ACR News


ACR Files Complaint About AmeriScan Breast MRI Advertising

The ACR has asked the Federal Trade Commission to stop advertisements by AmeriScan, Inc. claiming that its breast MRI services are a superior breast cancer screening substitute to mammograms. According to the College, AmeriScan''s print and electronic ads and promotional statements may encourage women to abandon mammography for an unproven imaging service. The FTC has expressed interest in reviewing the College''s evidence and may decide to intervene.

ACR Expresses Disappointment in CMS Decision on MRS

ACR officials voiced their disappointment with the recent decision by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services not to make a national coverage determination to cover magnetic resonance spectroscopy for: 1) cerebral tumor versus abscess or other infectious or inflammatory process, and 2) cerebral tumor versus radiation necrosis.

"The ACR is disappointed with the CMS decision regarding MRS, but understands their need for sufficient supporting peer-reviewed literature," noted William G. Bradley Jr., Ph.D., M.D., chairman of the Commission on Magnetic Resonance, and William T. Thorwarth Jr., M.D., chairman of the Commission on Economics. "Recognizing that many clinicians find the results helpful in managing their patients, and continue to request this service (most commonly performed without reimbursement) to optimize patient management, the ACR encourages all physicians who perform this examination to participate in organized research efforts, such as the planned ACRIN study, to document its clinical utility and importance."

ACR Vascular Ultrasound Accreditation Program Gains Recognition

The ACR''s Vascular Ultrasound Accreditation program is now recognized as an appropriate accrediting body on the TriSpan Medicare Part A Noninvasive Vascular Ultrasound Local Medical Review Policy, which affects Mississippi, Missouri and Louisiana. The TriSpan LMRP previously required laboratory accreditation, but did not list the ACR as an appropriate laboratory accrediting body. The ACR educated the fiscal intermediary on the College''s accreditation programs and successfully ensured that this Medicare contractor updated its LMRP to recognize the ACR.

ACR Helps Convince Officials to Back Off Fax Rules

Thanks to the College''s and other professional associations'' advocacy, the Federal Communications Commission has delayed implementing its highly controversial "unsolicited" fax rules until Jan. 1, 2005.

In June, the FCC issued new rules that would have required obtaining an individual''s prior written consent before sending a fax that advertised a commercial product or service. Although the government identified "broadcast faxes" as a primary reason for this requirement, the rules could have severely limited associations'' abilities to communicate with their members. The ACR joined with over 1,400 professional associations in urging the FCC to modify the rules or exempt nonprofits from them. The 16-month delay will give associations more time to persuade the FCC or Congress to change the rules

Haven''t Heard From Us Lately?

If e-mail from the ACR hasn''t been making it into your in-box, it could be because your hospital or practice is filtering it out as spam. To ensure you''re able to receive our notices, ask your MIS department to remove "acr.org" from your facility''s spam filter, or provide the College with your personal e-mail address. An alternate e-mail address should be sent to membership@acr.org along with your 7-digit member ID number.

Enhanced ACR Web Site Coming Soon

"Essential" and "state of the art" are words that will soon describe the ACR Web site (www.acr.org). Currently undergoing a major overhaul, the site will relaunch this fall as a better organized, visually pleasing and useful site.

"The current Web site has served us well," says ACR Executive Director Harvey L. Neiman. "But with changes in technology, we can now offer more services and be more attentive to the needs of our members."

With these objectives in mind, the ACR partnered with a Web design and content management firm and is now putting the final touches on what looks and feels like a cutting-edge Web site. Totally new software will drive the site, resulting in improved organization that will be evident from the moment you log on. For the first time, the site will also serve as a search engine that links members to information about almost any radiology-related topic right from the home page (more specific details about this exciting new development will be forthcoming).

The site''s new home page will group information under such headings as ACR News, Health Care News, Upcoming Events, Chapters, and Issues of Importance. Links to information about the new Journal of the American College of Radiology will be prominently featured, as will links to other ACR publications and ACRA.

