ACR Members: Interventional Radiologists Should Be 'in the Loop'
More and more interventional radiologists are taking their place on the front lines of patient care, resulting in shorter recovery times and less costly procedures, according to an October 14 article in the Cincinnati Business Courier that featured 3 ACR members. Using minimally invasive procedures, the article noted the important patient care delivered by interventional radiologists in the areas of aortic aneurysms, uterine fibroids, blocked arteries, varicose veins, and some cancers.
"It's equally effective, it's less painful, and you're going to get better faster in comparison to the conventional, old ways of doing things," Darren R. Hurst, MD, of Radiology Associates of Northern Kentucky, said in the article. "Why wouldn't you choose it?"
Unfortunately, added Robert L. Vogelzang, MD, professor of radiology at Northwestern University Medical School, many physicians still find it difficult to refer patients to interventional radiologists for treatment. "We face the problem in many cases of being currently outside the loop, but possessing exceptionally powerful tools which should be in the loop," he noted in the article.
Daniel E. Long, MD, of Professional Radiology Inc in Cincinnati, said one key is for interventional radiologists to market themselves to both referring physicians and patients alike and "be more in the forefront."
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