New report highlights need for recruitment, retention of interventional radiologists to small and rural practices

A new reportopens in new tab/window from a joint task force of the American College of Radiology® (ACR®) and the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) recommends improved access to interventional radiologists (IRs) in small and rural areas. The task force was formed to explore strategies for recruitment and retention of IRs in rural areas, which have the greatest challenges with access to interventional radiologic care.

“Interventional radiologists play a key role in improving patient health outcomes and creating healthier communities,” said Alan H. Matsumoto, MD, FACR, FSIR, Vice Chair of the ACR Board of Chancellors and a member of the joint task force. “The recommendations should be beneficial for practices in small and rural areas that hope to recruit interventional radiologists and provide the care patients deserve.”

The task force focused on improving training opportunities, creating templates to help radiology practices and hospitals provide interventional radiology services in small and rural communities, and developing appropriate financial models to recruit IRs to these areas and retain their services.

“Access to an interventional radiologist’s care can be the difference between life and death, yet millions of Americans living in rural communities do not have access to the image-guided treatments IRs perform to literally save life and limb,” said SIR President Parag J. Patel, MD, FSIR, professor of radiology at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. “Access to interventional radiology services improves the care offered within a hospital or health system. The recommendations outlined in this paper will help practices attract IR talent and expand IR services where they are often needed the most, eliminating IR deserts and improving patients’ access to the care they need.”

The report was published online in the Journal of the American College of Radiologyopens in new tab/window (JACR®).

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Notes for editors

The article is “Interventional Radiology Workforce Shortages Affecting Small and Rural Practices: A Report of the SIR/ACR Joint Task Force on Recruitment and Retention of Interventional Radiologists to Small and Rural Practices,” by Laura K. Findeiss, MD, Catherine Everett, MD, MBA, Ezana Azene, MD, PhD, Kelly Biggs, MD, Elizabeth Ignacio, MD, Alan H. Matsumoto, MD, Dennis Kay, MD, Oleksandra Kutsenko, MD, Ray Liu, MD, Vivek Padha, MD, Gilles Soulez, MD, MSc, and Tim Swan, MD (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacr.2022.08.004opens in new tab/window). It appears in the Journal of the American College of Radiology, published by Elsevier. The article is openly available at https://www.jacr.org/article/S1546-1440(22)00578-6/fulltextopens in new tab/window

The full text of the article is also available to credentialed journalists; contact the American College of Radiology at [email protected]opens in new tab/window or Elise Castelli, Society of Interventional Radiology, at [email protected]opens in new tab/window.

About the Journal of the American College of Radiology

The official journal of the American College of Radiologyopens in new tab/window, JACR opens in new tab/windowinforms its readers of timely, pertinent, and important topics affecting the practice of diagnostic radiologists, interventional radiologists, medical physicists, and radiation oncologists. The journal’s goals are to improve patient care, support the practice of radiology and imaging, and move the science forward in health services research and policy, clinical practice management, data science, training and education, and leadership.

About the American College of Radiology

The American College of Radiology (ACR)opens in new tab/window, founded in 1924, is a professional medical society dedicated to serving patients and society by empowering radiology professionals to advance the practice, science and professions of radiological care.

About the Society of Interventional Radiology

The Society of Interventional Radiologyopens in new tab/window is a nonprofit, professional medical society representing more than 8,000 practicing interventional radiology physicians, trainees, students, scientists and clinical associates, dedicated to improving patient care through the limitless potential of image-guided therapies. SIR’s members work in a variety of settings and at different professional levels - from medical students and residents to university faculty and private practice physicians.

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엘스비어는 첨단 정보와 의사결정 지원 분야의 글로벌 선도 기업으로 100년 넘게 과학과 헬스케어의 발전을 지원하며 인류 진보에 기여해 왔습니다. 우리는 170개국 이상에서 학술 및 기업 연구 커뮤니티, 의사, 간호사, 미래의 의료 전문가와 교육자들을 지원합니다. 근거에 기반한 신뢰할 수 있는 과학·의학 콘텐츠와 최첨단 AI 기술을 결합해 중요한 통찰과 혁신적인 솔루션을 제공해, 의미있는 성과를 이루도록 돕고 있습니다. 또한 다양성과 지속 가능성을 제품과 기업 문화 전반에 내재화하며, 우리가 속한 커뮤니티와 협력합니다. 엘스비어 재단opens in new tab/window은 전 세계에서 연구와 보건 파트너십을 지원합니다.

엘스비어는 전문가 및 기업 고객에게 정보 기반의 분석과 의사결정 도구를 제공하는 글로벌 기업 RELXopens in new tab/window의 일원입니다. 자세한 내용은 www.elsevier.com에서 확인할 수 있으며, 소셜미디어 @elsevierconnect를 통해 최신 소식을 받아보실 수 있습니다.