Radiology by the Numbers
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If that's the case, then ACR members should benefit greatly from Moser's fresh perspective and the College's renewed emphasis on many of the policy issues facing the profession.
A native of California with a doctorate in economics from the University of California–Los Angeles, Moser joined the ACR last November after 4 years with BearingPoint, one of the world's largest business consulting, systems integration, and managed services organizations.
"There are so many issues today whose influence reaches throughout the College," Moser pointed out. "I want to use my perspective and expertise to allow the College to pursue new avenues that no one has looked at before now in addressing these issues."
Moser said there are 3 key issues that will be the focus of his initial efforts at the ACR:
Health savings accounts
Currently, Moser is writing an article on health savings accounts and the role they play in health care utilization. More specifically, he added, he wants to examine the role that radiological services play in the management of health savings accounts. "This is a benefit any employer can offer," Moser explained. "We want to be able to advise any firm contemplating such a plan what issues they should consider and help them prepare for any questions that might arise."
The use of radiological services by patients without insurance
"We want to determine if there is a big difference or a small difference, whether we're talking about x-rays or CT scans; we want to know what the answer is," Moser said of the planned study. "I don't think anyone's really looked at this issue before and its implications on public policy."
Malpractice
Presently, different states have diverse methods of approaching this crucial issue. The plan, Moser explained, is to compare states where there is a malpractice crisis and where some radiological services are no longer delivered or where doctors are moving to states where tort reform has been successful. The goal is to determine what impact tort reform has on radiologists, their services, and more importantly, their patients.
The Human Side of Math
Having been fond of science and math as a boy, Moser envisioned a career as an engineer when he entered college. However, he soon realized that career path wasn't the best choice for him. He pursued an undergraduate degree in business administration, which included 2 economics courses. Ultimately, these courses helped kindle his interest in the field of economics and set his graduate school path.
"Economics provides a nice blend of the math components that I always liked with the human and social sciences," Moser said. "That is the balance that attracted me to the field."
Through the years, Moser has gained a wealth of experience from a variety of positions, including a stint in the Coast Guard ("I learned some life lessons I wouldn't have learned elsewhere") and a stint with the President's Council of Economic Advisors, where he worked as a junior staffer under the tutelage of current Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan.
More recently, Moser served as director of policy products and as a senior economist with the American Medical Association's Center for Health Policy Research in Chicago. For more than 20 years Moser has been a contributing editor for the Journal of Medical Practice Management.
Moser said that he is excited about joining the ACR staff, especially in a newly created position that will allow him tremendous influence over its goals and responsibilities.
"This is a very challenging opportunity, but one that allows me the opportunity to define the role of the position," Moser affirmed. "I have the chance to take the lead and ask myself, 'What am I going to do with this?'"
The ACR membership will soon find out.