SIIM Member Activity Spotlight

Welcome Back!

I remember the feelings I had first stepping back into McCormick Place after the lockdown-imposed hiatus. But, attending the ACR meeting at the end of April gave me the additional feels of attending a new meeting that I have never previously attended. I had the privilege of attending the American College of Radiology annual business meeting in Washington DC as a collaborative delegate representing SIIM. SIIM contributed time and resources to update the practice standards that the ACR adopts and delivers to its membership. Along with Peter and Maisy, the three of us were SIIM’s respective contributors to the following:

• ACR–AAPM–SIIM Technical Standard for Electronic Practice of Medical Imaging – Matt Hayes, MBA, Radiology Partners, Orland Park, IL
• ACR–AAPM–SIIM Practice Parameter for Digital Radiography – Peter Harri, MD, Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA
• ACR–AAPM–SIIM Practice Parameter for Determinants of Image Quality in Mammography – Maisy Stierhoff, MBA, Hologic, Baltimore, MD

The SIIM electronic practice standards were a nice update that was long overdue. I even had that 3-second beam of pride when the ratification of the update went unopposed. Yay…contributory success!

It was also very interesting to see how a physician body conducts membership business. With many providers in their ranks, I witnessed a formal parliamentary procedure deployed to both allow discussion and be shrewd with time. Most noted, the two more debated topics revolved around work-life balance (paternity leave) and developing partnership tracks for a given rad practice. It was very clear that many of the articles revolving around physician burnout, staffing shortages, and business threats were front and center in many of the participants’ minds. But the overall camaraderie and care that each speaker brought, made it clear that they were in a collective pinch. Without a doubt, the opening of the world again just accelerated the bundled-up issues that we all face in medicine. But I was happy to see that a collective approach is still possible in this era.

I’m still getting geared up for the next round of meetings. SIIM22 is right around the corner, and the ever-grinding RSNA to cap off the year. I’ll be looking forward to catching up with everyone! And, watch for the ACR-AAPM-SIIM documents, coming October 1st.

Matt Hayes, MBA, CIIP
Radiology Partners