reflect their passions for sub-specialization, teaching or research, and there are many options for them. With an ever-evolving field, trainees must realize that their education does not end with the completion of their training programs or attaining board certification. It is truly lifelong learning!

HCBN: As a whole, what do you feel is the biggest challenge facing health care and do you think it’s something that can be resolved and if so, how?
RD:
The challenge facing us all is to provide the highest quality care at a reasonable cost. We must do this while adhering to a variety of regulatory agencies and be able to document the quality of care we provide. We can’t do this by simply working harder or longer, but must fundamentally change our practices. One of the tools we can access is our informational technologies. Information technology is critical to health care these days, and RSNA has always had a strong program in radiology informatics, encompassing everything from current practice to the latest innovations.

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