WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Coalition for Quality Diagnostic Imaging Services (NCQDIS) Board of Directors is pleased to announce that board member Robert Baumgartner has been elected chairman of NCQDIS, effective January 1, 2007. Cherrill Farnsworth, the nonprofit organization’s president for nine years and CEO of HealthHelp, will step down after working with Baumgartner to transition responsibilities.

“Bob will bring great leadership to NCQDIS as our organization devotes more resources to educating Congress on the need for quality diagnostic imaging services and the standards required to ensure quality,” said Farnsworth. “We are confident that Bob will be an effective guide as we face both legislative and industry challenges.”

Baumgartner will continue the coalition’s mission of educating policy makers and the media about issues affecting imaging. “NCQDIS has served our industry well under Cherrill's leadership, and we thank her for her continued efforts,” said Baumgartner. “We have an aggressive agenda for 2007 as we continue to confront critical Congressional and regulatory issues in diagnostic imaging, including the Deficit Reduction Act, that will affect Americans’ ability to access cost-effective, high-quality medical imaging services.”

Baumgartner is CEO of Center for Diagnostic Imaging, Inc. (CDI), a Minneapolis-based medical imaging company with a network of outpatient centers in eight states. Since joining CDI in 2001, Baumgartner has overseen the growth of the company from 16 to 40 centers. CDI is a long-time member of NCQDIS, and Baumgartner has played a key role in the coalition’s public policy efforts. In 2006, Baumgartner provided expert testimony on behalf of NCQDIS to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee on diagnostic imaging quality standards, as well as guiding a number of NCQDIS efforts with CMS, MedPAC, and federal legislation.