The ACR-RBMA Practice Leadership Forum unites radiologists and administrators across all practice types to solve the leading challenges in the specialty.
Radiology practices of all kinds are navigating an increasingly complex environment —workforce shortages, evolving practice models, economic pressures, and rapid technological changes. Overcoming these challenges and embracing change require teamwork, collaboration and no shortage of leadership skills. That’s the goal of the 2027 ACR-RBMA Practice Leadership Forum (PLF), a three-day meeting held each year where radiologists and practice administrators from across the country come together to learn about and discuss the various challenges facing the field of radiology.
The meeting will focus on providing practical skills, tools and strategies for running effective and efficient radiology practices and departments, regardless of practice type or leadership title. These are not just skills for those in formal leadership roles — they are essential, day-to-day skills for any radiologist or practice administrator looking to make their practice more effective, collaborative and impactful.
Several things make the PLF unique. One of the most valuable parts of the meeting is the opportunity for conversation, both during and after the conference.
Over the course of the meeting, attendees can engage with faculty and other attendees, ask questions and participate in breakout sessions and roundtable discussions that in turn, foster opportunities for smaller group conversations, says Sarah Russell, MBA, chief executive officer at Inland Imaging, PS, and co-chair of the PLF. “Some of the most valuable insights come from those informal conversations between sessions, when leaders talk candidly about what is happening in their practices.”
“These conversations build real relationships that extend well beyond the meeting itself,” says Russell. “Since the 2026 meeting, there’s been a natural continuation of those connections, people reaching out to share ideas, ask questions, and support one another as new challenges come up.”
The PLF is focused on the challenges affecting practices today and tomorrow. “We intentionally shape our agenda each year based on feedback from attendees and from observations from our planning committee. What are they seeing in their practices? What challenges are they facing? What changes are taking place?” says Russell.
Importantly, these discussions are designed to be relevant not just for those setting strategy, but for anyone contributing to how their practice operates and evolves.
The meeting itself is run by both the RBMA and the ACR’s Radiology Leadership Institute (RLI®) and attended by radiology business managers and radiologists. The planning committee and chairs are also composed of both.
“Bringing together members from both organizations creates a forum where their perspectives can come together in a meaningful way — no single leader or role can solve the kinds of challenges we’re facing alone,” says Russell. “It takes both clinical insight and administrative expertise to address the operational, workforce and economic pressures practices are facing.”
Richard Duszak Jr., MD, FACR, FRBMA, the chief medical officer of the ACR RLI and co-chair of the PLF, notes that RBMA and ACR are so supportive of this idea that the meeting offers a discount if a physician and administrative leader attend together, adding, “This is a team sport. You can’t run a practice today without the skills of both.”
“The planning committee is always looking to add new faculty, particularly if the person is solving challenges in a novel way,” says Duszak. “The evolution has helped the meeting continue to grow and attract attendees from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.”
“The 2026 PLF had the highest attendance in the meeting’s history,” adds Duszak. “At a time when practices are stretched thin, that tells me people are finding real value in the conversations, relationships and practical ideas they take back to their own organizations.”
There’s a misconception that leadership conversations are only for mid- to late-career physicians in private practice. In reality, we welcome radiologists at every career stage and across a wide range of practice settings.
Perhaps most importantly, the PLF is a meeting for a wide variety of attendees.
“There’s a misconception that leadership conversations are only for mid- to late-career physicians in private practice,” says Duszak. “In reality, we welcome radiologists at every career stage and across a wide range of practice settings – including academic, hospital-based, hybrid, telehealth — you name it. The challenges we address transcend both career stage and practice type.”
“The ability to help a practice succeed is key for radiologists across practice settings and career stages,” says Amy K. Patel, medical director of the Liberty Hospital Breast Care Center in Kansas City (a part of the University of Kansas Health System) and chair of the ACR's Radiology Advocacy Network and RADPAC®. “With increasing retirements and rising volumes, radiologists are being asked to take on more responsibilities earlier in their career. And with the acceleration of acquisitions, mergers and consolidations, all radiologists are needing to help their departments navigate through the changing healthcare landscape.”
Despite what some may believe, Patel says the meeting is valuable for physicians who may not yet hold formal leadership titles.
“My favorite part of this meeting was the breakout sessions, where everyone was able to have a voice to express concerns, problem-solve and share victories,” she says. “Coming together like that really humanizes our profession and makes you realize that you’re not alone — others are facing the same challenges and having the same worries as you.”
She adds, “I wish more academic radiologists were aware of how invaluable this meeting is. It’s important not to silo ourselves into one practice type, and we can learn so much from one another because we do share a lot of the same challenges.”
For some groups, the value of the PLF extends beyond the one or two individuals that attend and instead becomes part of a larger leadership development strategy.
Delphine M. Lui, MD’s practice, North Shore Radiological Associates in Massachusetts, has been sending a team of attendees to the PLF for the past eight years. “It’s so important to be there at the table to know what’s going on there and how it affects your practice. Radiologists are important players in the field of medicine, and deserve a say too,” says Lui. “We’ve learned and brought back so many things from this meeting that have helped us stay ahead of trends and position ourselves effectively.”
For example, Lui says the PLF was the first place her group heard about initiatives such as the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System and clinical decision support. More recently, her practice attended the 2026 meeting and learned about using swing and bunker shifts (specialized scheduling models designed to manage high volumes of imaging studies, reduce burnout, and improve workflow efficiency) to try to alleviate some of their workforce issues. Adds Lui, “We just attended the 2026 meeting and are aware of the huge changes AI will bring to our future, and how optimizing flexible scheduling will be important to our longevity.”
North Shore Radiological Associates believes so strongly in cultivating leadership skills that it has intentionally been sending a junior and senior radiologist together every year. “Sending members with different levels of experience is just common sense to us,” says Lui. “Each of us has a different perspective, the senior radiologist with a historical perspective, the junior radiologist with a fresh perspective, and then we can share ideas. We also want to inspire our younger radiologists to take on more leadership roles and eventually become mentors themselves.” The practice sees attendance not just as an educational opportunity, but as a part of its culture and succession planning. “The conversations and perspectives we get at the PLF is a great place to do that,” says Lui.
Ultimately, the PLF is not just an investment in one attendee — it is an investment in building stronger leaders, stronger teams and stronger radiology practices.
“This really is a meeting for everyone — not because everyone holds a leadership title, but because everyone benefits from building the skills that make practices stronger,” says Duszak. “Everyone in a physician practice should be developing these skills. It’s an opportunity to improve quality and efficiency, to negotiate and to learn how to get along with different personalities.”
By Meghan Edwards, freelance writer, ACR Bulletin
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