President's Message

Posted March 1, 2005

During the past year it has been a privilege to serve as the president of the Massachusetts Radiological Society. One aspect of the MRS that I have found most rewarding is the opportunity for Radiologists from varied practice settings to pursue their common goals and advance the practice of radiology both at the local and national levels. As diagnostic imaging and radiation therapy have now become indispensable tools within medicine, one of the major challenges facing our profession is to document the cognitive value that radiologists add to our technical images and procedures. As employers, payers, and individuals struggle with rising health care costs, it is imperative that we are active participants in all of the discussions which will shape health care both in Massachusetts and the nation. These challenges facing radiology in Massachusetts are compounded by our relatively low rate of reimbursement and the high cost of living. In addition, we have the responsibility of training a large number of residents and fellows each year.

Given the diverse type of practice settings in which we all work, it is often easy to isolate oneself and focus on the specific issues that affect our own daily lives. While in the short run, this approach is probably adaptive, in the long run it will undoubtedly be to our detriment. Most of the other forces that affect the delivery of health care in Massachusetts are well organized. The relative ease with which we practiced in the past is disappearing, and without a vehicle for speaking with a common voice, our profession is at risk for becoming fragmented, divided, and obsolete.

Some of the issues which the MRS has addressed this year include: tort reform, self-referral, appropriate utilization of imaging resources, and appropriate reimbursement for the level of services provided. In addition, we are fortunate to have an extremely active and capable residents and fellow section, which will be source of tomorrow's leaders and is a model for many local ACR chapters across the country.

If you are not actively involved in the MRS, please consider this a personal invitation. We have a good deal of work to do – and all of us who practice in Massachusetts benefit (both directly and indirectly, and knowingly and unknowingly) from these efforts.

I wish you all the best for the year ahead.

Respectfully Submitted,

Max P. Rosen, MD, MPH
President
Massachusetts Radiological Society, Inc.