Endorsements and Collaborative Efforts with other Medical Specialty Societies

Collaborative GuidelinesThe ACR supports collaborating with other medical societies that develop clinical practice guidelines, appropriate use criteria, position statements and other communications related to the practices of diagnostic imaging, medical physics, interventional radiology and radiation oncology. ACR views collaboration as an opportunity to harmonize and improve the delivery of patient care. It is important for the house of medicine to speak with one voice to provide clarity regarding good medical practice for patients and other stakeholders.

It is the College’s preference to be actively engaged in the development or revision of the documents, especially if the goal is to ask for ACR endorsement. When ACR representatives have been engaged in the prior discussions of the scope, recommendations and clinical issues, the endorsement process is facilitated. If review is only available, it is important to understand if changes to the document will be considered and whether the change recommendations have been implemented prior to ACR’s endorsement. ACR endorsement on clinical matters is related to diagnostic imaging, medical physics, interventional radiology and radiation oncology. ACR’s policy on the endorsement of documents organized by other societies requires a minimum of 30 days for consideration.

Organizations seeking ACR’s participation on clinical, practice guidance, or other documents may submit requests by first completing the Collaboration Request Form .

List of Endorsed Collaborative Documents

View a list of documents endorsed by the ACR 

Newer documents may be in the publication process and will be hyperlinked when they are available from the organizing society; these documents are noted with a *. Older documents whose links are no longer available or have been replaced by a revision are marked with a +. Typically the ACR endorsement is effective for up to five years unless the document has been revised or withdrawn by the sponsoring organization or changes clinical practice make the recommendations or conclusions no longer relevant or valid.

Questions

Please send your questions about ACR collaboration or endorsement to collaborativeguidelines@acr.org.

Types of documents typically considered for collaboration or endorsement
Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) Statements that include recommendations intended to optimize patient care. They are informed by a systematic review of evidence and an assessment of the benefits and harms of alternative care options.
Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) Criteria that are evidence-based (to the extent feasible) and assist professionals who order and furnish applicable imaging services to make the most appropriate treatment decisions for a specific clinical condition.
Systematic Reviews Identify, select, assess, and synthesize the relevant body of research, and will help make clear what is known and not known about the potential benefits and harms of alternative drugs, devices, and other healthcare services.
Position Statements and White Papers The official, published editorial taken by a professional organization regarding best practices, standard care, or inconclusive evidence-based research. Position statements are typically updated regularly.
Expert or Consensus Statements A document intended to inform practitioners, payers, and other interested parties of the opinion of evolving areas of clinical practice and/or technologies that are widely available or new to the practice community. These documents are evidence-based whenever possible but tend to be shorter than guidelines and developed around a topic that is more narrowly focused, that is new or emerging, and for which a smaller body of evidence is available.

                   

Practice Parameters & Technical Standards

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Promote the safe and effective use of diagnostic and therapeutic radiology by describing specific training, skills and techniques.

View PPTS

ACR Appropriateness Criteria®

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These evidence-based guidelines assist referring physicians and other providers in making the most appropriate imaging or treatment decision for a specific clinical condition.

Access ACR AC