The new site will also focus more intensively on the ongoing education needs of ACR members. Audio, slide and video presentations of important conferences and lectures will be accessible from the home page under the heading of ACR Webcasts. The site will continue to feature the Continuous Professional Improvement Program Online, which allows members to sample, free of charge, a selection of past modules from the ACR''s general radiology self-assessment series. Members will also be able to test their medical knowledge by clicking on the Case in Point, a new addition to the site. To ensure the site is as helpful as possible, each member will have the ability to tailor the site to fit his or her needs. By clicking Manage Your Quicklinks on the home page, members can ensure that the information they need is as accessible as possible. Additional methods of tailoring the site to members'' subspecialities are currently under development.

In the end, it is hoped that the ACR Web site will be a vital resource for members. "Our goal," says Neiman, "is to build a site that members go to every single day at least once."

Comment Online on 2004 Draft ACR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards

ACR members can log on to the ACR Web site to review and comment on the drafts of the 2004 ACR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards. These drafts will be presented for adoption at the 2004 Annual Meeting and Chapter Leadership Conference. The field review process started in August and will continue through November. Members should go to www.acr.org, click on Members Only and express support for or concerns about new guidelines and standards as well as proposed revisions to existing ones.

Members are encouraged to take part in this field review process. Each month, four to six drafts will be posted on the site for review. When the last drafts are posted in October or November, ACR members will have had the opportunity to comment on all the drafts.

Titles of drafts that will be submitted for renewal without going through the field review process also will be posted on the ACR Web site. Members with questions or suggestions for additional revisions can e-mail standards@acr.org.

The New ACR E-Bulletin: Share Your Ideas

When the Web-based ACR E-Bulletin replaces the printed ACR Bulletin this November, members can still count on a monthly publication that keeps them informed about the ACR and radiology. The ACR E-Bulletin will continue to feature columns about coding, economics, government relations, residents'' issues, CME and other topics previously covered in the ACR Bulletin; however, the ACR E-Bulletin will also deliver more news about the activities of the various ACR departments and the College''s members.

To ensure that the ACR E-Bulletin fulfills its mission of keeping ACR members better connected to each other and the College, your help is needed.

  • If you know a member who deserves to be highlighted for outstanding community service, professional achievement or personal reasons, pass his or her name along.
  • If you have a suggestion for a story you would like to see in the ACR E-Bulletin, let us know about it.
  • Share your experience for a column titled "How the ACR Helped Me."
  • Share your opinions on issues affecting radiology with your fellow ACR members by submitting a letter for a Letters to the Editor column.

All story ideas and submissions can be e-mailed to Jennifer Sullivan in the ACR Media and Communications Department at jennifersu@acr.org. Reach her by phone at (800) 227-5463, ext. 4380.

The ACR E-Bulletin will be posted on the ACR Web site (www.acr.org) during the first week of every month, beginning this November. Members who have provided their e-mail addresses to the College will be sent a link to each new issue as soon as it is posted. If you are a member who has not yet provided the ACR with your e-mail address, send it as soon as possible to membership@acr.org along with your 7-digit member ID number.

JACR Update

Though the January 2004 launch date of the Journal of the American College of Radiology is still a few months away, the publication''s future is looking bright. Earlier this year, the ACR conducted a thorough search for the best publisher for the JACR, and ultimately chose Elsevier. By combining a strong, experienced publisher with the JACR''s unique practice management focus, the College believes its journal is poised for success.

"Contracting with Elsevier for the publication of our new journal, coupled with our prior choice of Dr. Hillman as the editor in chief, provides the best possible scenario for the success of this important venture," says E. Stephen Amis Jr., chairman of the ACR Board of Chancellors. "Elsevier is the biggest name in journal publication with many premier periodicals in their stable. They bring expertise, stability and connections to the table, and will work well with the editor and the College to get our first issue out next January."

Elsevier is known internationally as the world''s leading medical and academic publisher. It currently publishes 1,700 journals worldwide, 450 of which are medical journals. Among these are Academic Radiology, the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics (also known as the Red Journal) and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Elsevier is also known for its strong program of books in radiology and radiation oncology.

