The Future of Radiology Is in Our Hands

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How does one react when approached by a colleague to volunteer for a leadership position for a national medical association? Perhaps with “why me” or maybe “I am not the right person for that task,” or would it be, “no thanks, let someone else do that, I am too busy!” These responses are not uncommon and probably a good indicator of the fact that physicians, in general, are not sure what a leadership position or role is all about and why it is so important to us all.

My awakening came when I was asked to let my name stand for election to the Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR) Council Executive, the Board of our national association. My experiences since that time have been vast and, to say the least, very interesting and exciting. The CAR was incorporated more than 60 years ago and no doubt has evolved considerably over that period to the respected status that it maintains among national and international medical associations today. This respect has been gained by the hard work of countless volunteers and staff members over the decades.

To remain at a level of peak performance, all organizations, whether for-profit or not-for-profit such as the CAR, must recognize and respond to the need to remain current. Associations must maintain a functional infrastructure and a constant awareness of the milieu in which they function to meet the needs of their members.

In 2007 the CAR Council (Board of Directors) recognized the need to update the CAR governance. The redesign of our association has been accomplished in a relatively short time. As we worked through the process, other national medical associations in Canada have embarked on similar journeys.

Associations must not be reactive to current situations but rather look ahead to allow adequate proactive preparation for situations. As specialists in diagnostic and therapeutic medical imaging, we are the ones who best understand our specialty. We should be the ones to provide the leadership to improve the provision of services, quality, and patient safety in our specialty. The road has been a bit bumpy, as one would expect with such a huge undertaking, but we have completed the journey and come out much stronger as a result. In the process, the CAR office has been relocated to Ottawa to be closer to the seat of government.

Physicians must raise their voices to provide direct input to health care decisions. We must not depend on others to speak on our behalf. The radiologist workforce is limited in number and yet our need for representation increases. By design, our new governance shows considerable respect for volunteers' time. Discussion of issues, research, and action plan formulation is performed in working groups formed by the Board. This encourages input from a broad spectrum of the CAR membership and outside stakeholders to ensure that the workload is shared by many and input is as wide ranging as possible. If you are interested or are invited to work on one of these groups, you will realize that they form the basis for decisions and policies of the association.

The CAR Board of Directors is dedicated to ensuring regional representation of CAR members in the association's leadership positions. At a recent meeting, the Board passed a motion to select the next CAR Vice President from the Quebec region. It will further submit new bylaws for membership consideration at the CAR's next Annual General, which will require that candidates for the Vice Presidency come from a rotation of regions across the country including Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, and West. A Board Nominations Group will recommend a candidate from the pertinent region for the 2-year Vice President term with direct input from the provincial leadership of that region. All Board members are nominated by the same group, which is re-formed every 2 years. This approach ensures a broad spectrum of representation. The success of this process depends on the willingness of individuals to step forward and volunteer their time and leadership capabilities to the national association. If we are concerned about the future of our specialty in Canada, and I know that we are, participation is critical. A strong association will advocate for us all and ensure that vital activities such as lifelong learning for members, standards and guidelines for diagnostic imaging, and strong advocacy are supported and appropriately promoted.

Our medical training takes many years to complete and yet we have had very little opportunity to gain experience in leadership and advocacy. Our new governance is designed to involve residents in the activities of the association both in policy development and education issues. After all, it is their future, the future of the specialty, that is most dependent on our ability to adapt today. There is a permanent position on the CAR Board for a resident-in-training. They receive training in governance and leadership issues to prepare them for this position to better contribute to the CAR today and in the future.

The world in which we live is changing rapidly. I encourage you to read the volumes of publications discussing the present and future of our specialty. We may be comfortable with where we presently stand, but there will be movement, like it or not. This is one of the most actively changing times in the history of modern health care. Present levels of funding cannot sustain the service that our aging public expects in our present system.

Radiologists in Canada and abroad are taking a proactive stand to plan and promote a future for the profession that will be beneficial, effective, and affordable for Canadians for years to come. The Canadian Association of Radiologists is ready to provide the vehicle to take us to the next level as we all share in the responsibility. In the modern vernacular, we can make it happen, yes we can!