Jacqueline A. Bello, MD, FACR, Chair of the American College of Radiology® (ACR®) Board of Chancellors (BOC), contributed this post.
On Tuesday, Nov. 8, we will once again celebrate the International Day of Radiology (IDoR), a collaborative effort of the ACR, the European Society of Radiology, and the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) to build greater awareness of the value that radiology contributes to high-quality, safe patient care. Additionally, IDoR falls during National Radiologic Technology Week, an annual celebration recognizing the vital work of medical imaging and radiation therapy professionals in patient care and healthcare safety, as well.
This year, on the 11th anniversary of IDoR, we honor radiology’s critical role in ensuring earlier detection of illness and disease, fewer surgeries, and improved treatment outcomes for our patients. In 2022, ACR members have made tremendous strides to positively impact patient care through initiatives such as the ACR Learning Network, which focuses on improving diagnostic imaging care by addressing areas of cancer diagnosis in mammography, prostate imaging, lung cancer screening and recommendations follow-up. In addition, three new patient-friendly animated videos are now available to help patients understand why their physician ordered a particular test, procedure or treatment, building upon the collection of nearly 100 ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Patient-Friendly Summaries published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology. We launched a new Patient- and Family-Centered Care (PFCC) Resource Hub on acr.org to help you improve the patient experience. Members also advocated to extend the current delay in implementing the 2009 United States Preventive Services Task Force screening mammography recommendations through Jan. 1, 2023, to ensure women have access to screening mammography starting at age 40. The ACR continues to collaborate with the RSNA on radiologyinfo.org, the leading online resource to help patients understand over 260 procedures, exams and treatments in diagnostic and interventional radiology, nuclear medicine, and radiation therapy. Available in both English and Spanish, radiologyinfo.org received more than 1.5 million visits in the past month alone.
I could not be prouder of our profession and our professionals for the central role we play in the healthcare journey, preserving patient and population health with equal emphasis on the care that truly makes a difference.
Our celebrations will build greater awareness of the value that radiology contributes to high-quality, safe patient care. Please join the conversation on social media using #IDoR2022!
