From the June 2022 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine


HCB News: How long have you been a member of SNMMI?
MG: I’ve been a member of SNMMI since I started nuclear medicine training in 1993.

HCB News: What do you most appreciate about being a member of SNMMI?

MG: SNMMI is a unique organization. While the benefits of SNMMI membership are too many to enumerate, what I appreciate the most is the diverse backgrounds of SNMMI’s membership, including physicians, scientists, pharmacists, technologists and lab professionals. It is an absolute pleasure working with the SNMMI’s staff and leadership, who are heavily invested in not only supporting the society’s membership but also advancing nuclear medicine and working with nuclear medicine professionals to improve patient care.

HCB News: What kind of initiatives will you be spearheading as president?
MG: As SNMMI president, I plan to focus on raising public awareness of nuclear medicine, engaging patients and patient advocates, increasing recognition of SNMMI as the leading global nuclear medicine organization, and working closely with regulators to streamline approval of promising new diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals and to improve reimbursement by CMS.

HCB News: What are the biggest challenges facing members today?
MG: The highest-level issues faced by nuclear medicine professionals include lags in reimbursement, even after FDA approval; limited coverage of high-value radiopharmaceuticals for which pass-through status has expired; and the need to educate hospital administration and department leadership to prepare for major growth of theranostics.

SNMMI urges patients and caregivers, physicians, and healthcare organizations to act now to support the bipartisan FIND Act, which if passed will ensure patient access to nuclear medicine scans that can change the course of their treatment.

HCB News: I know from our previous conversations that reimbursement challenges have been a long-term focus for you, will that continue in your new role?
MG: Yes, absolutely!

HCB News: How has the pandemic impacted nuclear medicine?
MG: Nuclear medicine has been heavily impacted by the pandemic. Our technologists, trainees, and practicing nuclear medicine physicians continued to provide necessary service to our patients despite the inherent risks being on the front line; some have acquiring COVID-19 infection with serious consequences. Our procedure volume decreased, and some of the procedures — deemed higher risk — were temporarily discontinued. In addition to the challenges with personal protective equipment, we had intermittent supply issues with radiopharmaceuticals. Soon after the World Health Organization announced COVID-19 as a pandemic in March 2020, the SNMMI created a COVID-19 Task Force, which has worked very actively to keep a pulse on the situation, providing detailed recommendations on ensuring the safety of patients and healthcare workers and providing guidance on the implications of the COVID-19 infection and vaccines on potential false positive imaging interpretations. I am delighted to report that the nuclear medicine community has emerged stronger than ever, becoming more resilient and incorporating some of the best practices learned during various ups and downs of the pandemic into permanent workflow.

June 2022 Magazine

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