by
Sean Ruck, Contributing Editor | July 15, 2022
From the July 2022 issue of HealthCare Business News magazine
HCB News: I’d like to discuss data a little more. For decades, there’s been all this data gathered with very little done, but with machine learning, information has been getting plugged in more and more to make use of it.
RBT: That is one thing. The other thing is that now is the time to become more of a clinical spar. And that is, of course, feasible, because although the workload is increasing, we have the digital tools to help us. I believe in 10 years’ time the radiologist will perform in a different way. It will be a different radiology practice.
HCB News: With the pandemic still in flux, what does the attendance level look like for the upcoming congress?
RBT: Like all other congresses, the levels are 60 to 70% and the number of parallel tracks are adapted accordingly.
HCB News: Are there any presentations you have a high interest in attending?
RBT: The program highlights are the multidisciplinary sessions; for example: a surgeon, a radiologist, an oncologist each lecturing very briefly (15 minutes) followed by a long panel discussion, a multidisciplinary tumor board case-based discussion. So I have these kinds of sessions throughout.
Another highlight is the Patient in Focus program. So the patient will have the podium for four days to share with us their needs, to share with us how a radiologist should communicate with them.
A third highlight is the Open Forum program. See it as a sort of speaker’s corner at Hyde Park, where people can voice their opinions and interact with speakers.
And a highlight worth mentioning is the roundtable discussions with leaders from different disciplines who will discuss pressing issues in radiology. There will be politicians, clinicians, patients, they will all be in that program.
HCB News: What are some of the issues being faced in European radiology? Do you have issues with reimbursement? Funding for new equipment?
RBT: What is very important are the issues about the increasing costs of healthcare, also because of an increasing use of imaging. Increasing use of imaging means increasing workload for the radiologist, while there is a shortage of radiologists in many countries. So how are we going to deal with that? And the turf battles — between our specialty and others. Meaning, not only do we have diagnostic radiology — that’s OK, everyone accepts diagnosis making is ours — but we have interventional radiology, and with that we’re stepping in the field of the treatment and borders will fade. These are all discussions we have to have because radiology’s role is inevitably changing.
HCB News: What is one of the best pieces of advice you have received as a professional?
RBT: I don’t think I have received it, but it’s in my DNA. When one door closes, another opens and often we spend too much time looking at the closed door so that we miss the open door.
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