A Chance to Reflect, An Opportunity for Action
With a well-deserved acknowledgment of recent accomplishments and an affirmed dedication to the future, leaders of the American College of Radiology gathered in the nation's capital in April for the 82nd Annual Meeting and Chapter Leadership Conference. This annual event allows radiology's decision makers to gather together to learn, listen, and debate the seminal issues that dominate today's radiology landscape and shape tomorrow's practices.
With radiology facing some of its most critical issues in recent memory, the College's leadership set out to build a distinct consensus on the future of radiology as it moves forward to ensure its viability among health care's cutting-edge specialists. Moreover, this year's meeting featured 112 residents from more than 65 programs, further strengthening their voice in the ACR and the future of radiology.
In addition to the resolutions to help guide the College and its membership for the coming year, this year's AMCLC featured wall-to-wall activities and information. The sessions ranged from the highly anticipated business course and the latest on cardiac imaging for radiologists to expert panels offering insightful commentary and opinions on issues such as the future of academic radiology, challenges for Medicare, and the challenges of testifying as an expert witness.
Another key activity of the AMCLC was the opportunity for ACR members to deliver radiology's concerns to the marble hallways of Capitol Hill. In all, more than 400 ACR members took their message to the Hill, where they met with members of Congress and key staff members to discuss such issues as the overutilization of imaging, medical liability reform, and appropriate physician reimbursement. By the end of the day, ACR members had visited more than 290 key congressional offices. More importantly, they met with nearly 70% of the 66 key members of Congress the College had identified based on their leadership positions and committee assignments.
For a complete daily recap of the events of this year's AMCLC, please visit the ACR News section of the ACR Web site. A more detailed report of this year's visits to Capitol Hill and RADPAC activities will be featured in the next issue of the ACR Advocate.