Under the ACR''s agreement with Elsevier, the JACR''s editorial content will be determined by its editor in chief, Bruce J. Hillman, M.D. Elsevier will oversee the JACR''s production, marketing, circulation, advertising sales and overall financial health. As an Elsevier journal, the JACR will have its own online home page through www.elsevier.com, and will also be a part of ScienceDirect, Elsevier''s electronic information service for the research needs of academic, corporate and educational institutions. This should ensure excellent visibility for the journal.

As plans for the JACR continue to progress, participation from ACR members remains essential. Ideas for original articles, opinion pieces and book reviews pertaining to the subject areas of clinical practice, practice management, health services and policy, and education for diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, interventional radiology and radiation oncology can be discussed with Dr. Hillman directly by calling (434) 982-0211 or e-mailing bjh8a@virginia.edu.

Call for Nominations

The 2003-2004 College Nominating Committee will make recommendations for candidates to fill the office of president, vice president, council speaker and council vice speaker; to fill positions on the board, the Council Steering Committee and the College Nominating Committee; and for members in training and a private practice representative to the Intersociety Summer Conference.

Any member can forward recommendations for any of the elected or selected positions to the College Nominating Committee in care of the ACR executive office on or before Dec. 31, 2003.

All candidates must include a current curriculum vitae, a recent black and white photograph and at least two letters of support. This information is used when publishing the election manual. Nomination information can be found on the ACR Web site (www.acr.org) by clicking on Members Only.

To be considered for a position, all candidates must fill out a questionnaire describing the nature of their practices and their position on issues important to the College. This questionnaire will be available on the ACR Web site or through the ACR office. Additionally, all candidates must be present at the ACR Council meeting on Sunday, May 9, 2004. Only those candidates in contested elections will make a presentation to the Council prior to the election; however, all candidates must be present so they can be introduced to the Council.

The open positions are:

Board of Chancellors Elected Vacancies: For 2004, Barry D. Pressman, M.D., is eligible for a second 3-year term; R. Terrell Frey, M.D., is eligible for election to a first 3-year term; and one ACR board position is open for a first 3-year term. Candidates for these positions do not have to be councilors or alternate councilors. They should, however, be qualified radiologists who are actively involved in the College and who have leadership qualities beneficial in addressing the issues brought to the board.

Speaker and Vice Speaker: To be eligible for either position, the candidate must have at least two years of experience as an ACR councilor. Paul Ellenbogen, M.D., is eligible to serve a second year as speaker. Albert Blumberg, M.D., is eligible to serve a second year as vice speaker.

Council Steering Committee: For 2004, five or more eligible councilors, who must be councilors through May 2006, will compete for three positions on the Council Steering Committee, each for a 2-year term. These positions are eligible for re-election for an additional 2-year term if the candidate is a councilor.

College Nominating Committee: For 2004, five or more eligible councilors or alternate councilors, who must be councilors or alternate councilors through May 2006, will compete for three elected positions on the College Nominating Committee, each for a 2-year term. Members elected by the Council cannot simultaneously serve on the Council Steering Committee.

Members in Training: In accordance with resolution 28 (Increased Involvement of Members in Training), passed at the 2003 Annual Meeting, chapters will submit to the College Nominating Committee the names of interested, involved members in training. The committee will nominate no more than four members in training, two of whom will be elected by the Council to attend the Intersociety Summer Conference July 23-25, 2004.

Private Practice Representative: The committee will select a physician who has a private office not affiliated with a hospital practice or who practices in a hospital without radiology residents to participate in the 2004 and 2005 meetings and summer conferences of the Intersociety Committee.

Society Representatives: The Canadian Association of Radiologists will choose three ACR members to represent the organization for a first 3-year term on the Board of Chancellors. After consultation with the chairman of the BOC, the College Nominating Committee will select one individual.

Please direct questions to (800) 227-5463, ext. 4902, or maryjaned@ACR.org.