title: ACR white paper: the value added that radiologists provide to the health care enterprise.
abstract: Radiologists represent arguably one of medicine's least heralded but most important specialties. Although they carry sterling credentials as imaging and radiation safety experts, radiologists have lacked widespread public recognition. As public and private stakeholders cast an even more intense spotlight on imaging, the vital role of radiologists must be better understood. During the January 2008 ACR Forum on Future Practice Models for Radiology, participants and ACR leaders discussed the value added that radiologists bring to the health care enterprise and recommended that the ACR further study that topic. The ACR, dedicated to providing quality patient care since its inception in 1924, convened the Task Force on Value Added to address these issues. The task force determined the component stakeholders in the health care enterprise to whom value is added, defined the nature of the value for each constituent component, described the process of adding that value, and anticipated future trends that may affect the value proposition. Recommendations to the ACR for future action are offered.
authors.affiliation: North Shore Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Salem, MA 01970, USA. jpatti@partners.org
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Patti
authors.forename: Jonathan William
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Berlin
authors.forename: Albert L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Blumberg
authors.forename: R Nick
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Bryan
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gaschen
authors.forename: Brenda M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Izzi
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.forename: Jonathan Stewart
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lewin
authors.forename: Lawrence A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Liebscher
mesh_terms: D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000639:trends*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000639:trends*; D019981:Health Care Sector / Q000639:trends*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D011871:Radiology / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States